FAQs

Why the Maricopa Community Colleges and Northern Arizona University?
Whether just out of high school, beginning or re-entering college or seeking lifelong quality education, you'll be assured of a solid start to your degree when you attend a Maricopa Community College.

If you want to complete an associate’s degree, learn a new skill, or advance your career, the Maricopa Community Colleges are the place for you. If the bachelor’s degree is your goal then the Maricopa Community Colleges/Northern Arizona University Connection provides you with a way to meet this goal. Both institutions offer excellent instruction and outstanding support services.

Northern Arizona University has been delivering distance education programs to Maricopa County for more than 25 years. There are more than 700 NAU students taking undergraduate classes throughout the Maricopa Community College District’s 10 sites.

Why should I get my bachelor’s degree?
In addition to the knowledge you’ll gain, a bachelor’s is a more marketable degree and it will empower you with a wider range of career options. It’s also a good investment in your future. While an associate’s degree will earn you on average $8,000 a year more than if you only had a high school diploma, bachelor’s degree holders earn on average $23,000 more than their high-school educated peers.
(Source: 2003 Census Bureau statistics.)

Why should I enroll in a Connection degree program?
Location, location, location! Through the partnership, your upper-division Northern Arizona University (NAU) courses are taught by NAU faculty on Maricopa Community College campuses. In addition, NAU’s tuition is among the most-affordable of all the four-year colleges and universities in Arizona. Together, Maricopa Community Colleges and NAU offer an economical way to earn your bachelor’s degree—in your home community.

What types of bachelor’s degrees are available through the Connection partnership?
The partnership currently offers more than 50 academic programs at 10 Maricopa Community College campuses and online. For a complete list of degree programs and certificates, visit this Northern Arizona University Distance Learning web site at http://www.distance.nau.edu/programs/

Why should I finish my associate’s degree before starting my bachelor’s degree?

Is getting an associate’s degree worth the investment? The answer is definitely, yes!  Employees with an associate’s degree can expect to earn approximately 33% more over their lifetime than a high school graduate (Source: U.S. Census Bureau Current Population Surveys). Additional advantages to earning an associate’s degree:

  • Maricopa’s associate’s degree programs are both nationally and internationally accepted
  • Guarantees admission into NAU
  • Helps assure a seamless transition by maximizing your community college coursework
  • Provides a transfer plan to NAU - whether in specialized studies, general studies or both
  • Helps to qualify you for a job - or promotion in your current employment
  • Maximizes the advantage of the community college environment (through affordable tuition, use of technology, learner-centered approach, course flexibility, academic support services, etc.)
  • Helps to qualify for a scholarship at NAU

Can I earn a complete degree without visiting the NAU Flagstaff Campus?

Yes. Distance Learning students are able to complete their entire degree without taking classes at the Flagstaff Campus. For a complete listing of degrees available online or at our many campuses throughout the state of Arizona see www.distance.nau.edu/programs/degreesearch.aspx.



disclaimer • updated 2007 Aug 16 • contact us