Associate in Arts, Emphasis in Journalism and New Media Studies

The Associate in Arts (AA), Emphasis in Journalism and New Media Studies provides the first two years of a four-year curriculum for students interested in broadcast, print, and new media journalism transfer and is also designed to provide students with general, practical and marketable skills that will enable them to seek entry-level employment in various media outlets, including: newspapers, magazines, community journals, online websites, radio and television. News judgment is integrated as a critical component of the coursework along with an awareness of global and cultural differences. Students will develop a portfolio of work that will exhibit students` abilities to write both news and feature stories.

Details

Field of Interest
Culture and Society
Degree Type
Associate in Arts (AA)
Academic Plan
Associate in Arts, Emphasis in Journalism and New Media Studies (DEG)
Academic Plan Code
8146
Total credits required
61-67
Catalog Year
2024-2025
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. Produce stories appropriate to their medium and venue, from conceptualization to publication, including research, confirmation of credible sources, writing, and editing.
  2. Analyze and adapt to a professional context within the journalism industry in order to work effectively.
  3. Describe the contemporary field of journalism, including media, markets and specializations.
  4. Demonstrate written and verbal skills to communicate effectively with diverse populations and individuals.
  5. Develop and maintain professional networks and relationships within the field of journalism.
  6. Apply media law and ethics to journalistic situations.
  7. Evaluate and employ the strengths of self and others to achieve common goals in group settings.
  8. Incorporate new and emerging digital technologies ethically and efficiently to meet current trends.
  9. Apply relevant knowledge, skills, and habits of mind to seek career opportunities in the field.

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.

News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists

$47,020

* 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 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.

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.

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 Critical course FYC 3
MAT14+ College Mathematics OR Any 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
HU Humanities, Fine Arts & Design HU 3
Transfer Option Transfer Option 0–3
Second Language Second Language Requirement, 101 Level 0–5

Term 2

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 2
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
JRN201 News Writing Critical course L 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
CS Computer/Statistics/Quantitative Application CS 3
Transfer Option Transfer Option 0–3
Second Language Second Language Requirement, 102 Level 0–5

Term 3

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 3
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
SQ Natural Sciences Quantitative SQ 4
SB Social-Behavioral Sciences SB 3
Transfer Option Transfer Option - Communications Course 3
Transfer Option Transfer Option 0–3
Second Language Second Language Requirement, 201 Level 0–5

Term 4

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 4
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
SG or
SQ
Natural Sciences General or Natural Sciences Quantitative SG or SQ 4
HU Humanities, Fine Arts & Design HU 3
SB Social-Behavioral Sciences SB 3
Transfer Option Transfer Option 0–3
Second Language Second Language Requirement, 202 Level 0–5

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.

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 Critical course FYC 3
MAT14+ College Mathematics OR Any 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
JRN201 News Writing Critical course L 3
ENG102 or
ENG108
First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL FYC 3

Term 3

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 3
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
CRE101 College Critical Reading and Critical Thinking OR Equivalent as indicated by assessment L 0–3
CS Computer/Statistics/Quantitative Application CS 3
HU Humanities, Fine Arts & Design HU 3

Term 4

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 4
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
Transfer Option Transfer Option 0–3
SB Social-Behavioral Sciences SB 3
Transfer Option Transfer Option - Communications Course 3

Term 5

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 5
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
Second Language Second Language Requirement, 101 Level 0–5
Transfer Option Transfer Option 0–3
HU Humanities, Fine Arts & Design HU 3

Term 6

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 6
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
SQ Natural Sciences Quantitative SQ 4
Second Language Second Language Requirement, 102 Level 0–5
Transfer Option Transfer Option 0–3

Term 7

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 7
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
Second Language Second Language Requirement, 201 Level 0–5
SB Social-Behavioral Sciences SB 3
Transfer Option Transfer Option 0–3

Term 8

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 8
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
SG or
SQ
Natural Sciences General or Natural Sciences Quantitative SG or SQ 4
Second Language Second Language Requirement, 202 Level 0–5
Course Area Key

Critical Course = A course that is highly predictive of future success in a pathway.

Disclaimer

Students must earn a grade of C or better in all courses 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=183282).

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.