Associate in Arts, Emphasis in Economics

The Associate in Arts (AA), Emphasis in Economics provides the first two years of a four-year curriculum for students who wish to pursue a liberal arts degree in Economics from a four-year institution. With a bachelor's degree, students may pursue a number of careers, including but not limited to, budget analysts, market research analysts, and marketing specialists. With a graduate degree, students may pursue a number of careers, including but not limited to economists, environmental economists, treasurers, controllers, urban and regional planners, economics teachers, and lawyers.

Details

Field of Interest
Culture and Society
Degree Type
Associate in Arts (AA)
Academic Plan
Associate in Arts, Emphasis in Economics (DEG)
Academic Plan Code
8111
Total credits required
60-64
Catalog Year
2025-2026
Effective Term
Fall 2025
Notes

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

Students who plan to major in economics at a college of business should consider following the Associate in Business-General Requirements (ABUS-GR) pathway instead of this award. Consult with a faculty advisor, program director, and/or academic advisor to identify the associate degree that best aligns with your academic and professional goals.

This emphasis is intended to align with the degree requirements for the following transfer partners:

ASU (College of Liberal Arts and Sciences), Economics, BS

U of A, Economics, BA

Refer to the MCCCD University Transfer Partner website for more information: ASU , U of A .

Students at any Maricopa Community College may need to complete courses at more than one of our colleges.

What You'll Learn
  • Define key vocabulary in economics.
  • Discuss foundational economic principles.
  • Describe the determinants of supply and demand, and their effects on equilibrium prices and quantities.
  • Evaluate economic efficiency using marginal analysis.
  • Interpret economic data.
  • Analyze the relationships between variables in economic models.
  • Predict changes in outcomes using economic models when presented with new information.
  • Prescribe solutions to achieve economic outcomes.
  • Recognize that economic models have limitations.
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.

Budget Analysts
$73,740
Economics Teachers, Postsecondary
$109,700
Economists
$120,830
Environmental Economists
$120,830
Lawyers
$126,600
Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists
$66,790
Regulatory Affairs Managers
$121,290
Treasurers and Controllers
$134,110
Urban and Regional Planners
$75,250

* 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
MAT212 or
MAT213 or
MAT220 or
MAT221		 Brief Calculus or Brief Calculus or Calculus with Analytic Geometry I or Calculus with Analytic Geometry I Critical course OR Higher approved general education course in the Mathematical Applications [MA] area for which MAT22+ is a prerequisite. MA or MA or MA or MA 3–5
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
Elective General Electives 0–3

Term 2

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 2
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
ECN211 or
ECN212		 Macroeconomic Principles or Microeconomic Principles Critical course Gateway course SB or SB 3
ENG102 or
ENG108		 First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL FYC or 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 SB or L or SB 0–3
Elective General Electives 3–6

Term 3

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 3
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
ECN211 or
ECN212		 Macroeconomic Principles or Microeconomic Principles SB or SB 3
GBS221 or
MAT206 or
SWU225		 Business Statistics or Elements of Statistics or Statistics for Social Research/Justice and Government CS or CS or CS 3
CRE101 College Critical Reading and Critical Thinking OR Equivalent as indicated by assessment L 0–3
SQ Natural Sciences Quantitative SQ 4
Elective General Electives 0–3

Term 4

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 4
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
SG or
SQ		 Natural Sciences General or Natural Sciences Quantitative SG or SQ 4
HU Humanities, Fine Arts & Design HU 3
L Literacy & Critical Inquiry L 3
Elective General Electives 3–6

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
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
ENG102 or
ENG108		 First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL FYC or FYC 3
MAT212 or
MAT213 or
MAT220 or
MAT221		 Brief Calculus or Brief Calculus or Calculus with Analytic Geometry I or Calculus with Analytic Geometry I Critical course OR Higher approved general education course in the Mathematical Applications [MA] area for which MAT22+ is a prerequisite. MA or MA or MA or MA 3–5

Term 3

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 3
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
ECN211 or
ECN212		 Macroeconomic Principles or Microeconomic Principles Critical course Gateway course SB or SB 3
COM100 or
COM110 or
COM225 or
COM230		 Introduction to Human Communication or Interpersonal Communication or Public Speaking or Small Group Communication SB or SB or L or SB 0–3
Elective General Electives 0–3

Term 4

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 4
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
ECN211 or
ECN212		 Macroeconomic Principles or Microeconomic Principles SB or SB 3
GBS221 or
MAT206 or
SWU225		 Business Statistics or Elements of Statistics or Statistics for Social Research/Justice and Government CS or CS or CS 3

Term 5

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 5
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
SQ Natural Sciences Quantitative SQ 4
CRE101 College Critical Reading and Critical Thinking OR Equivalent as indicated by assessment L 0–3
Elective General Electives 0–3

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
SG or
SQ		 Natural Sciences General or Natural Sciences Quantitative SG or SQ 4

Term 7

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 7
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
L Literacy & Critical Inquiry L 3
Elective General Electives 3–6

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 3–6

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.

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.

  • CS = Computer/Statistics/Quantitative Application
  • FYC = First Year Composition
  • HU = Humanities, Fine Arts, and Design
  • L = Literacy & Critical Inquiry
  • MA = Mathematics
  • SB = Social-Behavioral Sciences
  • SG = Natural Sciences General
  • SQ = Natural Sciences Quantitative
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=16456260).

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 Economics