Associate in Arts, Emphasis in Exercise Science

To begin, connect with an advisor who can guide you through program options and next steps, including the application process.

The Associate in Arts (AA), Emphasis in Exercise Science provides the first two years of a four-year curriculum for students who wish to specialize in Exercise Science, Kinesiology, Clinical Exercise Physiology, Sport Science, Healthy Lifestyles Coaching, or Fitness and Wellness. With a bachelor's degree, students may pursue a career as a fitness specialist or director, strength and conditioning specialist, healthy lifestyles coach, or an exercise physiologist. With a graduate degree, students may pursue careers in a number of fields, including but not limited to physical therapy, occupational therapy, athletic training, exercise physiology, medicine, and physician assistant. Certificates of Completion (CCLs) in Personal Trainer and Personal Trainer Advanced as well as an Associate in Applied Science (AAS) in Exercise Science: Health, Fitness, and Sports Performance are also available.

Details

Field of Interest

Health Sciences

Degree Type

Associate in Arts (AA)

Academic Plan

Associate in Arts, Emphasis in Exercise Science (DEG)

Academic Plan Code

8121

Total credits required

60-64

Catalog Year

2025-2026

Effective Term

Fall 2025

Notes

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

This emphasis is intended to align with the degree requirements for the following transfer partners:

ASU (College of Health Solutions), Health Sciences (Healthy Lifestyles and Fitness Science), BS

ASU (College of Health Solutions), Sports Science and Performance Programming, BS

ASU (College of Health Solutions), Clinical Exercise Science, BS

ASU (College of Health Solutions), Kinesiology, BS

NAU, Exercise Physiology, BS

NAU, Fitness and Wellness, BS

Refer to the MCCCD University Transfer Partner website for more information: ASU , NAU .

Students at any Maricopa Community College may need to complete courses at more than one of our colleges.

What You'll Learn

Examine human movement using a fundamental understanding of human anatomy and physiology and the relevant scientific concepts of biology, the physical sciences, and psychology.
Integrate knowledge of the human body and psychological concepts to promote health and well-being in self and others.
Locate and critically evaluate relevant scholarly literature.
Use relevant scholarly literature, quantitative and qualitative reasoning, and statistical analysis to inform decision making and solve problems.
Interpret foundational assessments of health and human movement.
Design basic movement programs.
Effectively communicate with diverse audiences and within varied contexts.
Collaborate with diverse individuals to achieve common goals.
Integrate social and ethical responsibility in decision making and actions.
Demonstrate dependability, adaptability, and persistence to set and achieve goals.

Career Statistics

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.

Athletic Trainers

$55,990

Community Health Workers

$44,250

Exercise Physiologists

$57,000

Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors

$47,070

Fitness and Wellness Coordinators

$59,580

Health Education Specialists

$51,400

Occupational Therapists

$90,520

Physical Therapists

$94,700

Physician Assistants

$121,490

Sports Medicine Physicians

$256,610

* Career and wage information provided by Pipeline AZ using data, reports, and forecasts which are generated using government data sources. 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 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.

Pathway Map Options

There are multiple options available for this pathway map. These options vary depending on the locations, partners, and available tracks of the award.

These pathway map options may share some common coursework. To explore what additional coursework may be required, select your desired option from the list below. Once selected, the list of courses and any associated details will be automatically updated in the course sequence below. The differences between individual pathway map options may only be a few courses.

Note: You will have to select one of the options below to view available course sequences.

Associate in Arts, Emphasis in Exercise Science
Kinesiology
Applied Exercise and Sport Sciences

Full-time
Part-time

Full-time Sequence

To view course sequences, select one of the pathway map options above.

A list of additional requirements for this pathway map
Arizona General Education Curriculum (AGEC)
Students pursuing an Associate for transfer to a university or a MCCCD bachelor's degree should note the following changes to the Arizona General Education Curriculum (AGEC) requirements, effective Catalog Years 2026-27 and beyond. Students are strongly encouraged to visit with an academic advisor to assess whether transitioning to the Reimagined AGEC requirements aligns with educational goals and to ensure completion of all graduation requirements. Effective Catalog Year 2026-27 and beyond, AGEC Requirements will include: Oral Communication [OCM] (3 Credits) Quantitative Reasoning [QNR] (3 Credits) Institutions in the Americas [IAM] (3 Credits) Effective Catalog Year 2026-27 and beyond, AGEC Requirements will no longer include: Literacy and Critical Inquiry [L] (3 Credits) Computers/Statistics/Quantitative Applications [CS] (3-5 Credits) Cultural, Global, and Historical Awareness Areas [C, G, H] (0-3 Credits) Subject Options -AGEC-S only (8 Credits) For a full outline of the Reimagined AGEC Requirements, please visit Maricopa’s AGEC Webpage.

