Overview

Paralegals are an integral part of the legal process enhancing the delivery of legal services and access to justice.

The Professional Legal Studies Program (PLS) from Western Kentucky University is designed to provide students with an interdisciplinary educational experience integrating knowledge and skills from multiple subjects including law, history, sociology, political science, technology and business.

The PLS Program requires 42 credit hours and leads to a Bachelor of Arts degree. Degrees will be awarded to those students who complete all requirements with an overall grade point average of 2.0 (out of 4.0) and receive a grade of “C” or better in all PLS courses.

The objectives of the Professional Legal Studies Program are:

To create, implement, and maintain a strong, flexible program directed to the quality education of occupationally-competent paralegals;
To provide a paralegal education program that leads to employment of its graduates by a wide range of employers;
To provide paralegals with a well-rounded, balanced education founded on a beneficial mix of general education, theory, and practical courses stressing understanding and reasoning rather than rote learning of facts;
To support federal, Kentucky and local Rules of Procedure and general principles of ethical legal practice, professional responsibility, the prohibitions against the unauthorized practice of law by non-lawyers, and the use and supervision of paralegals by lawyers;
To provide an educational program that is responsive to the varied needs of the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the region and contributes to the overall advancement of the legal profession and access to justice;
To provide a program which instills respect for the legal profession and its foundations, institutions, and quest for justice; and
To maintain equality of opportunity in the educational program without discrimination or segregation on the grounds of race, color, religion, natural origin, gender, age, disability or economic need.

Programme Structure

Courses include:

Criminal Law and Procedure
Constitutional Law
Women and the Law
Contract Law
Tort Law
Sociology of Criminal Law

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 48 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2027-08-19 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-12-01 00:00:00

Language

English

Duolingo English Test

100

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IELTS

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Credits

120 SCH

Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

Bowling Green, United States

Disciplines

Criminal Law Legal Studies Public Policy View 322 other Bachelors in Public Policy in United States

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Academic requirements

GPA

2.5

English requirements

Duolingo English Test

100

Take A Free Practice Test!

TOEFL^® IBT

Schedule TOEFL®

PTE Academic

Schedule a PTE test!

IELTS

Prepare for Your English Test

Cathoven AI IELTS Preparation

Learn your IELTS Score

AI-powered IELTS feedback. Clear, actionable, and tailored to boost your writing & speaking score. No credit card or upfront payment required.

Trusted by 300k learners
98 accuracy using real exam data
4.9/5 student rating

Other requirements

General requirements

A completed application (open WKU application for admission)
Minimum academic requirements: Freshmen: 2.5 GPA / Transfer:* 2.0 GPA
*Students with 24 or more earned hours of college credit
English proficiency requirements
$75 non-refundable application fee
Official Academic Records from schools attended with grades and any degrees/diplomas/certificates received. Should also include a literal English translation.
Financial Evidence of Support must be provided to obtain an I-20
Students transferring from within the US will need to fill out the Transfer-In Form

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees are shown in and the most likely applicable fee is shown based on your nationality.

International Applies to you

Applies to you

Non-residents

29030 USD / year

≈ 29030 USD / year
Out-of-State

27000 USD / year

≈ 27000 USD / year
Domestic

Applies to you

In-State

12072 USD / year

≈ 12072 USD / year

Living costs

Bowling Green

United States

900 - 1400 USD / month

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Funding

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Scholarships Information

Below you will find Bachelor's scholarship opportunities for Professional Legal Studies.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

About

Overview

The objectives of the Professional Legal Studies Program are:

Programme Structure

Key information

Duration

Start dates & application deadlines

Language

Prepare for Your English Test

Credits

Delivered

Campus Location

Disciplines

What students do after studying

Academic requirements

English requirements

Prepare for Your English Test

Other requirements

General requirements

Tuition Fees

International Applies to you

Domestic

Living costs

Bowling Green

Funding

Scholarships Information

Available Scholarships

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