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  4. Associate in Arts, Emphasis in Exercise Science

Associate in Arts, Emphasis in Exercise Science

Attention: This program does not include the following courses required for completion: 

1. BIO181 - This course is available at CGCC, EMCC, GWCC, GCC, MCC, PVCC, PC, SCC, SMCC.

2. EXS101 - This course is available at CGCC, GCC, MCC, PVCC, SCC, SMCC.

3. EXS290 - This course is available at CGCC, GCC, MCC, PVCC, SCC, SMCC.

Due to the pandemic, courses are being offered online or in hybrid formats. Please contact a Rio advisor for the most current information. This program of study includes in person components. All courses completed at any Maricopa Community College are transferable to Rio based on District policy. Estimated additional costs would be consistent with your current tuition rate.

The Associate in Arts (AA), Emphasis in Exercise Science provides the first two years of a four-year curriculum for students who wish to specialize in Exercise Science, Kinesiology, Clinical Exercise Physiology, Sport Science, Healthy Lifestyles Coaching, or Fitness and Wellness. With a bachelor`s degree, students may pursue a career as a fitness specialist or director, strength and conditioning specialist, healthy lifestyles coach, or an exercise physiologist. With a graduate degree, students may pursue careers in a number of fields, including but not limited to physical therapy, occupational therapy, athletic training, exercise physiology, medicine, and physician assistant. Certificates of Completion (CCLs) in Personal Trainer and Personal Trainer Advanced as well as an Associate in Applied Science (AAS) in Exercise Science: Health, Fitness, and Sports Performance are also available.

Details

Details iconImportant information you’ll need when applying for admission:
Field of Interest
Health Sciences
Type
Associate Degree
Academic Plan
Associate in Arts, Emphasis in Exercise Science (DEG)
Academic Plan Code
8121
Total Credits Required
60-64
Catalog Year
2021-2022
Students at any Maricopa Community College may need to complete courses at more than one of our colleges.
Notes

Students must earn a grade of C or better in each course in the program.

What You'll Learn

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

  1. Examine human movement using a fundamental understanding of human anatomy and physiology and the relevant scientific concepts of biology, the physical sciences, and psychology.
  2. Integrate knowledge of the human body and psychological concepts to promote health and well-being in self and others.
  3. Locate and critically evaluate relevant scholarly literature.
  4. Use relevant scholarly literature, quantitative and qualitative reasoning, and statistical analysis to inform decision making and solve problems.
  5. Interpret foundational assessments of health and human movement.
  6. Design basic movement programs.
  7. Effectively communicate with diverse audiences and within varied contexts.
  8. Collaborate with diverse individuals to achieve common goals.
  9. Integrate social and ethical responsibility in decision making and actions.
  10. Demonstrate dependability, adaptability, and persistence to set and achieve goals.
Career Opportunities

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.

Athletic Trainers

$42,010

Community Health Workers

$38,730

Exercise Physiologists

$51,590

Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors

$41,920

Health Education Specialists

$45,070

Occupational Therapists

$90,730

Physical Therapists

$88,840

Physician Assistants

$112,220

* Wage information sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment Statistics Program. Updated May 2019.
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 AAA/CPD150, AAA/CPD150AC, CPD104, and AAA115/CPD115. 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.

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
EXS101 Introduction to Exercise Science Critical course Gateway course 3
MA Mathematics Select a pathway to see specific MA requirement MA 3–6
Transfer Options Transfer Option 3–4
AAA/CPD115 or
AAA/CPD150 or
AAA/CPD150AC or
CPD104		 Creating College Success or Strategies for College Success or Educational and Career Planning or Career and Personal Development 0–3

Term 2

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 2
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
CRE101 College Critical Reading and Critical Thinking OR Equivalent as indicated by assessment L 0–3
ENG102 or
ENG108		 First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL FYC 3
PSY101 Introduction to Psychology SB 3
SQ Natural Sciences Quantitative Select a pathway to see specific SQ requirement SQ 4
Transfer Option Transfer Option 0–3

Term 3

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 3
Course
Number		 Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
HU Humanities, Fine Arts & Design HU 3
SB Social-Behavioral Sciences HES100 Recommended SB 3
SG or
SQ		 Natural Sciences General or Natural Sciences Quantitative Select a pathway to see specific SG/SQ requirement SG or SQ 4
Transfer Option Transfer Option 2–4
Transfer Option Transfer Option 0–4

Term 4

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 4
Course
Number		 Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
EXS290 Introduction to Evidence-Based Practice L 3
CS Computer/Statistics/Quantitative Application Select a pathway to see specific CS requirement CS 3
HU Humanities, Fine Arts & Design HU 3
Transfer Option Transfer Option 4
Transfer Option Transfer Option 0–4

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.

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
EXS101 Introduction to Exercise Science Critical course Gateway course 3
AAA/CPD115 or
AAA/CPD150 or
AAA/CPD150AC or
CPD104		 Creating College Success or Strategies for College Success or Educational and Career Planning or Career and Personal Development 0–3

Term 2

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 2
Course
Number		 Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
MA Mathematics Select a pathway to see specific MA requirement 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
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
Transfer Options Transfer Option 3–4
Transfer Option Transfer Option 0–3

Term 4

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 4
Course
Number		 Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
CRE101 College Critical Reading and Critical Thinking OR Equivalent as indicated by assessment L 0–3
PSY101 Introduction to Psychology SB 3
SQ Natural Sciences Quantitative Select a pathway to see specific SQ requirement SQ 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
SG or
SQ		 Natural Sciences General or Natural Sciences Quantitative Select a pathway to see specific SG/SQ requirement SG or SQ 4

Term 6

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 6
Course
Number		 Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
SB Social-Behavioral Sciences HES100 Recommended SB 3
Transfer Option Transfer Option 4

Term 7

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 7
Course
Number		 Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
EXS290 Introduction to Evidence-Based Practice L 3
Transfer Option Transfer Option 2–4

Term 8

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 8
Course
Number		 Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
HU Humanities, Fine Arts & Design HU 3
Transfer Option Transfer Option 0–4

Term 9

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 9
Course
Number		 Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
CS Computer/Statistics/Quantitative Application Select a pathway to see specific CS requirement CS 3
Transfer Option Transfer Option 0–4

Pathway Map Option Details

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

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 Exercise Science (http://aztransmac2.asu.edu/cgi-bin/WebObjects/MCCCD.woa/wa/freeForm10?id=167985).

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.

Other Versions

The pathway map presented above is for the current catalog year and is the intended pathway map for new students. Other versions of this pathway map from different catalog years are available below:

Catalog YearEffective Dates
2021-20224/13/2021 – 7/31/2021

 

 Students Outside Arizona

Outside of Arizona? Visit our Rio National site to see our accessible, affordable education options for students outside of Arizona.

 

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