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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 2023
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

This pathway map will help you gain the expertise needed to:

  1. Explain the relationship between structure and function at the molecular, cellular, and organismal levels.
  2. Apply fundamental theories of physical and life sciences to explain the diversity of living things and modes of energy exchange.
  3. Apply the scientific method to investigate fundamental and novel questions regarding natural phenomena.
  4. Utilize technology to conduct experiments and collect, analyze and communicate data.
  5. Adhere to standard safety protocols when performing experiments and collecting data.
  6. Critically evaluate the internal and external validity of scientific studies to inform decisions.
  7. Effectively communicate orally, visually and in writing in an articulate, respectful and culturally responsive manner.
  8. Collaborate with diverse individuals to solve problems.
  9. Demonstrate dependability, adaptability and persistence to set and achieve goals.
  10. 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 annual median wages* for this program. 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.

* Wage information sourced from the . Updated May 2022.

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 Pathway Planner tool in your 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.

Pathway Map Option Details

No pathway map option has been selected. Please select from the pathway map options listed above.

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
or
or Critical course Gateway course SQ or SQ 4
( and
)
or
or
( and
)
or
( and ) or or ( and ) or 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
or
or Critical course FYC or FYC 3
or
or MA or MA 4–5
or
or 1–3

Term 2

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 2
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
or
or SG or SG 4
( and
)
or
( and ) or SQ in combo w/ CHM152LL and SQ in combo w/ CHM152 or SQ 4
or
or
or
or or or Recommend selecting a course that satisfies COM and SB or COM and L requirements simultaneously. SB or SB or L or SB 0–3
OR Equivalent as indicated by assessment L 0–3
or
or FYC or FYC 3
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 3
Recommend selecting a course that satisfies [L] and [SB] or [L] and [HU] or [L] and (COM) or [L] and requirements simultaneously. L 0–3

Term 4

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 4
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
HU 3
SB 3

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
( and
)
or
or
( and
)
or
( and ) or or ( and ) or 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
or
or MA or MA 4–5
or
or 1–3

Term 2

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 2
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
or
or 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
or
or 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
or
or SG or SG 4
( and
)
or
( and ) or 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
OR Equivalent as indicated by assessment L 0–3
or
or 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
or
or
or
or or or 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
3

Term 7

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 7
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
Recommend selecting a course that satisfies [L] and [SB] or [L] and [HU] or [L] and (COM) or [L] and requirements simultaneously. L 0–3
SB 3

Term 8

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 8
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
3

Term 9

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 9
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
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.

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 for additional details regarding the requirements of this award .

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.