The Associate in Arts (AA), Emphasis in Counseling and Applied Psychological Science provides the first two years of a four-year curriculum for students who wish to specialize in counseling and applied psychological science or are preparing for graduate programs in counseling or related fields. The program provides a foundation in counseling theories, counseling skills, career and lifespan development, ethics and research methods, and multicultural competence. Graduates will not be license-eligible as professional counselors, but will be prepared to enter an undergraduate degree program in counseling and applied psychological science. Graduates of the associate`s program may qualify for entry-level employment such as social and human service assistants or psychiatric technicians in community agencies, hospitals, rehabilitation centers and other behavioral healthcare delivery settings to support counselors and other mental health professionals.
Students who complete a bachelor`s degree within the field may be prepared to enter a graduate program in counseling or pursue careers including but not limited to: social and community service managers, social science research assistants, probation officers and correctional treatment specialists, and education administrators (postsecondary).
Upon completion of a graduate degree students may pursue a number of careers, including but not limited to: clinical, counseling, and school psychologists; educational, guidance, school, and vocational counselors; substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors; marriage and family therapists; mental health counselors; rehabilitation counselors; and college/university faculty.
Details
Field of Interest
Behavioral Science and Human Services
Degree Type
Associate in Arts (AA)
Academic Plan
Associate in Arts, Emphasis in Counseling and Applied Psychological Science (DEG)
Total credits required
60-64
Notes
Students must earn a grade of C or better in all courses within the program.
This program aligns with the requirements of the Counseling and Applied Psychological Science (BS) MyPath2ASU at Arizona State University (ASU), Polytechnic, College of Integrative Sciences and Arts and the Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies in Applied Human Behavior 90/30 at Northern Arizona University (NAU).
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:
- Describe foundational counseling theories, research methods, and data analysis.
- Demonstrate use of oral, written, and interpersonal communication and basic helping skills needed within the counseling field.
- Develop an awareness of self and others in a multicultural society.
- Explain fundamental-level ethical and professional considerations in practice and research common in the field.
- Develop a professional development plan for employment in the counseling or related fields.
- 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 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.
Assess, diagnose, and treat mental and emotional disorders of individuals through observation, interview, and psychological tests. Help individuals with distress or maladjustment understand their problems through their knowledge of case history, interviews with patients, and theory. Provide individual or group counseling services to assist individuals in achieving more effective personal, social, educational, and vocational development and adjustment. May design behavior modification programs and consult with medical personnel regarding the best treatment for patients.
Entry Level Salary
$30,000
Expert Level Salary
$126,110
Average Hourly Wage
$36.96
Entry Level Hourly Wage
$14.42
Mid Level Hourly Wage
$37.00
Expert Level Hourly Wage
$60.63
Typical Education Level
Doctoral Degree
Plan, direct, or coordinate student instruction, administration, and services, as well as other research and educational activities, at postsecondary institutions, including universities, colleges, and junior and community colleges.
Entry Level Salary
$48,980
Expert Level Salary
$190,770
Average Hourly Wage
$50.12
Entry Level Hourly Wage
$23.55
Mid Level Hourly Wage
$38.00
Expert Level Hourly Wage
$91.72
Typical Education Level
Masters Degree
Projected Job Openings
3,420
Advise and assist students and provide educational and vocational guidance services.
Entry Level Salary
$38,350
Expert Level Salary
$77,250
Average Hourly Wage
$26.10
Entry Level Hourly Wage
$18.44
Mid Level Hourly Wage
$23.00
Expert Level Hourly Wage
$37.14
Typical Education Level
Masters Degree
Projected Job Openings
9,850
Diagnose and treat mental and emotional disorders, whether cognitive, affective, or behavioral, within the context of marriage and family systems. Apply psychotherapeutic and family systems theories and techniques in the delivery of services to individuals, couples, and families for the purpose of treating such diagnosed nervous and mental disorders.
