One of the school's premier programs is its paralegal studies program. There are only three universities in Minnesota that offer four-year paralegal degrees. To earn a Bachelor of Science at Minnesota State University, Moorhead, every paralegal major must go through a core program, taking a minimum of 12 courses and completing a professional internship. The foundation of the core program of classes is a year-long sequence of legal research and writing. Additionally, every paralegal major is required to complete a series of courses in at least one major area.
There are four major concentration areas from which paralegal majors can choose. The first of these areas is probate/tax. In this sequence, students are trained to assist with probate, estate planning, wills, income and estate taxes, deeds, title searches, mortgages, and contracts for deed. Another area of concentration is civil litigation. The civil litigation sequence prepares students to assist attorneys in the background work on and development of civil cases for trial or settlement. Civil litigation cases include personal injury litigation, contract or property disputes, debtor-creditor problems, and products liability matters.
The coursework for paralegal students choosing the criminal litigation sequence is not unlike that of students who have chosen the civil litigation concentration; however, it focuses on additional tasks handled either for the prosecution or for the defense in criminal cases. Finally, in the commercial law program concentration, students develop skills that will enable them to work in offices specializing in legal aid for the disadvantaged, government offices that administer public benefits programs, or law firms practicing administrative law. Lambda Epsilon Chi is a national honor society for paralegal students who meet its high academic standards.
The internship that MSUM paralegal students are required to complete not only helps to enhance their knowledge in their fields but also strengthens their marketability. Students have received high-quality internship placements in such locations as private law firms, government law offices (including a U.S. attorney's office), the North Dakota and Minnesota attorney generals' offices, the North Dakota Supreme Court, county attorney offices, political offices (such as U.S. senators' offices), legal aid programs, social services agencies (such as the Rape and Abuse Crisis Center), and corporate legal departments.
Another outstanding attribute of the university's paralegal program is that it is approved by the American Bar Association and therefore adheres to their strict guidelines and criteria. Additionally, the university has outstanding law library resources through which students can access major federal and state case reports, digests, statutes, administrative codes, legal encyclopedias, loose-leaf services, and other legal reference materials. The law library is maintained under a joint agreement with the Clay County Bar Association and offers electronic legal research services.
Some courses in the curriculum are co-taught by practicing paralegals and attorneys in their areas of expertise, providing students with realistic views of their fields. There are also faculty members who practice law in addition to their teaching responsibilities; this is an outstanding benefit that exposes students to first-hand knowledge of the subject matter they are studying.
Minnesota State University, Moorhead, offers relatively small class sizes, allowing students more personalized attention from their instructors. The Minnesota State Paralegal Association, Moorhead, (MSPAM) is a student-professional organization that works with local paralegal students by providing them additional preparation for their chosen careers and introducing them to the duties they eventually will be performing. The Red River Valley Paralegal Association (RRVPA) and Minnesota Paralegal Association (MPA) are the local professional associations for practicing paralegals, and they will extend membership to any MSUM paralegal major. MSPAM elects one of its members to serve as a liaison to RRVPA and one to serve as a liaison to MPA.
Outside of their classes and studies, paralegal students at MSUM are involved in many enrichment activities. Through participation with the Minnesota State Paralegal Association in Moorhead, they are exposed to guest speakers, resume and job search workshops, scholarship award opportunities, social events, and community volunteer work. The Red River Valley Paralegal Association also offers students membership, along with opportunities to attend seminars and network with practicing paralegals. In conjunction with the local bar association, the West Acres Shopping Center has, in the past, hosted a Law Day informational booth, in which MSUM paralegal students were allowed to take part. Finally, the program offers numerous community and volunteer service opportunities with organizations such as Toys for Tots, food banks, CourtWatch at the Rape and Abuse Center, and clothing and food drives for the needy.
