School of Continuing Studies courses

CSEN 1250 Writing
Writing
Completely online and for part-time UC students only, this course provides an introduction to academic writing and critical reading. The class focuses on developing students' organization and presentation of both personal opinion and individual research. Class discussion and students' skills will be addressed according to contemporary issues, situations, and needs across the curriculum. This self-paced class includes two online lessons per week, chat room sessions, an online bulletin board, a LISTSERV, a multi-media, self-grading grammar book, and more. Everything is designed to hone students' organization, presentation, and general writing skills in the contemporary world, and in a variety of disciplines. Only the minimal computer skills of sending email and pointing and clicking with a mouse are required. An email account and online computers are provided. Tutorials on using the computer, the Internet, and the Tulane library are provided online.
credit hours: 3
Writing

CSEN 3310 Business Report Writing
Business Report Writing
This course addresses skills for writing in the business environment. Students learn to differentiate various styles and voice and the documents and occasions appropriate for them.
credit hours: 3
Business Report Writing

HLWL 1400 Introduction to Health Sciences
Introduction to Health Sciences
This course offers a basic overview of human health.  Topics to be addressed include the following: the historical development of public health and ways that health affects daily life; explain the basic principles of epidemiology, including rates, risk factors, disease determinants, causation and surveillance; explain the manner in which health information and communications can be used to improve health; identify how social and behavioral interventions affect health; explain how policy and law affect health; identify the impact of the environment; describe the manner in which communicable diseases affect health; and, describe the basic organization of health care and public health systems.
credit hours: 3
Introduction to Health Sciences

HLWL 1800 Wellness in Contemporary American Society
Wellness in Contemporary American Society
A holistic approach to wellness is presented via the components of total fitness, e.g., physical, social, emotional, and intellectual.  Emphasis is placed on behaviors that serve to prevent illness and injury rather than rehabilitative strategies that are implemented after the fact.  Content addresses both theoretical and applied perspectives of wellness that should be used in developing personalized exercise programs and healthy lifestyles.  Additional topics to be covered include (but are not limited to): strategies for optimal nutrition, global versus national health and fitness trends, comparative analysis of healthcare systems, alternative forms of preventive/rehabilitative medicine, and environmental impact on wellness.
credit hours: 3
Wellness in Contemporary American Society

HLWL 2010 Social Aspects of Health
Social Aspects of Health
Pre-requistites: Examination of health problems facing groups and communities, including those associated with environmental hazards.  Specific
credit hours: 3
Social Aspects of Health

HLWL 2220 Mind/Body Health
Mind/Body Health
Health is influenced by physical, intellectual, social, spiritual and emotional determinants.  In this course, the interaction of these determinants is explored as they relate to the prevention, onset, and progression of, and recovery from, disease.  The aim is to provide an overview of the mind/body connection in relation to overall wellness using established theoretical and applied perspectives, e.g., cognitive behaviorism, psychoneuroimmunology, and guidelines for healthy lifestyles.
credit hours: 3
Mind/Body Health

HLWL 2230 Stress Management
Stress Management
This course examines stress from psycho-physiological and behavioral perspectives.  It will afford each student the opportunity to experience various strategies used in coping with stress, e.g., self-mastery, meditation, imagery, exercise, nutrition, and cognitive restructuring.  Various theories are discussed that serve as the foundation for the understanding of and coping with everyday stressors as well as those that occur unexpectedly.
credit hours: 3
Stress Management

HLWL 2330 Nutrition and Behavior
Nutrition and Behavior
This course is intended to bridge the gap between the theory and practice of nutritional science.  Emphasis is given to the basic food constituents and their physiological relationships within the body.  Topics will include but not limited to:  the fundamental principles of normal nutrition; the interactions between diet and energy expenditure; gender differences; changes in nutrient needs throughout the life cycle; computer-assisted nutritional analyses; and, web-based nutritional sites.  Includes the investigation of optimal health, allergies, hyperactivity, hypoglycemia, learning disabilities, eating disorders, delinquency, mental disorders and senility as they pertain to nutritional practices.  
credit hours: 3
Nutrition and Behavior

HLWL 3220 Global Health
Global Health
This course will introduce students to critical issues in today's global health scene. Students will learn how to respond to global health problems in effective e, culturally sensitive, and ethical ways. Emphasis is placed on the main principles of global health, including an analysis of global health systems, diseases, programs, health governance and policies, identification and interpretation of current relevant data sources, and multidisciplinary intervention strategies.  Topics covered will include globalization and health, global health systems and economics, the global burden of chronic and infectious diseases, mental health issues worldwide, cultural humility and cultural competence, women and children's health issues, injuries/accidents and domestic violence, environmental concerns and consequences pertinent to global health, and human rights and immigration health issues.
credit hours: 3
Global Health

