Program Information
Learn more about the Journalism program.
General Help
Ask general questions at our support center.
Course Sequence
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Field of Interest
The Associate in Applied Science (AAS) in Public Relations combines coursework in the related fields of journalism, mass communication, and business. Provides students with general, practical, and marketable skills that will enable them to seek entry-level employment in public relations, such as media relations, community or consumer relations, marketing research, in-house publications, political campaigns, fundraising and volunteer recruitment.
Details
Important information you’ll need when applying for admission:
- Field of Interest
- Culture and Society
- Type
- Associate in Applied Science (AAS)
- Academic Plan
- Public Relations (DEG)
- Academic Plan Code
- 3674
- Total Credits Required
- 61-70
- Catalog Year
- 2024-2025
- Effective Term
- Fall 2022
- Notes
Students must earn a grade of C or better in all courses within the program.
What You’ll Learn
This pathway map will help you gain the expertise needed to:
- Explain the functions of various media platforms.
- Use word processing, spreadsheet, database, and presentation software.
- Identify media functions and the impact on audiences.
- Develop a public relations campaign that aligns with organizational goals.
- Produce strategic messages to successfully engage diverse audiences using a variety of platforms.
- Apply various journalism and public relations writing styles including Associated Press (AP) style.
- Demonstrate a command of language, appropriate word choices, and proper grammar to create or modify relevant content and messages.
- Analyze the interrelationships between Communication, Journalism and Business.
- Differentiate Public Relations from other marketing approaches.
- Create strategies and messages that align with an organization’s diversity, ethics and social responsibility standards.
- Apply crisis communication best practices.
- 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.
Editors
$59,379 Show expanded career information for Editors
Public Relations Managers
$104,694 Show expanded career information for Public Relations Managers
Reporters and Journalists
$46,037 Show expanded career information for Reporters and Journalists
Writers and Authors
$46,263 Show expanded career information for Writers and Authors
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.
- Consult with your faculty mentor or academic advisor to determine educational requirements, including possible university transfer options, for your chosen career field.
Full-time Sequence
Full-time status is 12 credits to 18 credits per semester.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JRN105 | Introduction to Journalism | Critical course Gateway course | 3 | ||
| MCO120 | Media and Society | SB | 3 | ||
| MKT101 | Introduction to Public Relations | 3 | |||
| ENG101 or ENG107 |
First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL | FYC or FYC | 3 | ||
| BPC110 or CIS103 or CIS105 |
Computer Usage and Applications or Introduction to Social Media or Survey of Computer Information Systems | CS or None or CS | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JRN201 | News Writing | L | 3 | ||
| MCO220 | Cultural Diversity and the Media | C, L | 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 | |
| MA | Mathematics | Any approved course in the Mathematics [MA] Area | MA | 3–6 | |
| COM100 | Introduction to Human Communication | SB | 3 |
Term 3
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JRN210 | News Production | L | 3 | ||
| JRN213 | Writing for Online | 3 | |||
| MKT110 | Marketing and Social Networking | 3 | |||
| RE | Restricted Electives | 3 |
Term 4
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JRN236++ | Public Relations Internship | 1–3 | |||
| MKT263 | Advertising Principles | 3 | |||
| RE | Restricted Electives | 3 | |||
| SB | Social-Behavioral Sciences | SB | 3 | ||
| SG or SQ |
Natural Sciences General or Natural Sciences Quantitative | SG or SQ | 4 |
Restricted Electives
Select 6 credits from the following courses to meet the Restricted Elective requirements.
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| COM222 | Argumentation | L | 3 | ||
| COM225 | Public Speaking | L | 3 | ||
| JRN205 | Copyediting | 3 | |||
| MKT111 | Applied Marketing and Social Networking | 3 |
Part-time Sequence
Part-time status is 11 credit hours or less.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JRN105 | Introduction to Journalism | Critical course Gateway course | 3 | ||
| MKT101 | Introduction to Public Relations | 3 | |||
| ENG101 or ENG107 |
First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL | FYC or FYC | 3 |
Term 2
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MCO120 | Media and Society | SB | 3 | ||
| BPC110 or CIS103 or CIS105 |
Computer Usage and Applications or Introduction to Social Media or Survey of Computer Information Systems | CS or None or CS | 3 | ||
| ENG102 or ENG108 |
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 3
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JRN201 | News Writing | L | 3 | ||
| MCO220 | Cultural Diversity and the Media | C, L | 3 | ||
| MKT263 | Advertising Principles | 3 | |||
| CRE101 | College Critical Reading and Critical Thinking | OR Equivalent as indicated by assessment | L | 0–3 |
Term 4
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MA | Mathematics | Any approved course in the Mathematics [MA] Area | MA | 3–6 | |
| COM100 | Introduction to Human Communication | SB | 3 | ||
| JRN210 | News Production | L | 3 |
Term 5
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JRN213 | Writing for Online | 3 | |||
| JRN236++ | Public Relations Internship | 1–3 | |||
| MKT110 | Marketing and Social Networking | 3 | |||
| RE | Restricted Electives | 3 |
Term 6
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SB | Social-Behavioral Sciences | SB | 3 | ||
| SG or SQ |
Natural Sciences General or Natural Sciences Quantitative | SG or SQ | 4 | ||
| RE | Restricted Electives | 3 |
Restricted Electives
Select 6 credits from the following courses to meet the Restricted Elective requirements.
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| COM222 | Argumentation | L | 3 | ||
| COM225 | Public Speaking | L | 3 | ||
| JRN205 | Copyediting | 3 | |||
| MKT111 | Applied Marketing and Social Networking | 3 |
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Program Information
Learn more about and find contact information for the Journalism 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
- 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/freeForm3?id=173367).
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 Applied Science (AAS) in Public Relations