Law, Public Policy, and Society
Associate in Arts for Transfer Administration of Justice · San Jose City College · 2026-2027 Catalog
Description
The Associate in Arts degree for Transfer (AA-T) in Law, Public Policy, and Society meets the lower division course requirements necessary for the California State University (CSU) system. The coursework required to earn an AA-T in Law, Public Policy, and Society has been identified as good preparation for law school upon completion of a bachelor’s degree. This interdisciplinary area of emphasis emphasizes the development of communication skills, introduces students to the legal field, and prepares students for further study in a variety of majors. Students who opt to pursue this course of study are encouraged to engage in further exploration of one or more specific majors as they select electives for degree completion.
To be awarded the Associate in Arts in Law, Public Policy, and Society for Transfer degree, students must:
(1) Complete 60 semester units or 90 quarter units which are eligible for transfer to the California State University (CSU) system, including both of the following:
(A) The California General Education Transfer Curriculum (Cal-GETC) Requirements.
(B) A minimum of 18 semester units or 27 quarter units in a major or area of emphasis, as determined by the community college district.
(2) Obtain a minimum grade point average of 2.0.
While a minimum of 2.0 is required for admission, some majors may require a higher GPA. Please consult with a counselor for more information.
Associate Degrees for Transfer (ADTs) also require that students must earn a “C” or better in all courses required for the major or area of emphasis. A "P" (Pass) grade is an acceptable grade for courses in the major if the course is taken on a “pass/no pass” basis.
Program Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this program, students will be able to:
- Identify and discuss legal framework for American institutions and systems of justice.
- Discuss the adversarial nature of the American justice system.
- Critically analyze issues in public policy consistent with constitutional legal standards and mandates.
Requirements
Major Requirements
| Course | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Required Core: Complete Eight Courses | 24 | |
| - Understanding the Law - | ||
| AJ 010 | Introduction to Administration of Justice | 3 |
| orAJ 011 | Criminal Law | |
| orAJ 013 | Criminal Procedures | |
| - Ethics - | ||
| PHIL 065 | Introduction to Ethics | 3 |
| - Oral Communication - | ||
| COMM C1000 | Introduction to Public Speaking | 3 |
| - Written Communication - | ||
| ENGL C1000 | Academic Reading and Writing | 3 |
| - Critical Thinking - | ||
| ENGL C1001 | Critical Thinking and Writing | 3 |
| - Quantitative Reasoning - | ||
| STAT C1000 | Introduction to Statistics | 3 |
| - US History - | ||
| HIST 017A | 3 | |
| or HIST 017B | ||
| - Introduction to American Government - | ||
| POLS C1000 | American Government and Politics | 3 |
| List A: Complete Two Courses from Two of the Areas in This List. Note: Courses must not have been used above. | 6 | |
| - Area 1: Administrative of Justice - | ||
| AJ 010 | Introduction to Administration of Justice | 3 |
| AJ 011 | Criminal Law | 3 |
| AJ 013 | Criminal Procedures | 3 |
| AJ 019 | Law Enforcement in Multicultural Communities | 3 |
| AJ 111 | Juvenile Law and Procedures | 3 |
| AJ 112 | Introduction to Evidence | 3 |
| AJ 116 | Introduction to Corrections | 3 |
| - Area 2: Business - | ||
| BUS 071 | Legal Environment of Business | 3 |
| - Area 3: Economics - | ||
| ECON 010A | 3 | |
| ECON 010B | 3 | |
| - Area 4: Political Science - | ||
| POLSC 002 | Comparative Politics | 3 |
| POLSC 004 | International Relations | 3 |
| - Area 5: Public Policy - | ||
| GLOBL 001 | Introduction to Global Studies | 3 |
| GLOBL 002 | Global Issues | 3 |
| JOURN 150 | Introduction to Public Relations | 3 |
| SOC 011 | Social Problems | 3 |
| - Area 6: Diversity - | ||
| ANTH 063 | Introduction to Social and Cultural Anthropology | 3 |
| COMS 035 | Intercultural Communication | 3 |
| ETH 020 | African American Culture | 3 |
| ETH 026 | Vietnamese Women in the U.S. | 3 |
| ETH 027 | Introduction to Race & Ethnicity in American History | 3 |
| ETH 030 | Chicana/o Culture | 3 |
| ETH 031 | Social Justice Issues in Chicanx Communities | 3 |
| ETH 037A | Mexican American History I | 3 |
| ETH 037B | Mexican American History II | 3 |
| ETH 041 | Vietnamese American Culture | 3 |
| GEOG 011 | Introduction to Cultural Geography | 3 |
| - Area 7: College Success - | ||
| GUIDE 096 | Career and Life Planning | 3 |
| GUIDE 130 | College and Life Success | 3 |
| - Area 8: Fieldwork - | ||
| ADS 138 | Work Experience | 3 |
| AJ 138 | Work Experience | 3 |
| BUS 138 | Work Experience | 3 |
| HSCI 138 | Work Experience | 3 |
| JOURN 138 | Work Experience | 3 |
| WE 088A | General Work Experience | 3 |
| Total Units | 30 | |
AA-T Degree Requirements
| Course | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Major Requirements | 30 | |
| Cal-GETC Requirements | 34 | |
| Transferable Electives (as needed to reach 60) | 11-20 | |
| Total Units | 60 | |