2023-2024
Interdisciplinary Studies - Legal Studies
VCU
Community college:
Associate of Applied Science in Paralegal Studies (Virginia Community College System)
Associate degree
Program description
The Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies: Legal Studies pathway combines coursework from an approved list of law-related classes from multiple disciplines, including political science, criminal justice, and philosophy, with BIS core courses and other relevant coursework.
Students will choose 39-45 credits to create their major focus area, including a minimum of 18 credits from the approved list. Students may substitute relevant coursework from their Paralegal AAS to count towards the required 18 credits. Students may choose to create their major entirely from this list, including courses from their Paralegal AAS, or they may supplement the 18 required credits with relevant coursework from additional disciplines in coordination with advisor and subject to approval by Associate Director of Interdisciplinary Studies. Options could include business, communications, psychology, or other disciplines, and should be tailored to the student's career goals. Students may also include prerequisites from chosen Legal Studies courses in their major focus area. The curriculum is flexible. Students, in consultation with their BIS advisor, can make changes to the recommended courses taken at VCU.
Depending on the student’s choice of coursework, this pathway positions students for a range of careers related to law, including nonprofit management, political advocacy, corrections, and court reporting. Upon graduation, students will be awarded the Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies.
Career opportunities
BIS graduates with a focus in Legal Studies are well prepared to seek employment in corporate, nonprofit and government agencies.
Bachelor-level job titles
- Compliance Officer
- Court Clerk
- Court Manager
- Court Reporter
- Insurance Broker
- Law Firm Administrator
- Mediator
- Mortgage Specialist
- Policy & Grant Writer
- Professional Advocate
Graduate and professional level job titles
- Attorney
- Nonprofit director
- Researcher
- Social Worker
Contact information
Telephone: (804) 827-1349
Email: transferinfo@vcu.edu
VCCS Transfer Planning Checklist
Telephone: (804) 828-1222 or (800) 841-3638
Email: ugrad@vcu.edu
Apply Here.
Guaranteed transfer admission requirements
No guaranteed admission, but successful applicants will have:
- Completion of associate degree
- Minimum GPA of 2.5
- All courses must be completed with a grade of "C" or better
Degree requirements in Bulletin
Plan of study in Bulletin
Requirements
Highest level of math required
- Quantitative Foundations requirement only
Science required
- Natural Sciences requirement only
Foreign language requirements
- No
Additional tuition/fees
- No
GPA requirements (to progress/graduate in the major)
- 2.0+ cumulative GPA, 2.0+ major GPA
VCU Major Maps
Transfer major map
2023-2024
Interdisciplinary Studies - Legal Studies
Virginia Community College System (Associate of Applied Science in Paralegal Studies)
| MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING | GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY | DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY | EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS | PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE | ||
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| Explore | Year 1 |
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| Experience | Year 2 |
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Explore
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
- Schedule an appointment with your community college advisor to map out your associate degree course plan.
- Enroll in the SDV student success course.
- Complete your math and english requirements in your first year.
- Be prepared for academic challenges and utilize tutoring resources to get ahead.
- Explore GRASP financial aid resources and submit the FAFSA on time.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
- Explore the Interdisciplinary Studies program website.
- Learn about the transfer admission process for VCU.
- Get involved with student clubs and organizations at your community college.
- Volunteer for community service projects.
- Register to vote.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
- Identify a mentor in a diversity organization.
- Attend diversity-focused events on your community college campus and in your community (e.g., international festival).
- Make friends with people with diverse perspectives and join a cultural or identity-related student organization.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
- Create LinkedIn profile.
- Complete career assessments through the Virginia Education Wizard.
- Browse information about occupations and job titles associated with human services.
- Assess your preparation for a career by completing a Gap Analysis.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
- Develop personal and career goals and create SMART steps for 2-3 "dream jobs."
- Create a weekly and monthly budget.
- Prepare for a career after college by creating a brand for yourself.
