Paralegal
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The Associate in Applied Science (AAS) in Paralegal program is designed to provide students with the education for a paralegal career. The program covers substantive and procedural areas of law, including legal ethics, civil procedure, criminal procedure, legal research, and legal writing. The program trains students in legal skills sets, preparing students for industry certification and employment in a multitude of legal settings. The program includes both a Certificate of Completion (CCL) in Paralegal and an Associate in Applied Science (AAS) in Paralegal. While this program was not designed to transfer to a 4-year university or stand alone as a pre-law major, it may apply toward Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) or other programs.
Details
Field of Interest
Behavioral Science and Human Services
Degree Type
Associate in Applied Science (AAS)
Academic Plan
Paralegal (DEG)
Academic Plan Code
3126
Total credits required
65-70
Catalog Year
2024-2025
Effective Term
Fall 2024
Notes
Students must earn a grade of C or better in all courses within the program.
What You'll Learn
This pathway map will help you gain the expertise needed to:
- Define the boundaries of the paralegal career field.
- Explain the duties assigned and the responsibilities delegated to paralegals, including the knowledge of legal ethics.
- Demonstrate the ability to communicate clearly and effectively in a culturally responsive manner with lawyers, clients, witnesses, court personnel, co-workers and other legal/business professionals.
- Analyze factual and legal information for use in preparing legal documents.
- Research print and electronic sources.
- Analyze legal sources including statutes, rules of court, rules of evidence, case law and regulations, and apply them to a given set of facts.
- Describe the sources of law, hierarchy and powers of various state and federal courts.
- Demonstrate the paralegal's role during a legal matter, including preparing pleadings, motions, discovery and other documents.
- Analyze substantive and procedural areas of law, including legal ethics, civil procedure, criminal procedure, legal writing, and legal research.
Successful completion of this degree may lead to employment in a variety of different occupations and industries. Below are examples of related occupations with associated Arizona-based wages* for this degree. Education requirements vary for the occupations listed below, so you may need further education or degrees in order to qualify for some of these jobs and earn the related salaries. Please visit with an academic advisor and/or program director for additional information. You can click on any occupation to view the detail regarding education level, wages, and employment information.
Paralegals and Legal Assistants
$55,560 Show expanded career information for Paralegals and Legal Assistants
Course Sequence by Term
The following is the suggested course sequence by term. Please keep in mind:
- Students should meet with an academic advisor to develop an individual education plan that meets their academic and career goals. Use the Degree Progress Report Tool in your Student Center to manage your plan.
- The course sequence is laid out by suggested term and may be affected when students enter the program at different times of the year.
- Initial course placement is determined by current district placement measures and/or completion of 100-200 level course and/or program requirements.
- Degree and transfer seeking students may be required to successfully complete a MCCCD First Year Experience Course (FYE) within the first two semesters at a MCCCD College. Courses include FYE101 and FYE103. Course offerings will vary by college. See an academic, program, or faculty advisor for details.
- Consult with your faculty mentor or academic advisor to determine educational requirements, including possible university transfer options, for your chosen career field.
Full-time Sequence
Full-time status is 12 credits to 18 credits per semester.