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 1Term 1
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Notes	Area	Credits
ENG101 or ENG107	First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL	Prerequisites: Writing placement or (C/ better in ESL097 or WAC101) or (B/better in ALT100) or (C in ALT100 & Corequisites: ENG101LL or ENG107LL or WAC101 or ENG100A+) or (C/better in ESL202 & Corequisites: ENG101LL or ENG107LL or WAC101 or ENG100A+). or Prerequisites: Writing test score or (C/better in ESL097 or WAC101),or (B/better in ALT100) or (C in ALT100 & Corequisites: ENG101LL or ENG107LL or WAC101 or ENG100A+) or (C/better in ESL202 and Corequisites: ENG101LL or ENG107LL or WAC101 or ENG100A+).		FYC or FYC	3
FYE101 or FYE103	Introduction to College, Career and Personal Success or Exploration of College, Career and Personal Success				1–3
EXS101	Introduction to Exercise Science				3
MA	Mathematics		MAT187 or MAT188 recommended for Kinesiology students.	MA	3–9
HES100	Healthful Living			SB	3
ENG101 or ENG107	First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL	Prerequisites: Writing placement or (C/ better in ESL097 or WAC101) or (B/better in ALT100) or (C in ALT100 & Corequisites: ENG101LL or ENG107LL or WAC101 or ENG100A+) or (C/better in ESL202 & Corequisites: ENG101LL or ENG107LL or WAC101 or ENG100A+). or Prerequisites: Writing test score or (C/better in ESL097 or WAC101),or (B/better in ALT100) or (C in ALT100 & Corequisites: ENG101LL or ENG107LL or WAC101 or ENG100A+) or (C/better in ESL202 and Corequisites: ENG101LL or ENG107LL or WAC101 or ENG100A+).		FYC or FYC	3
FYE101 or FYE103	Introduction to College, Career and Personal Success or Exploration of College, Career and Personal Success				1–3
EXS101	Introduction to Exercise Science				3
MAT14+ or MAT15+`	College Mathematics or College Algebra/Functions	Prerequisites: An appropriate District placement, or a grade of C or better in (MAT052, MAT053, and MAT055), or (MAT055, MAT056, and MAT057), or MAT085, or MAT09+, or MAT103 or MAT114 or MAT115. or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in MAT095, or MAT096, or MAT114, or MAT115, or MAT12+, OR an appropriate district placement for MAT15+, OR permission of Department or Division Chair.	OR Higher approved general education course in the Mathematical Applications [MA] area Before enrolling into a math course, speak to your Academic Advisor to ensure you are selecting the correct math for your transfer goals as MAT14+ or MAT15+ are not applicable for all University program requirements.	MA or MA	5
HES100	Healthful Living			SB	3
EXS215	Resistance Training and Recovery Techniques	Prerequisites or Corequisites: EXS101 or permission of Instructor.			3

