MCCCD Program Description

Major: 5685 Catalog Year: 2024-2025 Effective Term: 2024 Fall Last Admit Term: 9999 Award: CCL Total Credits: 36-39 CIP Code: 22.0302	Primary College: Rio Salado College Initiating College: Paradise Valley Community College Program Availability: Not Found Program Availability: College-Specific Program Availability: PV, RS Field of Interest: Behavioral Science and Human Services Instructional Council: Administration of Justice Studies GPA: 2.00
SOC Code: Upon completion of this degree, students may pursue a career as: 23-2011.00 Paralegal and Legal Assistants

Description: The Certificate of Completion (CCL) 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 provides students with legal skill sets, preparing students for industry certification and employment in a multitude of legal settings. Students may also pursue an Associate in Applied Science (AAS) in Paralegal.

Learning Outcomes
1. Define the boundaries of the paralegal career field. (CRE101, ENG101, ENG107, PAR101, PAR104, PAR106) 2. Explain the duties assigned and the responsibilities delegated to paralegals, including the knowledge of legal ethics. (CRE101, ENG101, ENG107, PAR101, PAR104, PAR106) 3. 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. (CRE101, ENG101, ENG107, PAR101, PAR102, PAR103, PAR104, PAR112, PAR114) 4. Analyze factual and legal information for use in preparing legal documents. (BPC110, CIS105, CRE101, ENG101, ENG107, PAR102, PAR103) 5. Research print and electronic sources. (BPC110, CIS105, CRE101, ENG101, ENG107, PAR102, PAR103) 6. Analyze legal sources including statutes, rules of court, rules of evidence, case law and regulations, and apply them to a given set of facts. (BPC110, CIS105, CRE101, ENG101, ENG107, PAR102, PAR103) 7. Describe the sources of law, hierarchy and powers of various state and federal courts. (CRE101, ENG101, ENG107, PAR102, PAR106) 8. Demonstrate the paralegal`s role during a legal matter, including preparing pleadings, motions, discovery and other documents. (BPC110, CIS105, CRE101, ENG101, ENG107, PAR101, PAR106, PAR112, PAR114, PAR224) 9. Analyze substantive and procedural areas of law, including legal ethics, civil procedure, criminal procedure, legal writing, and legal research. (BPC110, CIS105, CRE101, ENG101, ENG107, PAR104, PAR106, PAR112, PAR114, PAR206, PAR208, PAR224)

Program Notes
Students must earn a grade of C or better in all courses within the program.

Admission Criteria
None.

Required Courses

BPC110 Computer Usage and Applications (3) OR
CIS105 Survey of Computer Information Systems (3) 3

+ CRE101 College Critical Reading and Critical Thinking (3) OR
Equivalent as indicated by assessment 0-3

+ ENG101 First-Year Composition (3) OR
+ ENG107 First-Year Composition for ESL (3) 3

PAR101 Introduction to the Paralegal Profession 3
+ PAR102 Paralegal Research, Analysis, and Writing I 3
+ PAR103 Paralegal Research, Analysis, and Writing II 3
+ PAR104 Ethics for the Paralegal 3
+ PAR106 Legal Foundations for Paralegals 3
+ PAR112 Civil Litigation I 3
+ PAR114 Civil Litigation II 3
+ PAR206 Paralegal Business Law 3
+ PAR208 Introduction to Tort Law 3
+ PAR224 Law Office Technology for the Paralegal 3

Credits: 36-39

Restricted Electives
	Credits:

General Electives
	Credits:

+ indicates course has prerequisites and/or corequisites.
++ indicates that any suffixed course may be selected.

MCCCD Governing Board Approval Date: October 24, 2023

All information published is subject to change without notice. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information presented, but based on the dynamic nature of the curricular process, course and program information is subject to change in order to reflect the most current information available.