Term 1
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BPC110 or CIS105 | Computer Usage and Applications or Survey of Computer Information Systems | CS or CS | 3 | ||
| ENG101 or ENG107 | First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL | Critical course | FYC or FYC | 3 | |
| COM100 or COM110 or COM225 or COM230 | Introduction to Human Communication or Interpersonal Communication or Public Speaking or Small Group Communication | SB or SB or L or SB | 3 | ||
| PAR101 | Introduction to the Paralegal Profession | Gateway course | 3 | ||
| PAR102 | Paralegal Research, Analysis, and Writing I | Critical course | 3 | ||
| FYE101 or FYE103 | Introduction to College, Career and Personal Success or Exploration of College, Career and Personal Success | 1–3 |
Term 2
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CRE101 | College Critical Reading and Critical Thinking | OR Equivalent as indicated by assessment | L | 0–3 | |
| ENG102 or ENG108 or ENG111 | First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL or Technical and Professional Writing | Critical course | FYC or FYC or L | 3 | |
| PAR103 | Paralegal Research, Analysis, and Writing II | To be taken in the first 8 weeks of term | 3 | ||
| PAR104 | Ethics for the Paralegal | To be taken in the first 8 weeks of term | 3 | ||
| PAR106 | Legal Foundations for Paralegals | To be taken in the second 8 weeks of term | 3 | ||
| PAR112 | Civil Litigation I | To be taken in the second 8 weeks of term | 3 |
Term 3
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PAR114 | Civil Litigation II | To be taken in the first 8 weeks of term | 3 | ||
| PAR206 | Paralegal Business Law | To be taken in the first 8 weeks of term | 3 | ||
| PAR208 | Introduction to Tort Law | To be taken in the second 8 weeks of term | 3 | ||
| PAR224 | Law Office Technology for the Paralegal | To be taken in the second 8 weeks of term | 3 | ||
| MAT112 | Mathematical Concepts and Applications | OR Satisfactory completion of a higher level mathematics course MAT14+ or any higher approved general education course in the Mathematical Applications [MA] area recommended for transfer | 3–6 |
Term 4
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RE | Restricted Electives | Recommended restrictive electives include PAR230, PAR233, PAR236, PAR260 | 3 | ||
| RE | Restricted Electives | Recommended restrictive electives include PAR230, PAR233, PAR236, PAR260 | 3 | ||
| RE | Restricted Electives | Recommended restrictive electives include PAR230, PAR233, PAR236, PAR260 | 0–3 | ||
| SG or SQ | Natural Sciences General or Natural Sciences Quantitative | SG or SQ | 4 | ||
| SB | Social & Behavioral Sciences | AJS101, AJS200, AJS225, or AJS258 recommended | SB | 3 | |
| HU | Humanities, Fine Arts & Design | AJS123 recommended | HU | 3 |
Restricted Electives
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PAR230 | Family Law for the Paralegal | 3 | |||
| PAR232 | Bankruptcy Law for the Paralegal | 3 | |||
| PAR233 | Real Estate Law for the Paralegal | 3 | |||
| PAR234 | Administrative Law for the Paralegal | 3 | |||
| PAR236 | Estate and Elder Law for the Paralegal | 3 | |||
| PAR237 | Paralegals and Environmental Law | 3 | |||
| PAR238 | Immigration Law for the Paralegal | 3 | |||
| PAR239 | Legal Investigation for the Paralegal | 3 | |||
| PAR240 | Introduction to eDiscovery for the Paralegal | 3 | |||
| PAR260 | Legal Career Preparation | 1 | |||
| PAR290AA | Internship for the Paralegal | 1 | |||
| PAR290AB | Internship for the Paralegal | 2 | |||
| POS110 | American National Government | SB | 3 | ||
| POS221 | Arizona Constitution | 1 | |||
| POS222 | U.S. Constitution | 2 |
Part-time Sequence
Part-time status is 11 credit hours or less.
