Before you begin, you’ll need to meet key health and safety requirements set by our clinical partners. See what’s required and take your next step.
Associate in Arts, Emphasis in Community Health
To begin, connect with an advisor who can guide you through program options and next steps, including the application process.
The Associate in Arts (AA), Emphasis in Community Health provides the first two years of a four-year curriculum for students who wish to specialize in community health, integrative health, health care coordination, and related health systems fields. Students planning to apply to a Bachelor of Science in Nursing program should consult with a transfer specialist. Students seeking employment in the area of Community Health upon completion of a certificate or associate degree should refer to the Certificate of Completion (CCL) in Integrated Public Health: Community Health Work or the Associate in Applied Science (AAS) in Integrated Public Health.
Details
Field of Interest
Health Sciences
Degree Type
Associate in Arts (AA)
Academic Plan
Associate in Arts, Emphasis in Community Health (DEG)
Academic Plan Code
8145
Total credits required
60-64
Catalog Year
2026-2027
Effective Term
Fall 2026
Notes
Students must earn a grade of C or better in all courses within the program.
++ indicates that any suffixed course may be selected.
This emphasis is intended to align with the degree requirements for the following transfer partners:
ASU (College of Nursing and Health Innovation), Community Health, BS
ASU (College of Nursing and Health Innovation), Health Care Coordination, BS
ASU (College of Nursing and Health Innovation), Integrative Health, BS
Refer to the MCCCD University Transfer Partner website for more information: ASU .
Students at any Maricopa Community College may need to complete courses at more than one of our colleges.
What You'll Learn
- Describe the components of the United States health system and the professional roles typical in health care settings.
- Interpret ethical, professional, and legal standards specific to the health care system.
- Describe human health, behavior, and development across the life cycle.
- Analyze individual and social determinants contributing to health outcomes and health inequities.
- Summarize scientific information from diverse sources related to human health, wellness, and disease.
- Evaluate sources of scientific health care data to support evidence-based practices.
- Communicate health-related information to diverse groups in verbal, nonverbal, and written forms.
- Apply relevant knowledge, skills, and habits of mind to seek career opportunities in the field.
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.
Health Education Specialists
$51,400
Medical and Health Services Managers
$117,420
Social and Community Service Managers
$69,700
Social and Human Service Assistants
$39,460
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:
- Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other
- Healthcare Support Workers, 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.
| 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:
Effective Catalog Year 2026-27 and beyond, AGEC Requirements will no longer include:
For a full outline of the Reimagined AGEC Requirements, please visit Maricopa’s AGEC Webpage. |
Term 1
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ENG101 or ENG107 |
First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL | FYC, WCM or FYC, WCM | 3 | ||
| FYE101 or FYE103 |
Introduction to College, Career and Personal Success or Exploration of College, Career and Personal Success | 1–3 | |||
| PSY101 | Introduction to Psychology | SB, SCB | 3 | ||
| HCR230 | Culture And Health | C, G | 3 | ||
| MAT140 or MAT141 or MAT142 or MAT145 or MAT146 |
College Mathematics or College Mathematics or College Mathematics or College Mathematics with Review or College Mathematics with Review | OR Higher mathematical level Quantitative Reasoning [QNR] approved General Education course with a MAT prefix except MAT206. | MA, QNR or MA, QNR or MA, QNR or MA, QNR or MA, QNR | 3–6 | |
| CFS205 | Human Development | SB, SCB | 3 |
Term 2
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BIO156++ or BIO181++ |
Introductory Biology for Allied Health or General Biology (Majors) I | OR One Year of High School Biology |
SQ or NSI, SQ | 0–4 | |
| ENG102 or ENG108 |
First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL | FYC, WCM or FYC, WCM | 3 | ||
| (CHM130 and CHM130LL) or CHM130AA |
(Fundamental Chemistry and Fundamental Chemistry Laboratory) or Fundamental Chemistry with Lab | NSI in combo w/ CHM130LL; and NSI in combo w/ CHM130; or NSI, SQ | 4 | ||
| COM225 | Public Speaking | L, OCM | 3 | ||
| IAM | Institutions of the Americas | IAM | 3 |
Term 3
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GBS221 or MAT206 or SWU225 |
Business Statistics or Elements of Statistics or Statistics for Social Research/Justice and Government | CS or CS, QNR or CS | 3 | ||
| BIO201++ | Human Anatomy and Physiology I | NSI, SG | 4 | ||
| BIO205++ | Microbiology | NSI, SG | 4 | ||
| HCR210 | Clinical Health Care Ethics | AHM, HU | 3 |
Term 4
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FON241 or (FON241 and FON241LL) or FON241AA |
Principles of Human Nutrition or (Principles of Human Nutrition and Principles of Human Nutrition Laboratory) or Principles of Human Nutrition with Lab | NSI in combo w/ FON241LL; or NSI in combo w/ FON241LL; and NSI in combo w/ FON241; or NSI | 3–4 | ||
| BIO202++ | Human Anatomy and Physiology II | NSI, SG | 4 | ||
| HCR220 | Introduction to Nursing and Health Care Systems | H | 3 | ||
| HCR240 or (HCR240AA and HCR240AB) |
Human Pathophysiology or (Human Pathophysiology I and Human Pathophysiology II) | 4 | |||
| AHM | Arts and Humanities | AHM | 3 |
Part-time Sequence
Part-time status is 11 credit hours or less.
