Associate in Arts, Emphasis in Information Studies and eSociety

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The Associate in Arts (AA), Emphasis in Information Studies and eSociety is an interdisciplinary program designed to prepare students for work in: marketing, social media, libraries, editing, copywriting, public relations, online content creation, and communication. Students will examine their roles as content creators and consumers in a global society, critically engage with information, and communicate and collaborate across diverse populations and platforms. This program also provides university transfer options in addition to workforce preparedness.

Details

Field of Interest
Culture and Society
Degree Type
Associate in Arts (AA)
Academic Plan
Associate in Arts, Emphasis in Information Studies and eSociety (DEG)
Academic Plan Code
8131
Total credits required
60-64
Catalog Year
2023-2024
Effective Term
Fall 2022
Notes

Students must earn a 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. Apply the principles and theories of information creation, information seeking behaviors, and digital communications.
  2. Analyze historical and cultural perspectives of information creation, access, and use.
  3. Articulate the roles of citizens as information creators and consumers in a sustainable global society.
  4. Create, implement, and modify a research plan to meet an information need.
  5. Critically evaluate information in a variety of formats for perspectives, gaps, and influence.
  6. Use information according to ethical, legal, copyright, and policy considerations.
  7. Practice collaborative working relationships across multiple platforms while taking into account communication opportunities and challenges.
  8. Employ appropriate digital tools and media to create professional works in various mediums for diverse audiences.
  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.

Advertising and Promotions Managers

$98,360

Editors

$61,700

Library Assistants, Clerical

$29,470

Library Technicians

$36,620

Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists

$60,360

Media and Communication Workers, All Other

$76,790

Public Relations Specialists

$62,560

Technical Writers

$77,450

Writers and Authors

$48,930

* Wage information sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment Statistics Program. Updated May 2021.

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.

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
IFS210 Information Without Borders: Research in a Global Society Critical course Gateway course G, 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
Elective Elective 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
IFS201 Information in a Post-Truth World L, 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
COM100 or
COM110 or
COM225 or
COM230		 Introduction to Human Communication or Interpersonal Communication or Public Speaking or Small Group Communication SB or L 3
CS Computer/Statistics/Quantitative Application PSY230 recommended for University of Arizona, Information Studies and eSociety, Bachelor of Arts. CS 3
Elective Elective 3

Term 3

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 3
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
IFS213 Hacking and Open Source Culture H, SB 3
HU Humanities, Fine Arts & Design EDU/HUM/STO292 or ENH295 recommended. HU 3
SQ Natural Sciences Quantitative SQ 4
Elective Elective 3

Term 4

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 4
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
HU Humanities, Fine Arts & Design EDU/HUM/STO292 or ENH295 recommended. HU 3
SG or
SQ		 Natural Sciences General or Natural Sciences Quantitative SG or SQ 4
Elective Elective 3
Elective Elective 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
IFS210 Information Without Borders: Research in a Global Society Critical course Gateway course G, 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
MAT14+ College Mathematics OR Higher approved general education course in the Mathematical Applications [MA] area MA 3–6
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
IFS201 Information in a Post-Truth World L, SB 3
CRE101 College Critical Reading and Critical Thinking OR Equivalent as indicated by assessment L 0–3
Elective Elective 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 SB or L 3
CS Computer/Statistics/Quantitative Application PSY230 recommended for University of Arizona, Information Studies and eSociety, Bachelor of Arts. CS 3
Elective Elective 3

Term 5

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 5
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
IFS213 Hacking and Open Source Culture H, SB 3
HU Humanities, Fine Arts & Design EDU/HUM/STO292 or ENH295 recommended. 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
Elective Elective 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 EDU/HUM/STO292 or ENH295 recommended. HU 3
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
Elective Elective 3
Elective Elective 3

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.

Recommend Elective courses be selected from the following:
COM263 Elements of Intercultural Communication
IFS215 Cultural Context of Health Information
MKT110 Marketing and Social Networking
MCO120 Media and Society
POS210 Political Ideologies
PSY132 Psychology and Culture
SOC241 Race and Ethnic Relations

Recommended for University of Arizona, Information Studies and eSociety, Bachelor of Arts:
Completion of a language course at the intermediate level (202 or equivalent), including American Sign Language IV with a C or better OR demonstrate proficiency through this level as indicated by assessment.
PSY101 Introduction to Psychology

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.

View MCCCD’s curriculum website for the Associate in Arts in Associate in Arts, Emphasis in Information Studies and eSociety (https://aztransmac2.asu.edu/cgi-bin/WebObjects/MCCCD.woa/wa/freeForm10?id=176517).

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 Information Studies and eSociety