Associate in Science, Emphasis in Physics

The Associate in Science (AS), Emphasis in Physics degree provides the first two years of a four-year curriculum for students who wish to specialize in Physics 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 secondary education Physics teacher, physicist, or materials scientist. Upon completion of a graduate degree, students may pursue a number of careers, including but not limited to, Physics professor, physicist, engineer, or researcher.

Details

Field of Interest
Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics
Degree Type
Associate in Science (AS)
Academic Plan
Associate in Science, Emphasis in Physics (DEG)
Academic Plan Code
8606
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.

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. Communicate scientific ideas, both qualitatively and quantitatively, using an appropriate technical vocabulary.
  2. Collaborate with others from diverse backgrounds.
  3. Provide order of magnitude estimates for physical quantities in appropriate units.
  4. Describe, predict, and explain real-world phenomena, utilizing a variety of different representations, such as mathematical, graphical, and pictorial formalisms.
  5. Collect and analyze experimental data, and then draw reasonable conclusions to both develop and support the laws of Physics.
  6. Apply principles of Physics to solve problems both inside and outside the classroom.
  7. Transfer information and problem-solving methods from familiar to unfamiliar contexts.

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.

Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other

$42,090

Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education

$56,880

* Wage information sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment Statistics Program. 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 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.

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.

Term 1

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 1
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
MAT220 or
MAT221
Calculus with Analytic Geometry I or Calculus with Analytic Geometry I Critical course Gateway course OR Higher approved general education course in the Mathematical Applications [MA] area for which MAT22+ is a prerequisite MA 4–5
ENG101 or
ENG107
First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL FYC 3
COM100 or
COM110 or
COM225 or
COM230
Introduction to Human Communication or Interpersonal Communication or Public Speaking or Small Group Communication SB or L 3
SB Social-Behavioral Sciences SB 3
HU Humanities, Fine Arts & Design HU 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
MAT230 or
MAT231
Calculus with Analytic Geometry II or Calculus with Analytic Geometry II MA 4–5
CRE101 College Critical Reading and Critical Thinking L 0–3
ENG102 or
ENG108
First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL FYC 3
PHY115 or
PHY121
University Physics I or University Physics I: Mechanics SQ 4–5

Term 3

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 3
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
PHY116 or
PHY131
University Physics II or University Physics II: Electricity and Magnetism SQ 4–5
MAT240 or
MAT241
Calculus with Analytic Geometry III or Calculus with Analytic Geometry III MA 4–5

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
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

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.

Term 1

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 1
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
MAT220 or
MAT221
Calculus with Analytic Geometry I or Calculus with Analytic Geometry I Critical course Gateway course OR Higher approved general education course in the Mathematical Applications [MA] area for which MAT22+ is a prerequisite MA 4–5
ENG101 or
ENG107
First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL 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
MAT230 or
MAT231
Calculus with Analytic Geometry II or Calculus with Analytic Geometry II MA 4–5
ENG102 or
ENG108
First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL FYC 3
CRE101 College Critical Reading and Critical Thinking L 0–3

Term 3

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 3
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
PHY115 or
PHY121
University Physics I or University Physics I: Mechanics SQ 4–5
SB Social-Behavioral Sciences SB 3

Term 4

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 4
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
PHY116 or
PHY131
University Physics II or University Physics II: Electricity and Magnetism SQ 4–5
MAT240 or
MAT241
Calculus with Analytic Geometry III or Calculus with Analytic Geometry III MA 4–5

Term 5

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 5
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
COM100 or
COM110 or
COM225 or
COM230
Introduction to Human Communication or Interpersonal Communication or Public Speaking or Small Group Communication SB or L 3
SB Social-Behavioral Sciences SB 3

Term 6

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 6
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
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
HU Humanities, Fine Arts & Design HU 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 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

Term 9

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

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=184004).

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.