Entry Level Salary
$37,270
Expert Level Salary
$62,950
Average Hourly Wage
$28.06
Entry Level Hourly Wage
$17.92
Mid Level Hourly Wage
$23.00
Expert Level Hourly Wage
$30.26
Typical Education Level
Masters Degree
Projected Job Openings
1,420
Counsel and advise individuals and groups to promote optimum mental and emotional health, with an emphasis on prevention. May help individuals deal with a broad range of mental health issues, such as those associated with addictions and substance abuse; family, parenting, and marital problems; stress management; self-esteem; or aging.
Typical Education Level
Masters Degree
* Wage information is listed for Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors; sourced from the . Provide social services to assist in rehabilitation of law offenders in custody or on probation or parole. Make recommendations for actions involving formulation of rehabilitation plan and treatment of offender, including conditional release and education and employment stipulations.
Entry Level Salary
$37,700
Expert Level Salary
$76,490
Average Hourly Wage
$26.98
Entry Level Hourly Wage
$18.12
Mid Level Hourly Wage
$27.00
Expert Level Hourly Wage
$36.78
Typical Education Level
Bachelors Degree
Projected Job Openings
1,510
Care for individuals with mental or emotional conditions or disabilities, following the instructions of physicians or other health practitioners. Monitor patients' physical and emotional well-being and report to medical staff. May participate in rehabilitation and treatment programs, help with personal hygiene, and administer oral or injectable medications.
Entry Level Salary
$29,000
Expert Level Salary
$46,210
Average Hourly Wage
$17.00
Entry Level Hourly Wage
$13.94
Mid Level Hourly Wage
$17.00
Expert Level Hourly Wage
$22.22
Typical Education Level
High School Diploma
Projected Job Openings
5,850
Teach courses in psychology, such as child, clinical, and developmental psychology, and psychological counseling. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
Entry Level Salary
$38,640
Expert Level Salary
$127,760
Typical Education Level
Doctoral Degree
Projected Job Openings
790
Counsel individuals to maximize the independence and employability of persons coping with personal, social, and vocational difficulties that result from birth defects, illness, disease, accidents, aging, or the stress of daily life. Coordinate activities for residents of care and treatment facilities. Assess client needs and design and implement rehabilitation programs that may include personal and vocational counseling, training, and job placement.
Entry Level Salary
$28,340
Expert Level Salary
$48,550
Average Hourly Wage
$18.24
Entry Level Hourly Wage
$13.63
Mid Level Hourly Wage
$18.00
Expert Level Hourly Wage
$23.34
Typical Education Level
Bachelors Degree
Projected Job Openings
3,500
Diagnose and implement individual or schoolwide interventions or strategies to address educational, behavioral, or developmental issues that adversely impact educational functioning in a school. May address student learning and behavioral problems and counsel students or families. May design and implement performance plans, and evaluate performance. May consult with other school-based personnel.
Entry Level Salary
$59,260
Expert Level Salary
$100,040
Average Hourly Wage
$36.96
Entry Level Hourly Wage
$28.49
Mid Level Hourly Wage
$37.00
Expert Level Hourly Wage
$48.10
Typical Education Level
Post Masters Certificate
Projected Job Openings
3,220
Plan, direct, or coordinate the activities of a social service program or community outreach organization. Oversee the program or organization's budget and policies regarding participant involvement, program requirements, and benefits. Work may involve directing social workers, counselors, or probation officers.
Entry Level Salary
$44,610
Expert Level Salary
$100,450
Average Hourly Wage
$33.51
Entry Level Hourly Wage
$21.45
Mid Level Hourly Wage
$29.00
Expert Level Hourly Wage
$48.29
Typical Education Level
Bachelors Degree
Projected Job Openings
4,400
Assist other social and human service providers in providing client services in a wide variety of fields, such as psychology, rehabilitation, or social work, including support for families. May assist clients in identifying and obtaining available benefits and social and community services. May assist social workers with developing, organizing, and conducting programs to prevent and resolve problems relevant to substance abuse, human relationships, rehabilitation, or dependent care.
