For NEW Students
(CURRENTLY enrollled students page down to the section reserved for you!)
The post-degree certificate is the most productive path for students. Many students use our post-degree certificate to learn legal research and all of the substantive law that allows for an easier transition and better experience in law school. Since most law students work, many of these students work in law offices during law school and they walk into jobs with those employers after graduating from law school. Other students seek employment as Paralegals, Legal Assistants, and in a variety of other law-related positions.
Our graduates work for or as lawyers in law firms, from sole practitioners and small law firms to the largest firms in Illinois and other states. Our graduates work in the headquarters of corporate employers such as State Farm, Caterpillar, and Walmart, and many regional employers as well. Graduates of our programs can also be found working for government offices, in the many offices that support our Federal and state court systems, and in the many functions of local, state, and federal government.
Students who have not yet earned at least an associate's degree are encouraged to either earn a transfer degree while also completing their post-degree certificate at the same time. While we encourage either a Criminal Justice or Business transfer degree because both lend themselves to familiarity with many areas of the practice of law, the degree you earn is not as relevant so long as you earn the post-degree certificate and the knowledge and skills afforded in those courses. Pick a degree that interests you and one that will transfer well to your circumstances.
What we Offer: We offer an established, convenient, and effective means of entering a wide range of careers in the law in a way that will best serve your needs or intentions. Our courses are presented entirely online. Although you are expected to meet certain deadlines each week, you are not required to come to a “class” in person, or remotely. But you have access to your instructors, by email, phone, remote meeting, or in person when possible.
There are three options available to students.
Option ONE: Students who already have a 2 or 4-year college degree may enter our 30-hour post-degree certificate program. This program can be completed in one year and it typically leads to the best-paying and most rewarding jobs.
Option TWO: For students who have an intention of transferring and earning a 4-year degree, we suggest that you work towards your transfer associate's degree while also completing the Legal Studies Certificate. By working with your Advisors, you can earn that degree around the same time as you finish your Legal Studies Certificate. This allows you to go to work as you move on to transfer and finish your 4-year degree. Our typical student needs to work and this path provides excellent opportunities for full and part-time employment options that support the pursuit of a bachelor’s degree.
Option THREE: We do have a degree currently have a non-transfer degree option for students who have not earned a college degree and may not believe they will have a desire to transfer or pursue a bachelor's degree. Students who complete our Associate in Applied Science degree can expect to find entry-level positions in law firms or with corporate or government employers. This is the least preferred option for two reasons. First, the delivery of Legal Services has few of the traditional "entry level" type positions that once existed in the legal field. Like with many industries, receptionists, secretaries, other types of support staff positions have vanished. And second, in our experience delivering a top notch educational experience in this field for decades, our graduates almost always fare better in entering and finding long term success in this career field when they have, pursue or earn a 4 year degree to go along with our Legal Studies education.
See the course requirements for each program on the Legal Studies Course Requirements page.
How to Enroll in our Legal Studies Program and Legal Studies Courses for the FIRST time:
New Student Applicants seeking to enroll should (1) submit an application to Illinois Central College. Applications may be completed online by going to the Get Started link at http://www.icc.edu. (2) have official college transcripts from other colleges or universities sent to Illinois Central College Admissions/Records Office. (3) MOST IMPORTANT, contact Legal Studies Chair, Professor Tom Higgins to discuss what completion of the program will look like for you personally, from start to finish.
New Student Applicants seeking to enroll should (1) submit an application to Illinois Central College. Applications may be completed online by going to the Get Started link at http://www.icc.edu. (2) have official college transcripts from other colleges or universities sent to Illinois Central College Admissions/Records Office. (3) MOST IMPORTANT, contact Legal Studies Chair, Professor Tom Higgins to discuss what completion of the program will look like for you personally, from start to finish.
After you talk to Professor Higgins, he will facilitate getting assistance of our Advising staff to get you enrolled in your first semester of Legal Studies courses.
To learn more about Professor Higgins see this page: https://icclaw.blogspot.com/p/professor-higgins.html
CURRENT LEGAL STUDIES STUDENTS:
Students who have completed the Introduction to Legal Studies course should take the following steps to be enrolled in future courses:
First Step: Find, review your information in ICC e-services, being sure to take care of any HOLDS for Financial Aid, Student Records or Tuition payments before finding and saving your Advisement Report as a PDF file. This document will verify the courses you have completed and the courses you need to complete to earn your Degree or Certificate. Be sure to verify you are in the correct major or program and if you are not, get this information corrected as well.
To learn more about Professor Higgins see this page: https://icclaw.blogspot.com/p/professor-higgins.html
CURRENT LEGAL STUDIES STUDENTS:
Students who have completed the Introduction to Legal Studies course should take the following steps to be enrolled in future courses:
First Step: Find, review your information in ICC e-services, being sure to take care of any HOLDS for Financial Aid, Student Records or Tuition payments before finding and saving your Advisement Report as a PDF file. This document will verify the courses you have completed and the courses you need to complete to earn your Degree or Certificate. Be sure to verify you are in the correct major or program and if you are not, get this information corrected as well.
To Access your Advisement Report, follow these steps:
- To Access your Advisement Report, follow these steps:
- Go to the ICC website, icc.edu
- and Log in to My ICC
- From the Self-Service menu, click on Student Center
- Under Academics, click on My Academics
- Click on View My Advisement Report
- Save the report as a PDF file with your name and the term (janesmithadvisementreportsemesteryear.pdf)
Third Step: Create a list of the courses you want to enroll in for each term (separate lists for Summer and Fall if making the request in the Spring semester). Be sure you separate by semester and provide the correct Course Prefix and # Day(s)/Time(s) and the 4 Digit Course Code
NOTICE REGARDING THE INTERNSHIP COURSE: You must be halfway through your LEGAL courses before you can enroll in the Internship course. In many cases, the Internship is paid and it leads to a permanent paid position. If you plan to enroll in the LEGAL 260 Internship Course, you MUST set up a phone call or meeting with Professor Higgins before you meet with an Advisor.
Fourth Step: Set an appointment with your designated Advisor using this link.
The emails for our assigned Program Student Success Advisors are Pam Miller, Crystal Grzeslo, or Tracy Heffron at: pam.miller@icc.edu crystal.grzeslo@icc.edu or tracy.heffren@icc.edu.
FIFTH, but 1st MOST IMPORTANT Step: Send an email using the following format to your Advisor and include the pdf file of your Advisement Report to Professor Higgins via email.
Hello,
My name is: and this is my Phone# and my ICC Student ID#.
I am a Legal Studies (choose one: degree or post-degree certificate) student. A pdf file of my Advisement Report is attached to this email. I would like to enroll in the following courses for the (identify the semester, Fall, Spring or Summer and be sure to include a separate list if requesting advisement and enrollment for Summer and Fall courses)
Example below: (be sure to separate by semester and provide the Course Prefix and # Day(s)/Time(s 4 Digit Course Code
Summer
LEGAL 260, Online, 4321
CRJ 227, Online, 1234
Fall
LEGAL 116, Online, 4534
CRJ 225, Online, 5443 BUS 215 Online, 5309
Sincerely,
Your Name
Professor Higgins's email is: thomas.higgins@icc.edu
FINAL STEP: Check your email and respond and communicate as required with Professor Higgins and your assigned Advisor! If Professor Higgins has questions or concerns about your request, he will call or email you. If Professor Higgins thinks that your request is appropriate, he will email his approval to you and your designated Advisor so the two of you can facilitate efficient enrollment in those courses.
