Associate in Arts, Emphasis in English (Literature)

The Associate in Arts (AA), Emphasis in English (Literature) provides the first two years of a four-year curriculum for students who wish to specialize in literary and cultural studies. With a bachelor's degree, students may pursue a career in education, publishing, writing, other professional fields, or prepare for application to professional graduate programs.

Details

Field of Interest
Culture and Society
Degree Type
Associate in Arts (AA)
Academic Plan
Associate in Arts, Emphasis in English (Literature) (DEG)
Academic Plan Code
8110
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 Liberal Arts and Sciences), English (Literature), BA

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

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

NAU, English (Literature Emphasis), BA

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

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

What You'll Learn
  • Utilize effective written and oral communications skills to meet the needs of various audiences and contexts, with a special emphasis on scholarly concepts and conventions within the field of English studies.
  • Perform academic research pertaining to works of literature utilizing scholarly practices and ethical standards.
  • Analyze literature and other relevant texts in relation to the social, cultural, and historical contexts within which they are produced and consumed.
  • Analyze literature and other relevant texts in relation to genre, movement, national tradition, and themes.
  • Synthesize theory, scholarly work, and personal insights to develop and support textual analysis.
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.

Editors
$64,940
English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary
$66,630
Lawyers
$126,600
News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists
$57,310
Poets, Lyricists and Creative Writers
$53,620
Proofreaders and Copy Markers
$38,450
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education
$55,180
Technical Writers
$81,600
Writers and Authors
$53,620

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:

  • Postsecondary Teachers, All Other

* 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
ENG101 or
ENG107		 First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL Critical course FYC or FYC 3
ENG110 Approaching Big Problems 3
MAT14+ College Mathematics Critical course OR Higher approved general education course in the Mathematical Applications [MA] area 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 Critical course FYC or FYC 3
ENH221 or
ENH241		 Survey of English Literature Before 1800 or American Literature Before 1860 Critical course Gateway course HU or C, HU, L 3
SQ Natural Sciences Quantitative SQ 4
CRE101 College Critical Reading and Critical Thinking OR Equivalent as indicated by assessment L 0–3
Elective General Electives 0–3

Term 3

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 3
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
ENH222 or
ENH242		 Survey of English Literature After 1800 or American Literature After 1860 H, HU or HU 3
COM100 or
COM110 or
COM225 or
COM230		 Introduction to Human Communication or Interpersonal Communication or Public Speaking or Small Group Communication SB or SB or L or SB 0–3
CS Computer/Statistics/Quantitative Application CS 3
SB Social-Behavioral Sciences SB 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
ENG200 or
ENG206		 Reading and Writing About Literature or Introduction to Literary Studies Critical course HU, L or None 3
HU Humanities, Fine Arts & Design May be met by ENG200, ENH221, or ENH241 HU 0–3
SB Social-Behavioral Sciences SB 3
SG or
SQ		 Natural Sciences General or Natural Sciences Quantitative SG or SQ 4
Elective General Electives 0–2

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 or FYC 3
ENG110 Approaching Big Problems 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 Critical course FYC or FYC 3
MAT14+ College Mathematics Critical course OR Higher approved general education course in the Mathematical Applications [MA] area MA 3–6
Elective General Electives 0–2

Term 3

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 3
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
ENH221 or
ENH241		 Survey of English Literature Before 1800 or American Literature Before 1860 Critical course Gateway course HU or C, HU, L 3
SQ Natural Sciences Quantitative SQ 4

Term 4

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 4
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
ENH222 or
ENH242		 Survey of English Literature After 1800 or American Literature After 1860 H, HU or HU 3
CRE101 College Critical Reading and Critical Thinking OR Equivalent as indicated by assessment L 0–3
HU Humanities, Fine Arts & Design May be met by ENG200, ENH221, or ENH241 HU 0–3

Term 5

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 5
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 SB or L or SB 0–3
ENG200 or
ENG206		 Reading and Writing About Literature or Introduction to Literary Studies Critical course HU, L or None 3
Elective General Electives 0–3

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
SB Social-Behavioral Sciences SB 3

Term 7

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 7
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
SB Social-Behavioral Sciences SB 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 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.

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 about your transfer-specific world language requirement.

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
  • 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 official curriculum documentation for additional details regarding the requirements of this award (https://aztransmac2.asu.edu/cgi-bin/WebObjects/MCCCD.woa/wa/freeForm10?id=16456329).

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 English (Literature)