Entry Level Salary
$29,000
Expert Level Salary
$56,780
Average Hourly Wage
$18.97
Entry Level Hourly Wage
$13.94
Mid Level Hourly Wage
$17.00
Expert Level Hourly Wage
$27.30
Typical Education Level
Bachelors Degree
Projected Job Openings
10,670
Assist social scientists in laboratory, survey, and other social science research. May help prepare findings for publication and assist in laboratory analysis, quality control, or data management.
Entry Level Salary
$38,620
Expert Level Salary
$63,920
Average Hourly Wage
$26.06
Entry Level Hourly Wage
$18.57
Mid Level Hourly Wage
$24.00
Expert Level Hourly Wage
$30.73
Typical Education Level
Bachelors Degree
Counsel and advise individuals with alcohol, tobacco, drug, or other problems, such as gambling and eating disorders. May counsel individuals, families, or groups or engage in prevention programs.
Typical Education Level
Masters Degree
* Wage information is listed for Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors; sourced from the . * Career and wage information provided by Pipeline AZ using data, reports, and forecasts which are generated using government data 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 Pathway Planner tool in your 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 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.
|
A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 1 Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
or
| or | Prerequisites: Writing test score or (C or better in or or ) or (B or better in ) or ( & Corequisites: or or or ) or ( & Corequisites: or or or ). or Prerequisites: Writing test score or (C or better in or or ) or (B or better in ) or ( & Corequisites: or or or ) or ( & Corequisites: or or or ). | Critical course | FYC or FYC | 3 |
| | Prerequisites: An appropriate District placement, or a grade of C or better in (, , and ), or (, , and ), or , or , or or or . | Critical course OR Higher approved general education course in the Mathematical Applications [MA] area
Note: Students planning to transfer to ASU for the BS in Counseling and Applied Psychological Science should take Precalculus or equivalent or higher [MA] course for which is a prerequisite. | MA | 3–6 |
| | | Critical course Gateway course | SB | 3 |
| | | Critical course | SB | 3 |
or
| or | | | | 1–3 |
A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 2 Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
or or or
| or or or | No requisites or No requisites or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in , or , or equivalent. or No requisites | Recommend selecting a course that satisfies COM and SB or COM and L requirements simultaneously | SB or SB or L or SB | 0–3 |
or
| or | Prerequisites: Grade of C or better in . or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in . | | FYC or FYC | 3 |
| | Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in ( or ) and ( or or or or or an appropriate district placement or permission of Instructor). | OR Equivalent as indicated by assessment | L | 0–3 |
or
| or | | | C or C | 3 |
or ( and ) or
| or ( and ) or | Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in ( and eligibility for or higher as indicated by appropriate district mathematics placement) or permission of Instructor. or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in ( and eligibility for or higher as indicated by appropriate district mathematics placement) or permission of Instructor. and Corequisites: . or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in ( and eligibility for or higher as indicated by appropriate district mathematics placement) or permission of Instructor. | Critical course | CS or CS or CS | 3–4 |
Elective | Elective | | | | 0–3 |
A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 3 Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
| | | | HU | 3 |
or
| or | No requisites or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in . | | | 3 |
or ( and ) | or ( and ) | Prerequisites: or . Prerequisites or Corequisites: or permission of Instructor. or Prerequisites: or Prerequisites or Corequisites: or permission of Instructor. Corequisites: lab course. and Prerequisites: or . Prerequisites or Corequisites: or or permission of Instructor. Prerequisites or Corequisites: or or permission of Instructor. Corequisites: lecture course. | Critical course | L, SG or L, SG | 4 |
Elective | Elective | | | | 3 |
Elective | Elective | | | | 0–3 |
A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 4 Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
or or or
| or or or | No requisites or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in , or , or higher, or eligibility for . One year of high school or one-semester of college level chemistry is strongly recommended. or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in , or , or higher, or eligibility for . One year of high school or one semester of college-level biology and chemistry is strongly recommended. or No requisites | Any approved general education course in the Natural Sciences (Quantitative) [SQ] area Students transferring to ASU's BS Counseling and Applied Psychology (Substance Abuse and Addictions) should take or . Students transferring to ASU's BS Counseling and Applied Psychology (general) should select any BIO course that transfers to ASU as [SQ]-Science Quantitative. Check Find-a-Class on maricopa.edu or the Course Equivalency Guide on AZTransfer.com for [SQ] BIO options. | SQ or SQ or SQ or SQ | 4 |
| | Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in . | | L | 3 |
| | | | HU | 3 |
Elective | Elective | | | | 0–3 |
Elective | Elective | | | | 0–3 |
Elective | Elective | | | | 0–2 |
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.
