This article was originally published by Law Crossing November, 2006
	The Paralegal Studies Programs at the University of Great Falls, Great Falls, MT
	By Devon Pryor
	The University of Great Falls is a private, four-year Catholic university located in one of the most beautiful regions of the United States: the "Big Sky Country" of Montana. Under the leadership of the Sisters of Providence, the University of Great Falls upholds the Providence Leadership Covenant, which emphasizes the core values of respect, justice, compassion, charity, simplicity, and excellence. The university is a community of faith belonging to the Roman Catholic Church and has an impressive student to teacher ratio of 14:1. There are three primary paralegal education options offered by the University of Great Falls. These include the paralegal studies major, which culminates in a Bachelor of Arts in Paralegal Studies, the paralegal studies associate's degree program, and the unique UGF Army Paralegal Degree Program.

The core courses for each of the paralegal studies programs provide students with balanced instruction in legal theory and practical application. Elective options allow students to pursue specialty interests and complete professor-approved internships for up to 15 credits. The university's paralegal studies programs are ABA-approved and overseen by the advisory board of the school's paralegal program council. Required courses are identical for the bachelor's and associate's degree programs. These courses add up to 28 credits and focus on basic legal concepts such as commercial law, introduction to paralegalism, introduction to legal analysis, legal research and writing, litigation and trial practice, field experience in legal assistance, and current issues in paralegalism. Specialty courses on commercial transactions, domestic and family law, property law, estate law, legal research, debtor-creditor law, and office systems are also required. Completion of these 28 credits is sufficient to earn an associate's degree from the University of Great Falls' paralegal studies program; however, any student pursuing a bachelor's degree must also complete an additional six credits of approved elective courses. Approved electives include criminal law, criminal evidence and procedure, tort law, environmental law, business organizations, psychology of the law, clinical practicum, negotiation and mediation, administrative law, landlord-tenant law workshops, internships, and classes on other special topics relevant to the paralegal profession. Alongside descriptions of courses, the paralegal studies program's website offers links to downloadable audit sheets for both the associate's and bachelor's degree programs. These assist students in keeping track of their progress through the necessary courses and are conveniently organized on a grid in PDF format. The site also offers a "meet your professors" section with photographs of program professors. In addition to the standard paralegal program offerings at the University of Great Falls, the school features a program called the UGF Army Paralegal Degree Program, which is offered under the university's distance learning program. Distance learning students view weekly hour-long lectures and attend live follow-up audio conferences via the Internet. Using the computer technology LearnLinc, students in the Army Paralegal Degree Program are able to attend real-time class sessions online. Although multiple class sections are available, students who do not have web access during class times can view postings of recorded classes. Students also receive DVDs of lectures for all courses in which they are enrolled. This program offers deferred tuition to qualifying students, and both associate's and bachelor's degrees can be earned by students pursuing the distance learning option. The University of Great Falls is located near Malmstrom Air Force Base, and many members of the university's faculty work as professionals in the Great Falls community and have experience in military law. As the program website explains, this directly benefits the partnership between the Army and the university. All of the resources of the university are available to members of the Army Paralegal Degree Program, including career services counseling, lifetime job placement assistance, resume help, and tutoring in math and English. The university's innovative approach to education does not stop with the Army Paralegal Degree Program. The UGF Corps of Discovery Program is an exploratory program that creates a classroom out of the surrounding mountains and rivers of Montana. In this program, 15 to 20 students are exposed to moving life experiences through their presence in nature and service to others. Yet another intriguing event at the University of Great Falls is the MSRS, or Montana Symposium on Religion and Science. Open to university community members and to the public, the symposium is designed to address the historical mistrust and misunderstandings between religion and science, both of which the university recognizes as valid ways of understanding the surrounding world. The event is comprised of informal conversations on issues of mutual concern, book discussions, lectures, conferences, and commentary from visiting scholars.

	About UGF www.ugf.edu/about/default.aspx UGF's Paralegal Studies Programs www.ugf.edu/academics/Paralegal/Index.aspx Local Societies Initiative for the Constructive Engagement of Science and Religion www.metanexus.net/local_societies/societies_detail.asp?SocietyID=172

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