Associate in Arts, Elementary Education

The Associate in Arts, Elementary Education (AAEE) provides the first two years of a four year curriculum for the student who plans to transfer to an Elementary Education or Special Education program at an Arizona public higher education institution. Upon completion of the AAEE, a student may pursue employment as a classroom instructional aide. Upon completion of a bachelor`s degree, a student may pursue a career as an elementary school teacher or as a special education teacher. With further education or certification, students may pursue employment in the field of education in a number of careers including but not limited to assistant principal, principal, educational administrator, instructional designer, instructional technologist, instructional coordinator, and educational counselor.

Details

Field of Interest
Education
Degree Type
Associate in Arts, Elementary Education (AAEE)
Academic Plan
Associate in Arts, Elementary Education (DEG)
Academic Plan Code
8101
Total credits required
60-64
Effective Term
Fall 2024
Notes

Students must earn a grade of C or better in all courses within the program.

As a prerequisite to MAT256, students may place into MAT150 or MAT151 or MAT152 and complete MAT140 or MAT141 or MAT142 with a C in lieu of taking both MAT14+ and MAT12+ or taking MAT15+. A student that tests into MAT15+ can take MAT15+ or MAT14+ prior to MAT256. A student that tests into MAT14+ or lower must take MAT12+ and MAT14+ prior to MAT256.

Students must petition NAU to accept (GCU/POS113) OR (HIS103 and POS221) for POS220.

State certification requirements include courses on the constitutions of US and Arizona. Taking GCU/POS113 for [SB] fulfills this requirement completely. Students who instead take HIS103 or POS110 for [SB] should consider taking POS221 as a Content Area Elective so they have completed study of both constitutions. POS220 meets state certification requirements for both constitutions but does not meet [SB].

What You'll Learn
  • Evaluate the role and impact of various forms of education in a democracy as an active citizen and participate in their communities in constructive ways that demonstrate respect for differing cultures and values. (EDU110, EDU221, EDU220, EDU222, EDU230, EDU236, EDU/ENH291, EDU/HUM/STO292, GCU/POS113)
  • Demonstrate a foundational knowledge of reading, writing, oral language, mathematics, science, social studies, technology, information literacy and art. (BPC110, CIS105, CFS/ECH176, CFS205, COM225, CRE101, ECN211, ECN212, EDU220, EDU221, EDU222, EDU230, EDU236, EDU/ENH291, EDU/HUM/STO292, GCU121, GCU122, HIS104, MAT256, MAT257, PSY101, [FYC], [HU], [MA], [SG], [SQ])
  • Analyze K-12 classroom field experience and correlate it with course concepts. (EDU220, EDU221, EDU222, EDU236)
  • Demonstrate ongoing learning and use evidence to continually evaluate his/her professional growth, ethics, knowledge, skills, and dispositions (e.g. collaboration, professionalism, reflection, time management, effective communication). (CRE101, EDU110, EDU220, EDU221, EDU222, EDU230, EDU236, [FYC])
  • Utilize a foundational knowledge of child development (e.g. physical, cognitive, linguistic, social, and emotional domains), teaching and learning theories, cultural differences, and/or inclusive educational practices for diverse learners. (CFS/ECH176, CFS205, EDU220, EDU221, EDU222, EDU230, EDU236, EDU/ENH291, EDU/HUM/STO292, MAT256, MAT257, PSY101)
  • Synthesize knowledge of current and historical influences on education at the local, state, federal and/or global levels to effectively engage in the professional policies and the political process. (EDU110, EDU220, EDU221, EDU222, EDU230, EDU236, GCU/POS113)
  • Apply relevant knowledge, skills, and habits of mind to seek career opportunities in the field. (FYE101, FYE103)
Required courses
Course #Course TitleCredits
Credits:14-20
EDU221Introduction to Education3
EDU222Introduction to the Exceptional Learner3
EDU230Cultural Diversity in Education3
FYE101Introduction to College, Career and Personal Success (1) OR
FYE103Exploration of College, Career and Personal Success (3)1-3
MAT256Investigating Quantity: Number, Operations, and Numeration Systems4
MAT257Investigating Geometry, Probability, and Statistics0-4
Note: MAT257 is required for Maricopa, NAU and UA bachelor`s degree. MAT257 should only be bypassed if transferring to ASU

