Associate in Arts, Emphasis in Law and Policy
The Associate in Arts (AA), Emphasis in Law and Policy degree provides the first two years of a four-year curriculum for students who wish to specialize in law and policy or are preparing for graduate programs in law or other related fields. With a bachelor's degree, students may work in areas where a license to practice law is not required. These areas include, but are not limited to compliance, contracts, risk management, human resources, public policy, probation, insurance, finance, real estate, city planning and administration.
Details
Field of Interest
Behavioral Science and Human Services
Degree Type
Associate in Arts (AA)
Academic Plan
Associate in Arts, Emphasis in Law and Policy (DEG)
Academic Plan Code
8141
Total credits required
60-64
Catalog Year
2024-2025
Effective Term
Fall 2024
Notes
Students must earn a grade of C or better in all courses within the program.
The Associate in Arts, Emphasis in Law and Policy aligns with the University of Arizona Bachelor of Arts in Law.
Students at any Maricopa Community College may need to complete courses at more than one of our colleges.
What You'll Learn
- Use critical analysis and creative thinking to develop solutions.
- Formulate and defend arguments.
- Critically analyze complex textual material.
- Communicate complex ideas clearly with a purpose appropriate to the context or audience in written and oral forms.
- Demonstrate empathetic and active listening skills.
- Demonstrate information literacy by identifying a research need and accessing and critically evaluating information for the appropriate context.
- Synthesize multiple sources of information to achieve an objective within a given context.
- Apply professional guidelines for the ethical promotion of justice in the legal system.
- Explain the role of law in a free society.
- Demonstrate techniques and skills for developing and maintaining a collaborative environment with diverse internal and external agents.
- Compare and contrast the US legal system with other legal systems.
- Apply legal concepts, doctrines, and theories appropriate to a given context.
- Utilize appropriate technology to accomplish objectives relevant to the context.
- Apply relevant knowledge, skills, and habits of mind to seek career opportunities in the field.
Career statistics
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.
Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers
$98,190 Show expanded career information for Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers
Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators
$73,420 Show expanded career information for Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators
Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators
$59,030 Show expanded career information for Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators
Compliance Managers
$121,290 Show expanded career information for Compliance Managers
Education Administrators, Postsecondary
$104,250 Show expanded career information for Education Administrators, Postsecondary
Human Resources Specialists
$64,110 Show expanded career information for Human Resources Specialists
Insurance Underwriters
$77,280 Show expanded career information for Insurance Underwriters
Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates
$100,330 Show expanded career information for Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates
Judicial Law Clerks
$63,860 Show expanded career information for Judicial Law Clerks
Labor Relations Specialists
$81,510 Show expanded career information for Labor Relations Specialists
Law Teachers, Postsecondary
$118,370 Show expanded career information for Law Teachers, Postsecondary
Lawyers
$126,600 Show expanded career information for Lawyers
Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists
$56,120 Show expanded career information for Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists
Public Relations Specialists
$70,390 Show expanded career information for Public Relations Specialists
Regulatory Affairs Specialists
$67,680 Show expanded career information for Regulatory Affairs Specialists
Social and Community Service Managers
$69,700 Show expanded career information for Social and Community Service Managers
Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers
$50,720 Show expanded career information for Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers
There are additional career opportunities associated with this degree that do not have occupational data available for Arizona at this time. These occupations are listed below:
- Legislators
* Career and wage information provided by Pipeline AZ using data, reports, and forecasts which are generated using government data sources.
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 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.
Full-time Sequence
Full-time status is 12 credits to 18 credits per semester.
| Awareness Areas |
|---|
|
Term 1
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Critical course Gateway course | SB | 3 | |||
| OR Higher course in the Mathematical Applications [MA] area | MA | 3–6 | |||
| or |
or | Critical course | FYC or FYC | 3 | |
| or required for students taking certain LAS and PAR course options. | CS | 3 | |||
| Second Language | Second Language Requirement, 101 Level or elective | If proficient at this level, see your program advisor to select an elective. | 3–5 | ||
| or |
or | 1–3 |
Term 2
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| or or or or |
or or or or | Take 2 courses from the following Policy Focus Courses: or or or or . Students may select or but not both. | None or G, SB or G, SB or SB or SB | 3 | |
| or |
or | Critical course | FYC or FYC | 3 | |
| or or or |
or or or | recommended | SB or SB or L or SB | 0–3 | |
| Critical course | L | 3 | |||
| Critical course OR Equivalent as indicated by assessment | L | 0–3 | |||
| Second Language | Second Language Requirement, 102 Level | If proficient at this level, see your program advisor to select an elective. | 3–5 |
Term 3
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| or or or or |
or or or or | Take 2 courses from the following Policy Focus Courses: or or or or . Students may select or but not both. | None or G, SB or G, SB or SB or SB | 3 | |
| Recommend | HU | 3 | |||
| Recommend OR | SQ | 4 | |||
| Law Focus Elective | Law Focus Elective | 3 | |||
| Second Language | Second Language Requirement, 201 Level | If proficient at this level, see your program advisor to select an elective. | 3–5 |
Term 4
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RE | Restricted Elective | 3 | |||
| RE | Restricted Elective | 0–3 | |||
| HU | 3 | ||||
| or |
or | Recommend OR | SQ or SG | 4 | |
| Second Language | Second Language Requirement, 202 Level | If proficient at this level, see your program advisor to select an elective. | 3–5 |
Law Focus Electives:
Select one course from the following for a total of 3 credits.
