Behavioral Sciences

Bachelor of Science, Behavioral Sciences students: Access the Hub Center for Behavioral Sciences for graduation planning resources and our Upper Division BHS Course Enrollment Process.

State Authorization and Residency Requirement:

Due to state authorization and practicum requirements, this program is available only to individuals who reside in Arizona. Students who relocate outside of Arizona may not be eligible to continue in the program. Practicum placements must be completed at approved sites located in Arizona.

Details

Field of Interest

Behavioral Science and Human Services

Degree Type

Bachelor of Science (BS)

Academic Plan

Behavioral Sciences (DEG)

Academic Plan Code

9300

Effective Term

Fall 2026

Full-time
Part-time

Full-time Sequence

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

A list of additional requirements for this pathway map
Arizona General Education Curriculum (AGEC)
Students pursuing an Associate for transfer to a university or a MCCCD bachelor's degree should note the following changes to the Arizona General Education Curriculum (AGEC) requirements, effective Catalog Years 2026-27 and beyond. Students are strongly encouraged to visit with an academic advisor to assess whether transitioning to the Reimagined AGEC requirements aligns with educational goals and to ensure completion of all graduation requirements. Effective Catalog Year 2026-27 and beyond, AGEC Requirements will include: Oral Communication [OCM] (3 Credits) Quantitative Reasoning [QNR] (3 Credits) Institutions in the Americas [IAM] (3 Credits) Effective Catalog Year 2026-27 and beyond, AGEC Requirements will no longer include: Literacy and Critical Inquiry [L] (3 Credits) Computers/Statistics/Quantitative Applications [CS] (3-5 Credits) Cultural, Global, and Historical Awareness Areas [C, G, H] (0-3 Credits) Subject Options -AGEC-S only (8 Credits) For a full outline of the Reimagined AGEC Requirements, please visit Maricopa’s AGEC Webpage.

Term 1

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 1
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Notes	Area	Credits
BHS150	Introduction to Behavioral Health and Social Services		Critical course Gateway course	H, SB, SCB	3
BHS155	Professional Resiliency and Well-Being		Critical course	SB, SCB	3
BHS160	Ethical, Legal, and Professional Issues in Counseling Services		Critical course		3
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+).		FYC, WCM or WCM, FYC	3
MAT140 or MAT141 or MAT142 or MAT145 or MAT146	College Mathematics or College Mathematics or College Mathematics or College Mathematics with Review or College Mathematics with Review	Prerequisites: An appropriate District placement, or a grade of C or better in (MAT052, MAT053, and MAT055), or (MAT055, MAT056, and MAT057), or MAT09+, or MAT103, or MAT114, or MAT115, or MAT12+. or Prerequisites: An appropriate District placement, or a grade of C or better in (MAT052, MAT053, and MAT055), or (MAT055, MAT056, and MAT057), or MAT09+, or MAT103, or MAT114, or MAT115, or MAT12+. or Prerequisites: An appropriate District placement, or a grade of C or better in (MAT052, MAT053, and MAT055), or (MAT055, MAT056, and MAT057), or MAT09+, or MAT103, or MAT114, or MAT115, or MAT12+. or No requisites or No requisites	OR Higher mathematical level Quantitative Reasoning [QNR] approved General Education course with a MAT prefix except MAT206.	MA, QNR or MA, QNR or MA, QNR or MA, QNR or MA, QNR	3–6
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	Area	Credits
BHS165	Applied Therapeutic Communication Skills			3
BHS170	Case Management and Clinical Documentation			3
BHS175	Trauma-Informed Care and Recovery Treatment		SB, SCB	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
PSY101	Introduction to Psychology		SB, SCB	3

Term 3

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 3
Course Number	Course Name	Area	Credits
BHS180	Child, Family, and Adult Advocacy		3
BHS185	Cultural Competence in Behavioral Health	C	3
BHS205	Introduction to Individual Counseling Theories		3
OCM	Oral Communication	OCM	3
Plan Course Elective	Plan Course Elective		3