HLWL 3250 Issues in Women's and Men's Health
Issues in Women's and Men's Health
Students will explore health concepts as they apply to the particular health needs of women and men within the context of a gender-based health care system in the United States. The course will address: epidemiologic and sociological analysis of the major causes of morbidity and mortality of women and men; impact of social and behavioral influences; relationship of social, economic, and political inequality trends to women and men’s health and health services. Contextually, this course will emphasize health promotion in women and men, but also integrate the effects of health services and the environment. Special attention will be given to the intersections of race, ethnicity, social class, sexual orientation, age, and the issue of both genders as health service providers. Comparisons of national, international, and multicultural health issues will be presented.
credit hours: 3
Issues in Women's and Men's Health

HLWL 3330 Exercise, Nutrition, and Aging
Exercise, Nutrition, and Aging
Explores the benefits and risks of physical activity in later years as well as the challenges and incentives that coincide with active living.  Emphasis is on understanding the physiological and psychosocial changes of older adults, and developing skills in designing and implementing strategies to address specific, age-appropriate needs.  Studies the effects of diet, the evaluation of food products for nutrient content, the recommended components to promote weight control and energy balance from conception through adulthood on psychological and physiological states.
credit hours: 3
Exercise, Nutrition, and Aging

HLWL 4010 Catastrophic Illnesses and Injuries
Catastrophic Illnesses and Injuries
This course reviews the many catastrophic diseases and epidemics that have ravaged human populations, past and present, and how societies have understood and responded to these challenges over time. Possible changes in social conventions, information sharing and healthcare practices which may be necessary to deal with current and future epidemics are discussed. Lessons learned from previous catastrophes may help to deal with future ones.
credit hours: 3
Catastrophic Illnesses and Injuries

HLWL 4050 Mass Media and Health
Mass Media and Health
This course examines the effects of mass media on population health, from the negative impact of advertising of unhealthy products (e.g., cigarettes, alcohol and junk food), to the positive impact of public-health campaigns.  Content includes an overview of behavioral science theory, themes and approaches to advertising, mass media prevention, and health promotion campaigns.  Case studies of current media coverage and advertising campaigns will be used to demonstrate the effects of media on health and social behavior.
credit hours: 3
Mass Media and Health

HLWL 4200 Mental Health
Mental Health
This course examines mental health issues in the context of social, environmental, governmental and legal conditions.  Specific attention will be given to: identifying historical and current developments in mental health policy in the United States; explaining the significance of stigma in society regarding mental illness and how it affects individuals with mental illness; explaining the manner in which the legal system copes with the mentally ill; analyzing the etiology of some major mental illnesses (e.g., schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, eating disorders, PTSD, and childhood disorders) and how these disorders affect an individual's ability to function in society; identifying risk factors and protective factors related to mental disorders/illness; identifying public health efforts for prevention and intervention of mental disorders in the U.S.; and, access to public health programs, support services, medication costs, and insurance coverage for those with mental illnesses/conditions.
credit hours: 3
Mental Health

HLWL 4600 Wellness Coaching: Overcoming Resistance to Change
Wellness Coaching: Overcoming Resistance to Change
Motivational interviewing is an individualized technique based on the trans-theoretical model of personal change.  Individual choice is influenced by many factors.  Behavioral change, whether in regard to addiction, relationships, exercise, nutrition among others, is a dynamic process.  This course will explore the trans-theoretical model of behavior change as it pertains to any desired individual behavioral shift.  In addition, motivational interviewing strategies to include non-confrontation, reflective listening, client self-efficacy and risk reduction will be emphasized in this course.  Participants will become knowledgeable in the philosophies, practices, and outcomes of models of behavior change.
credit hours: 3
Wellness Coaching: Overcoming Resistance to Change

HLWL 5001 Internship
Internship
This course will help students bridge between college and work or between current careers and the next. Students complete a minimum of 100 hours field experience in a Health and Wellness related facility. This course is to be taken during the student’s senior year of study or with approval of the program director. Students are required to turn in a weekly timesheet and weekly journal summaries detailing their duties and experiences on the internship site. Upon completion of the internship, students will submit a final paper and an evaluation from the internship site supervisor. A 2.5 grade point average is required for enrollment in the internship. All internships must be approved by program director.
credit hours: 3
Internship