- Practice independent living skills such as money and time management, self-care, and personal responsibility.
Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
- Submit a transfer advising request to the VCU Transfer Center.
- Research scholarship opportunities and explore your eligibility for the Two-Year College Transfer Grant.
- Submit the FAFSA on time.
- Meet with your community college advisor to finalize plans to complete your associate degree.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
- Apply to VCU.
- Visit the VCU campus and attend a transfer admission session.
- Research housing options for next year.
- Attend a talk or other event sponsored by the Interdisciplinary Studies program, consider joining a VCU club, or meeting with VCU students to make professional and personal connections.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
- Consider learning a foreign language to open doors to international organizations and future study.
- Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options.
- Attend VCU cultural events, including the monthly Global Café, VCU Diversity Scholars in Research week, or Interdisciplinary Studies program-related events.
- Check out the VCU Office of Multicultural Student Affairs (OMSA) and follow @vcuomsa.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
- Find out about VCU REAL and learn about VCU's REAL graduation requirement.
- Attend Career & Internship Fairs throughout the year.
- If your GPA is 3.5 or higher, consider applying for the VCU Honors College.
- Explore internships related to legal studies.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
- Using LinkedIn, connect to at least 10 people. Check out the VCU alumni page in My Network.
- Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of career interest.
- Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
- Explore the types of aid available at VCU.
- Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.
Recommended courses
2023-2024
Interdisciplinary Studies - Legal Studies
Virginia Community College System (Associate of Applied Science in Paralegal Studies)
| Course | Title | Equivalent course | Credits | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students who earn this associate degree before enrolling at VCU will be eligible for a waiver of VCU's general education requirements. | ||||
| SDV 100 | College Success Skills | UNIV 101 | 1 | Elective |
| ENG 111 | College Composition I Note: students with credit for AP English Language and Composition will only receive credit for UNIV 111 at VCU and should take ENG 112 to fulfill the VCU composition requirement. | UNIV 111-112 | 3 | General education |
| ENG 112 | College Composition II | UNIV 200 | 3 | General education |
| MTH 154 | Quantitative Reasoning | MATH 131 | 3 | General education |
| PLS 135 | U.S. Government and Politics | POLI 103 | 3 | General education |
| PHI 220 | Ethics | PHIL 201 | 3 | General education |
| LGL 125 | Legal Research | CRJS 1XX | 3 | Elective |
| LGL 126 | Legal Writing | CRJS 302 | 3 | Major |
| Complete requirements of the AAS degree | VCU equivalents | 39 | Elective | |
| Community college credits transferred to VCU | 61 | |||
| Course | Title | Credits | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your GPA Doesn't Transfer With You Althugh you worked hard to earn your grades at your current institution, they will only be considered by VCU for an admission decision. Once you enroll at VCU, your GPA will reset to 0.0, and your new GPA will be determined by your level of success in your classes at VCU. | |||
| IDST 301 | Interdisciplinary Theory and Practice | 3 | Major |
| IDST 499 | BIS Senior Capstone | 3 | Major |
| Select 15 credits from "Legal Studies" approved list | 15 | Major | |
| Select 12-21 credits of coursework from any discipline related to individual career goals (selected in coordination with advisor and subject to approval by Associate Director). Students may substitute relevant coursework from their Paralegal AAS to count towards these required credits. | 12 to 21 | Major | |
| Upper-level electives (300- or 400-level courses) Note: Students must complete a minimum of 45 upper-level credits to graduate from VCU. | 17 to 26 | Elective | |
| REAL | The REAL requirement may be satisfied by successfully completing a 300-level (or higher) course that has received a REAL attribute of Level 2, 3 or 4 or through an approved “REAL” co-curricular experience that has received a REAL attribute of Level 3 or 4. See VCU advisor for options. | 0 | Major |
| Credits completed at VCU | 59 | ||
| Minimum credits required for bachelor's degree | 120 | ||