Associate in Arts, Emphasis in Communication

The Associate of Arts (AA), Emphasis in Communication includes a dynamic blend of theory and practical experience that provides students with a solid introduction to the wide-ranging field of Communication. With an associate degree in Communication, students will gain proficiency in a variety of communication contexts including interpersonal, small group, intercultural, organizational, public and professional speaking. This degree prepares students for their bachelor`s degree transfer pathway and equips them with the communication skill set valued so highly by employers. Coursework provides the foundational conceptual knowledge and tools to understand, analyze, and respond to communication challenges and opportunities in a variety of contexts.

Details

Field of Interest
Culture and Society
Degree Type
Associate in Arts (AA)
Academic Plan
Associate in Arts, Emphasis in Communication (DEG)
Academic Plan Code
8124
Total credits required
60-64
Catalog Year
2023-2024
Effective Term
Fall 2023
Notes

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

Students at any Maricopa Community College may need to complete courses at more than one of our colleges.

What You'll Learn

This pathway map will help you gain the expertise needed to:

  1. Describe the communication discipline and its central questions.
  2. Apply communication theories and practices to develop, maintain and manage effective personal and professional relationships.
  3. Demonstrate problem solving and decision-making techniques in a variety of communication settings.
  4. Analyze messages in various communication settings and channels.
  5. Research and create messages appropriate to the audience, purpose, and context.
  6. Demonstrate the ability to accomplish communicative goals (self-efficacy).
  7. Apply ethical communication principles and practices.
  8. Utilize communication to embrace differences in individual, group and public settings.
  9. Evaluate public discourse and discuss and/or advocate a course of civic action.
  10. Display competence in oral, written, and visual communication in various personal and professional contexts.
  11. Engage in scholarly research in the communication discipline.

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 annual median wages* for this program. 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.

Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists

$63,590

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:
  • Public Relations and Fundraising Managers
* Wage information sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment Statistics Program. Updated May 2022.

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 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 available transfer institutions and what degrees you may be able to transfer into.

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.

Pathway Map Option Details

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

Full-time Sequence

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

A list of additional requirements for this pathway map
Awareness Areas
  • In addition to the requirements identified in the sequence below, students must complete the following awareness areas if not otherwise met by other program requirements:
    • Cultural [C] and
    • Global [G] or Historical [H]
  • Students are strongly encouraged to visit with an academic advisor to ensure completion of all graduation requirements.

The language requirement may be satisfied after transfer to ASU though various upper division course options. Recommend students satisfy this requirement after transfer to ASU unless proficient at the elementary level (102 or equivalent).

Term 1

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 1
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
COM100 Introduction to Human Communication Critical course Gateway course SB 3
COM110 or
COM230
Interpersonal Communication or Small Group Communication SB 3
ENG101 or
ENG107
First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL Critical course FYC 3
MAT14+ College Mathematics OR Higher approved general education course in the Mathematical Applications [MA] area MA 3–6
FYE101 or
FYE103
Introduction to College, Career and Personal Success or Exploration of College, Career and Personal Success 1–3

Term 2

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 2
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
COM225 Public Speaking L 3
COM110 or
COM230
Interpersonal Communication or Small Group Communication SB 3
ENG102 or
ENG108
First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL FYC 3
CRE101 College Critical Reading and Critical Thinking OR Equivalent as indicated by assessment L 0–3

Term 3

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 3
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
COM263 Elements of Intercultural Communication C, G, SB 3
HU Humanities, Fine Arts & Design COM/THP241 recommended HU 3
SQ Natural Sciences Quantitative SQ 4
CS Computer/Statistics/Quantitative Application CS 3

Term 4

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 4
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
COM207 Introduction to Communication Inquiry 3
HU Humanities, Fine Arts & Design HU 3
SG or
SQ
Natural Sciences General or Natural Sciences Quantitative SG or SQ 4

Part-time Sequence

Part-time status is 11 credit hours or less.

A list of additional requirements for this pathway map
Awareness Areas
  • In addition to the requirements identified in the sequence below, students must complete the following awareness areas if not otherwise met by other program requirements:
    • Cultural [C] and
    • Global [G] or Historical [H]
  • Students are strongly encouraged to visit with an academic advisor to ensure completion of all graduation requirements.

The language requirement may be satisfied after transfer to ASU though various upper division course options. Recommend students satisfy this requirement after transfer to ASU unless proficient at the elementary level (102 or equivalent).

Term 1

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 1
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
COM100 Introduction to Human Communication Critical course Gateway course SB 3
ENG101 or
ENG107
First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL Critical course FYC 3
FYE101 or
FYE103
Introduction to College, Career and Personal Success or Exploration of College, Career and Personal Success 1–3

Term 2

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 2
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
COM110 or
COM230
Interpersonal Communication or Small Group Communication SB 3

Term 3

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 3
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
ENG102 or
ENG108
First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL FYC 3
CRE101 College Critical Reading and Critical Thinking OR Equivalent as indicated by assessment L 0–3

Term 4

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 4
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
COM225 Public Speaking L 3
MAT14+ College Mathematics OR Higher approved general education course in the Mathematical Applications [MA] area MA 3–6

Term 5

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 5
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
COM110 or
COM230
Interpersonal Communication or Small Group Communication SB 3
SQ Natural Sciences Quantitative SQ 4

Term 6

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 6
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
COM263 Elements of Intercultural Communication C, G, SB 3
CS Computer/Statistics/Quantitative Application CS 3

Term 7

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 7
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
SG or
SQ
Natural Sciences General or Natural Sciences Quantitative SG or SQ 4

Term 8

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 8
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
COM207 Introduction to Communication Inquiry 3
HU Humanities, Fine Arts & Design HU 3

Term 9

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 9
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
HU Humanities, Fine Arts & Design COM/THP241 recommended HU 3
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.

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 official curriculum documentation for additional details regarding the requirements of this award (https://aztransmac2.asu.edu/cgi-bin/WebObjects/MCCCD.woa/wa/freeForm10?id=183477).

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.