Associate in Arts, Emphasis in Political Science

The Associate in Arts (AA), Emphasis in Political Science degree provides the first two years of a four-year curriculum for students who wish to specialize in political science. With a bachelor's degree, students may pursue a career as social science research assistants, city and regional planning aides, public relations specialists and managers, reporters, and social and community service managers. With a graduate degree, students may pursue employment opportunities in several careers, including political scientists, political science professors, and lawyers.

Details

Field of Interest
Behavioral Science and Human Services
Degree Type
Associate in Arts (AA)
Academic Plan
Associate in Arts, Emphasis in Political Science (DEG)
Academic Plan Code
8120
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), Political Science, BS

ASU (College of Liberal Arts and Sciences), Political Science, BA

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

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

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

GCU, Government (Legal Studies Emphasis), BA

GCU, Government (State and Local Public Policy Emphasis), BA

NAU, Political Science, BA

NAU, Political Science, BS

U of A, Political Science (any emphasis), BA

Refer to the MCCCD University Transfer Partner website for more information: ASU , GCU , 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
  • Develop and sustain a lifelong interest in local, national, and global civic engagement through active citizenship.
  • Define, cite examples of, differentiate between, and critique basic political concepts, systems, and theories.
  • Apply knowledge of politics by using the theoretical foundations and analytical tools of multiple sub-fields of political science.
  • Appraise a situation, formulate an argument; collect, evaluate, and utilize evidence about key issues of public policy and politics.
  • Demonstrate effective communication skills for a diverse, political world.
  • Collaborate effectively and ethically with diverse individuals and institutions to achieve common goals.
  • Apply relevant knowledge, skills, and habits of mind to seek career opportunities in the field.
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.

Lawyers
$126,600
News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists
$57,310
Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary
$89,030
Political Scientists
$96,820
Public Relations Specialists
$70,390
Social and Community Service Managers
$69,700
Social Science Research Assistants
$54,200
Urban and Regional Planners
$75,250

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:

  • Fundraising Managers
  • Public Relations Managers

* 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
POS110 American National Government Critical course Gateway course SB 3
ENG101 or
ENG107		 First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL Critical course Gateway course Critical Course FYC or FYC 3
MAT14+ College Mathematics 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
POS120 or
POS140		 International Relations or Comparative Government G, SB or G, SB 3
ENG102 or
ENG108		 First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL FYC or FYC 3
HU Humanities, Fine Arts & Design HU 3
CRE101 College Critical Reading and Critical Thinking OR Equivalent as indicated by assessment L 0–3
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
POS210 Political Ideologies SB 3
COM225 Public Speaking L 3
SQ Natural Sciences Quantitative SQ 4
CS Computer/Statistics/Quantitative Application CS 3
Elective General Electives 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 HU 3
SG or
SQ		 Natural Sciences General or Natural Sciences Quantitative SG or SQ 4
Elective General Electives 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
POS110 American National Government Critical course Gateway course SB 3
ENG101 or
ENG107		 First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL Critical course Gateway course 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
MAT14+ College Mathematics MA 3–6
ENG102 or
ENG108		 First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL FYC or FYC 3

Term 3

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 3
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
POS120 or
POS140		 International Relations or Comparative Government G, SB or G, SB 3
CRE101 College Critical Reading and Critical Thinking OR Equivalent as indicated by assessment L 0–3
Elective General Electives 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 HU 3
POS210 Political Ideologies SB 3
Elective General Electives 0–3

Term 5

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 5
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
COM225 Public Speaking L 3
SQ Natural Sciences Quantitative SQ 4

Term 6

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 6
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
CS Computer/Statistics/Quantitative Application CS 3
HU Humanities, Fine Arts & Design HU 3

Term 7

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 7
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
SG or
SQ		 Natural Sciences General or Natural Sciences Quantitative SG or SQ 4
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
Elective General Electives 3
Elective General Electives 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.

Recommend POS281AB Public Policy/Service Internship 3

Students may be required to complete a language course at the elementary or intermediate level or demonstrate proficiency through this level as indicated by assessment. Refer to the MCCCD University Transfer Partner website for more information.

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
  • G = Global 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 official curriculum documentation for additional details regarding the requirements of this award (https://aztransmac2.asu.edu/cgi-bin/WebObjects/MCCCD.woa/wa/freeForm10?id=16456312).

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 Political Science