| 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:
Effective Catalog Year 2026-27 and beyond, AGEC Requirements will no longer include:
For a full outline of the Reimagined AGEC Requirements, please visit Maricopa’s AGEC Webpage. |
Term 1
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ENG101 or ENG107 |
First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL | FYC, WCM or FYC, WCM | 3 | ||
| FYE101 or FYE103 |
Introduction to College, Career and Personal Success or Exploration of College, Career and Personal Success | 1–3 | |||
| PSY101 | Introduction to Psychology | SB, SCB | 3 |
Term 2
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HCR230 | Culture And Health | C, G | 3 | ||
| MAT140 or MAT141 or MAT142 or MAT145 or MAT146 |
College Mathematics or College Mathematics or College Mathematics or College Mathematics with Review or College Mathematics with Review | OR Higher mathematical level Quantitative Reasoning [QNR] approved General Education course with a MAT prefix except MAT206. | MA, QNR or MA, QNR or MA, QNR or MA, QNR or MA, QNR | 3–6 | |
| CFS205 | Human Development | SB, SCB | 3 |
Term 3
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ENG102 or ENG108 |
First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL | FYC, WCM or FYC, WCM | 3 | ||
| (CHM130 and CHM130LL) or CHM130AA |
(Fundamental Chemistry and Fundamental Chemistry Laboratory) or Fundamental Chemistry with Lab | NSI in combo w/ CHM130LL; and NSI in combo w/ CHM130; or NSI, SQ | 4 | ||
| IAM | Institutions of the Americas | IAM | 3 |
Term 4
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BIO156++ or BIO181++ |
Introductory Biology for Allied Health or General Biology (Majors) I | OR One Year of High School Biology |
SQ or NSI, SQ | 0–4 | |
| COM225 | Public Speaking | L, OCM | 3 | ||
| GBS221 or MAT206 or SWU225 |
Business Statistics or Elements of Statistics or Statistics for Social Research/Justice and Government | CS or CS, QNR or CS | 3 |
Term 5
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BIO201++ | Human Anatomy and Physiology I | NSI, SG | 4 | ||
| BIO205++ | Microbiology | NSI, SG | 4 | ||
| HCR210 | Clinical Health Care Ethics | AHM, HU | 3 |
Term 6
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FON241 or (FON241 and FON241LL) |
Principles of Human Nutrition or (Principles of Human Nutrition and Principles of Human Nutrition Laboratory) | NSI in combo w/ FON241LL; or NSI in combo w/ FON241LL; and NSI in combo w/ FON241; | 3–4 | ||
| BIO202++ | Human Anatomy and Physiology II | NSI, SG | 4 | ||
| HCR220 | Introduction to Nursing and Health Care Systems | H | 3 |
Term 7
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HCR240 or (HCR240AA and HCR240AB) |
Human Pathophysiology or (Human Pathophysiology I and Human Pathophysiology II) | 4 | |||
| AHM | Arts and Humanities | AHM | 3 |
Footnote
General Electives
Select 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.
Course Area Key
- AHM = Arts and Humanities
- 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 & Design
- IAM = Institutions of the Americas
- L = Literacy & Critical Inquiry
- MA = Mathematics
- NSI = Natural Sciences
- OCM = Oral Communication
- QNR = Quantitative Reasoning
- SB = Social-Behavioral Sciences
- SCB = Social and Behavioral Sciences
- SG = Natural Sciences General
- SQ = Natural Sciences Quantitative
- WCM = Written Communication
Disclaimer
Students must earn a grade of C or better in all courses 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 at https://aztransmac2.asu.edu/cgi-bin/WebObjects/acres.woa/wa/customView?id=16461849.
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 Community Health
While you’re on the waitlist, take time to explore courses, short-term programs, and scholarships that can help you reach your goals and keep you moving forward.
Explore your future in healthcare with resources that help you understand career paths, program requirements, and next steps so you can start preparing with confidence.