Program Policies

Refund Policy

A full tuition refund, minus $100 administrative fee, will be made to individuals who cancel at least one week before the start of classes. Cancellations must be received in writing.

Attendance

Class attendance is required. The live class lectures expand on the required reading and provide participants with information that is geared specifically to North Carolina law. Participants must attend at least 70 percent of the classes in each course to be eligible to take the examination for that course. Individuals who fail to meet the 70 percent attendance requirement may be asked to leave the program.

Make-up Work

Participants are expected to complete all assignments in a timely manner. Requests for extensions of due dates must be made in writing in advance of the due date.

Tardiness

Occasional instances of tardiness may be excused at the discretion of the instructor. Participants who have recurring tardiness problems are required to work with the instructor to resolve the situation.

Unsatisfactory Performance

If a participant’s performance is unsatisfactory, the instructor will counsel the individual about the consequences. If, after counseling, the participant fails to perform satisfactorily on assignments or exams, the individual may be asked to leave the program.

Appropriate Conduct

Participants may be dismissed from the program for conduct that is disruptive, unsatisfactory, or that would be considered unprofessional for a paralegal. At the discretion of UNC-Chapel Hill, a participant who has been dismissed from the program for unsatisfactory conduct may be readmitted to a future program.

Readmission

The Paralegal Certificate Program is intensive, and if a participant is asked to leave the program, he or she may not be readmitted for that same semester.

Grading Policy

The Paralegal Skills course includes three multiple-choice examinations as well as writing assignments. Examinations are graded on a numerical basis; writing assignments are graded on a pass/fail basis. The overall Paralegal Skills course is graded as pass/fail. The Law courses (Torts, Contracts, Criminal Law, Family Law, and Real Property) are graded on a numerical or letter grade basis.

Minimum satisfactory grades: Participants must achieve a grade of 70 percent in each Law course, a grade of 70 percent on each of the three Paralegal Skills multiple-choice exams, and a passing grade on each writing assignment. If a participant does not achieve a passing grade of 70 percent on a test, the instructor may permit the participant to retake the test.