Associate in Arts, Emphasis in Geography

Details

Field of Interest

Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics

Degree Type

Associate in Arts (AA)

Academic Plan

Associate in Arts, Emphasis in Geography (DEG)

Academic Plan Code

8113

Effective Term

Fall 2025

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

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
GCU102	Human Geography: Spatial Relationships Between Humans and Culture with Their Environment		Critical course Gateway course	G, SB	3
(GPH111 and GPH112) or GPH113	(Physical Geography: Atmosphere, Lithosphere, Water and Hazards Lecture and Physical Geography: Climate, Landforms, Water and Hazards Laboratory) or Physical Geography: Atmosphere, Lithosphere, Water, and Hazards	No requisites and Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in GPH111 or Corequisites: GPH111. or No requisites		SQ or NSI, SQ	4
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 or FYC	3
MAT14+	College Mathematics		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

Term 2

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 2
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Notes	Area	Credits
GCU121WG	World Geography: People, Places, and Culture			G, SB	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 or FYC	3
CRE101	College Critical Reading and Critical Thinking	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in [(ENG101 or ENG107) and (RDG100, or RDG100LL, or RDG111, or RDG112, or RDG113)], or a grade of B or better in ALT100, or an appropriate district placement, or permission of Instructor.	OR Equivalent as indicated by assessment	L	0–3
COM100 or COM110 or COM225 or COM230	Introduction to Human Communication or Interpersonal Communication or Public Speaking or Small Group Communication	No requisites or No requisites or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in ENG101, or ENG107, or equivalent. or No requisites		SB or SB or L or SB	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	Area	Credits
GPH211 or (GPH212 and GPH214) or (GPH213 and GPH215)	Landform Processes or (Introduction to Meteorology I and Introduction to Meteorology Laboratory I) or (Climate and Weather and Climate and Weather Laboratory)	No requisites or No requisites and Corequisites: GPH212. or No requisites and Corequisites: GPH213.	SQ or NSI in combo w/ GPH214; and NSI in combo w/ GPH212; or NSI in combo w/ GPH215; and NSI in combo w/ GPH213;	4
HU	Humanities, Fine Arts & Design		HU	3
Elective	General Electives			3
Elective	General Electives			3

Term 4

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 4
Course Number	Course Name	Area	Credits
GIS205	Geographic Information Technologies	CS	3
HU	Humanities, Fine Arts & Design	HU	3
L	Literacy & Critical Inquiry	L	3
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
GCU102	Human Geography: Spatial Relationships Between Humans and Culture with Their Environment		Critical course Gateway course	G, SB	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 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		OR Higher approved general education course in the Mathematical Applications [MA] area	MA	3–6
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 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
(GPH111 and GPH112) or GPH113	(Physical Geography: Atmosphere, Lithosphere, Water and Hazards Lecture and Physical Geography: Climate, Landforms, Water and Hazards Laboratory) or Physical Geography: Atmosphere, Lithosphere, Water, and Hazards	No requisites and Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in GPH111 or Corequisites: GPH111. or No requisites		SQ or NSI, SQ	4
CRE101	College Critical Reading and Critical Thinking	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in [(ENG101 or ENG107) and (RDG100, or RDG100LL, or RDG111, or RDG112, or RDG113)], or a grade of B or better in ALT100, or an appropriate district placement, or permission of Instructor.	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	Area	Credits
GCU121WG	World Geography: People, Places, and Culture		G, SB	3
COM100 or COM110 or COM225 or COM230	Introduction to Human Communication or Interpersonal Communication or Public Speaking or Small Group Communication	No requisites or No requisites or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in ENG101, or ENG107, or equivalent. or No requisites	SB or SB or L or SB	0–3
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
GPH211 or (GPH212 and GPH214) or (GPH213 and GPH215)	Landform Processes or (Introduction to Meteorology I and Introduction to Meteorology Laboratory I) or (Climate and Weather and Climate and Weather Laboratory)	No requisites or No requisites and Corequisites: GPH212. or No requisites and Corequisites: GPH213.		SQ or NSI in combo w/ GPH214; and NSI in combo w/ GPH212; or NSI in combo w/ GPH215; and NSI in combo w/ GPH213;	4
HU	Humanities, Fine Arts & Design			HU	3

Term 6

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 6
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Notes	Area	Credits
GIS205	Geographic Information Technologies			CS	3
Elective	General Electives				3

Term 7

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 7
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Notes	Area	Credits
HU	Humanities, Fine Arts & Design			HU	3
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
L	Literacy & Critical Inquiry			L	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.

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.