Paralegal Programs at Tyler Junior College
Tyler Junior College appears in our ranking of the 50 Most Affordable Online Paralegal Degree Programs.
Tyler Junior College in Tyler, Texas offers a paralegal studies program for students who want to work in the legal system without becoming lawyers. Most of the professors in the degree programs are lawyers who passed the bar exam and have professional experience. Once students earn an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) in Paralegal Studies, they can get certificates from the National Federation of Paralegal Association (NFPA) or the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA).
At least 39 of the credits that students take will come from their major courses, including Introduction to Law, Paralegal Ethics, Introduction to Word Processing and Advanced Word Processing. Those courses include classes on legal subjects and other classes on managing and running a legal office while working with lawyers. One of those classes is Law Office Management and prepares students to run a law firm. Tyler Junior College has a recommend course sequence that outlines the classes students should take each semester. As long as they take 21 credits of general education courses and 39 credits of paralegal studies classes, they can earn their degrees.
A certificate program is available for paralegals who need to take advanced courses to maintain their licenses. This program allows students to either attend live classes on the Tyler campus or to take online courses. The main paralegal studies program offered by the junior college is also available as a hybrid program. Students have the choice of taking both online and offline courses. Some of these classes ask students to spend a few hours on the campus each week to take a class that meets in the early evening. Any of the required work needed for that class is available online.
About Tyler Junior College
Tyler Junior College is a junior college in Tyler, Texas that offers two-year associate degree programs. Established in 1926 as one of the region’s first community colleges, it operated as part of the same school district that controlled the local public schools. It wasn’t until 1945 that the college split off and became a separate school district. Also called TJC, it now ranks as one of the largest community college systems in the entire state. Enrollment at the college includes more than 12,000 traditional students and more than 20,000 continuing education students. Those students take classes to further their educations and to finish degrees they started in the past.
TJC offers students the choice between finishing a degree program or taking general education and other classes that they will transfer to another school. That option allows students to save money on their bachelor’s degrees. TJC is one of the state’s only community colleges with on-site dorms. Those residence halls allow students to live on the Tyler campus for a fee they pay each semester, which covers both the cost of the room and a meal plan. The campus is also home to the Tyler Museum of Art. This is a popular tourist attraction and is home to hundreds of pieces of art. TJC also established a program for high school students who want to experience college before they graduate.
Tyler Junior College Accreditation Details
TJC has regional accreditation from the SACSCOC, which is the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and its Commission on Colleges. This accreditation is important because it allows students who cannot afford the cost of college to get financial aid. It’s also what lets the college establish its own standards and to create degree requirements as well as accept transfer credits.
Tyler Junior College Application Requirements
Junior colleges make it easy for students to get started on their career and education paths. TJC allows students to transfer their classes to any four-year college or university in Texas and to schools in other states. Those attending college for the first time only need to submit the college’s application. They can create a brand new account and use their login details to log in and out when they want to work on the application. TJC offers similar applications for students who already attended college and those who earned college credits as part of a high school program. Those students will need to submit official transcripts from all those colleges.
All students applying to TJC must submit at least one transcript from a high school or college and a standardized test score. They can also fill out an application if they want to live on the TJC campus, which will help the college pick a place for them to live and select their roommates. Those who plan on taking classes on the campus will also submit their vaccination records. TJC requires that all new students attend an orientation session too.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Students attending TJC receive a discount if they live in the same school district. Those students pay $211 for the first semester hour of classes they take. They can take 12 semester hours of classes and pay $1,212 per semester. Students who live outside of the school district but still reside in Texas pay $271 for the first semester hour and $1,932 when they take 12 semester hours of classes. Any student who lives outside of Texas and takes classes at TJC will pay $295 for the first semester hour and $2,220 for 12 semester hours. TJC awards students nearly $50 million in financial aid each year and offers aid for all types of students, including those who live in the same district and those who live outside of Texas.
The easiest way for students to get financial aid is through the FAFSA. They may receive loans and/or grants through this form. The college will disperse that aid near the beginning of the semester and let students use those funds to cover their costs outside of school. Students can also participate in work study and get a paycheck as they work for the college. The college awards close to $4 million in scholarships too. Performing arts and athletic scholarships go to those who have skills in one of those areas. Other scholarships require that students submit a separate application. Most of the programs have deadlines in the early spring. With scholarships and other financial aid options, paralegal studies majors at Tyler Junior College can easily afford the cost of their classes.