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 2Term 2
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Notes	Area	Credits
BIO181++	General Biology (Majors) I	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in RDG100, or RDG100LL, or higher, or eligibility for CRE101. One year of high school or one semester of college-level biology and chemistry is strongly recommended.		SQ	4
COM100 or COM110 or COM225 or COM230	Introduction to Human Communication or Interpersonal Communication or Public Speaking or Small Group Communication	No requisites or No requisites or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in ENG101, or ENG107, or equivalent. or No requisites		SB or SB or L or SB	3
CRE101	College Critical Reading and Critical Thinking	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in [(ENG101 or ENG107) and (RDG100, or RDG100LL, or RDG111, or RDG112, or RDG113)], or a grade of B or better in ALT100, or an appropriate district placement, or permission of Instructor.	or Equivalent as indicated by assessment	L	0–3
ENG102 or ENG108	First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL	Prerequisites: Grade of C or better in ENG101. or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in ENG107.		FYC or FYC	3
PSY101	Introduction to Psychology			SB	3
(CHM150 and CHM151LL) or CHM150AA or (CHM151 and CHM151LL) or CHM151AA	(General Chemistry I and General Chemistry I Laboratory) or General Chemistry I or (General Chemistry I and General Chemistry I Laboratory) or General Chemistry I with Lab	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in [(CHM130 and CHM130LL), or CHM130AA, or one year of high school chemistry taken within the last five years] and (a grade of C or better in MAT151 or higher level mathematics course, or satisfactory placement), or permission of the Instructor, or Department or Division Chair. and Prerequisites or Corequisites: CHM150 or CHM151. or Prerequisites: C or better in [(CHM130 & CHM130LL), or CHM130AA, or 1 yr of high school chemistry taken within the last 5 yrs] & C or better in MAT151 or higher or satisfactory score on placement exam or permission of the Instructor or Dept or Div Chair. or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in [(CHM130 and CHM130LL) or CHM130AA or one year of high school chemistry taken in the last five yrs] and (MAT151 or higher or satisfactory placement) or permission of the Instructor or Department or Division Chair. and Prerequisites or Corequisites: CHM150 or CHM151. or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in [(CHM130 and CHM130LL), or CHM130AA, or one year of high school chemistry taken within the last five years] and (a grade of C or better in MAT151 or higher level mathematics course, or satisfactory placement), or permission of the Instructor, or Department or Division Chair.		SQ in combo w/ CHM151LL and NSI in combo w/ CHM150 or CHM151; or SQ or SQ in combo w/ CHM151LL; Arizona Shared Unique Number SUN# CHM 1151 in combo w/ CHM151LL and NSI in combo w/ CHM150 or CHM151; or SQ	4–5
ENG102 or ENG108	First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL	Prerequisites: Grade of C or better in ENG101. or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in ENG107.		FYC or FYC	3
CRE101	College Critical Reading and Critical Thinking	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in [(ENG101 or ENG107) and (RDG100, or RDG100LL, or RDG111, or RDG112, or RDG113)], or a grade of B or better in ALT100, or an appropriate district placement, or permission of Instructor.	OR Equivalent as indicated by assessment	L	0–3
EXS125	Introduction to Exercise Physiology	Prerequisites or Corequisites: EXS101 or permission of Instructor.			3
PSY101	Introduction to Psychology			SB	3
EXS217	Cardiorespiratory and Flexibility Training	Prerequisites or Corequisites: EXS101 or permission of Instructor.			3

