Associate in Arts, Emphasis in Secondary Education

Print icon   Print this page

Back to the full Pathway Map

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.

Pathway Map Options

There are multiple options available for this pathway map. These options vary depending on the locations, partners, and available tracks of the award.

These pathway map options may share some common coursework. To explore what additional coursework may be required, select your desired option from the list below. Once selected, the list of courses and any associated details will be automatically updated in the course sequence below. The differences between individual pathway map options may only be a few courses.

Full-time Sequence

Full-time status is 12 credits to 18 credits per semester.

A list of additional requirements for this pathway map
Arizona General Education Curriculum (AGEC)

Students pursuing an Associate for transfer to a university or a MCCCD bachelor's degree should note the following changes to the Arizona General Education Curriculum (AGEC) requirements, effective Catalog Years 2026-27 and beyond. Students are strongly encouraged to visit with an academic advisor to assess whether transitioning to the Reimagined AGEC requirements aligns with educational goals and to ensure completion of all graduation requirements.

Effective Catalog Year 2026-27 and beyond, AGEC Requirements will include:

  • Oral Communication [OCM] (3 Credits)
  • Quantitative Reasoning [QNR] (3 Credits)
  • Institutions in the Americas [IAM] (3 Credits)

Effective Catalog Year 2026-27 and beyond, AGEC Requirements will no longer include:

  • Literacy and Critical Inquiry [L] (3 Credits)
  • Computers/Statistics/Quantitative Applications [CS] (3-5 Credits)
  • Cultural, Global, and Historical Awareness Areas [C, G, H] (0-3 Credits)
  • Subject Options -AGEC-S only (8 Credits)

For a full outline of the Reimagined AGEC Requirements, please visit Maricopa’s AGEC Webpage.

Note: Because you are viewing this pathway map on a mobile device, some columns below have been hidden. To view all columns, please rotate your device or view this page on a device with a larger screen.

Term 1

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 1
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
ENG101 or
ENG107		 First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL FYC, WCM or FYC, WCM 3
FYE101 or
FYE103		 Introduction to College, Career and Personal Success or Exploration of College, Career and Personal Success 1–3
GCU/POS113 or
(HIS103 and
POS221) or
POS220 or
(POS110 and
POS221)		 United States and Arizona Social Studies or (United States History to 1865 and Arizona Constitution) or U.S. and Arizona Constitution or (American National Government and Arizona Constitution) Students should consult with an academic, faculty, or program advisor to select the option that aligns with their intended university transfer program requirements. History/Social Studies Secondary Education majors should select HIS103 AND POS221. Note that students must petition NAU to accept GCU/POS113 OR (HIS103 and POS221) for POS220. H, SB or H, HU, IAM, SB or None or IAM, SB 3–4
QNR Quantitative Reasoning The minimum math requirement for graduation defaults to the base-level math of MAT14+ unless your selected transfer option specifies a higher-level math. MAT14+ is not applicable to all disciplines, consult with your Academic Advisor to ensure you are selecting the correct math for your intended transfer institution. QNR 3–6
Plan Elective Plan Course Elective 3–5

Term 2

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 2
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
ENG102 or
ENG108		 First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL FYC, WCM or WCM, FYC 3
AHM Arts and Humanities AHM 3
OCM Oral Communication OCM 3
Plan Elective Plan Course Elective 3–5

Term 3

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 3
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
IAM Institutions of the Americas IAM 3
NSI Natural Sciences NSI 4
SCB Social and Behavioral Sciences SCB 3
Plan Elective Plan Course Elective 3–5

Term 4

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 4
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
AHM Arts and Humanities AHM 3
NSI Natural Sciences NSI 4
SCB Social and Behavioral Sciences SCB 3
Plan Elective Plan Course Elective 3–5
Plan Elective Plan Course Elective 0–5

Part-time Sequence

Part-time status is 11 credit hours or less.

