Associate in Science, Emphasis in Biological Sciences

The Associate in Science (AS), Emphasis in Biological Sciences provides the first two years of a four-year curriculum for students who wish to specialize in biology-related fields and/or are preparing for application to professional graduate programs in various medical fields. With a bachelor's degree, students may pursue a career as a biological research lab or field technician. With a graduate degree, students may pursue a number of careers, including but not limited to, bioinformatic scientists, molecular and cellular biologists, ecologists, wildlife conservationists and environmental scientists, marine biologists, secondary school (grades 7-12) teachers and university professors, pharmaceutical developer, food safety investigator, geneticists, physicians, physician assistants, pharmacists, dentists, and optometrists and veterinarians.

Details

Field of Interest
Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics
Degree Type
Associate in Science (AS)
Academic Plan
Associate in Science, Emphasis in Biological Sciences (DEG)
Academic Plan Code
8602
Total credits required
60-64
Catalog Year
2024-2025
Effective Term
Fall 2024
Notes

Students must earn a grade of C or better in all courses within the program.

Admission to graduate/professional programs is competitive. GPA in science courses (as well as cumulative GPA) is often an important selection criterion. Understanding of course content is important in preparation for exams such as MCAT, DAT, PCAT and GRE that are generally weighted in admissions rankings.

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

What You'll Learn
  • Explain the relationship between structure and function at the molecular, cellular, and organismal levels.
  • Apply fundamental theories of physical and life sciences to explain the diversity of living things and modes of energy exchange.
  • Apply the scientific method to investigate fundamental and novel questions regarding natural phenomena.
  • Utilize technology to conduct experiments and collect, analyze and communicate data.
  • Adhere to standard safety protocols when performing experiments and collecting data.
  • Critically evaluate the internal and external validity of scientific studies to inform decisions.
  • Effectively communicate orally, visually and in writing in an articulate, respectful and culturally responsive manner.
  • Collaborate with diverse individuals to solve problems.
  • Demonstrate dependability, adaptability and persistence to set and achieve goals.
  • Integrate social and ethical responsibility in decision making and actions.

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.

Biological Technicians
$45,620
Dentists, General
$175,030
Optometrists
$119,860
Pharmacists
$120,880
Physician Assistants
$121,490
Podiatrists
$151,170
Veterinarians
$114,460

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:

  • Biological Scientists, All Other
  • Physicians, 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.

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.

Students can complete General Physics II and the Languages and Cultures requirement for the BS at ASU after transferring so the maximum of 64 transfer credits is not exceeded.

Term 1

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 1
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
BIO181 or
BIO181XT		 General Biology (Majors) I or General Biology (Majors) I Critical course Gateway course SQ or SQ 4
(CHM150 and
CHM151LL) or
CHM150AA or
(CHM151 and
CHM151LL) or
CHM151AA		 (General Chemistry I and General Chemistry I Laboratory) or General Chemistry I or (General Chemistry I and General Chemistry I Laboratory) or General Chemistry I with Lab SQ in combo w/ CHM151LL and SQ in combo w/ CHM150 or CHM151 or SQ or SQ in combo w/ CHM151LL and SQ in combo w/ CHM150 or CHM151 or SQ 4–5
ENG101 or
ENG107		 First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL Critical course FYC or FYC 3
MAT220 or
MAT221		 Calculus with Analytic Geometry I or Calculus with Analytic Geometry I MA or MA 4–5
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
BIO182 or
BIO182XT		 General Biology (Majors) II or General Biology (Majors) II SG or SG 4
(CHM152 and
CHM152LL) or
CHM152AA		 (General Chemistry II and General Chemistry II Laboratory) or General Chemistry II with Lab SQ in combo w/ CHM152LL and SQ in combo w/ CHM152 or SQ 4
COM100 or
COM110 or
COM225 or
COM230		 Introduction to Human Communication or Interpersonal Communication or Public Speaking or Small Group Communication Recommend selecting a course that satisfies COM and SB or COM and L requirements simultaneously. SB or SB or L or SB 0–3
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 or FYC 3
SB Social-Behavioral Sciences SB 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
L Literacy & Critical Inquiry Recommend selecting a course that satisfies [L] and [SB] or [L] and [HU] or [L] and (COM) or [L] and CRE101 requirements simultaneously. L 0–3
Transfer Option Transfer Option 4
Transfer Option Transfer Option 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
HU Humanities, Fine Arts & Design HU 3
SB Social-Behavioral Sciences SB 3
Transfer Option Transfer Option 4
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.

Students can complete General Physics II and the Languages and Cultures requirement for the BS at ASU after transferring so the maximum of 64 transfer credits is not exceeded.

Term 1

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 1
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
(CHM150 and
CHM151LL) or
CHM150AA or
(CHM151 and
CHM151LL) or
CHM151AA		 (General Chemistry I and General Chemistry I Laboratory) or General Chemistry I or (General Chemistry I and General Chemistry I Laboratory) or General Chemistry I with Lab Critical course SQ in combo w/ CHM151LL and SQ in combo w/ CHM150 or CHM151 or SQ or SQ in combo w/ CHM151LL and SQ in combo w/ CHM150 or CHM151 or SQ 4–5
MAT220 or
MAT221		 Calculus with Analytic Geometry I or Calculus with Analytic Geometry I MA or MA 4–5
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
BIO181 or
BIO181XT		 General Biology (Majors) I or General Biology (Majors) I Critical course Gateway course Students should take their math in term 1, whether or not it is MAT 187/182 or MAT 220 SQ or SQ 4
ENG101 or
ENG107		 First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL Critical course 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
BIO182 or
BIO182XT		 General Biology (Majors) II or General Biology (Majors) II SG or SG 4
(CHM152 and
CHM152LL) or
CHM152AA		 (General Chemistry II and General Chemistry II Laboratory) or General Chemistry II with Lab SQ in combo w/ CHM152LL and SQ in combo w/ CHM152 or SQ 4

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
ENG102 or
ENG108		 First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL FYC or FYC 3

Term 5

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 5
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
Transfer Option Transfer Option 4
COM100 or
COM110 or
COM225 or
COM230		 Introduction to Human Communication or Interpersonal Communication or Public Speaking or Small Group Communication Recommend selecting a course that satisfies COM and SB or COM and L requirements simultaneously SB or SB or L or SB 0–3

Term 6

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 6
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
Transfer Option Transfer Option 4
HU Humanities, Arts, and Design 3

Term 7

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 7
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
L Literacy & Critical Inquiry Recommend selecting a course that satisfies [L] and [SB] or [L] and [HU] or [L] and (COM) or [L] and CRE101 requirements simultaneously. L 0–3
SB Social-Behavioral Sciences SB 3
Transfer Option Transfer Option 0–4

Term 8

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

Term 9

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 9
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
Transfer Option Transfer Option 4
Transfer Option Transfer Option 0–4
SB Social & Behavioral Sciences SB 3
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 official curriculum documentation for additional details regarding the requirements of this award (https://aztransmac2.asu.edu/cgi-bin/WebObjects/MCCCD.woa/wa/freeForm10?id=189931).

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 Science (AS) in Associate in Science, Emphasis in Biological Sciences