Graphic Design

Details

Field of Interest

Visual and Performing Arts

Degree Type

Associate in Applied Science (AAS)

Academic Plan

Graphic Design (DEG)

Academic Plan Code

3201

Effective Term

Fall 2025

Full-time
Part-time

Full-time Sequence

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

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	Prerequisites: Writing placement or (C/ better in ESL097 or WAC101) or (B/better in ALT100) or (C in ALT100 & Corequisites: ENG101LL or ENG107LL or WAC101 or ENG100A+) or (C/better in ESL202 & Corequisites: ENG101LL or ENG107LL or WAC101 or ENG100A+). or Prerequisites: Writing test score or (C/better in ESL097 or WAC101),or (B/better in ALT100) or (C in ALT100 & Corequisites: ENG101LL or ENG107LL or WAC101 or ENG100A+) or (C/better in ESL202 and Corequisites: ENG101LL or ENG107LL or WAC101 or ENG100A+).	Critical course	FYC, WCM or FYC, WCM	3
Mathematics	Mathematics Area		Critical course MAT14+ recommended for students planning to transfer to a university		3–6
AVC100	Introduction to Digital Arts				1
AVC177	Digital Photographic Imaging I	Prerequisites or Corequisites: AVC100 or permission of Instructor.	Critical course Gateway course		3
ART111 or ART116	Drawing I or Life Drawing I			AHM or None	3
ART113 or AVC114	Color or Digital Color				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
ENG102 or ENG108	First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL	Prerequisites: Grade of C or better in ENG101. or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in ENG107.		FYC, WCM or FYC, WCM	3
CRE101	College Critical Reading and Critical Thinking	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in (ENG101 or ENG107) and (RDG095 or RDG100 or RDG111 or RDG112 or RDG113 or an appropriate district placement or permission of Instructor).	OR Equivalent as indicated by assessment	L	0–3
ARH101 or ARH102 or ARH110	Art from Prehistory Through Middle Ages or Art from Renaissance to Modernism or History of Graphic Design		Students who intend to transfer should choose either ARH101 or ARH102 to fulfill the [HU] requirement for transfer	AHM, H, HU or AHM, H, HU or AHM	3
AVC169	2D Media Design	Prerequisites or Corequisites: AVC100 or permission of Instructor.			3
AVC178	Digital Arts Studies	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in AVC100 or permission of Instructor.	Critical course		3
AVC183	Digital Graphic Arts I	Prerequisites or Corequisites: AVC100 or permission of Instructor.	Critical course		3

Term 3

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 3
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Area	Credits
COM100 or COM110 or COM225 or COM230	Introduction to Human Communication or Interpersonal Communication or Public Speaking or Small Group Communication	No requisites or No requisites or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in ENG101, or ENG107, or equivalent. or No requisites	SB, SCB or SB, SCB or L, OCM or SB, SCB	3
AVC142	Introduction to Digital Photography			3
AVC/MMT190	Art of Web Site Design	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in AVC100, or permission of Instructor. CIS133DA recommended.		3
AVC248 or ART255	Design Self Promotion or Art Marketing			3
AVC283	Digital Graphic Arts II	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in AVC183 or permission of Instructor.		3

Term 4

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 4
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Notes	Area	Credits
SB	Social-Behavioral Sciences			SB	3
SG or SQ	Natural Sciences General or Natural Sciences Quantitative			SG or SQ	4
AVC280AA or AVC280AB or AVC280AC or AVC297AA or AVC297AB or AVC297AC	Digital Media Arts and Design Capstone or Digital Media Arts and Design Capstone or Digital Media Arts and Design Capstone or Commercial Art Internship or Commercial Art Internship or Commercial Art Internship	Prerequisites: Permission of Program Director or Instructor. or Prerequisites: Permission of Program Director or Instructor. or Prerequisites: Permission of Program Director or Instructor. or Prerequisites: Permission of Department or Division. or Prerequisites: Permission of Department or Division. or Prerequisites: Permission of Department or Division.			1–3
RE	Restricted Electives				3
Elective	General Elective		Select additional courses 100-level or higher to complete the minimum credits required for this degree. Consult with the Program Director or an Academic Advisor.		0–3