|
A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 1 Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
or
| or | Prerequisites: Writing test score or (C or better in or or ) or (B or better in ) or ( & Corequisites: or or or ) or ( & Corequisites: or or or ). or Prerequisites: Writing test score or (C or better in or or ) or (B or better in ) or ( & Corequisites: or or or ) or ( & Corequisites: or or or ). | Critical course | FYC or FYC | 3 |
| | | Critical course Gateway course | SB | 3 |
or
| or | | | | 1–3 |
A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 2 Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
| | Prerequisites: An appropriate District placement, or a grade of C or better in (, , and ), or (, , and ), or , or , or or or . | Critical course OR Higher approved general education course in the Mathematical Applications [MA] area
Note: Students planning to transfer to ASU for the BS in Counseling and Applied Psychological Science should take Precalculus or equivalent or higher [MA] course for which is a prerequisite. | MA | 3–6 |
| | | Critical course | SB | 3 |
A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 3 Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
or
| or | Prerequisites: Grade of C or better in . or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in . | | FYC or FYC | 3 |
or
| or | | | C or C | 3 |
A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 4 Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
or or or
| or or or | No requisites or No requisites or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in , or , or equivalent. or No requisites | Recommend selecting a course that satisfies COM and SB or COM and L requirements simultaneously | SB or SB or L or SB | 0–3 |
| | Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in ( or ) and ( or or or or or an appropriate district placement or permission of Instructor). | OR Equivalent as indicated by assessment | L | 0–3 |
or ( and ) or
| or ( and ) or | Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in ( and eligibility for or higher as indicated by appropriate district mathematics placement) or permission of Instructor. or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in ( and eligibility for or higher as indicated by appropriate district mathematics placement) or permission of Instructor. and Corequisites: . or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in ( and eligibility for or higher as indicated by appropriate district mathematics placement) or permission of Instructor. | Critical course | CS or CS or CS | 3–4 |
A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 5 Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
or ( and ) | or ( and ) | Prerequisites: or . Prerequisites or Corequisites: or permission of Instructor. or Prerequisites: or Prerequisites or Corequisites: or permission of Instructor. Corequisites: lab course. and Prerequisites: or . Corequisites: lecture course. Prerequisites or Corequisites: or permission of Instructor. | Critical course | L, SG or L, SG | 4 |
or
| or | No requisites or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in . | | | 3 |
A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 6 Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
Elective | Elective | | | | 3 |
| | | | HU | 3 |
A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 7 Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
or or or
| or or or | No requisites or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in , or , or higher, or eligibility for . One year of high school or one-semester of college level chemistry is strongly recommended. or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in , or , or higher, or eligibility for . One year of high school or one semester of college-level biology and chemistry is strongly recommended. or No requisites | Any approved general education course in the Natural Sciences (Quantitative) [SQ] area Students transferring to ASU's BS Counseling and Applied Psychology (Substance Abuse and Addictions) should take or . Students transferring to ASU's BS Counseling and Applied Psychology (general) should select any BIO course that transfers to ASU as [SQ]-Science Quantitative. Check Find-a-Class on maricopa.edu or the Course Equivalency Guide on AZTransfer.com for [SQ] BIO options. | SQ or SQ or SQ or SQ | 4 |
| | Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in . | | L | 3 |
A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 8 Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
| | | | HU | 3 |
Elective | Elective | | | | 0–3 |
Elective | Elective | | | | 0–3 |
A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 9 Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
Elective | Elective | | | | 0–3 |
Elective | Elective | | | | 0–3 |
Elective | Elective | | | | 0–2 |
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 for additional details regarding the requirements of this award .
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.