Associate in Arts, Elementary Education

The Associate in Arts, Elementary Education (AAEE) provides the first two years of a four year curriculum for the student who plans to transfer to an Elementary Education or Special Education program at an Arizona public higher education institution. Upon completion of the AAEE, a student may pursue employment as a classroom instructional aide. Upon completion of a bachelor`s degree, a student may pursue a career as an elementary school teacher or as a special education teacher. With further education or certification, students may pursue employment in the field of education in a number of careers including but not limited to assistant principal, principal, educational administrator, instructional designer, instructional technologist, instructional coordinator, and educational counselor.

Details

Field of Interest
Education
Degree Type
Associate in Arts, Elementary Education (AAEE)
Academic Plan
Associate in Arts, Elementary Education (DEG)
Academic Plan Code
8101
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.

As a prerequisite to MAT256, students may place into MAT150 or MAT151 or MAT152 and complete MAT140 or MAT141 or MAT142 with a C in lieu of taking both MAT14+ and MAT12+ or taking MAT15+. A student that tests into MAT15+ can take MAT15+ or MAT14+ prior to MAT256. A student that tests into MAT14+ or lower must take MAT12+ and MAT14+ prior to MAT256.

Students must petition NAU to accept (GCU/POS113) OR (HIS103 and POS221) for POS220.

State certification requirements include courses on the constitutions of US and Arizona. Taking GCU/POS113 for [SB] fulfills this requirement completely. Students who instead take HIS103 or POS110 for [SB] should consider taking POS221 as a Content Area Elective so they have completed study of both constitutions. POS220 meets state certification requirements for both constitutions but does not meet [SB].

What You'll Learn

This pathway map will help you gain the expertise needed to:

  1. Evaluate the role and impact of various forms of education in a democracy as an active citizen and participate in their communities in constructive ways that demonstrate respect for differing cultures and values.
  2. Demonstrate a foundational knowledge of reading, writing, oral language, mathematics, science, social studies, technology, information literacy and art.
  3. Analyze K-12 classroom field experience and correlate it with course concepts.
  4. Demonstrate ongoing learning and use evidence to continually evaluate his/her professional growth, ethics, knowledge, skills, and dispositions (e.g. collaboration, professionalism, reflection, time management, effective communication).
  5. Utilize a foundational knowledge of child development (e.g. physical, cognitive, linguistic, social, and emotional domains), teaching and learning theories, cultural differences, and/or inclusive educational practices for diverse learners.
  6. Synthesize knowledge of current and historical influences on education at the local, state, federal and/or global levels to effectively engage in the professional policies and the political process.
  7. 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 Maricopa County-based annual median 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 for Elementary and Secondary Schools

$83,756

Educational, Guidance, and Vocational Counselors

$52,532

Elementary School Teachers

$47,892

Instructional Coordinators

$61,079

Special Education Kindergarten and Elementary School Teachers

$48,934

Teacher Assistants

$27,439

* Career and wage information provided by Lightcast using data, reports, and forecasts which are generated using government data sources and Lightcast’s proprietary analytical processes. Lightcast’s data covers multiple classes of workers including QCEW, non-QCEW, and those who are self-employed. Disclaimer

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
EDU221 or
EDU230		 Introduction to Education or Cultural Diversity In Education Critical course Gateway course SB or C, HU 3
MAT14+ or
MAT15+ or
MAT187		 College Mathematics or College Algebra/Functions or Precalculus Or any approved general education course in the Mathematical Applications [MA] area for which MAT15+ is a prerequisite.