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 3Term 3
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Notes	Area	Credits
BIO182	General Biology (Majors) II	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in BIO181, or BIO181CM, or BIO181XT, or permission of Department or Division.		NSI, SG	4
BIO201	Human Anatomy and Physiology I	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in (BIO156++, or BIO181++, or one year of high school biology) and (RDG100, or RDG100LL, or higher, or eligibility for CRE101). CHM130 or higher or one year of high school chemistry suggested but not required.		NSI, SG	4
HU	Humanities, Fine Arts & Design			HU	3
(CHM152 and CHM152LL) or CHM152AA	(General Chemistry II and General Chemistry II Laboratory) or General Chemistry II with Lab	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in [(CHM150 or CHM151) and CHM151LL], or CHM150AA, or CHM151AA, or permission of the Instructor, or Department or Division Chair. and Prerequisites or Corequisites: CHM152. or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in [(CHM150 or CHM151) and CHM151LL], or CHM150AA, or CHM151AA, or permission of the Instructor, or Department or Division Chair.		NSI in combo w/ CHM152LL; and NSI in combo w/ CHM152; or SQ	4
EXS290	Introduction to Evidence-Based Practice	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in (EXS101, or FON100, or FON241, or HES100, or HES110, or PSY101) and (ENG101 or ENG107), or permission of Instructor.		L	3
BIO160 or BIO201	Introduction to Human Anatomy and Physiology or Human Anatomy and Physiology I	No requisites or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in (BIO156++, or BIO181++, or one year of high school biology) and (RDG100, or RDG100LL, or higher, or eligibility for CRE101). CHM130 or higher or one year of high school chemistry suggested but not required.	BIO160 or (BIO201 and BIO202); Recommend BIO201 and BIO202 for students intending to transfer to NAU for Fitness and Wellness or to ASU for Clinical Exercise Science or Sports Science and Performance Programming. Recommend BIO160 for students intending to transfer to ASU for Healthy Lifestyles and Fitness Science.	NSI, SQ or NSI, SG	4
(CHM130 and CHM130LL) or CHM130AA or (CHM150 and CHM151LL) or CHM150AA or (CHM151 and CHM151LL) or CHM151AA	(Fundamental Chemistry and Fundamental Chemistry Laboratory) or Fundamental Chemistry with Lab or (General Chemistry I and General Chemistry I Laboratory) or General Chemistry I or (General Chemistry I and General Chemistry I Laboratory) or General Chemistry I with Lab	Prerequisites: C/better in [(CHM100 or hgh schl algebra or MAT140/hghr or EdReady Quant&Stat 70/hghr or Coll Alg 80/hghr) and (RDG100 or RDG100LL or hghr or eligibility for CRE101 as indicated by appropriate reading placemnt)] or permission of the dept. and Prerequisites or Corequisites: CHM130. or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in [(CHM100, or high school algebra, or MAT140 or higher, or an EdReady-Quantitative Reasoning, Algebra and Statistics score of 70 or higher, or an EdReady-College Algebra score of 80 or higher) and (RDG100, or RDG100LL, or higher, or eligibility for CRE101 as indicated by appropriate reading placement)], or permission of the Instructor, or Department or Division Chair. or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in [(CHM130 and CHM130LL), or CHM130AA, or one year of high school chemistry taken within the last five years] and (a grade of C or better in MAT151 or higher level mathematics course, or satisfactory placement), or permission of the Instructor, or Department or Division Chair. and Prerequisites or Corequisites: CHM150 or CHM151. or Prerequisites: C or better in [(CHM130 & CHM130LL), or CHM130AA, or 1 yr of high school chemistry taken within the last 5 yrs] & C or better in MAT151 or higher or satisfactory score on placement exam or permission of the Instructor or Dept or Div Chair. or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in [(CHM130 and CHM130LL) or CHM130AA or one year of high school chemistry taken in the last five yrs] and (MAT151 or higher or satisfactory placement) or permission of the Instructor or Department or Division Chair. and Prerequisites or Corequisites: CHM150 or CHM151. or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in [(CHM130 and CHM130LL), or CHM130AA, or one year of high school chemistry taken within the last five years] and (a grade of C or better in MAT151 or higher level mathematics course, or satisfactory placement), or permission of the Instructor, or Department or Division Chair.		NSI in combo w/ CHM130LL; and NSI in combo w/ CHM130; or SQ or SQ in combo w/ CHM151LL and NSI in combo w/ CHM150 or CHM151; or SQ or SQ in combo w/ CHM151LL; Arizona Shared Unique Number SUN# CHM 1151 in combo w/ CHM151LL and NSI in combo w/ CHM150 or CHM151; or SQ	4–5
COM100 or COM110 or COM225 or COM230	Introduction to Human Communication or Interpersonal Communication or Public Speaking or Small Group Communication	No requisites or No requisites or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in ENG101, or ENG107, or equivalent. or No requisites		SB or SB or L or SB	3
EXS146 or EXS270AA	Introduction to Exercise Testing or Exercise Science Internship	Prerequisites or Corequisites: EXS101 or permission of Instructor. Prior completion of or concurrent enrollment in EXS125 is recommended. or Prerequisites: Completion of nine (9) credits of EXS courses with a grade of C or better, current CPR and AED card, and permission of Department/Division Chair and/or the Program Director.			1
HU	Humanities, Fine Arts & Design			HU	3
EXS290	Introduction to Evidence-Based Practice	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in (EXS101, or FON100, or FON241, or HES100, or HES110, or PSY101) and (ENG101 or ENG107), or permission of Instructor.		L	3

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 4Term 4
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Notes	Area	Credits
HES210	Cultural Aspects of Health and Illness			AHM, C, G	3
MAT206 or PSY230 or (PSY230 and PSY231) or PSY230WL	Elements of Statistics or Introduction to Statistics or (Introduction to Statistics and Laboratory for Statistics) or Introduction to Statistics with Lab	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in MAT14+, or MAT15+, or MAT187, or MAT188, or equivalent, or an appropriate District placement, or permission of Department/Division Chair. or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in (PSY101 and eligibility for MAT14+ or higher as indicated by appropriate district mathematics placement) or permission of Instructor. or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in (PSY101 and eligibility for MAT14+ or higher as indicated by appropriate district mathematics placement) or permission of Instructor. and Corequisites: PSY230. or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in (PSY101 and eligibility for MAT14+ or higher as indicated by appropriate district mathematics placement) or permission of Instructor.		CS or CS or CS or CS	3–4
BIO202	Human Anatomy and Physiology II	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in BIO201 or BIO201XT.		NSI, SG	4
HU	Humanities, Fine Arts & Design			HU	3
PHY111	General Physics I	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in MAT182 or MAT187 or MAT188 or MAT220 or MAT221 or eligibility for MAT220 as indicated by appropriate placement or 1 yr high school Trigonometry with a grade of C or better or permission of Department or Division.		SQ	4
BIO202	Human Anatomy and Physiology II	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in BIO201 or BIO201XT.	BIO160 or (BIO201 and BIO202); Recommend BIO201 and BIO202 for students intending to transfer to NAU for Fitness and Wellness or to ASU for Clinical Exercise Science or Sports Science and Performance Programming. Recommend BIO160 for students intending to transfer to ASU for Healthy Lifestyles and Fitness Science.	SG	0–4
FON241	Principles of Human Nutrition			NSI in combo w/ FON241LL;	3
MAT206 or PSY230 or (PSY230 and PSY231) or PSY230WL	Elements of Statistics or Introduction to Statistics or (Introduction to Statistics and Laboratory for Statistics) or Introduction to Statistics with Lab	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in MAT14+, or MAT15+, or MAT187, or MAT188, or equivalent, or an appropriate District placement, or permission of Department/Division Chair. or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in (PSY101 and eligibility for MAT14+ or higher as indicated by appropriate district mathematics placement) or permission of Instructor. or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in (PSY101 and eligibility for MAT14+ or higher as indicated by appropriate district mathematics placement) or permission of Instructor. and Corequisites: PSY230. or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in (PSY101 and eligibility for MAT14+ or higher as indicated by appropriate district mathematics placement) or permission of Instructor.		CS or CS or CS or CS	3–4
HES210	Cultural Aspects of Health and Illness			AHM, C, G	3
HU	Humanities, Fine Arts & Design			HU	3