Course Sequence by Term

Restricted Electives
Course #Course TitleCredits
Credits:8
A total of eight (8) semester credits are required to satisfy the Electives for Arizona Professional Teacher Standards: three (3) credits in an additional Education course and five (5) credits in Content Area Electives.
Courses must transfer to all public Arizona universities as Elective Credit, Departmental Elective, or Equivalent to a university course as indicated in the Arizona Course Equivalency Guide in effect when the course is taken. Courses identified as Non-transferable in the Arizona Course Equivalency Guide cannot be used to satisfy this requirement.
Select one (1) additional EDU course (other than EDU221, EDU222, EDU230 or EDU250):
Recommended:
EDU110Education in Film (3) OR
EDU220Introduction to Serving English Language Learners (ELL) (3) OR
EDU236Classroom Relationships (3) OR
EDU/HUM/STO292The Art of Storytelling (3)3
Choose any combination from the following list of courses and prefixes to total five (5) credits of additional coursework. Course(s) selected must be different from those used to fulfill a requirement of the AGEC-A and/or those used to fulfill Required Courses.
Content Area Electives: Select five (5) credits from the following:
ARH+++ Any ARH Art Humanities course(s)3
ART+++ Any ART Art course(s)3
BPC+++ Any BPC Business-Personal Computers course(s)3
CFS/ECH176Child Development3
CFS205Human Development3
CIS+++ Any CIS Computer Information Systems course(s)3
ECN+++ Any ECN Economics course(s)3
EDU+++ Any EDU Education course(s) 3 (except EDU221, EDU222, EDU230, and EDU250)
EED215Early Learning: Health, Safety, Nutrition and Physical Fitness (3) OR
CFS123Health and Nutrition in Early Childhood Settings (1) AND
CFS125Safety in Early Childhood Settings (1)2-3
ENG+++ Any ENG English course(s)3
ENH+++ Any ENH English Humanities course(s)3
GCU+++ Any GCU Cultural Geography course(s)3
GPH+++ Any GPH Physical Geography course(s)3
HIS+++ Any HIS History course(s)3
MAT+++ Any MAT Mathematics course(s) higher than MAT142 (except MAT256 and MAT257)3-5
MHL+++ Any MHL Music: History/Literature course(s)3
MTC+++ Any MTC Music: Theory/Composition course(s)3
POS+++ Any POS Political Science course(s)3
THE+++ Any THE Theatre course(s)3
THF+++ Any THF Theatre and Film course(s)3
THP+++ Any THP Theatre Performance/Production course(s)3
Any Foreign Language course4-5
Any Natural Science course3-4
Arizona General Education Curriculum (AGEC)
AGEC-ACredits: 35-44
A single course with an [L], [HU], [SB], [SG], or [SQ] designation may also be used to satisfy the Oral Communication, Critical Reading, and/or Awareness Area ([C], [G] and/or [H]) requirement(s). See the AGEC matrix on aztransfer.com for course designations.
 
First-Year Composition [FYC]Credits: 6
ENG101First-Year Composition (3) OR
ENG107First-Year Composition for ESL (3) AND
ENG102First-Year Composition (3) OR
ENG108First-Year Composition for ESL (3)6
 
Literacy and Critical Inquiry [L]Credits: 3
COM225Public Speaking3
 
Mathematics [MA]Credits: 3-6
MAT140College Mathematics (5) OR
MAT141College Mathematics (4) OR
MAT142College Mathematics (3) OR
MAT145College Mathematics with Review (5) OR
MAT146College Mathematics with Review (6) OR
MAT150College Algebra/Functions (5) OR
MAT151College Algebra/Functions (4) OR
MAT152College Algebra/Functions (3) OR
MAT155College Algebra/Functions with Review (5) OR
MAT156College Algebra/Functions with Review (6)
OR
MAT187Precalculus (5) OR
Higher approved general education course in the Mathematical Applications [MA] area for which MAT15+ is a prerequisite (3-5)3-6
Note: MAT182, MAT206, MAT256, MAT257 do NOT meet this requirement.
 
