Legal Secretarial Skills
Office Technology Diploma
The Legal Secretarial Skills Diploma is designed to provide students who already possess advanced secretarial skills with the competencies necessary to obtain employment as legal secretaries or legal work processing specialists. Prior secretarial experience is required for entry to this program.
Required Program of Study
| Course Number | Term | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| OFT213 | 1st | Word Processing I | 3 |
| BUS105 | Business English | 3 | |
| 6 | |||
| OFT214 | 2nd | Word Processing II | 3 |
| OFT230 | Legal Terminology and Transcription | 3 | |
| 6 | |||
| OFT212 | 3rd | Office Procedures | 3 |
| OFT231 | Advanced Legal Transcription | 3 | |
| 6 | |||
| OFT210 | 4th | Speedwriting I | 3 |
| OFT232 | Legal Office Procedures | 3 | |
| 6 | |||
| Total Credit Hours Required for the Diploma | 24 | ||
| This diploma program is designed to be offered in four sessions which are five weeks in length. Classes during these sessions are held Monday through Thursday and each class meets for two hours each day. At the completion of twenty weeks, students will have earned 24 credits that can later be applied to a Certificate or Associate in Applied Science degree if they decide to continue. | |||
Upon successful completion of this program, the student should be able to:
- Apply basic language skills associated with the parts of speech, sentence formations, numerical expression, capitalization, punctuation, and word division rules to business correspondence.
- Proofread and edit typed/keyed copy, including transcription of machine dictation, with a high degree of accuracy and correctness.
- Work independently, with others, or in self-directed work teams to demonstrate effective interpersonal and problem-solving skills, attitudes, and work habits that contribute to organizational goals.
- Demonstrate a high degree of accuracy in applying correct grammar, usage, and style when transcribing legal documents from dictated audio tapes.
- Recognize the changing nature of technology and adapt to new equipment and procedures while retaining the most appropriate traditional office practices.
- Demonstrate speedwriting skills to take notes from oral dictation and produce mailable copy.
- Use word processing, spreadsheet, database, presentation, and Internet skills to complete office tasks.
- Use appropriate office procedures in the areas of records information management, calculator, telephone communications, incoming and outgoing mail, meetings and conferences, travel arrangements, and simulated projects.
Please note: These programs can be pursued on a part-time basis.
Appropriate placement test scores, or the completion of certain developmental courses, are required for all programs of study. Additional prerequisites may be necessary for some courses and can be found in the course descriptions section of the catalog.
It is recommended that students confer with their advisor when selecting electives.