PARA 2010 Introduction to Paralegal Studies
Introduction to Paralegal Studies
Introduction to the study of law and the legal system; the legal assistant in the legal system; an overview of the skills of the paralegal including legal interviewing, investigation in the law office, law office administration, and litigation; legal trends, and professional ethics, including the unauthorized practice of law.  
credit hours: 3
Introduction to Paralegal Studies

PARA 3020 Legal Research
Legal Research
Introduction to the law library and the process of legal research, including computer assisted methods.
credit hours: 3
Legal Research

PARA 3030 Legal Writing
Legal Writing
Building on skills developed in Legal Research, students learn to analyze the law as it applies to specific facts, and to effectively communicate the conclusions resulting from legal research and analysis.
Pre-requistites: PARA 3020. 
credit hours: 3
Legal Writing

PARA 3050 Litigation I
Litigation I
Introduction and detailed analysis of the litigation process in federal and state courts; jurisdiction and venue analysis; commencement of the lawsuit, including the initial client interview and investigation techniques and methods; the early pleadings, including the complaint and petition; the answer and other early objections, exceptions and motions; calendars and tickler systems; federal and state court systems and practice; discovery procedures including file management; management of document production; depositions and deposition summaries; overview of discovery devices and pleadings; summary judgments and other pre-trial matters. Lecture is supplemented with drafting practice.
credit hours: 3
Litigation I

PARA 3070 Computers in the Law Firm
Computers in the Law Firm
Introduction to applications of computer technology within the law firm, including the use of computers related to paralegal functions in litigation support, legal research, case management, Internet utilization, and e-mail.
Pre-requistites: CPST 1000 - Introduction to Microcomputers or equivalent course. 
credit hours: 3
Computers in the Law Firm

PARA 4010 Business and Corporate Practice
Business and Corporate Practice
The sole proprietorship; partnerships; corporations, including formation of corporations and amending Articles of Incorporation; preparing drafts of stock certificates; maintaining stock ledgers; drafting resolutions; agency law.
Pre-requistites: PARA 2010, 3020, 3030, 3050 and 3060 or by approval of Director. 
credit hours: 3
Business and Corporate Practice

PARA 4030 Louisiana Succession Practice
Louisiana Succession Practice
Review of Louisiana substantive law of successions and donations including wills; drafting of simple wills; estate administration including the collection, legal description, and appraisement of assets; drafting of pleadings to probate will, appoint executor, pay estate debts, sell or lease estate property, and send heirs into possession of their inheritance; preparation of documents to transfer estate assets including automobiles and securities; preparation and filing of Louisiana Inheritance Tax Return and Federal Estate Tax Return.
Pre-requistites: PARA 2010, 3020, 3030, 3050 and 3060 or by approval of Director. 
credit hours: 3
Louisiana Succession Practice

PARA 4040 Real Property Practice
Real Property Practice
Review of substantive law and history of real estate transactions, a compilation of initial information for real estate transactions, conducting a title search, preparation of preliminary abstract of title, title assurance, mortgages and transfer of ownership, the requisition of deeds and leases, preparation of preliminary opinion of title, and real estate closing procedures.
Pre-requistites: PARA 2010, 3020, 3030, 3050 and 3060 or by approval of Director. 
credit hours: 3
Real Property Practice

PARA 4050 Family Law
Family Law
Review of substantive law related to marriage, children, and property; client interviews; preparation of pleadings for dissolution, support and division of property; preparation of cases for trial; supervision of case progress; drafting of property settlements and tracing of assets; tax consequences of support and division of property; future issues in family law.
Pre-requistites: PARA 2010, 3020, 3030, 3050 and 3060 or by approval of Director. 
credit hours: 3
Family Law

PARA 4070 Immigration Law Practice
Immigration Law Practice
Introduction to fundamentals of immigration law, practice, and policy to include discussions on: history; terminology; immigration forms; immigrant and nonimmigrant visas; citizenship and naturalization. There will also be brief discussions on the enforcement aspects of immigration.
Pre-requistites: PARA 2010, 3020, 3030, 3050 and 3060 or by approval of Director. 
credit hours: 3
Immigration Law Practice

PARA 4080 Criminal Law
Criminal Law
Review of basic principles of criminal law; criminal law practice including court rules, prosecutorial functions, probation, bail, and personal recognizance, sentencing, and alternative dispositions; investigation and interviewing in criminal cases; preparation of criminal cases for trial; constitutional limitations on criminal procedure; juvenile courts and mental commitment procedures.
Pre-requistites: PARA 2010, 3020, 3030, 3050 and 3060 or by approval o Director. 
credit hours: 3
Criminal Law