Restricted Electives

A list of additional, alternative, or supplemental courses for this pathway map
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Area	Credits
AVC175	Electronic Publishing Design I	Prerequisites or Corequisites: AVC100 or permission of Instructor.		3
AVC289	Computer Illustration	Prerequisites or Corequisites: AVC100 or permission of Instructor.		3
AVC103	Typography in the Digital Age	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in AVC100 or permission of Instructor.		3
AVC150	Multimedia Storytelling		AHM, HU	3
AVC192	Advanced Web Presentation Design	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in AVC/MMT190 or permission of Instructor. AVC180AM and AVC180AN suggested but not required.		3
AVC200	Animation and Interactivity	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in AVC100 or permission of Instructor.		3
AVC210	Design Tools for Imagery, Production, and Publishing	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in AVC100 and [AVC169 or (ADA/AVC180AD, ADA/AVC180AE, and AVC180AS)] and AVC181, or permission of Instructor.		3
AVC/THO246	Digital Fabrication			3

Part-time Sequence

Part-time status is 11 credit hours or less.

Term 1

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 1
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Notes	Credits
Mathematics	Mathematics Area		Critical course MAT14+ recommended for students planning to transfer to a university	3–6
AVC100	Introduction to Digital Arts			1
AVC177	Digital Photographic Imaging I	Prerequisites or Corequisites: AVC100 or permission of Instructor.	Critical course Gateway course	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
ENG101 or ENG107	First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL	Prerequisites: Writing placement or (C/ better in ESL097 or WAC101) or (B/better in ALT100) or (C in ALT100 & Corequisites: ENG101LL or ENG107LL or WAC101 or ENG100A+) or (C/better in ESL202 & Corequisites: ENG101LL or ENG107LL or WAC101 or ENG100A+). or Prerequisites: Writing test score or (C/better in ESL097 or WAC101),or (B/better in ALT100) or (C in ALT100 & Corequisites: ENG101LL or ENG107LL or WAC101 or ENG100A+) or (C/better in ESL202 and Corequisites: ENG101LL or ENG107LL or WAC101 or ENG100A+).	Critical course	FYC, WCM or FYC, WCM	3
ART111 or ART116	Drawing I or Life Drawing I			AHM or None	3

Term 3

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 3
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Notes	Area	Credits
ART113 or AVC114	Color or Digital Color				3
ENG102 or ENG108	First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL	Prerequisites: Grade of C or better in ENG101. or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in ENG107.		FYC, WCM or FYC, WCM	3
CRE101	College Critical Reading and Critical Thinking	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in (ENG101 or ENG107) and (RDG095 or RDG100 or RDG111 or RDG112 or RDG113 or an appropriate district placement or permission of Instructor).	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
ARH101 or ARH102 or ARH110	Art from Prehistory Through Middle Ages or Art from Renaissance to Modernism or History of Graphic Design		Students who intend to transfer should choose either ARH101 or ARH102 to fulfill the [HU] requirement for transfer	AHM, H, HU or AHM, H, HU or AHM	3
AVC169	2D Media Design	Prerequisites or Corequisites: AVC100 or permission of Instructor.			3

Term 5

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 5
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Notes	Area	Credits
AVC178	Digital Arts Studies		Critical course		3
AVC183	Digital Graphic Arts I	Prerequisites or Corequisites: AVC100 or permission of Instructor.	Critical course		3

Term 6

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 6
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Notes	Area	Credits
COM100 or COM110 or COM225 or COM230	Introduction to Human Communication or Interpersonal Communication or Public Speaking or Small Group Communication	No requisites or No requisites or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in ENG101, or ENG107, or equivalent. or No requisites		SB, SCB or SB, SCB or L, OCM or SB, SCB	3
AVC283	Digital Graphic Arts II	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in AVC183 or permission of Instructor.			3

