General Areas of Competence

Upon successful completion of the certificate, graduates should be able to:

• Demonstrate professional and ethical standards in appearance and actions.
• Apply appropriate human-relation and interpersonal communications skills.
• Develop written communications skills using correct grammar, spelling, vocabulary, and document format.
• Demonstrate correct file management of both printed and onscreen documents.
• Understand the integrated use of business tools such as Microsoft PowerPoint, Word, Excel, Access, e-mail, and the Internet.
• Understand routine office skills such as teamwork, information processing, reprographics, telecommunication, records management, customer service, and ethics.
• Utilize the principles of good page and on-screen layout and design.
• Complete professional onscreen and print publications such as flyers, portfolios, and newsletters using Adobe® InDesign skills.
• Prepare simple legal documents using Corel WordPerfect® by applying such skills as macros, templates, mail merge, and redline.
• Understand various types of law offices, law-office ethics, the court system, legal references, and administrative agencies.
• Be exposed to the courts, law library, law office setting, and legal research.
• Complete integrated projects applying advanced features of word processing, spreadsheets, databases, and electronic presentation software.