Program Information
Learn more about the Fine Arts program.
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Course Sequence
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The Associate in Arts, Fine Arts (AAFA), Emphasis in Art degree provides the first two years of a four-year curriculum for students who wish to specialize in fine arts, including painting, ceramics, textiles, jewelry, sculpture, metals, photography, and drawing. This degree offers an emphasis in creative problem-solving that is required in most career fields. With an associate degree, students may pursue a career as a practicing artist. With a bachelor or graduate degree in fine arts, students may also pursue a career in museums, galleries, community-based art organizations, or art instruction.
Details
Important information you’ll need when applying for admission:
- Field of Interest
- Visual and Performing Arts
- Type
- Associate in Arts, Fine Arts (AAFA)
- Academic Plan
- Associate in Arts, Fine Arts, Emphasis in Art (DEG)
- Academic Plan Code
- 8311
- Total Credits Required
- 61-71
- 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 who wish to transfer to an art school should contact an art faculty member at their institution for more information.
Students at any Maricopa Community College may need to complete courses at more than one of our colleges to earn a degree with this emphasis.
What You’ll Learn
This pathway map will help you gain the expertise needed to:
- Demonstrate foundational skills in the use of art process and media to enable effective visual communication and personal expression.
- Apply critical thinking skills, the creative process, and aesthetic/perceptual literacy to solve visual, technical and conceptual problems in various media.
- Communicate and collaborate effectively while recognizing diverse opinions and cultural and individual differences.
- Interpret the social, cultural, historical, and contemporary contexts that influence the production and interpretation of art.
- Engage in ethical personal and professional artistic practices, with an awareness of copyright laws, intellectual and artistic freedom, civic responsibility, and standards of the field.
- Use the critique process to present and develop fine art portfolios for transfer, career development, or personal use.
- Apply relevant knowledge, skills, and habits of mind to seek career opportunities in the field.
Career Opportunities
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.
Craft Artists
$17,782 Show expanded career information for Craft Artists
Museum Technicians and Conservators
$46,695 Show expanded career information for Museum Technicians and Conservators
Painters, Sculptors, Illustrators, and Other Fine Artists
$20,731 Show expanded career information for Painters, Sculptors, Illustrators, and Other Fine Artists
Postsecondary Art, Drama, and Music Teachers
$72,944 Show expanded career information for Postsecondary Art, Drama, and Music Teachers
Self-Enrichment Education Teachers
$41,772 Show expanded career information for Self-Enrichment Education Teachers
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 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.
Awareness Areas |
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Note: Because you are viewing this pathway map on a mobile device, some columns below have been hidden. To view all columns, please rotate your device or view this page on a device with a larger screen.
Term 1
Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
ART111 | Drawing I | Critical course Gateway course | 3 | ||
ART112 | Two-Dimensional Design | Critical course | 3 | ||
MAT14+ | College Mathematics | OR Higher level course in the Mathematical Applications [MA] area | MA | 3–6 | |
ENG101 or ENG107 |
First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL | 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
Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
ART113 | Color | Critical course | 3 | ||
ART115 | Three-Dimensional Design | Critical course | 3 | ||
ARH101 or ARH102 |
Art from Prehistory Through Middle Ages or Art from Renaissance to Modernism | H, HU or H, HU | 3 | ||
ENG102 or ENG108 |
First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL | FYC or FYC | 3 | ||
CRE101 | College Critical Reading and Critical Thinking | OR Equivalent as indicated by assessment | L | 0–3 | |
L | Literacy & Critical Inquiry | L | 3 |
Term 3
Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
ART255AB or ART255 |
The Portfolio or Art Marketing | 1–3 | |||
HU | Humanities, Fine Arts & Design | HU course selection varies based on selected Transfer Plan | HU | 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 | 0–3 | ||
SB | Social & Behavioral Sciences | SB | 3 | ||
SQ | Natural Sciences Quantitative | SQ | 4 | ||
Transfer Option | Transfer Option | 3 | |||
Transfer Option | Transfer Option | 3 |
Term 4
Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
SB | Social & Behavioral Sciences | SB | 3 | ||
CS | Computer/Statistics/Quantitative Application | CS | 3 | ||
SG or SQ |
Natural Sciences General or Natural Sciences Quantitative | SG or SQ | 4 | ||
Transfer Option | Transfer Option | 3 | |||
Transfer Option | Transfer Option | 3 |
Part-time Sequence
Part-time status is 11 credit hours or less.
Awareness Areas |
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Note: Because you are viewing this pathway map on a mobile device, some columns below have been hidden. To view all columns, please rotate your device or view this page on a device with a larger screen.
Term 1
Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
ART111 or ART112 |
Drawing I or Two-Dimensional Design | Critical course Gateway course | 3 | ||
MAT14+ | College Mathematics | OR Higher level 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
Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
ENG101 or ENG107 |
First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL | FYC or FYC | 3 | ||
ART111 or ART112 |
Drawing I or Two-Dimensional Design | 3 |
Term 3
Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
ART113 or ART115 |
Color or Three-Dimensional Design | Critical course | 3 | ||
CRE101 | College Critical Reading and Critical Thinking | OR Equivalent as indicated by assessment | L | 0–3 | |
L | Literacy & Critical Inquiry | L | 3 |
Term 4
Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
ENG102 or ENG108 |
First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL | FYC or FYC | 3 | ||
ART113 or ART115 |
Color or Three-Dimensional Design | 3 |
Term 5
Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
ARH101 or ARH102 |
Art from Prehistory Through Middle Ages or Art from Renaissance to Modernism | H, HU or H, HU | 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 | 0–3 | ||
SB | Social & Behavioral Sciences | SB | 3 |
Term 6
Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
HU | Humanities, Fine Arts & Design | HU course selection varies based on selected Transfer Plan | HU | 3 | |
SB | Social & Behavioral Sciences | SB | 3 |
Term 7
Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
SQ | Natural Sciences Quantitative | SQ | 4 | ||
Transfer Option | Transfer Option | 3 |
Term 8
Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
ART255AB or ART255 |
The Portfolio or Art Marketing | 1–3 | |||
Transfer Option | Transfer Option | 3 | |||
CS | Computer/Statistics/Quantitative Application | CS | 3 |
Term 9
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 | 3 |
Term 10
Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Transfer Option | Transfer Option | 3 |
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Follow one of the options below to get started on your personal career pathway.
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Program Information
Learn more about and find contact information for the Fine Arts program.
General Help
Ask general questions over the phone at 480-461-7400 or via online chat.
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.
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, meet with an academic advisor to discuss the requirements at your college for the appropriate catalog year.
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=190015).
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.