Part-time Sequence

To view course sequences, select one of the pathway map options above.

A list of additional requirements for this pathway map
Arizona General Education Curriculum (AGEC)
Students pursuing an Associate for transfer to a university or a MCCCD bachelor's degree should note the following changes to the Arizona General Education Curriculum (AGEC) requirements, effective Catalog Years 2026-27 and beyond. Students are strongly encouraged to visit with an academic advisor to assess whether transitioning to the Reimagined AGEC requirements aligns with educational goals and to ensure completion of all graduation requirements. Effective Catalog Year 2026-27 and beyond, AGEC Requirements will include: Oral Communication [OCM] (3 Credits) Quantitative Reasoning [QNR] (3 Credits) Institutions in the Americas [IAM] (3 Credits) Effective Catalog Year 2026-27 and beyond, AGEC Requirements will no longer include: Literacy and Critical Inquiry [L] (3 Credits) Computers/Statistics/Quantitative Applications [CS] (3-5 Credits) Cultural, Global, and Historical Awareness Areas [C, G, H] (0-3 Credits) Subject Options -AGEC-S only (8 Credits) For a full outline of the Reimagined AGEC Requirements, please visit Maricopa’s AGEC Webpage.

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 1Term 1
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Area	Credits
ENG101 or ENG107	First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL	Prerequisites: Writing placement or (C/ better in ESL097 or WAC101) or (B/better in ALT100) or (C in ALT100 & Corequisites: ENG101LL or ENG107LL or WAC101 or ENG100A+) or (C/better in ESL202 & Corequisites: ENG101LL or ENG107LL or WAC101 or ENG100A+). or Prerequisites: Writing test score or (C/better in ESL097 or WAC101),or (B/better in ALT100) or (C in ALT100 & Corequisites: ENG101LL or ENG107LL or WAC101 or ENG100A+) or (C/better in ESL202 and Corequisites: ENG101LL or ENG107LL or WAC101 or ENG100A+).	FYC or FYC	3
EXS101	Introduction to Exercise Science			3
FYE101 or FYE103	Introduction to College, Career and Personal Success or Exploration of College, Career and Personal Success			1–3
ENG101 or ENG107	First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL	Prerequisites: Writing placement or (C/ better in ESL097 or WAC101) or (B/better in ALT100) or (C in ALT100 & Corequisites: ENG101LL or ENG107LL or WAC101 or ENG100A+) or (C/better in ESL202 & Corequisites: ENG101LL or ENG107LL or WAC101 or ENG100A+). or Prerequisites: Writing test score or (C/better in ESL097 or WAC101),or (B/better in ALT100) or (C in ALT100 & Corequisites: ENG101LL or ENG107LL or WAC101 or ENG100A+) or (C/better in ESL202 and Corequisites: ENG101LL or ENG107LL or WAC101 or ENG100A+).	FYC or FYC	3
EXS101	Introduction to Exercise Science			3
FYE101 or FYE103	Introduction to College, Career and Personal Success or Exploration of College, Career and Personal Success			1–3