Note: MAT182, 206, 256, 257 do not meet the [MA] requirement. Students need to complete MAT14x and MAT12x OR MAT14x and satisfactory placement in MAT15x OR MAT15x or higher in order to meet MAT256 prerequisites (in future term). 		MA or MA or MA 3–6
ENG101 or
ENG107		 First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL Critical course FYC or FYC 3
CFS205 or
CFS/ECH176 or
ECN211 or
ECN212 or
GCU121 or
GCU122 or
HIS104 or
PSY101		 Human Development or Child Development or Macroeconomic Principles or Microeconomic Principles or World Geography I: Eastern Hemisphere or World Geography II: Western Hemisphere or United States History 1865 to Present or Introduction to Psychology CFS176 or ECH176 recommended SB or SB or SB or SB or G, SB or G, SB or H, SB or SB 3
EDU/ENH291 or
ENH110 or
ENH241 or
ENH242 or
HUM250 or
HUM251		 Children's Literature or Introduction to Literature or American Literature Before 1860 or American Literature After 1860 or Ideas and Values in the Humanities: Early Civilizations to the Renaissance or Ideas and Values in the Humanities: Renaissance to the Contemporary World EDU291 or ENH291 recommended HU or C, HU or C, HU, L or HU or H, HU or H, HU, L 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
EDU221 or
EDU230		 Introduction to Education or Cultural Diversity In Education Critical course Gateway course SB or C, HU 3
SQ Natural Sciences Quantitative Select from BIO. At least one Natural Sciences course must be SQ. SQ 4
ARH100 or
ARH101 or
ARH102 or
DAH100 or
DAH201 or
DAH250 or
MHL140 or
MHL145 or
MHL146 or
MHL153 or
THE111 or
THE220		 Introduction to Art or Art from Prehistory Through Middle Ages or Art from Renaissance to Modernism or Introduction to Dance in the United States or Dance, Culture, and Global Contexts or Dance in Popular Culture or Survey of Music History or American Jazz and Popular Music or Survey of Broadway Musicals or Rock Music and Culture or Introduction to Theatre or Modern Drama HU or H, HU or H, HU or HU or G, HU or C, HU or HU or C, HU or HU or H, HU or HU or HU, L 3
ENG102 or
ENG108		 First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL Critical course FYC or 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
EDU222 Introduction to the Exceptional Learner C, SB 3
COM225 Public Speaking L 3
MAT256 Investigating Quantity: Number, Operations and Numeration Systems 4
BPC110 or
CIS105 or
EDU/EED115		 Computer Usage and Applications or Survey of Computer Information Systems or Digital Literacy for Teaching and Learning in Education CS or CS or CS 3
EDU+++ EDU Elective Select one additional EDU course (other than EDU221, 222, 230 or 250). Recommend EDU110, EDU220, EDU236, EDU/HUM/STO292. 3

Term 4

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 4
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
SQ or
SG		 Natural Sciences Quantitative or Natural Sciences General Select from AGS, ASM, AST, CHM, GPH, GLG, PHS or PHY. At least one Natural Science must be SQ. SQ or SG 4
GCU/POS113 or
HIS103 or
POS110		 United States and Arizona Social Studies or United States History to 1865 or American National Government Students must petition NAU to accept (GCU/POS113) OR (HIS103 and POS221) for POS220. H, SB or H, HU, SB or SB 3
RE Content Area Electives 5
MAT257 Investigating Geometry, Probability and Statistics Note: MAT257 is required for Maricopa, NAU and UA bachelor`s degree. MAT257 should only be bypassed if transferring to ASU 0–4

Content Area Electives

Select five (5) credits from the following:

A list of additional, alternative, or supplemental courses for this pathway map
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
ARH+++ Any ARH Art Humanities course(s) 3
ART+++ Any ART Art course(s) 3
BPC+++ Any BPC Business-Personal Computers course(s) 3
CFS/ECH176 Child Development SB 3
CFS205 Human Development SB 3
CIS+++ Any CIS Computer Information Systems course(s) 3
ECN+++ Any ECN Economics course(s) 3
EDU+++ Any EDU Education course(s) (except EDU221, EDU222, EDU230, and EDU250) 3
EED215 or
(CFS123 and
CFS125)		 Early Learning: Health, Safety, Nutrition and Physical Fitness or (Health and Nutrition in Early Childhood Settings and Safety In Early Childhood Settings) 2–3
ENG+++ Any ENG English course(s) 3
ENH+++ Any ENH English Humanities course(s) 3
GCU+++ Any GCU Cultural Geography course(s) 3
GPH+++ Any GPH Physical Geography course(s) 3
HIS+++ Any HIS History course(s) 3
MAT+++ Any MAT Mathematics course(s) higher than MAT142 (except MAT256 and MAT257) 3–5
MHL+++ Any MHL Music: History/Literature course(s) 3
MTC+++ Any MTC Music: Theory/Composition course(s) 3
POS+++ Any POS Political Science course(s) 3
THE+++ Any THE Theatre course(s) 3
THF+++ Any THF Theatre and Film course(s) 3
THP+++ Any THP Theatre Performance/Production course(s) 3
Second Language Any Second Language course 4–5
Natural Science Any Natural Science course 3–4

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
EDU221 or
EDU230		 Introduction to Education or Cultural Diversity In Education Critical course Gateway course SB or C, HU 3
ENG101 or
ENG107		 First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL Critical course FYC or 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
EDU221 or
EDU230		 Introduction to Education or Cultural Diversity In Education Critical course Gateway course SB or C, HU 3
ENG102 or
ENG108		 First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL Critical course FYC or 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
EDU222 Introduction to the Exceptional Learner C, SB 3
MAT14+ or
MAT15+ or
MAT187		 College Mathematics or College Algebra/Functions or Precalculus Or any approved general education course in the Mathematical Applications [MA] area for which MAT15+ is a prerequisite.

Note: MAT182, 206, 256, 257 do not meet the [MA] requirement. Students need to complete MAT14x and MAT12x OR MAT14x and satisfactory placement in MAT15x OR MAT15x or higher in order to meet MAT256 prerequisites (in future term). 		MA or MA or MA 3–6

Term 4

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 4
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
COM225 Public Speaking L 3
CFS205 or
CFS/ECH176 or
ECN211 or
ECN212 or
GCU121 or
GCU122 or
HIS104 or
PSY101		 Human Development or Child Development or Macroeconomic Principles or Microeconomic Principles or World Geography I: Eastern Hemisphere or World Geography II: Western Hemisphere or United States History 1865 to Present or Introduction to Psychology CFS176 or ECH176 recommended SB or SB or SB or SB or G, SB or G, SB or H, SB or SB 3

Term 5

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 5
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
BPC110 or
CIS105 or
EDU/EED115		 Computer Usage and Applications or Survey of Computer Information Systems or Digital Literacy for Teaching and Learning in Education CS or CS or CS 3
EDU/ENH291 or
ENH110 or
ENH241 or
ENH242 or
HUM250 or
HUM251		 Children's Literature or Introduction to Literature or American Literature Before 1860 or American Literature After 1860 or Ideas and Values in the Humanities: Early Civilizations to the Renaissance or Ideas and Values in the Humanities: Renaissance to the Contemporary World EDU291 or ENH291 recommended HU or C, HU or C, HU, L or HU or H, HU or H, HU, L 3

Term 6

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 6
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
SQ Natural Sciences Quantitative Select from BIO. At least one Natural Sciences course must be SQ. SQ 4
MAT256 Investigating Quantity: Number, Operations and Numeration Systems 4

Term 7

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 7
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
MAT257 Investigating Geometry, Probability and Statistics Note: MAT257 is required for Maricopa, NAU and UA bachelor`s degree. MAT257 should only be bypassed if transferring to ASU 0–4
SQ or
SG		 Natural Sciences Quantitative or Natural Sciences General Select from AGS, ASM, AST, CHM, GPH, GLG, PHS or PHY. At least one Natural Science must be SQ. SQ or SG 4

Term 8

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 8
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
EDU+++ EDU Elective Select one additional EDU course (other than EDU221, 222, 230 or 250). Recommend EDU110, EDU220, EDU236, EDU/HUM/STO292. 3
ARH100 or
ARH101 or
ARH102 or
DAH100 or
DAH201 or
DAH250 or
MHL140 or
MHL145 or
MHL146 or
MHL153 or
THE111 or
THE220		 Introduction to Art or Art from Prehistory Through Middle Ages or Art from Renaissance to Modernism or Introduction to Dance in the United States or Dance, Culture, and Global Contexts or Dance in Popular Culture or Survey of Music History or American Jazz and Popular Music or Survey of Broadway Musicals or Rock Music and Culture or Introduction to Theatre or Modern Drama HU or H, HU or H, HU or HU or G, HU or C, HU or HU or C, HU or HU or H, HU or HU or HU, L 3

Term 9

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 9
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
RE Content Area Electives 5
GCU/POS113 or
HIS103 or
POS110		 United States and Arizona Social Studies or United States History to 1865 or American National Government Students must petition NAU to accept (GCU/POS113) OR (HIS103 and POS221) for POS220. H, SB or H, HU, SB or SB 3

Content Area Electives

Select five (5) credits from the following:

A list of additional, alternative, or supplemental courses for this pathway map
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
ARH+++ Any ARH Art Humanities course(s) 3
ART+++ Any ART Art course(s) 3
BPC+++ Any BPC Business-Personal Computers course(s) 3
CFS/ECH176 Child Development SB 3
CFS205 Human Development SB 3
CIS+++ Any CIS Computer Information Systems course(s) 3
ECN+++ Any ECN Economics course(s) 3
EDU+++ Any EDU Education course(s) (except EDU221, EDU222, EDU230, and EDU250) 3
EED215 or
(CFS123 and
CFS125)		 Early Learning: Health, Safety, Nutrition and Physical Fitness or (Health and Nutrition in Early Childhood Settings and Safety In Early Childhood Settings) 2–3
ENG+++ Any ENG English course(s) 3
ENH+++ Any ENH English Humanities course(s) 3
GCU+++ Any GCU Cultural Geography course(s) 3
GPH+++ Any GPH Physical Geography course(s) 3
HIS+++ Any HIS History course(s) 3
MAT+++ Any MAT Mathematics course(s) higher than MAT142 (except MAT256 and MAT257) 3–5
MHL+++ Any MHL Music: History/Literature course(s) 3
MTC+++ Any MTC Music: Theory/Composition course(s) 3
POS+++ Any POS Political Science course(s) 3
THE+++ Any THE Theatre course(s) 3
THF+++ Any THF Theatre and Film course(s) 3
THP+++ Any THP Theatre Performance/Production course(s) 3
Second Language Any Second Language course 4–5
Natural Science Any Natural Science course 3–4
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.

  • C = Cultural Diversity in the US
  • CS = Computer/Statistics/Quantitative Application
  • FYC = First Year Composition
  • G = Global Awareness
  • H = Historical Awareness
  • 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=188755).

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.