Frequently Asked Questions
What is a paralegal?
A paralegal is a skilled legal professional. A paralegal’s relationship to an attorney is similar to that of a registered nurse and a doctor. All legal services performed by a paralegal must be supervised by an attorney. Paralegals may not provide legal services directly to the public except as permitted by law.
How are your classes offered?
The paralegal program at Rose State College is offered via synchronous flex. This means you can take your classes on campus or online from your home, office, or anywhere you have a smartphone and internet connection, but must participate in classes during the scheduled time. We offer day, evening, and weekend classes.
How much does it cost?
A detailed listing of tuition and fees can be found here: https://www.rose.edu/content/admissions-aid/tuition-fees/.
More than 75% of Rose State College students receive financial aid, scholarships, and/or grants, so we encourage you to apply for financial aid before making a decision based on cost. More information can be found here: https://www.rose.edu/content/admissions-aid/how-to-apply/.
In addition, students who graduate from, or who live in, the Carl Albert, Choctaw, Del City, Midwest City, and Star Spencer school districts are entitled to a scholarship under the Ticket To Rose Scholarship. More information can be found here: https://www.rose.edu/content/admissions-aid/financial-aid-scholarships/scholarships/ticket-to-rose-scholarship/.
Can I go on to law school after completing the paralegal program?
Our paralegal program is excellent preparation for law school! Paralegal education focuses on the functional and technical elements of law practice, providing an excellent supplement to the more theoretical and abstract focus of law schools.
In order to be admitted to a law school, students must first complete a bachelor’s degree. If you’d like to complete your bachelor’s degree after finishing here, we have articulation agreements with the University of Oklahoma, University of Central Oklahoma, East Central University, and National University to ensure an especially smooth transition with full credit given.
What if I already have a bachelor’s degree and am looking for a better job?
Great! Your prior bachelor’s degree satisfies all of your general education requirements and entitles you to admission to the paralegal program.
How do I qualify for admission into the paralegal program?
Students who have a prior bachelor’s degree or a college GPA of at least 2.5 for at least 15 hours are entitled to program admission. If you don’t meet either of these qualifications, you can take the Accuplacer exam for free at Rose State College after creating a student account, and receive admission based on your reading comprehension score. Or, you can take general education courses here at Rose until you can satisfy the GPA requirement.
What if I have other questions?
Great! Please e-mail your question(s) and/or preferred contact info to: Program Director Brandon Burris (bburris@rose.edu), Business Division Academic Advisor Steve Johnson (sjohnson@rose.edu), or Business Division Associate Dean Craig Dawkins (cdawkins@rose.edu).