PARA 4090 Administrative Practice
Administrative Practice
This course teaches the rule-making and adjudicatory procedures in governmental agencies. The student will learn to analyze and apply statutes and specific acts such as the Freedom of Information Act and the Administrative Procedures Act. Many areas of specialty practice rely heavily upon an analysis and understanding of administrative regulations and application.
Pre-requistites: PARA 2010, 3020, 3030, 3050 and 3060 or by approval of Director. 
credit hours: 3
Administrative Practice

PARA 4100 Law Office Management
Law Office Management
Approaches to the organization and efficient operation of the law office, management problems in the law office, office structures and systems, accounting and billing procedures, hiring, scheduling, and management of non-attorney personnel, information storage and retrieval systems, forms libraries, office equipment, management of the law office library, purchasing of law office supplies, client relations.
Pre-requistites: PARA 2010, 3020, 3030, 3050 and 3060 or by approval of Director. 
credit hours: 3
Law Office Management

PARA 4120 Admiralty Practice
Admiralty Practice
Review of substantive maritime law and its procedural application of federal and state regulations as related to preparation of documents required such as bills of lading, limitations of liability, marine insurance, personal injury rights and liabilities, salvage, ship mortgages, and domestic and foreign towage regulations.
Pre-requistites: PARA 2010, 3020, 3030, 3050 and 3060 or by approval of Director. 
credit hours: 3
Admiralty Practice

PARA 4150 Commercial Law
Commercial Law
An introduction to the execution, validity and enforcement of contracts, mortgages, pledge assignments and other security devices, the law of checks and notes with emphasis on formal requirements and liabilities of parties and collection procedures.
Pre-requistites: PARA 2010, 3020, 3030, 3050 and 3060 or by approval of Director. 
credit hours: 3
Commercial Law

PARA 4160 Legal Interviewing and Investigation
Legal Interviewing and Investigation
This course is an in-depth study of principles, methods, and investigative techniques utilized to locate, gather, document and disseminate information. The emphasis will be on developing interviewing and investigative skills intended to prepare paralegals to communicate effectively while recognizing ethical problems.
Pre-requistites: PARA 2010, 3020, 3030, 3050 and 3060 or by approval of Director. 
credit hours: 3
Legal Interviewing and Investigation

PARA 4180 Bankruptcy Practice
Bankruptcy Practice
This course will provide an overview of the bankruptcy system focusing on theoretical and practical applications that include discussions on the development of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code, Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedures and the Bankruptcy Court and U.S. Trustee system. Emphasis will be placed on current practices and procedures for individual and commercial cases in Chapter 7 (liquidation), Chapter 13 (wage earner) and Chapter 11 (Reorganization) cases addressing pleading preparations and utilization of the electronic filing system. We will also explore ethical issues faced all by parties balancing the debtors’ rights to a fresh start against the creditors’ right to a meaningful distribution.
Pre-requistites: PARA 3020, 3030, 3050 and 3060 or by approval of Director. 
credit hours: 3
Bankruptcy Practice

PARA 4190 Legal Ethics in America
Legal Ethics in America
This course examines the professional and ethical dilemmas legal professionals may face. We will discuss and compare the ethical rules and professional standards developed by the American Bar Association, adopted by Louisiana and presented as guidelines by the two major paralegal associations. The course will compare real–life expectations and responses of legal professionals versus what is portrayed in the media. We will also discuss the impact of movies and television on public perception. The course objective is to develop informed, considered responses to ethical problems.
Pre-requistites: PARA 2010, 3020, 3030, 3050 and 3060 or by approval of Director. 
credit hours: 3
Legal Ethics in America

PARA 4220 Insurance Law Practice
Insurance Law Practice
This course is designed as an introduction to insurance law and its applications within the law firm, including the understanding of the insurance claims process as related to paralegal functions such as litigation, claims and defense of claims as well as case management. The objective of the course is to provide a thorough understanding of the insurance law in Louisiana as well as immersing students in techniques used in the litigation, claims and defense of claims as well as case management by gaining proficiency in the understanding all of the aspects of insurance claims. Upon completion, students will have a comprehensive understanding of specific tasks that paralegals will perform in a law firm as well as the issues of ethics and professionalism that can arise in an insurance law practice. 
Pre-requistites: PARA 2010, 3020, 3030, 3050 and 3060 or by approval of Director. 
credit hours: 3
Insurance Law Practice

PARA 4230 Pro Bono Practice
Pro Bono Practice
Introduction to service agencies utilizing paralegals in pro bono publico work. Provide a comprehensive understanding of these agencies and the task paralegals are expected to provide. Emphasis is given to legal research and writing.
Pre-requistites: PARA 2010, 3020, 3030, 3050 and 3060 or by approval of Director. 
credit hours: 3
Pro Bono Practice