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 2Term 2
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Notes	Area	Credits
MA	Mathematics		MAT187 or MAT188 recommended for Kinesiology students. Before enrolling into a math course, speak to your Academic Advisor to ensure you are selecting the correct math for your transfer goals as MAT14+ or MAT15+ are not applicable for all University program requirements.	MA	3–9
CRE101	College Critical Reading and Critical Thinking	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in [(ENG101 or ENG107) and (RDG100, or RDG100LL, or RDG111, or RDG112, or RDG113)], or a grade of B or better in ALT100, or an appropriate district placement, or permission of Instructor.	or Equivalent as indicated by assessment	L	0–3
ENG102 or ENG108	First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL	Prerequisites: Grade of C or better in ENG101. or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in ENG107.		FYC or FYC	3
ENG102 or ENG108	First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL	Prerequisites: Grade of C or better in ENG101. or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in ENG107.		FYC or FYC	3
EXS215	Resistance Training and Recovery Techniques	Prerequisites or Corequisites: EXS101 or permission of Instructor.			3
EXS217	Cardiorespiratory and Flexibility Training	Prerequisites or Corequisites: EXS101 or permission of Instructor.			3

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 3Term 3
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Notes	Area	Credits
BIO181++	General Biology (Majors) I	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in RDG100, or RDG100LL, or higher, or eligibility for CRE101. One year of high school or one semester of college-level biology and chemistry is strongly recommended.		SQ	4
COM100 or COM110 or COM225 or COM230	Introduction to Human Communication or Interpersonal Communication or Public Speaking or Small Group Communication	No requisites or No requisites or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in ENG101, or ENG107, or equivalent. or No requisites		SB or SB or L or SB	3
EXS290	Introduction to Evidence-Based Practice	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in (EXS101, or FON100, or FON241, or HES100, or HES110, or PSY101) and (ENG101 or ENG107), or permission of Instructor.		L	3
MAT14+ or MAT15+	College Mathematics or College Algebra/Functions	Prerequisites: An appropriate District placement, or a grade of C or better in (MAT052, MAT053, and MAT055), or (MAT055, MAT056, and MAT057), or MAT085, or MAT09+, or MAT103 or MAT114 or MAT115. or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in MAT095, or MAT096, or MAT114, or MAT115, or MAT12+, OR an appropriate district placement for MAT15+, OR permission of Department or Division Chair.	OR Higher approved general education course in the Mathematical Applications [MA] area Before enrolling into a math course, speak to your Academic Advisor to ensure you are selecting the correct math for your transfer goals as MAT14+ or MAT15+ are not applicable for all University program requirements.	MA or MA	3–6
HES100	Healthful Living			SB	3

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 4Term 4
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Notes	Area	Credits
BIO182	General Biology (Majors) II	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in BIO181, or BIO181CM, or BIO181XT, or permission of Department or Division.		NSI, SG	4
HES210	Cultural Aspects of Health and Illness			AHM, C, G	3
CRE101	College Critical Reading and Critical Thinking	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in [(ENG101 or ENG107) and (RDG100, or RDG100LL, or RDG111, or RDG112, or RDG113)], or a grade of B or better in ALT100, or an appropriate district placement, or permission of Instructor.	OR Equivalent as indicated by assessment	L	0–3
EXS125	Introduction to Exercise Physiology	Prerequisites or Corequisites: EXS101 or permission of Instructor.			3
PSY101	Introduction to Psychology			SB	3

