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
2025-2026
Effective Term
Fall 2025
Notes

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

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

ASU (College of Integrative Sciences and Arts), Applied Physics, BS

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

ASU (College of Liberal Arts and Sciences), Physics, BA

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

NAU, Physics, BS

U of A, Physics, BS

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

Materials Scientists
$79,740
Natural Sciences Managers
$133,350
Physicists
$175,510
Physics Teachers, Postsecondary
$93,960
Quality Control Analysts
$65,020
Remote Sensing Scientists and Technologists
$105,560
Remote Sensing Technicians
$65,020
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education
$55,180

* 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 FYC or FYC 3
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 or MA 4–5
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 3
SB Social-Behavioral Sciences 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
ENG102 or
ENG108		 First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL FYC or FYC 3
MAT230 or
MAT231		 Calculus with Analytic Geometry II or Calculus with Analytic Geometry II MA or MA 4–5
PHY121 University Physics I: Mechanics SQ 4
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
MAT240 or
MAT241		 Calculus with Analytic Geometry III or Calculus with Analytic Geometry III MA or MA 4–5
PHY131 University Physics II: Electricity and Magnetism SQ 4
HU Humanities, Fine Arts & Design HU 3
Elective General 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
HU Humanities, Fine Arts & Design HU 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
SB Social-Behavioral Sciences SB 3
Elective General Elective 0–3
Elective General Elective 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
ENG101 or
ENG107		 First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL FYC or FYC 3
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 or MA 4–5
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
MAT230 or
MAT231		 Calculus with Analytic Geometry II or Calculus with Analytic Geometry II MA or MA 4–5
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
PHY121 University Physics I: Mechanics SQ 4
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
PHY131 University Physics II: Electricity and Magnetism SQ 4
MAT240 or
MAT241		 Calculus with Analytic Geometry III or Calculus with Analytic Geometry III MA or 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 SB or L or SB 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
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 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
Elective General Elective 0–3

Term 8

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 8
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
Elective General Elective 0–3
Elective General Elective 0–3

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 about your transfer-specific world language requirement.

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.

  • FYC = First Year Composition
  • HU = Humanities, Fine Arts, and Design
  • L = Literacy & Critical Inquiry
  • MA = Mathematics
  • SB = Social-Behavioral Sciences
  • SQ = Natural Sciences Quantitative
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=16456316).

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 Science (AS) in Associate in Science, Emphasis in Physics