Term 1
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PAR101 | Introduction to the Paralegal Profession | Gateway course | 3 | ||
| ENG101 or ENG107 | First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL | Critical course | FYC or FYC | 3 | |
| FYE101 or FYE103 | Introduction to College, Career and Personal Success or Exploration of College, Career and Personal Success | 1–3 |
Term 2
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PAR102 | Paralegal Research, Analysis, and Writing I | Critical course | 3 | ||
| ENG102 or ENG108 or ENG111 | First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL or Technical and Professional Writing | Critical course | FYC or FYC or L | 3 | |
| CRE101 | College Critical Reading and Critical Thinking | OR Equivalent as indicated by assessment | L | 0–3 |
Term 3
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| COM100 or COM110 or COM225 or COM230 | Introduction to Human Communication or Interpersonal Communication or Public Speaking or Small Group Communication | SB or SB or L or SB | 3 | ||
| PAR104 | Ethics for the Paralegal | 3 | |||
| PAR106 | Legal Foundations for Paralegals | 3 |
Term 4
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BPC110 or CIS105 | Computer Usage and Applications or Survey of Computer Information Systems | CS or CS | 3 | ||
| PAR103 | Paralegal Research, Analysis, and Writing II | 3 | |||
| PAR112 | Civil Litigation I | 3 |
Term 5
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PAR114 | Civil Litigation II | 3 | |||
| PAR206 | Paralegal Business Law | 3 | |||
| MAT112 | Mathematical Concepts and Applications | OR Satisfactory completion of a higher level mathematics course MAT14+ or any higher approved general education course in the Mathematical Applications [MA] area recommended for transfer | 3–6 |
Term 6
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PAR208 | Introduction to Tort Law | 3 | |||
| PAR224 | Law Office Technology for the Paralegal | 3 | |||
| SB | Social & Behavioral Sciences | AJS101, AJS200, AJS225, or AJS258 recommended | SB | 3 |
Term 7
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RE | Restricted Electives | Recommended restrictive electives include PAR230, PAR233, PAR236, PAR260 | 3 | ||
| RE | Restricted Electives | Recommended restrictive electives include PAR230, PAR233, PAR236, PAR260 | 3 | ||
| HU | Humanities, Fine Arts & Design | AJS123 recommended | HU | 3 |
Term 8
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RE | Restricted Electives | Recommended restrictive electives include PAR230, PAR233, PAR236, PAR260 | 0–3 | ||
| SG or SQ | Natural Sciences General or Natural Sciences Quantitative | SG or SQ | 4 |
Restricted Electives
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PAR230 | Family Law for the Paralegal | 3 | |||
| PAR232 | Bankruptcy Law for the Paralegal | 3 | |||
| PAR233 | Real Estate Law for the Paralegal | 3 | |||
| PAR234 | Administrative Law for the Paralegal | 3 | |||
| PAR236 | Estate and Elder Law for the Paralegal | 3 | |||
| PAR237 | Paralegals and Environmental Law | 3 | |||
| PAR238 | Immigration Law for the Paralegal | 3 | |||
| PAR239 | Legal Investigation for the Paralegal | 3 | |||
| PAR240 | Introduction to eDiscovery for the Paralegal | 3 | |||
| PAR260 | Legal Career Preparation | 1 | |||
| PAR290AA | Internship for the Paralegal | 1 | |||
| PAR290AB | Internship for the Paralegal | 2 | |||
| POS110 | American National Government | SB | 3 | ||
| POS221 | Arizona Constitution | 1 | |||
| POS222 | U.S. Constitution | 2 |
Course Area Key
Gateway Course = Generally the first major-specific course in a pathway.
Critical Course = A course that is highly predictive of future success in a pathway.
- CS = Computer/Statistics/Quantitative Application
- FYC = First Year Composition
- HU = Humanities, Fine Arts, and Design
- L = Literacy & Critical Inquiry
- SB = Social-Behavioral Sciences
- SG = Natural Sciences General
- SQ = Natural Sciences Quantitative
Disclaimer
Students must earn a grade of C or better for all courses required within the program.
Course Sequence total credits may differ from the program information located on the MCCCD curriculum website due to program and system design.
View MCCCD’s official curriculum documentation for additional details regarding the requirements of this award (https://aztransmac2.asu.edu/cgi-bin/WebObjects/MCCCD.woa/wa/freeForm13?id=184293).
At Maricopa, we strive to provide you with accurate and current information about our degree and certificate offerings. Due to the dynamic nature of the curriculum process, course and program information is subject to change. As a result, the course list associated with this degree or certificate on this site does not represent a contract, nor does it guarantee course availability. If you are interested in pursuing this degree or certificate, we encourage you to meet with an advisor to discuss the requirements at your college for the appropriate catalog year.