
Program Information
Learn more about the Political Science program.
General Help
Ask general questions at our support center.
Politics affects many aspects of our lives, including education, health care, law enforcement, and more. Studying political science gives you insight into how governments operate, how elections work, and how policies are developed and enforced. Political science is also integral to understanding your rights and responsibilities as a citizen and to gaining an understanding of domestic and international affairs.
MCC’s courses on American politics, comparative politics, international relations, and political theory will introduce you to political concepts, political behavior, policy issues, and structures of government within societies and among nations. Get started on this dynamic pathway today.
Details
Important information you’ll need when applying for admission:
- Field of Interest
- Behavioral Science and Human Services
- Type
- Associate Degree
- Academic Plan
- Associate in Arts, Emphasis in Political Science (DEG)
- Academic Plan Code
- 8120
- Total Credits Required
- 60-64
- Catalog Year
- 2020-2021
- Program Notes
Students must earn a grade of C or better in each course in the program.
Students at any Maricopa Community College may need to complete courses at more than one of our colleges to earn a degree with this emphasis.
Transfer Options
This pathway map can lead to multiple transfer options.
Transfer Partner | Degree Type | Transfer Program |
---|---|---|
Arizona State University (College of Liberal Arts and Sciences) | Bachelor of Arts | Political Science |
Arizona State University (College of Liberal Arts and Sciences) | Bachelor of Science | Political Science |
Arizona State University (College of Integrative Sciences and Arts) | Bachelor of Science | Political Science |
Arizona State University (New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences) | Bachelor of Arts | Political Science |
Arizona State University (New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences) | Bachelor of Science | Political Science |
Northern Arizona University | Bachelor of Arts | Political Science |
Northern Arizona University | Bachelor of Science | Political Science |
University of Arizona | Bachelor of Arts | Political Science |
Grand Canyon University | Bachelor of Arts | Political Science, State and Local Public Policy Emphasis |
Grand Canyon University | Bachelor of Arts | Political Science, Legal Studies Emphasis |
What You’ll Learn
This pathway map will help you gain the expertise needed to:
- Develop and sustain a lifelong interest in local, national, and global civic engagement through active citizenship.
- Define, cite examples of, differentiate between, and critique basic political concepts, systems, and theories.
- Apply knowledge of politics by using the theoretical foundations and analytical tools of multiple sub-fields of political science.
- Appraise a situation, formulate an argument; collect, evaluate, and utilize evidence about key issues of public policy and politics.
- Demonstrate effective communication skills for a diverse, political world.
- Collaborate effectively and ethically with diverse individuals and institutions to achieve common goals.
Career Opportunities
Studying political science can offer a wide range of career opportunities. After all, for as long as humans form communities, there will be a need for people who understand governance in theory and practice. Political science majors can find opportunities in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors.
With an education in political science, you might choose to pursue opportunities in a variety of areas.
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 Maricopa County-based annual median 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.
City and Regional Planning Aides
$44,194 Show expanded career information for City and Regional Planning Aides
Lawyers
$106,854 Show expanded career information for Lawyers
Political Scientists
$92,669 Show expanded career information for Political Scientists
Postsecondary Political Science Teachers
$70,884 Show expanded career information for Postsecondary Political Science Teachers
Public Relations and Fundraising Managers
$101,554 Show expanded career information for Public Relations and Fundraising Managers
Public Relations Specialists
$57,398 Show expanded career information for Public Relations Specialists
Reporters and Correspondents
$53,246 Show expanded career information for Reporters and Correspondents
Social and Community Service Managers
$64,185 Show expanded career information for Social and Community Service Managers
Social Science Research Assistants
$44,194 Show expanded career information for Social Science Research 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 Pathway Planner 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 AAA/CPD150, AAA/CPD150AC, CPD104, and AAA115/CPD115. 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 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
POS110 | American National Government | Critical course Gateway course | SB | 3 | |
AAA/CPD115 or AAA/CPD150 or AAA/CPD150AC or CPD104 |
Creating College Success or Strategies for College Success or Educational and Career Planning or Career and Personal Development | 0–3 | |||
ENG101 or ENG107 |
First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL | Critical course Critical Course | FYC | 3 | |
MAT140 or MAT141 or MAT142 |
College Mathematics or College Mathematics or College Mathematics | MA | 3–5 | ||
Transfer Option | |||||
Transfer Option |
Term 2
Course Number |
Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Transfer Option | 3 | ||||
Transfer Option | 0–3 | ||||
Transfer Option | 0 | ||||
CRE101 | College Critical Reading and Critical Thinking | L | 0–3 | ||
ENG102 or ENG108 |
First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL | FYC | 3 | ||
HU | Humanities, Arts and Design (HU) Course | 3 |
Term 3
Course Number |
Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
POS210 | Political Ideologies | SB | 3 | ||
Transfer Option | 0 | ||||
Transfer Option | |||||
COM225 | Public Speaking | L | 3 | ||
SQ | Natural Sciences SQ Course | 4 | |||
CS | Computer/Statistics/Quantitative Applications | 3 |
Term 4
Course Number |
Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Transfer Option | |||||
Transfer Option | |||||
Transfer Option | |||||
HU | Humanities, Arts and Design (HU) Course | 3 | |||
SQ or SG | Natural Sciences SQ or SG Course | 4 |
Ready to get started?
Follow one of the options below to get started on your personal career pathway.
Become a Student
Click here for MCC’s easy-to-use Enrollment Steps.
Program Information
Learn more about and find contact information for the Political Science program.
General Help
Ask general questions over the phone at 480-461-7400 or via online chat.
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
- H = Historical 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.
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 academic advisor to discuss the requirements at your college for the appropriate catalog year.
View MCCCD’s curriculum website for the Associate in Arts in Associate in Arts, Emphasis in Political Science (http://aztransmac2.asu.edu/cgi-bin/WebObjects/MCCCD.woa/wa/freeForm10?id=158332).
Other Versions
The pathway map presented above is for the current catalog year and is the intended pathway map for new students. Other versions of this pathway map from different catalog years are available below: