Associate in Arts, Emphasis in Political Science

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
Effective Term
Fall 2025

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

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
POS110 American National Government Critical course Gateway course IAM, 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
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
POS110 American National Government Critical course Gateway course IAM, 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.

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.