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, SCB	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		NSI in combo w/ GPH112; and NSI in combo w/ GPH111; or NSI, SQ	4
ENG101 or ENG107	First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL	Prerequisites: Writing test score or (C or better in ENG091 or ESL097or WAC101) or (B or better in ALT100) or (ALT100 & Corequisites: ENG101LL or ENG107LL or WAC101 or ENG100A+) or (ESL202 & Corequisites: ENG101LL or ENG107LL or WAC101 or ENG100A+). or Prerequisites: Appropriate writing placement test score, or a grade of C or better in ENG091 or ESL097 or WAC101, or a grade of B or better in ALT100, or (a grade of C in ALT100 AND Corequisites: ENG101LL or ENG107LL OR WAC101 OR ENG100A+).		FYC, WCM or FYC, WCM	3
MAT14+	College Mathematics		OR Higher mathematical level Quantitative Reasoning [QNR] approved general education course with a MAT prefix except MAT206.	QNR	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	Area	Credits
GCU121WG	World Geography: People, Places, and Culture		G, SB, SCB	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, WCM or WCM, FYC	3
IAM	Institutions of the Americas		IAM	3
OCM	Oral Communication		OCM	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)	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in ENG101, or ENG107, or equivalent. or No requisites and Corequisites: GPH212. or No requisites and Corequisites: GPH213.	NSI, 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
AHM	Arts and Humanities		AHM	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
AHM	Arts and Humanities	AHM	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, SCB	3
ENG101 or ENG107	First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL	Prerequisites: Writing test score or (C or better in ENG091 or ESL097or WAC101) or (B or better in ALT100) or (ALT100 & Corequisites: ENG101LL or ENG107LL or WAC101 or ENG100A+) or (ESL202 & Corequisites: ENG101LL or ENG107LL or WAC101 or ENG100A+). or Prerequisites: Appropriate writing placement test score, or a grade of C or better in ENG091 or ESL097 or WAC101, or a grade of B or better in ALT100, or (a grade of C in ALT100 AND Corequisites: ENG101LL or ENG107LL OR WAC101 OR ENG100A+).		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

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 mathematical level Quantitative Reasoning [QNR] approved general education course with a MAT prefix except MAT206.	QNR	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, WCM or WCM, 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		NSI in combo w/ GPH112; and NSI in combo w/ GPH111; or NSI, SQ	4
Elective	General Electives				3

Term 4

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 4
Course Number	Course Name	Area	Credits
GCU121WG	World Geography: People, Places, and Culture	G, SB, SCB	3
OCM	Oral Communication	OCM	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)	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in ENG101, or ENG107, or equivalent. or No requisites and Corequisites: GPH212. or No requisites and Corequisites: GPH213.		NSI, 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
AHM	Arts and Humanities			AHM	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
IAM	Institutions of the Americas			IAM	3

Term 7

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 7
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Notes	Area	Credits
AHM	Arts and Humanities			AHM	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
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.

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.