PARA 4280 Personal Injury/Medical Malpractice
Personal Injury/Medical Malpractice
Review of basic tort law and insurance law as it relates to personal injuries; assisting the lawyer in personal injury legal practice; factual investigation of intentional torts; preparation of pleadings and other papers in tort litigation; assisting in settlement negotiations; preparation of exhibits and organization of personal injury cases. Introduction to and detailed review of procedures in prosecuting and defending medical malpractice cases, review of Louisiana Medical Malpractice Act, burdens of proof and theories of recovery, defenses available, obtaining and analyzing the medical record, basic medical terminology, selection and utilization of the expert witness: pre-trial preparation and discovery, researching medical literature, how to use the medical library and computer databases, trial of the malpractice action.
Pre-requistites: PARA 2010, 3020, 3030, 3050 and 3060 or by approval of Director. 
credit hours: 3
Personal Injury/Medical Malpractice

PARA 4300 Louisiana Notary Law
Louisiana Notary Law
This course is an introduction to the general duties, powers and law of a Notary Public. Upon completion of this course the student should have an understanding of the law in Louisiana notaries in the areas of matrimonial regimes, adoptions, emancipations, tutorships, curatorships, interdictions, successions, wills, donations, real estate, mortgages, security interests and formation of businesses.
Pre-requistites: PARA 2010, 3020, 3030, 3050 and 3060 or by approval of Director. 
credit hours: 3
Louisiana Notary Law

PARA 4310 Employment Law
Employment Law
An introduction to the practice of employment law with a review of relevant guiding principles. Identification of best practices in establishing, maintaining and terminating the employment relationship. The emphasis will be on developing the ability to evaluate employment law claims and ethical versus unethical practices, with attention to legal precedent and application of this understanding to real-world employment disputes.
Pre-requistites: PARA 2010, 3020, 3030, 3050 and 3060 or by approval of Director. 
credit hours: 3
Employment Law

PARA 4320 Healthcare Compliance
Healthcare Compliance
This course prepares paralegals for work in the health care industry, whether in a health law firm, government agency, or health care organization. Classes address the major areas of health care law, including insurance, Medicare, physician-patient relationships, medical records, bioethics, and privacy and security. Major statutes such as EMTALA, HIPAA, the Patient Affordable Care Act, and others, as well as federal regulations, are analyzed through lecture and practical exercises.
Pre-requistites: PARA 2010, 3020, 3030, 3050 and 3060 or by approval of Director. 
credit hours: 3
Healthcare Compliance

PARA 4990 Directed Study
Directed Study
Individual study of a field project under the direction of a faculty member, the director, and/or a supervising attorney. May be counted toward fulfilling specialty requirements with approval of the director.
Pre-requistites: PARA 2010, 3020, 3030, 3050 and 3060 or by approval of Director. 
credit hours: 3
Directed Study

PARA 5110 Environmental Law Seminar
Environmental Law Seminar
This course focuses on basic and practical information regarding environmental law and administrative procedures, including the role of the courts in controlling environmental decision-making, the economic and scientific constraints on environmental policy, preservation of natural areas, relationship with energy policy, and regulatory limitations within the federal system.
Pre-requistites: PARA 2010, 3020, 3030, 3050 and 3060 or by approval of Director. 
credit hours: 3
Environmental Law Seminar

PARA 5500 Selected Topics
Selected Topics
Advanced research seminars addressing current trends in practice or developing legal theory. Classes are taught by lecture and may require a research paper. Selected Topics is an intensive course intended for students nearing completion of the program and graduates continuing their paralegal education. Recent topics include Insurance Practice, Class Actions, and Medical Records Analysis.
Pre-requistites: PARA 2010, 3020, 3030, 3050 and 3060 or by approval of Director.
credit hours: 3
Selected Topics

PARA 5900 Paralgal Practicum
Paralgal Practicum
The practicum (internship) gives students experience by requiring them to work, under the supervision of an attorney, for 100 hours in an approved legal setting. Students also meet in a classroom component throughout the semester in which they review ethics, professionalism, regulation, and job search skills. Upon completion of the practicum, students submit a paper outlining the duties undertaken during the practicum and an evaluation from their practicing attorney. Students may register for the practicum in their final semester in the program. A 2.0 grade point average is required for enrollment in the practicum. The practicum must be successfully completed; failure to obtain a passing grade after two attempts will result in dismissal from the program.  
Pre-requistites: Approval of director required. 
credit hours: 3
Paralgal Practicum