Associate in Arts, Emphasis in Counseling and Applied Psychological Science

The Associate in Arts (AA), Emphasis in Counseling and Applied Psychological Science provides the first two years of a four-year curriculum for students who wish to specialize in counseling and applied psychological science or are preparing for graduate programs in counseling or related fields. The program provides a foundation in counseling theories, counseling skills, career and lifespan development, ethics and research methods, and multicultural competence. Graduates will not be license-eligible as professional counselors, but will be prepared to enter an undergraduate degree program in counseling and applied psychological science. Graduates of the associate`s program may qualify for entry-level employment such as social and human service assistants or psychiatric technicians in community agencies, hospitals, rehabilitation centers and other behavioral healthcare delivery settings to support counselors and other mental health professionals.

Students who complete a bachelor`s degree within the field may be prepared to enter a graduate program in counseling or pursue careers including but not limited to: social and community service managers, social science research assistants, probation officers and correctional treatment specialists, and education administrators (postsecondary).

Upon completion of a graduate degree students may pursue a number of careers, including but not limited to: clinical, counseling, and school psychologists; educational, guidance, school, and vocational counselors; substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors; marriage and family therapists; mental health counselors; rehabilitation counselors; and college/university faculty.

Details

Field of Interest
Behavioral Science and Human Services
Degree Type
Associate in Arts (AA)
Academic Plan
Associate in Arts, Emphasis in Counseling and Applied Psychological Science (DEG)
Academic Plan Code
8137
Total credits required
60-64
Catalog Year
2024-2025
Effective Term
Fall 2024
Notes

Students must earn a grade of C or better in all courses within the program.

This program aligns with the requirements of the Counseling and Applied Psychological Science (BS) MyPath2ASU at Arizona State University (ASU), Polytechnic, College of Integrative Sciences and Arts and the Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies in Applied Human Behavior 90/30 at Northern Arizona University (NAU).

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. Describe foundational counseling theories, research methods, and data analysis.
  2. Demonstrate use of oral, written, and interpersonal communication and basic helping skills needed within the counseling field.
  3. Develop an awareness of self and others in a multicultural society.
  4. Explain fundamental-level ethical and professional considerations in practice and research common in the field.
  5. Develop a professional development plan for employment in the counseling or related fields.
  6. Apply relevant knowledge, skills, and habits of mind to seek career opportunities in the field.

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.

Education Administrators, Postsecondary

$104,250

Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors

$54,280

Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists

$56,120

Substance Abuse and Behavioral Disorder Counselors

$50,460

* 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.

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
ENG101 or
ENG107
First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL Critical course FYC or FYC 3
MAT14+ College Mathematics Critical course OR Higher approved general education course in the Mathematical Applications [MA] area

Note: Students planning to transfer to ASU for the BS in Counseling and Applied Psychological Science should take MAT187 Precalculus or equivalent or higher [MA] course for which MAT187 is a prerequisite.
MA 3–6
CAP120 Introduction to Counseling Critical course Gateway course SB 3
PSY101 Introduction to Psychology Critical course SB 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
COM100 or
COM110 or
COM225 or
COM230
Introduction to Human Communication or Interpersonal Communication or Public Speaking or Small Group Communication Recommend selecting a course that satisfies COM and SB or COM and L requirements simultaneously SB or SB or L or SB 0–3
ENG102 or
ENG108
First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL FYC or FYC 3
CRE101 College Critical Reading and Critical Thinking OR Equivalent as indicated by assessment L 0–3
BHS185 or
CAP220
Cultural Competence in Behavioral Health or The Counselor in a Multicultural Society C or C 3
PSY230 or
(PSY230 and
PSY231)
or
PSY230WL
Introduction to Statistics or (Introduction to Statistics and Laboratory for Statistics) or Introduction to Statistics with Lab Critical course CS or CS or CS 3–4
Elective Elective 0–3