Note: LAS109 is available at ¶À¼Ò±¬ÁÏ as part of their Paralegal Studies program. Students accepted into this program may use this course to satisfy this requirement.
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SB | 3 | ||||
| 3 | |||||
| 3 | |||||
| 3 | |||||
| 3 | |||||
| 3 | |||||
| 3 | |||||
| 3 | |||||
| 3 | |||||
| 3 | |||||
| 3 | |||||
| C, SB | 3 |
Part-time Sequence
Part-time status is 11 credit hours or less.
| Awareness Areas |
|---|
|
Term 1
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Critical course Gateway course | SB | 3 | |||
| or |
or | Critical course | FYC or FYC | 3 | |
| or |
or | 1–3 |
Term 2
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| or or or or |
or or or or | Take 2 courses from the following Policy Focus Courses: or or or or . Students may select or but not both. | None or G, SB or G, SB or SB or SB | 3 | |
| or |
or | Critical course | FYC or FYC | 3 | |
| Critical course OR Equivalent as indicated by assessment | L | 0–3 |
Term 3
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OR Higher course in the Mathematical Applications [MA] area | MA | 3–6 | |||
| or or or or |
or or or or | Take 2 courses from the following Policy Focus Courses: or or or or . Students may select or but not both. | None or G, SB or G, SB or SB or SB | 3 |
Term 4
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| or required for students taking certain LAS and PAR course options. | CS | 3 | |||
| Second Language | Second Language Requirement, 101 Level or elective | If proficient at this level, see your program advisor to select an elective. | 3–5 | ||
| Recommend | HU | 3 |
Term 5
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| or or or |
or or or | recommended | SB or SB or L or SB | 0–3 | |
| Critical course | L | 3 | |||
| Second Language | Second Language Requirement, 102 Level | If proficient at this level, see your program advisor to select an elective. | 3–5 |
Term 6
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Law Focus Elective | Law Focus Elective | 3 | |||
| Second Language | Second Language Requirement, 201 Level | If proficient at this level, see your program advisor to select an elective. | 3–5 |
Term 7
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RE | Restricted Elective | 3 | |||
| Second Language | Second Language Requirement, 202 Level | If proficient at this level, see your program advisor to select an elective. | 3–5 |
Term 8
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Recommend OR | SQ | 4 | |||
| RE | Restricted Elective | 0–3 |
Term 9
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HU | 3 | ||||
| or |
or | Recommend OR | SQ or SG | 4 |
Law Focus Electives:
Select one course from the following for a total of 3 credits.
Note: LAS109 is available at ¶À¼Ò±¬ÁÏ as part of their Paralegal Studies program. Students accepted into this program may use this course to satisfy this requirement.
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SB | 3 | ||||
| 3 | |||||
| 3 | |||||
| 3 | |||||
| 3 | |||||
| 3 | |||||
| 3 | |||||
| 3 | |||||
| 3 | |||||
| 3 | |||||
| 3 | |||||
| C, SB | 3 |
Footnote
Restricted Electives
Constitutional Foundations:
Constitutional Law
Introduction to Law
Introduction to the Paralegal Profession
Legal Foundations for Paralegals
Civil Rights and Liberties
Criminal Law:
Introduction to Criminal Justice
Substantive Criminal Law
Rules of Evidence
Juvenile Justice Procedures
Procedural Criminal Law
Civil Law:
Note: is available at ¶À¼Ò±¬ÁÏ as part of their Paralegal Studies program. Students accepted into this program may use this course to satisfy this requirement.
Civil Procedures I
Civil Procedures II
Contract Law
Legal Research
Tort Law
Business Organizations
Civil Litigation I
Civil Litigation II
Applications of Law:
Criminology
The Police Function
The Correction Function
AJS/EMT/FSC/ Victimology and Crisis Management
Legal, Ethical, and Regulatory Issues in Business
Paralegal Research, Analysis, and Writing I
Paralegal Research, Analysis, and Writing II
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.
- C = Cultural Diversity in the US
- CS = Computer/Statistics/Quantitative Application
- FYC = First Year Composition
- G = Global Awareness
- HU = Humanities, Fine Arts, and Design
- L = Literacy & Critical Inquiry
- MA = Mathematics
- 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 for additional details regarding the requirements of this award .
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.
Previous Catalog Years
The pathway map presented above is for the current catalog year and is the intended pathway map for new students. All previous catalog years for this pathway map are available at the link below.