Term 4

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 4
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Notes	Area	Credits
BHS210	Addictions, Substance Use Disorders, and Recovery			SB, SCB	3
BHS215	Introduction to Group Therapy				3
BIO160 or BIO201	Introduction to Human Anatomy and Physiology or Human Anatomy and Physiology I	No requisites or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in (BIO156++, or BIO181++, or one year of high school biology) and (RDG100, or RDG100LL, or higher, or eligibility for CRE101). CHM130 or higher or one year of high school chemistry suggested but not required.		NSI, SQ or NSI, SG	4
AHM	Arts and Humanities		HCR210 recommended	AHM	3
General Elective	General Elective				3

Term 5

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 5
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Notes	Area	Credits
BHS190	Supervised Practice in Behavioral Health and Human Services	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in BHS150, or BHS155, or BHS160, or permission of Department or Division.			1
GBS221 or MAT206 or PSY230++ or SWU225	Business Statistics or Elements of Statistics or Introduction to Statistics or Statistics for Social Research/Justice and Government	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in GBS220 or MAT217 or MAT218. or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in MAT14+, or MAT15+, or MAT187, or MAT188, or equivalent, or an appropriate District placement, or permission of Department/Division Chair. or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in (PSY101 and eligibility for MAT14+ or higher as indicated by appropriate district mathematics placement) or permission of Instructor. or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in MAT092 or completion of higher level mathematics course.		CS or QNR, CS or CS or CS	3
AHM	Arts and Humanities			AHM	3
NSI	Natural Sciences		Students who select BIO201 should take BIO202 for their second Natural Sciences [NSI] course.	NSI	4
Plan Course Elective	Plan Course Elective				3

Term 6

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 6
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Credits
BHS300	Research Methods for Evidence-Based Practice	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in MAT206, or PSY230, or (PSY230 and PSY231), or PSY230WL, or SWU225, or GBS221.	4
BHS310	Fundamentals of Family Systems Counseling	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in BHS205, or permission of Instructor or Department.	3
BHS320	Behavioral Development Across the Lifespan	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in PSY101.	3
BHS340	Psychopathology Across Cultures	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in (BHS150 and BHS185), or permission of Instructor.	3

Term 7

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 7
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Credits
BHS385	Multicultural Approaches to Behavioral Health Care	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in BHS185, or permission of Instructor.	3
BHS400	Biological and Environmental Bases of Behavior	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in BIO160, or (BIO201 and BIO202).	3
BHS410	Co-Occurring Substance Use and Mental Disorders	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in (BHS210 and BHS340), or permission of Instructor.	3
General Elective	General Elective		3
General Elective	General Elective		3

Term 8

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 8
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Credits
BHS420	Relational Approach to Trauma	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in BHS175, or permission of Instructor or Department.	3
BHS430	Concepts and Principles of Applied Behavior Analysis	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in (BHS205 and BHS320), or permission of Instructor or Department.	3
BHS490	Advanced Supervised Practice in Behavioral Health and Human Services	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in BHS410 and BHS430.	2
General Elective	General Elective		3
General Elective	General Elective		3

Plan Course Electives

Complete six (6) credits from the following prefixes. Selected courses will not apply in both Plan Course Requirements and Plan Course Electives areas. Students should consult with their college’s Program Director or their faculty or academic advisor to select courses that best align with academic and professional goals.

A list of additional, alternative, or supplemental courses for this pathway map
Course Number	Course Name	Credits
ASD+++	Any ASD Addictions and Substance Use Disorders course(s)	3
BHS+++	Any BHS Behavioral Health Services Technology course(s)	3
PSY+++	Any PSY Psychology course(s)	3

Part-time Sequence

Part-time status is 11 credit hours or less.