Term 3

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 3
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
HU Humanities, Fine Arts & Design HU 3
BHS165 or
CAP240
Applied Therapeutic Communication Skills or Introduction to Counseling Skills 3
PSY290AB or
(PSY290AC (LEC) and
PSY290AC)
Research Methods or (Research Methods and Research Methods Laboratory) Critical course L, SG or L, SG 4
Elective Elective 3
Elective Elective 0–3

Term 4

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 4
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
BIO100 or
BIO156++ or
BIO181++ or
SQ
Biology Concepts or Introductory Biology for Allied Health or General Biology (Majors) I or Natural Sciences Quantitative Any approved general education course in the Natural Sciences (Quantitative) [SQ] area
Students transferring to ASU's BS Counseling and Applied Psychology (Substance Abuse and Addictions) should take BIO181 or BIO181XT. Students transferring to ASU's BS Counseling and Applied Psychology (general) should select any BIO course that transfers to ASU as [SQ]-Science Quantitative. Check Find-a-Class on maricopa.edu or the Course Equivalency Guide on AZTransfer.com for [SQ] BIO options.
SQ or SQ or SQ or SQ 4
CAP260 Career and Professional Preparation for the Helping Professions L 3
HU Humanities, Fine Arts & Design HU 3
Elective Elective 0–3
Elective Elective 0–3
Elective Elective 0–2

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
ENG101 or
ENG107
First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL Critical course FYC or FYC 3
CAP120 Introduction to Counseling Critical course Gateway course SB 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 Critical course OR Higher approved general education course in the Mathematical Applications [MA] area

Note: Students planning to transfer to ASU for the BS in Counseling and Applied Psychological Science should take MAT187 Precalculus or equivalent or higher [MA] course for which MAT187 is a prerequisite.
MA 3–6
PSY101 Introduction to Psychology Critical course SB 3

Term 3

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 3
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
ENG102 or
ENG108
First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL FYC or FYC 3
BHS185 or
CAP220
Cultural Competence in Behavioral Health or The Counselor in a Multicultural Society C or C 3

Term 4

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 4
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 Recommend selecting a course that satisfies COM and SB or COM and L requirements simultaneously SB or SB or L or SB 0–3
CRE101 College Critical Reading and Critical Thinking OR Equivalent as indicated by assessment L 0–3
PSY230 or
(PSY230 and
PSY231)
or
PSY230WL
Introduction to Statistics or (Introduction to Statistics and Laboratory for Statistics) or Introduction to Statistics with Lab Critical course CS or CS or CS 3–4

Term 5

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 5
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
PSY290AB or
(PSY290AC (LEC) and
PSY290AC (LAB))
Research Methods or (Research Methods and Research Methods Laboratory) Critical course L, SG or L, SG 4
BHS165 or
CAP240
Applied Therapeutic Communication Skills or Introduction to Counseling Skills 3

Term 6

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 6
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
Elective Elective 3
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
BIO100 or
BIO156++ or
BIO181++ or
SQ
Biology Concepts or Introductory Biology for Allied Health or General Biology (Majors) I or Natural Sciences Quantitative Any approved general education course in the Natural Sciences (Quantitative) [SQ] area
Students transferring to ASU's BS Counseling and Applied Psychology (Substance Abuse and Addictions) should take BIO181 or BIO181XT. Students transferring to ASU's BS Counseling and Applied Psychology (general) should select any BIO course that transfers to ASU as [SQ]-Science Quantitative. Check Find-a-Class on maricopa.edu or the Course Equivalency Guide on AZTransfer.com for [SQ] BIO options.
SQ or SQ or SQ or SQ 4
CAP260 Career and Professional Preparation for the Helping Professions L 3

Term 8

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 8
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
HU Humanities, Fine Arts & Design HU 3
Elective Elective 0–3
Elective Elective 0–3

Term 9

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 9
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
Elective Elective 0–3
Elective Elective 0–3
Elective Elective 0–2
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 official curriculum documentation for additional details regarding the requirements of this award (https://aztransmac2.asu.edu/cgi-bin/WebObjects/MCCCD.woa/wa/freeForm10?id=189939).

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.