A list of additional requirements for this pathway map
Arizona General Education Curriculum (AGEC)

Students pursuing an Associate for transfer to a university or a MCCCD bachelor's degree should note the following changes to the Arizona General Education Curriculum (AGEC) requirements, effective Catalog Years 2026-27 and beyond. Students are strongly encouraged to visit with an academic advisor to assess whether transitioning to the Reimagined AGEC requirements aligns with educational goals and to ensure completion of all graduation requirements.

Effective Catalog Year 2026-27 and beyond, AGEC Requirements will include:

  • Oral Communication [OCM] (3 Credits)
  • Quantitative Reasoning [QNR] (3 Credits)
  • Institutions in the Americas [IAM] (3 Credits)

Effective Catalog Year 2026-27 and beyond, AGEC Requirements will no longer include:

  • Literacy and Critical Inquiry [L] (3 Credits)
  • Computers/Statistics/Quantitative Applications [CS] (3-5 Credits)
  • Cultural, Global, and Historical Awareness Areas [C, G, H] (0-3 Credits)
  • Subject Options -AGEC-S only (8 Credits)

For a full outline of the Reimagined AGEC Requirements, please visit Maricopa’s AGEC Webpage.

Note: Because you are viewing this pathway map on a mobile device, some columns below have been hidden. To view all columns, please rotate your device or view this page on a device with a larger screen.

Term 1

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 1
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
ENG101 or
ENG107		 First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL FYC, WCM or FYC, WCM 3
FYE101 or
FYE103		 Introduction to College, Career and Personal Success or Exploration of College, Career and Personal Success 1–3
QNR Quantitative Reasoning The minimum math requirement for graduation defaults to the base-level math of MAT14+ unless your selected transfer option specifies a higher-level math. MAT14+ is not applicable to all disciplines, consult with your Academic Advisor to ensure you are selecting the correct math for your intended transfer institution. QNR 3–6

Term 2

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 2
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
GCU/POS113 or
(HIS103 and
POS221) or
POS220 or
(POS110 and
POS221)		 United States and Arizona Social Studies or (United States History to 1865 and Arizona Constitution) or U.S. and Arizona Constitution or (American National Government and Arizona Constitution) Students should consult with an academic, faculty, or program advisor to select the option that aligns with their intended university transfer program requirements. History/Social Studies Secondary Education majors should select HIS103 AND POS221. Note that students must petition NAU to accept GCU/POS113 OR (HIS103 and POS221) for POS220. H, SB or H, HU, IAM, SB or None or IAM, SB 3–4
ENG102 or
ENG108		 First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL FYC, WCM or WCM, FYC 3

Term 3

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 3
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
AHM Arts and Humanities AHM 3
Plan Elective Plan Course Elective 3–5

Term 4

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 4
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
OCM Oral Communication OCM 3
Plan Elective Plan Course Elective 3–5

Term 5

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 5
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
NSI Natural Sciences NSI 4
Plan Elective Plan Course Elective 3–5

Term 6

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 6
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
SCB Social and Behavioral Sciences SCB 3
Plan Elective Plan Course Elective 3–5

Term 7

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 7
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
AHM Arts and Humanities AHM 3
NSI Natural Sciences NSI 4

Term 8

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 8
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
IAM Institutions of the Americas IAM 3
SCB Social and Behavioral Sciences SCB 3
Plan Elective Plan Course Elective 0–5

Pathway Map Option Details

No pathway map option has been selected. Please select from the pathway map options listed above.

Course Area Key

  • AHM = Arts and Humanities
  • FYC = First-Year Composition
  • H = Historical Awareness
  • HU = Humanities, Fine Arts & Design
  • IAM = Institutions of the Americas
  • MA = Mathematics
  • NSI = Natural Sciences
  • OCM = Oral Communication
  • QNR = Quantitative Reasoning
  • SB = Social-Behavioral Sciences
  • SCB = Social and Behavioral Sciences
  • WCM = Written Communication