Degree-Completion Agreement with Triton College (TC)

Memorandum of Degree Completion Agreement Between Triton College (TC) and Dominican University (DU) in Legal Studies

Introduction

This Degree Completion Agreement is simultaneously entered into by TC and DU in order to create a smooth and seamless process by which eligible TC students will ultimately be able to complete a Bachelor of Professional Studies (BPS) degree in Legal Studies at DU. This agreement requires the completion of a Paralegal Studies Certificate at TC.  Moreover, completion of this certificate at TC also requires the completion of an Associate in Arts or Science degree (AA or AS) before acceptance is granted into the Paralegal Studies Certificate Program.

As part of this Degree Completion Agreement, DU will automatically accept, in its entirety, a Paralegal Studies Certificate earned at TC as well as the pertinent core classes earned within the AA/AS degree, not to exceed sixty-eight (68) hours in transfer. Completing the aforementioned certificate at TC is required for students to enter DU under the terms of this agreement.  For more specific information concerning the bachelor’s degree requirements, participating TC students may contact the Director of Transfer Admission at DU. The duly appointed representatives from the aforementioned parties will also govern all policies and procedures of this Degree Completion Agreement.

Student Eligibility

Students may apply to DU at any time during their attendance at TC; it is recommended that students apply for admission to DU at least one semester prior to completing the certificate at TC. Students must meet all applicable admission requirements at DU to remain eligible for this degree completion program; a minimum GPA of 2.5/4.0 is required for admission. Students’ eligibility for continued study at either TC or DU will be governed by each institution’s policies on enrollment of probationary, dismissed, and re-entering students. At any time before the completion of the aforementioned certificate at TC, students may officially rescind the stipulations of the Degree Completion Agreement and transfer to DU, or any other institution of higher education, under the usual procedures.

Student Enrollment

Under this agreement, a student is exclusively enrolled at DU once the student has completed the aforementioned certificate at TC and has been accepted to DU via the admission criteria above. After matriculation at DU, the student’s subsequent progress toward the bachelor’s degree is governed solely by DU’s academic standards. Participating TC students must request a final, official transcript to be sent to DU after completing the aforementioned certificate at TC for verification.

Correspondence and Advising

The College of Applied Social Sciences (CASS) at DU will provide participating students with the advising materials, including model plans of recommended study and coursework specific to the Legal Studies degree at DU. The articulated coursework in the Addendum of this Degree Completion Agreement will be reviewed and updated annually. The Director of Transfer Admission at DU will inform TC of any changes to the Legal Studies core or major curricula that may affect the integrity of this agreement. Moreover, TC will also inform DU of curricular changes that would alter the nature of this agreement.

ADDENDUM

Program Requirements

The details of this agreement between the Paralegal Studies Certificate at TC and the Bachelor of Professional Studies in Legal Studies at DU are as follows:

BPS in Legal Studies

Upon completion of the aforementioned certificate at TC, the entire thirty-one (31) hour program would transfer from TC to DU. Therefore, the thirty-one (31) hours of the Paralegal Studies certificate at TC will be applied to the major requirements for the Legal Studies degree at DU. Thus, students would need to complete twenty-one (21) additional hours specifically in the Legal Studies major at DU.

TC students can transfer in a maximum of thirty-seven (37) hours of general education courses (see III below) and be waived from the majority of the BPS core requirements.  Thus, TC students would need an additional six (6) hours of general education courses, twenty-one (21) hours of BPS major requirements, as well as an additional twenty-five (25) hours of electives to complete the BPS in Legal Studies at DU.

Required Curriculum for the Certificate in Paralegal Studies at TC

First Semester

BUS 107 Microsoft Office in Business Applications (3)

PAR 101 Introduction to Paralegal Studies (3)

PAR 110 Drafting Legal Documents (3)

PAR 120 Civil Litigation (3)

Second Semester

PAR 140 Introduction to Legal Research and Writing (3)

PAR 150 Contract Law (3)

PAR 201 Personal Injury, Tort, and Insurance Law (3)

Third Semester

PAR 160 Legal Ethics and Law Office Organization (3)

PAR 170 Evidence and Investigations (2)

PAR 210 Law Office Technology (3)

PAR 220 Paralegal Assessment (Internship) (2)         

31 Hours

Remaining Major Courses for the BPS in Legal Studies at DU

LS 300 The American Legal System (3)

LS 306 Basic Legal Training (3)

LS 320 Religion and the Law (3)

LS 321 Law and Economics (3)

LS 322 Philosophical Basis of the Law (3)

Choose any two of the following courses:

LS 351 Criminal Law and Procedure (3)

LS 353 Family Law (3)

LS 354 Estate Planning (3)

LS 359 Immigration Law (3)         

21 Hours

Recommended (*) Core Classes to Transfer from TC and their DU Equivalencies

Learn more about the Bachelor of Professional Studies in Legal Studies

ACCELERATED DEGREE OPTIONS

Bachelor of Professional Studies/Master of Arts in Mediation and Conflict Resolution

High-achieving undergraduates can apply for the Bachelor of Professional Studies/Master of Arts in Mediation and Conflict Resolution (MMCR) accelerated degree option. Students admitted to this option can enroll in MMCR courses before completing the baccalaureate degree and have up to nine (9) MMCR credit hours apply to both their undergraduate and graduate degrees. Additional information is available through the CASS advising office.

Learn more about the Master of Arts in Mediation and Conflict Resolution