Term 7

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 7
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Notes	Area	Credits
AVC142	Introduction to Digital Photography				3
AVC/MMT190	Art of Web Site Design	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in AVC100, or permission of Instructor. CIS133DA recommended.			3

Term 8

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 8
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Notes	Area	Credits
AVC248 or ART255	Design Self Promotion or Art Marketing				3
SB	Social-Behavioral Sciences			SB	3

Term 9

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 9
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Notes	Area	Credits
SG or SQ	Natural Sciences General or Natural Sciences Quantitative			SG or SQ	4
RE	Restricted Electives				3

Term 10

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 10
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Notes	Area	Credits
AVC280AA or AVC280AB or AVC280AC or AVC297AA or AVC297AB or AVC297AC	Digital Media Arts and Design Capstone or Digital Media Arts and Design Capstone or Digital Media Arts and Design Capstone or Commercial Art Internship or Commercial Art Internship or Commercial Art Internship	Prerequisites: Permission of Program Director or Instructor. or Prerequisites: Permission of Program Director or Instructor. or Prerequisites: Permission of Program Director or Instructor. or Prerequisites: Permission of Department or Division. or Prerequisites: Permission of Department or Division. or Prerequisites: Permission of Department or Division.			1–3
Elective	General Elective		Select additional courses 100-level or higher to complete the minimum credits required for this degree. Consult with the Program Director or an Academic Advisor.		0–3

Restricted Electives

A list of additional, alternative, or supplemental courses for this pathway map
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Area	Credits
AVC175	Electronic Publishing Design I	Prerequisites or Corequisites: AVC100 or permission of Instructor.		3
AVC289	Computer Illustration	Prerequisites or Corequisites: AVC100 or permission of Instructor.		3
AVC103	Typography in the Digital Age	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in AVC100 or permission of Instructor.		3
AVC150	Multimedia Storytelling		AHM, HU	3
AVC192	Advanced Web Presentation Design	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in AVC/MMT190 or permission of Instructor. AVC180AM and AVC180AN suggested but not required.		3
AVC200	Animation and Interactivity	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in AVC100 or permission of Instructor.		3
AVC210	Design Tools for Imagery, Production, and Publishing	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in AVC100 and [AVC169 or (ADA/AVC180AD, ADA/AVC180AE, and AVC180AS)] and AVC181, or permission of Instructor.		3
AVC/THO246	Digital Fabrication			3

Courses Not Currently Offered

Phoenix College does not currently offer these courses. These courses may be offered by other Maricopa Community Colleges as indicated below. Alternative courses, as outlined in the term-by-term course listing above, may also meet the same requirements for your degree or certificate.

Courses listed in this pathway map that are not currently offered at Phoenix College
Course Number	Course Name	Offering Colleges
ARH110	History of Graphic Design	Chandler-Gilbert
ART255	Art Marketing	Chandler-Gilbert, Glendale, Mesa
AVC/MMT190	Art of Web Site Design	Mesa, Scottsdale
AVC/THO246	Digital Fabrication	Glendale
AVC103	Typography in the Digital Age	Scottsdale
AVC114	Digital Color	Scottsdale
AVC150	Multimedia Storytelling	Mesa, Paradise Valley, Scottsdale
AVC175	Electronic Publishing Design I	Not currently offered
AVC192	Advanced Web Presentation Design	Not currently offered
AVC200	Animation and Interactivity	Glendale, Mesa, Paradise Valley
AVC210	Design Tools for Imagery, Production, and Publishing	Not currently offered
AVC280AA	Digital Media Arts and Design Capstone	Paradise Valley
AVC280AB	Digital Media Arts and Design Capstone	Not currently offered
AVC280AC	Digital Media Arts and Design Capstone	Chandler-Gilbert, Mesa

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.