Associate in Arts, Emphasis in Journalism and New Media Studies

The Associate in Arts (AA), Emphasis in Journalism and New Media Studies provides the first two years of a four-year curriculum for students interested in broadcast, print, and new media journalism transfer and is also designed to provide students with general, practical and marketable skills that will enable them to seek entry-level employment in various media outlets, including: newspapers, magazines, community journals, online websites, radio and television. News judgment is integrated as a critical component of the coursework along with an awareness of global and cultural differences. Students will develop a portfolio of work that will exhibit students' abilities to write both news and feature stories.

Details

Field of Interest
Culture and Society
Degree Type
Associate in Arts (AA)
Academic Plan
Associate in Arts, Emphasis in Journalism and New Media Studies (DEG)
Academic Plan Code
8146
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 (Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication), Journalism and Mass Communication, BA

NAU, Journalism, BA

U of A, Journalism, BA

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
  • Produce stories appropriate to their medium and venue, from conceptualization to publication, including research, confirmation of credible sources, writing, and editing.
  • Analyze and adapt to a professional context within the journalism industry in order to work effectively.
  • Describe the contemporary field of journalism, including media, markets and specializations.
  • Demonstrate written and verbal skills to communicate effectively with diverse populations and individuals.
  • Develop and maintain professional networks and relationships within the field of journalism.
  • Apply media law and ethics to journalistic situations.
  • Evaluate and employ the strengths of self and others to achieve common goals in group settings.
  • Incorporate new and emerging digital technologies ethically and efficiently to meet current trends.
  • Apply relevant knowledge, skills, and habits of mind to seek career opportunities in the field.
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.

Editors
$64,940
Public Relations Specialists
$70,390
Writers and Authors
$53,620

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:

  • Broadcast News Analysts
  • Reporters and Correspondents

* 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
JRN101 or
JRN105		 Grammar and Style for Journalists or Introduction to Journalism 1–3
MAT14+ College Mathematics OR Any approved general education course in the Mathematical Applications [MA] area MA 3–6
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
JRN201 News Writing Critical course L 3
CS Computer/Statistics/Quantitative Application CS 3
CRE101 College Critical Reading and Critical Thinking OR Equivalent as indicated by assessment L 0–3
Elective General Elective 3

Term 3

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 3
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
SQ Natural Sciences Quantitative SQ 4
MCO120 Media and Society 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 3
Elective General Elective 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
SB Social-Behavioral Sciences SB 3
MCO220 Cultural Diversity and the Media C, L 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.

The following courses are recommended:

A list of additional, alternative, or supplemental courses for this pathway map
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
JRN205 Copyediting 3
JRN208 Media Law 3
JRN210 News and Media Production 3
JRN212 or
JRN213		 Writing for Broadcasts or Writing for Online 3
JRN232 Community Reporting 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 Critical course FYC or FYC 3
MAT14+ College Mathematics OR Any approved general education course in the Mathematical Applications [MA] area MA 3–6
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
JRN101 or
JRN105		 Grammar and Style for Journalists or Introduction to Journalism 1–3
HU Humanities, Fine Arts & Design HU 3

Term 3

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 3
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
JRN201 News Writing Critical course L 3
CS Computer/Statistics/Quantitative Application CS 3
CRE101 College Critical Reading and Critical Thinking OR Equivalent as indicated by assessment L 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 SB or SB or L or SB 3
HU Humanities, Fine Arts & Design HU 3

Term 5

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 5
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
MCO120 Media and Society SB 3
SQ Natural Sciences Quantitative SQ 4

Term 6

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 6
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
MCO220 Cultural Diversity and the Media C, L 3
SB Social-Behavioral Sciences SB 3

Term 7

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 7
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
SG or
SQ		 Natural Sciences General or Natural Sciences Quantitative SG or SQ 4
Elective General Elective 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 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.

The following courses are recommended:

A list of additional, alternative, or supplemental courses for this pathway map
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
JRN205 Copyediting 3
JRN208 Media Law and Ethics 3
JRN210 News and Media Production 3
JRN212 or
JRN213		 Writing for Broadcasts or Writing for Online 3
JRN232 Community Reporting 3
Course Area Key

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
  • 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 in all courses 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=16456283).

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 Journalism and New Media Studies