Computer/Statistics/Quantitative Applications [CS]Credits: 3
BPC110Computer Usage and Applications (3) OR
CIS105Survey of Computer Information Systems (3) OR
EDU/EED115Digital Literacy for Teaching and Learning in Education (3)3
EDU/EED115recommended.
 
Humanities, Arts and Design [HU]Credits: 6
EDU/ENH291Children`s Literature (3) OR
ENH110Introduction to Literature (3) OR
ENH241American Literature Before 1860 (3) OR
ENH242American Literature After 1860 (3) OR
HUM250Ideas and Values in the Humanities: Early Civilizations to the Renaissance (3) OR
HUM251Ideas and Values in the Humanities: Renaissance to the Contemporary World (3)3
AND
ARH100Introduction to Art (3) OR
ARH101Art from Prehistory Through Middle Ages (3) OR
ARH102Art from Renaissance to Modernism (3) OR
DAH100Introduction to Dance (3) OR
DAH201Dance, Culture, and Global Contexts (3) OR
DAH250Dance in Popular Culture (3) OR
MHL140Survey of Music History (3) OR
MHL145American Jazz and Popular Music (3) OR
MHL146Survey of Broadway Musicals (3) OR
MHL153Rock Music and Culture (3) OR
THE111Introduction to Theatre (3) OR
THE220Modern Drama (3)3
(EDU/ENH291recommended)
 
Social-Behavioral Sciences [SB]Credits: 6
Select one of the following US History/Government courses. These courses satisfy the United States Constitution requirement for state teacher certification.
GCU/POS113United States and Arizona Social Studies (3) OR
HIS103United States History to 1865 (3) OR
POS110American National Government (3)3
AND
CFS205Human Development (3) OR
CFS/ECH176Child Development (3) OR
ECN211Macroeconomic Principles (3) OR
ECN212Microeconomic Principles (3) OR
GCU121World Geography I: Eastern Hemisphere (3) OR
GCU122World Geography II: Western Hemisphere (3) OR
HIS104United States History 1865 to Present (3) OR
PSY101Introduction to Psychology (3)3
(CFS/ECH176recommended)
 
Natural Sciences [SG]/[SQ]Credits: 8
The lecture course(s) selected for Natural Sciences must include or be accompanied by the corresponding laboratory course for a total of four (4) credits each. At least four (4) credits must be designated as [SQ]. Eight (8) credits of [SG] will not satisfy this requirement.
Life Sciences: Select four (4) credits of [SQ] or [SG] in Biology (BIO) (4)
AND
Physical Sciences or Earth/Space Sciences: Select four (4) credits of [SQ] or [SG] from one of the following prefixes:
AGS+++ Any AGS Agricultural Science course(s) (4)
ASM+++ Any ASM Anthropology course(s) (4)
AST+++ Any AST Astronomy course(s) (4)
CHM+++ Any CHM Chemistry course(s) (4)
GPH+++ Any GPH Physical Geography course(s) (4)
GLG+++ Any GLG Geology course(s) (4)
PHS+++ Any PHS Physical Science course(s) (4)
PHY+++ Any PHY Physics course(s) (4)8
Note: Students are advised to check with the university they plan to attend as specific requirements for lab sciences may vary.
 
Awareness AreasCredits: 0-3
These requirements may be shared with other AGEC requirements. See the AGEC matrix on aztransfer.com for course designations.
 
Cultural Diversity in the US [C]Credits: 0
 
 
Historical/Global Awareness [H]/[G]Credits: 0-3
Any approved general education course with the Historical [H] or Global [G] awareness area designation.
 
MCCCD Additional Requirements
MCCCD Additional RequirementsCredits: 0-3
Some courses in this area have [SB] and [L] designations and may also be applied to the corresponding AGEC requirements. See the AGEC matrix on aztransfer.com for course designations.
 
Oral CommunicationCredits: 0
Met by COM225 in the Literacy and Critical Inquiry [L] area.
 
Critical ReadingCredits: 0-3
CRE101College Critical Reading and Critical Thinking (3) OR
Equivalent as indicated by assessment (0)0-3
Course Area Key
General Electives
Course #Course TitleCredits
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.

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.