A list of additional requirements for this pathway map
Arizona General Education Curriculum (AGEC)
Students pursuing an Associate for transfer to a university or a MCCCD bachelor's degree should note the following changes to the Arizona General Education Curriculum (AGEC) requirements, effective Catalog Years 2026-27 and beyond. Students are strongly encouraged to visit with an academic advisor to assess whether transitioning to the Reimagined AGEC requirements aligns with educational goals and to ensure completion of all graduation requirements. Effective Catalog Year 2026-27 and beyond, AGEC Requirements will include: Oral Communication [OCM] (3 Credits) Quantitative Reasoning [QNR] (3 Credits) Institutions in the Americas [IAM] (3 Credits) Effective Catalog Year 2026-27 and beyond, AGEC Requirements will no longer include: Literacy and Critical Inquiry [L] (3 Credits) Computers/Statistics/Quantitative Applications [CS] (3-5 Credits) Cultural, Global, and Historical Awareness Areas [C, G, H] (0-3 Credits) Subject Options -AGEC-S only (8 Credits) For a full outline of the Reimagined AGEC Requirements, please visit Maricopa’s AGEC Webpage.

Term 1

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 1
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Notes	Area	Credits
BHS150	Introduction to Behavioral Health and Social Services		Critical course Gateway course	H, SB, SCB	3
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+).		FYC, WCM or WCM, 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
BHS155	Professional Resiliency and Well-Being		Critical course	SB, SCB	3
BHS160	Ethical, Legal, and Professional Issues in Counseling Services		Critical course		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

Term 3

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 3
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Notes	Area	Credits
BHS165	Applied Therapeutic Communication Skills				3
MAT140 or MAT141 or MAT142 or MAT145 or MAT146	College Mathematics or College Mathematics or College Mathematics or College Mathematics with Review or College Mathematics with Review	Prerequisites: An appropriate District placement, or a grade of C or better in (MAT052, MAT053, and MAT055), or (MAT055, MAT056, and MAT057), or MAT09+, or MAT103, or MAT114, or MAT115, or MAT12+. or Prerequisites: An appropriate District placement, or a grade of C or better in (MAT052, MAT053, and MAT055), or (MAT055, MAT056, and MAT057), or MAT09+, or MAT103, or MAT114, or MAT115, or MAT12+. or Prerequisites: An appropriate District placement, or a grade of C or better in (MAT052, MAT053, and MAT055), or (MAT055, MAT056, and MAT057), or MAT09+, or MAT103, or MAT114, or MAT115, or MAT12+. or No requisites or No requisites	OR Higher mathematical level Quantitative Reasoning [QNR] approved General Education course with a MAT prefix except MAT206.	MA, QNR or MA, QNR or MA, QNR or MA, QNR or MA, QNR	3–6

Term 4

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 4
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Notes	Area	Credits
BHS170	Case Management and Clinical Documentation				3
PSY101	Introduction to Psychology			SB, SCB	3

Term 5

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 5
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Notes	Area	Credits
BHS175	Trauma-Informed Care and Recovery Treatment			SB, SCB	3
OCM	Oral Communication			OCM	3

Term 6

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 6
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Notes	Area	Credits
BHS180	Child, Family, and Adult Advocacy				3
BHS185	Cultural Competence in Behavioral Health			C	3

Term 7

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 7
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Notes	Area	Credits
BHS205	Introduction to Individual Counseling Theories				3
Plan Course Elective	Plan Course Elective				3

Term 8

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 8
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Notes	Area	Credits
BHS210	Addictions, Substance Use Disorders, and Recovery			SB, SCB	3
Plan Course Elective	Plan Course Elective				3

Term 9

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 9
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Notes	Area	Credits
BHS215	Introduction to Group Therapy				3
BIO160 or BIO201	Introduction to Human Anatomy and Physiology or Human Anatomy and Physiology I	No requisites or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in (BIO156++, or BIO181++, or one year of high school biology) and (RDG100, or RDG100LL, or higher, or eligibility for CRE101). CHM130 or higher or one year of high school chemistry suggested but not required.		NSI, SQ or NSI, SG	4

Term 10

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 10
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Notes	Area	Credits
AHM	Arts and Humanities		HCR210 recommended	AHM	3
General Elective	General Elective				3

Term 11

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 11
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Area	Credits
BHS190	Supervised Practice in Behavioral Health and Human Services	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in BHS150, or BHS155, or BHS160, or permission of Department or Division.		1
GBS221 or MAT206 or PSY230++ or SWU225	Business Statistics or Elements of Statistics or Introduction to Statistics or Statistics for Social Research/Justice and Government	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in GBS220 or MAT217 or MAT218. or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in MAT14+, or MAT15+, or MAT187, or MAT188, or equivalent, or an appropriate District placement, or permission of Department/Division Chair. or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in (PSY101 and eligibility for MAT14+ or higher as indicated by appropriate district mathematics placement) or permission of Instructor. or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in MAT092 or completion of higher level mathematics course.	CS or QNR, CS or CS or CS	3
General Elective	General Elective			3

