Inver Hills Community College – Paralegal Program Legal Specialty Credit Award & Transfer Policy
Inver Hills Community College – Paralegal Program requires the following for transfer of Paralegal course work from other institutions to our program.
Students must complete a minimum of 20 semester credits at Inver Hills Community College of paralegal (legal specialty) curriculum course work. (No more than 10 paralegal (legal specialty) curriculum semester credits can be transferred into the paralegal program from an outside institution.)
In order for credits to transfer, they must have been earned at a school accredited by a regionally and/or nationally accrediting agency. However, the paralegal program may decide not to accept nationally accredited credits towards the requirements. Courses with a grade of “D” or lower will not transfer to Inver Hills if the cumulative grade-point average from that institution is lower than 2.00 or may not be accepted by the paralegal program depending upon how long ago the credits were taken. Only accepted credits will be recorded on the official Inver Hills Community College transcript.
The Paralegal Program has specific credit transfer requirements for paralegal courses. Students must prepare a petition for transfer of paralegal credits that shall be reviewed and approved by the Director of the Paralegal Program unless the Paralegal Program has documented prior approval of the paralegal course transfer.
The following paralegal transfer credits are reviewed and approved as follows:
ABA approved college legal/paralegal specialty credits are transferable if they meet substantially the IHCC Paralegal Program curriculum credits.
Paralegal/legal courses for possible transfer must be substantially the same courses in content and application focus as the paralegal courses at Inver Hills. The Paralegal Director reviews and compares the prior college course descriptions, outlines, and/or syllabi supplied by students and the paralegal courses at Inver Hills to determine if the course to be transferred meets the transfer criteria. The Director awards final approval of the paralegal student’s petition.
Paralegal/legal courses from specialty areas from technical colleges are not transferable for legal specialty credits in the paralegal program (i.e. – real estate course for real estate law for paralegals).
Business Law is not transferable for Introduction to Law and Contracts or UCC and Business Organizations. Business Law is a general informational business law course whereas Introduction to Law and Contracts or UCC and Business Organizations are courses that review applied aspects of business law for paralegals.
Student must provide documentation that will show what format the intended paralegal transfer course was taken such as traditional (face-to-face), online, hybrid, accelerated, compressed or other. If documentation cannot be provided, the Program Director has the discretion to not accept the potential transfer of paralegal credits.
Also, students must take at least ten (10) semester credits of legal specialty courses through traditional classroom instruction under American Bar Association Guidelines. The Director of Paralegal Program has the right to decline transfer of paralegal course credits if the student is unable to meet the minimum required credits of traditional classroom instruction.
Inver Hills Community College – Paralegal Program does not award legal specialty credit by examination or portfolio to ensure that the quality and integrity of the program are maintained.
Feel free to contact the Program Director with any questions.