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 5Term 5
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Area	Credits
PSY101	Introduction to Psychology		SB	3
BIO201	Human Anatomy and Physiology I	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in (BIO156++, or BIO181++, or one year of high school biology) and (RDG100, or RDG100LL, or higher, or eligibility for CRE101). CHM130 or higher or one year of high school chemistry suggested but not required.	NSI, SG	4
HU	Humanities, Fine Arts & Design		HU	3
(CHM130 and CHM130LL) or CHM130AA or (CHM150 and CHM151LL) or CHM150AA or (CHM151 and CHM151LL) or CHM151AA	(Fundamental Chemistry and Fundamental Chemistry Laboratory) or Fundamental Chemistry with Lab or (General Chemistry I and General Chemistry I Laboratory) or General Chemistry I or (General Chemistry I and General Chemistry I Laboratory) or General Chemistry I with Lab	Prerequisites: C/better in [(CHM100 or hgh schl algebra or MAT140/hghr or EdReady Quant&Stat 70/hghr or Coll Alg 80/hghr) and (RDG100 or RDG100LL or hghr or eligibility for CRE101 as indicated by appropriate reading placemnt)] or permission of the dept. and Prerequisites or Corequisites: CHM130. or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in [(CHM100, or high school algebra, or MAT140 or higher, or an EdReady-Quantitative Reasoning, Algebra and Statistics score of 70 or higher, or an EdReady-College Algebra score of 80 or higher) and (RDG100, or RDG100LL, or higher, or eligibility for CRE101 as indicated by appropriate reading placement)], or permission of the Instructor, or Department or Division Chair. or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in [(CHM130 and CHM130LL), or CHM130AA, or one year of high school chemistry taken within the last five years] and (a grade of C or better in MAT151 or higher level mathematics course, or satisfactory placement), or permission of the Instructor, or Department or Division Chair. and Prerequisites or Corequisites: CHM150 or CHM151. or Prerequisites: C or better in [(CHM130 & CHM130LL), or CHM130AA, or 1 yr of high school chemistry taken within the last 5 yrs] & C or better in MAT151 or higher or satisfactory score on placement exam or permission of the Instructor or Dept or Div Chair. or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in [(CHM130 and CHM130LL) or CHM130AA or one year of high school chemistry taken in the last five yrs] and (MAT151 or higher or satisfactory placement) or permission of the Instructor or Department or Division Chair. and Prerequisites or Corequisites: CHM150 or CHM151. or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in [(CHM130 and CHM130LL), or CHM130AA, or one year of high school chemistry taken within the last five years] and (a grade of C or better in MAT151 or higher level mathematics course, or satisfactory placement), or permission of the Instructor, or Department or Division Chair.	NSI in combo w/ CHM130LL; and NSI in combo w/ CHM130; or SQ or SQ in combo w/ CHM151LL and NSI in combo w/ CHM150 or CHM151; or SQ or SQ in combo w/ CHM151LL; Arizona Shared Unique Number SUN# CHM 1151 in combo w/ CHM151LL and NSI in combo w/ CHM150 or CHM151; or SQ	4–5
EXS146 or EXS270AA	Introduction to Exercise Testing or Exercise Science Internship	Prerequisites or Corequisites: EXS101 or permission of Instructor. Prior completion of or concurrent enrollment in EXS125 is recommended. or Prerequisites: Completion of nine (9) credits of EXS courses with a grade of C or better, current CPR and AED card, and permission of Department/Division Chair and/or the Program Director.		1
EXS290	Introduction to Evidence-Based Practice	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in (EXS101, or FON100, or FON241, or HES100, or HES110, or PSY101) and (ENG101 or ENG107), or permission of Instructor.	L	3

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 6Term 6
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Area	Credits
(CHM150 and CHM151LL) or CHM150AA or (CHM151 and CHM151LL) or CHM151AA	(General Chemistry I and General Chemistry I Laboratory) or General Chemistry I or (General Chemistry I and General Chemistry I Laboratory) or General Chemistry I with Lab	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in [(CHM130 and CHM130LL), or CHM130AA, or one year of high school chemistry taken within the last five years] and (a grade of C or better in MAT151 or higher level mathematics course, or satisfactory placement), or permission of the Instructor, or Department or Division Chair. and Prerequisites or Corequisites: CHM150 or CHM151. or Prerequisites: C or better in [(CHM130 & CHM130LL), or CHM130AA, or 1 yr of high school chemistry taken within the last 5 yrs] & C or better in MAT151 or higher or satisfactory score on placement exam or permission of the Instructor or Dept or Div Chair. or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in [(CHM130 and CHM130LL) or CHM130AA or one year of high school chemistry taken in the last five yrs] and (MAT151 or higher or satisfactory placement) or permission of the Instructor or Department or Division Chair. and Prerequisites or Corequisites: CHM150 or CHM151. or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in [(CHM130 and CHM130LL), or CHM130AA, or one year of high school chemistry taken within the last five years] and (a grade of C or better in MAT151 or higher level mathematics course, or satisfactory placement), or permission of the Instructor, or Department or Division Chair.	SQ in combo w/ CHM151LL and NSI in combo w/ CHM150 or CHM151; or SQ or SQ in combo w/ CHM151LL; Arizona Shared Unique Number SUN# CHM 1151 in combo w/ CHM151LL and NSI in combo w/ CHM150 or CHM151; or SQ	4–5
HES100	Healthful Living		SB	3
MAT206 or PSY230 or (PSY230 and PSY231) or PSY230WL	Elements of Statistics or Introduction to Statistics or (Introduction to Statistics and Laboratory for Statistics) or Introduction to Statistics with Lab	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in MAT14+, or MAT15+, or MAT187, or MAT188, or equivalent, or an appropriate District placement, or permission of Department/Division Chair. or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in (PSY101 and eligibility for MAT14+ or higher as indicated by appropriate district mathematics placement) or permission of Instructor. or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in (PSY101 and eligibility for MAT14+ or higher as indicated by appropriate district mathematics placement) or permission of Instructor. and Corequisites: PSY230. or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in (PSY101 and eligibility for MAT14+ or higher as indicated by appropriate district mathematics placement) or permission of Instructor.	CS or CS or CS or CS	3–4
HES210	Cultural Aspects of Health and Illness		AHM, C, G	3
FON241	Principles of Human Nutrition		NSI in combo w/ FON241LL;	3