Term 12

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 12
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Notes	Area	Credits
BHS300	Research Methods for Evidence-Based Practice	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in MAT206, or PSY230, or (PSY230 and PSY231), or PSY230WL, or SWU225, or GBS221.			4
General Elective	General Elective				3

Term 13

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 13
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Notes	Area	Credits
BHS310	Fundamentals of Family Systems Counseling	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in BHS205, or permission of Instructor or Department.			3
NSI	Natural Sciences		Students who select BIO201 should take BIO202 for their second Natural Sciences [NSI] course.	NSI	4

Term 14

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 14
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Notes	Area	Credits
BHS320	Behavioral Development Across the Lifespan	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in PSY101.			3
AHM	Arts and Humanities			AHM	3

Term 15

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 15
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Notes	Area	Credits
BHS340	Psychopathology Across Cultures	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in (BHS150 and BHS185), or permission of Instructor.			3
General Elective	General Elective				3

Term 16

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 16
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Notes	Area	Credits
BHS385	Multicultural Approaches to Behavioral Health Care	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in BHS185, or permission of Instructor.			3
BHS400	Biological and Environmental Bases of Behavior	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in BIO160, or (BIO201 and BIO202).			3

Term 17

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 17
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Notes	Area	Credits
BHS410	Co-Occurring Substance Use and Mental Disorders	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in (BHS210 and BHS340), or permission of Instructor.			3
BHS420	Relational Approach to Trauma	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in BHS175, or permission of Instructor or Department.			3

Term 18

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 18
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Credits
BHS430	Concepts and Principles of Applied Behavior Analysis	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in (BHS205 and BHS320), or permission of Instructor or Department.	3
BHS490	Advanced Supervised Practice in Behavioral Health and Human Services	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in BHS410 and BHS430.	2
General Elective	General Elective		3

Plan Course Electives

A list of additional, alternative, or supplemental courses for this pathway map
Course Number	Course Name	Credits
ASD+++	Any ASD Addictions and Substance Use Disorders course(s)	3
BHS+++	Any BHS Behavioral Health Services Technology course(s)	3
PSY+++	Any PSY Psychology course(s)	3

Courses Not Currently Offered

South Mountain Community 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 South Mountain Community College
Course Number	Course Name	Offering Colleges
MAT140	College Mathematics	Scottsdale
MAT146	College Mathematics with Review	Mesa
SWU225	Statistics for Social Research/Justice and Government	Mesa

General Electives

Select courses 100-level or higher to complete a minimum of 120 semester credits. Consult with a faculty advisor, program director, and/or academic advisor to identify coursework that best aligns with academic and professional goals.

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.

Behavioral Sciences

Bachelor of Science, Behavioral Sciences students: Access the Hub Center for Behavioral Sciences for graduation planning resources and our Upper Division BHS Course Enrollment Process.State Authorization and Residency Requirement:

Due to state authorization and practicum requirements, this program is available only to individuals who reside in Arizona. Students who relocate outside of Arizona may not be eligible to continue in the program. Practicum placements must be completed at approved sites located in Arizona.

Details

Full-time Sequence

Term 1

Term 2

Term 3

Term 4

Term 5

Term 6

Term 7

Term 8

Plan Course Electives

Part-time Sequence

Term 1

Term 2

Term 3

Term 4

Term 5

Term 6

Term 7

Term 8

Term 9

Term 10

Term 11

Term 12

Term 13

Term 14

Term 15

Term 16

Term 17

Term 18

Plan Course Electives

Courses Not Currently Offered

General Electives

Bachelor of Science, Behavioral Sciences students: Access the Hub Center for Behavioral Sciences for graduation planning resources and our Upper Division BHS Course Enrollment Process.

State Authorization and Residency Requirement: