Associate in Arts, Emphasis in Women and Gender Studies

The Associate in Arts (AA), Emphasis in Women and Gender Studies is an intensive interdisciplinary liberal arts program, which provides students with tools and opportunities to discuss and critique historical and contemporary theories and practices of feminism(s) and gender identities. The curriculum enables students to think critically, analyze problems, and communicate effectively. Using women`s experiences and perspectives, students explore cultural and global issues by completing a variety of courses focusing on gender, history, culture, class, race, ethnicity, and sexuality to foster equality and understanding. Students completing this associate of arts degree will be prepared to transfer to a four-year program.

Details

Field of Interest
Culture and Society
Degree Type
Associate in Arts (AA)
Academic Plan
Associate in Arts, Emphasis in Women and Gender Studies (DEG)
Academic Plan Code
8128
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.

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. Analyze historic, contemporary, and recurring issues in society through the perspectives of feminist and gender theories.
  2. Apply an interdisciplinary perspective to critically evaluate the interrelationship between gender and race, class, and sexual orientation.
  3. Evaluate how gender identity was and is portrayed in various social and cultural perspectives through the lens of feminist and gender theories.
  4. Demonstrate how feminist and gender theories and methodologies have local, national, and global applications and consequences.
  5. Evaluate and implement strategies to address societal and power inequities to improve women`s status and promote social justice and human rights for all genders.
  6. Critically assess the impact of popular culture in shaping individual and collective gender identities.
  7. Communicate using research in varied settings, both orally and in writing, in a culturally responsive manner.
  8. 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.

Equal Opportunity Representatives and Officers

$64,889

Postsecondary Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers

$63,340

There are additional career opportunities associated with this degree that do not have occupational data available for Arizona at this time. These occupations are listed below:
  • Postsecondary Teachers, All Other
* 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.

Pathway Map Options

There are multiple options available for this pathway map. These options vary depending on the available transfer institutions and what degrees you may be able to transfer into.

These pathway map options may share some common coursework. To explore what additional coursework may be required, select your desired option from the list below. Once selected, the list of courses and any associated details will be automatically updated in the course sequence below. The differences between individual pathway map options may only be a few courses.

Pathway Map Option Details

No pathway map option has been selected. Please select from the pathway map options listed above.

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 OR Higher approved general education course in the Mathematical Applications [MA] area MA 3–6
WST100 Introduction to Women's and Gender Studies Critical course Gateway course C, SB 3
FYE101 or
FYE103
Introduction to College, Career and Personal Success or Exploration of College, Career and Personal Success 1–3
Second Language or
Elective
Second Language Requirement, 101 Level or Elective See your program advisor to determine if your transfer option requires language proficiency

Term 2

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 2
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
CRE101 College Critical Reading and Critical Thinking OR Equivalent as indicated by assessment L 0–3
ENG102 or
ENG108
First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL FYC or FYC 3
HU Humanities, Fine Arts & Design May be met by ENH190, ENH202, ENH/WST284, ENH/WST285, HUM/WST209, or REL/WST290.
See transfer plan for details
HU 0–3
SB Social & Behavioral Sciences May be met by HIS201, PSY101, PSY235, PSY277, SOC212, or WST161.
See transfer plan for details
SB 0–3
Transfer Option Transfer Option Selection may also meet HU or SB.
See transfer plans for details
0–3
Transfer Option Transfer Option Selection may also meet HU or SB.
See transfer plans for details
0–3
Second Language or
Elective
Second Language Requirement, 102 Level or Elective See your program advisor to determine if your transfer option requires language proficiency

Term 3

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 3
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 if CRE101 is not required SB or SB or L or SB 0–3
CS Computer/Statistics/Quantitative Application May be met by PSY230.
See transfer plan for details
CS 0–3
HU Humanities, Fine Arts & Design May be met by ENH190, ENH202, ENH/WST284, ENH/WST285, HUM/WST209, or REL/WST290.
See transfer plan for details
HU 0–3
SQ Natural Sciences Quantitative SQ 4
Transfer Option Transfer Option Selection may also meet HU or SB.
See transfer plans for details
0–3
Transfer Option Transfer Option Selection may also meet HU or SB.
See transfer plans for details
0–3
Second Language or
Elective
Second Language Requirement, 201 Level or Elective See your program advisor to determine if your transfer option requires language proficiency

Term 4

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 4
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
L Literacy & Critical Inquiry May be met by PSY290AA or PSY290AC.
See transfer plan for details
L 0–3
SG or
SQ
Natural Sciences General or Natural Sciences Quantitative SG or SQ 4
Transfer Option Transfer Option Selection may also meet HU or SB.
See transfer plans for details
0–3
Transfer Option Transfer Option Selection may also meet HU or SB.
See transfer plans for details
0–3
Second Language or
Elective
Second Language Requirement, 202 Level or Elective See your program advisor to determine if your transfer option requires language proficiency

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
WST100 Introduction to Women's and Gender Studies Critical course Gateway course C, 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
HU Humanities, Fine Arts & Design May be met by ENH190, ENH202, ENH/WST284, ENH/WST285, HUM/WST209, or REL/WST290.
See transfer plan for details
HU 0–3
MAT14+ College Mathematics OR Higher approved general education course in the Mathematical Applications [MA] area MA 3–6

Term 3

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 3
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
CRE101 College Critical Reading and Critical Thinking OR Equivalent as indicated by assessment L 0–3
HU Humanities, Fine Arts & Design May be met by ENH190, ENH202, ENH/WST284, ENH/WST285, HUM/WST209, or REL/WST290.
See transfer plan for details
HU 0–3
SB Social & Behavioral Sciences May be met by HIS201, PSY101, PSY235, PSY277, SOC212, or WST161.
See transfer plan for details
SB 0–3

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 if CRE101 is not required SB or SB or L or SB 0–3
CS Computer/Statistics/Quantitative Application May be met by PSY230.
See transfer plan for details
CS 0–3
L Literacy & Critical Inquiry May be met by PSY290AA or PSY290AC.
See transfer plan for details
L 0–3

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
Transfer Option Transfer Option Selection may also meet HU or SB.
See transfer plans for details
0–3
Second Language or
Elective
Second Language Requirement, 101 Level or Elective See your program advisor to determine if your transfer option requires language proficiency

Term 6

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 6
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
Transfer Option Transfer Option Selection may also meet HU or SB.
See transfer plans for details
0–3
Transfer Option Transfer Option Selection may also meet HU or SB.
See transfer plans for details
0–3
Second Language or
Elective
Second Language Requirement, 102 Level or Elective See your program advisor to determine if your transfer option requires language proficiency

Term 7

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 7
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
Transfer Option Transfer Option Selection may also meet HU or SB.
See transfer plans for details
0–3
Transfer Option Transfer Option Selection may also meet HU or SB.
See transfer plans for details
0–3
Second Language or
Elective
Second Language Requirement, 201 Level or Elective See your program advisor to determine if your transfer option requires language proficiency

Term 8

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 8
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
SG or
SQ
Natural Sciences General or Natural Sciences Quantitative SG or SQ 4
Transfer Option Transfer Option Selection may also meet HU or SB.
See transfer plans for details
0–3
Second Language Second Language Requirement, 202 Level See your program advisor to determine if your transfer option requires language proficiency
Elective

Academic Certificate (AC) - Recommended Electives

The following courses are recommended for students intending to earn an Academic Certificate (AC) in Women and Gender Studies:
ASB211 Women in Other Cultures
ENH/WST284 19th Century Women Writers
ENH/WST285 Contemporary Women Writers
HIS201 History of Women in America
HLR/WST286 Women and Health: Body/Mind/Spirit/Connection
HUM/WST209 Women and Films
PSY235 Psychology of Gender
REL/WST290 Women and World Religion
SOC212 Gender and Society
WST120 Gender, Class, and Race
WST128 Law and Violence Against Women
WST160 Women and the Early American Experience
WST161 American Women Since 1920
WST200 Essential Feminist Writing

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=190032).

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.