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 7Term 7
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Notes	Area	Credits
MAT206 or PSY230 or (PSY230 and PSY231) or PSY230WL	Elements of Statistics or Introduction to Statistics or (Introduction to Statistics and Laboratory for Statistics) or Introduction to Statistics with Lab	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in MAT14+, or MAT15+, or MAT187, or MAT188, or equivalent, or an appropriate District placement, or permission of Department/Division Chair. or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in (PSY101 and eligibility for MAT14+ or higher as indicated by appropriate district mathematics placement) or permission of Instructor. or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in (PSY101 and eligibility for MAT14+ or higher as indicated by appropriate district mathematics placement) or permission of Instructor. and Corequisites: PSY230. or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in (PSY101 and eligibility for MAT14+ or higher as indicated by appropriate district mathematics placement) or permission of Instructor.		CS or CS or CS or CS	3–4
(CHM152 and CHM152LL) or CHM152AA	(General Chemistry II and General Chemistry II Laboratory) or General Chemistry II with Lab	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in [(CHM150 or CHM151) and CHM151LL], or CHM150AA, or CHM151AA, or permission of the Instructor, or Department or Division Chair. and Prerequisites or Corequisites: CHM152. or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in [(CHM150 or CHM151) and CHM151LL], or CHM150AA, or CHM151AA, or permission of the Instructor, or Department or Division Chair.		NSI in combo w/ CHM152LL; and NSI in combo w/ CHM152; or SQ	4
HU	Humanities, Fine Arts & Design			HU	3
BIO160 or BIO201	Introduction to Human Anatomy and Physiology or Human Anatomy and Physiology I	No requisites or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in (BIO156++, or BIO181++, or one year of high school biology) and (RDG100, or RDG100LL, or higher, or eligibility for CRE101). CHM130 or higher or one year of high school chemistry suggested but not required.	BIO160 or (BIO201 and BIO202); Recommend BIO201 and BIO202 for students intending to transfer to NAU for Fitness and Wellness or to ASU for Clinical Exercise Science or Sports Science and Performance Programming. Recommend BIO160 for students intending to transfer to ASU for Healthy Lifestyles and Fitness Science.	NSI, SQ or NSI, SG	4
COM100 or COM110 or COM225 or COM230	Introduction to Human Communication or Interpersonal Communication or Public Speaking or Small Group Communication	No requisites or No requisites or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in ENG101, or ENG107, or equivalent. or No requisites		SB or SB or L or SB	3
HU	Humanities, Fine Arts & Design			HU	3

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 8Term 8
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Notes	Area	Credits
BIO202	Human Anatomy and Physiology II	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in BIO201 or BIO201XT.		NSI, SG	4
PHY111	General Physics I	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in MAT182 or MAT187 or MAT188 or MAT220 or MAT221 or eligibility for MAT220 as indicated by appropriate placement or 1 yr high school Trigonometry with a grade of C or better or permission of Department or Division.		SQ	4
BIO202	Human Anatomy and Physiology II	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in BIO201 or BIO201XT.	BIO160 or (BIO201 and BIO202); Recommend BIO201 and BIO202 for students intending to transfer to NAU for Fitness and Wellness or to ASU for Clinical Exercise Science or Sports Science and Performance Programming. Recommend BIO160 for students intending to transfer to ASU for Healthy Lifestyles and Fitness Science.	SG	0–4
HU	Humanities, Fine Arts & Design			HU	3

General Electives

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.

Course Area Key

AHM = Arts and Humanities
C = Cultural Diversity in the US
CS = Computer/Statistics/Quantitative Application
FYC = First-Year Composition
G = Global Awareness
HU = Humanities, Fine Arts & Design
L = Literacy & Critical Inquiry
MA = Mathematics
NSI = Natural Sciences
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 official curriculum documentation for additional details regarding the requirements of this award at https://aztransmac2.asu.edu/cgi-bin/WebObjects/MCCCD.woa/wa/freeForm10?id=16455986.

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.

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 Arts (AA) in Associate in Arts, Emphasis in Exercise Science

Health and Safety Requirments

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Associate in Arts, Emphasis in Exercise Science

Details

Pathway Map Options

Full-time Sequence

Term 1Term 1

Term 2Term 2

Term 3Term 3

Term 4Term 4

Part-time Sequence

Term 1Term 1

Term 2Term 2

Term 3Term 3

Term 4Term 4

Term 5Term 5

Term 6Term 6

Term 7Term 7

Term 8Term 8

General Electives