Associate in Arts, Emphasis in Psychology

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The Associate in Arts (AA), Emphasis in Psychology provides the first two years of a four-year curriculum for students who wish to specialize in psychological sciences or are preparing for graduate programs in psychology or related fields. With a bachelor's degree, students may pursue numerous careers such as mid and top-level managers, market research analysts/specialists, human resources specialists/managers, social and human service assistants, psychiatric technicians, survey researchers, and probation officers/correctional treatment specialists. Most careers in psychology require graduate work. With a graduate degree, students may pursue a number of careers, including but not limited to: psychologists (industrial-organizational, clinical, counseling, and school), research scientists, psychiatrists, neuropsychologists, statisticians, teachers, and human factors engineers.

Details

Field of Interest
Behavioral Science and Human Services
Degree Type
Associate in Arts (AA)
Academic Plan
Associate in Arts, Emphasis in Psychology (DEG)
Academic Plan Code
8122
Total credits required
60-64
Catalog Year
2025-2026
Effective Term
Fall 2025
Notes

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

This emphasis is intended to align with the degree requirements for the following transfer partners:

ASU (College of Integrative Sciences and Arts), Psychology, BA

ASU (College of Integrative Sciences and Arts), Psychology, BS

ASU (College of Liberal Arts and Sciences), Psychology, BA

ASU (College of Liberal Arts and Sciences), Psychology, BS

ASU (College of Liberal Arts and Sciences), Psychology (Psychological Science), BS

ASU (New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences), Psychology, BA

ASU (New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences), Psychology, BS

ASU (New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences), Psychology (Forensic Psychology), BA

ASU (New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences), Psychology (Forensic Psychology), BS

NAU, Psychological Sciences, BS

U of A, Psychological Sciences, BS

U of A, Psychology, BA

Refer to the MCCCD University Transfer Partner website for more information: ASU , NAU , U of A .

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

What You'll Learn
  • Describe key concepts, principles, and theories in psychological science.
  • Exercise scientific reasoning to investigate psychological phenomena.
  • Employ ethical standards in psychological contexts.
  • Apply psychological principles to strengthen community and improve quality of life.
  • Write and present effectively to provide evidence of psychological literacy.
  • Apply psychology based skills for personal and professional development.
Career Statistics

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 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.

Human Factors Engineers and Ergonomists
$100,800
Human Resources Managers
$122,850
Human Resources Specialists
$64,110
Industrial-Organizational Psychologists
$113,320
Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists
$66,790
Mental Health Counselors
$50,460
Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists
$56,120
Psychiatric Technicians
$35,370
Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary
$77,770
Social and Human Service Assistants
$39,460
Social Science Research Assistants
$54,200
Statisticians
$97,450
Survey Researchers
$79,080

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:

  • Clinical, Counseling, and School Psychologists
  • Neuropsychologists and Clinical Neuropsychologists
  • Psychiatrists

* Career and wage information provided by Pipeline AZ using data, reports, and forecasts which are generated using government data sources. Sources

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.

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
PSY101 Introduction to Psychology Critical course Gateway course SB 3
ENG101 or
ENG107		 First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL Critical course FYC or FYC 3
MA Mathematics Critical course Before enrolling into a math course, speak to your Academic Advisor to ensure you are selecting the correct math for your transfer goals as MAT14+ or MAT15+ are not applicable for all transfer program requirements. MA 3–6
FYE101 or
FYE103		 Introduction to College, Career and Personal Success or Exploration of College, Career and Personal Success 1–3
Elective General Electives 0–3

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 FYC or FYC 3
CRE101 College Critical Reading and Critical Thinking OR Equivalent as indicated by assessment L 0–3
SQ Natural Sciences Quantitative SQ 4
Elective General Electives 3

Term 3

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 3
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 Recommend selecting a course that satisfies COM and SB or COM and L requirements simultaneously. SB or SB or L or SB 0–3
PSY230 or
(PSY230 and
PSY231) or
PSY230WL		 Introduction to Statistics or (Introduction to Statistics and Laboratory for Statistics) or Introduction to Statistics with Lab CS or CS or CS 3–4
HU Humanities, Fine Arts & Design HU 3
SB Social & Behavioral Sciences SB 3
Elective General Electives 0–3

Term 4

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 4
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
PSY290AB or
(PSY290AC and
PSY290AC)		 Research Methods or (Research Methods) L, SG or L, SG 4
HU Humanities, Fine Arts & Design HU 3
L Literacy & Critical Inquiry L 3
Elective General Electives 3

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
PSY101 Introduction to Psychology Critical course Gateway course SB 3
ENG101 or
ENG107		 First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL Critical course FYC or 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
ENG102 or
ENG108		 First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL FYC or FYC 3
MA Mathematics Critical course Before enrolling into a math course, speak to your Academic Advisor to ensure you are selecting the correct math for your transfer goals as MAT14+ or MAT15+ are not applicable for all transfer program requirements. MA 3–6

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
SQ Natural Sciences Quantitative SQ 4
Elective General Electives 0–3

Term 4

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 4
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 Recommend selecting a course that satisfies COM and SB or COM and L requirements simultaneously. SB or SB or L or SB 0–3
PSY230 or
(PSY230 and
PSY231) or
PSY230WL		 Introduction to Statistics or (Introduction to Statistics and Laboratory for Statistics) or Introduction to Statistics with Lab CS or CS or CS 3–4

Term 5

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 5
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
HU Humanities, Fine Arts & Design HU 3
SB Social & Behavioral Sciences SB 3

Term 6

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 6
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
PSY290AB or
(PSY290AC and
PSY290AC)		 Research Methods or (Research Methods) L, SG or L, SG 4
Elective General Electives 3

Term 7

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 7
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
HU Humanities, Fine Arts & Design HU 3
Elective General Electives 3

Term 8

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 8
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
L Literacy & Critical Inquiry L 3
Elective General Electives 0–3

General Electives

Select additional courses 100-level or higher to complete a minimum of 60 semester credits but no more than a total of 64 semester credits. Consult with a faculty advisor, program director, and/or academic advisor to identify coursework that best aligns with academic and professional goals.

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.

  • CS = Computer/Statistics/Quantitative Application
  • FYC = First Year Composition
  • 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.

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=16456252).

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.

Previous Catalog Years

The pathway map presented above is for the current catalog year and is the intended pathway map for new students. All previous catalog years for this pathway map are available at the link below.

Previous catalog years for Associate in Arts (AA) in Associate in Arts, Emphasis in Psychology

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