Fall 2023 Cycle

A Bachelor of Applied Science in Information Technology, with a management focus, will be developed through a regional approach by EMCC and PC. This program is intended to provide students with information technology skills needed across a variety of industries. IT specialists are employed not just within computer-related industries, but across virtually all public and private sectors, such as retail businesses, industrial firms, major corporations, government offices, and educational institutions. 

There are numerous certificate and degree pathways that currently exist that could feed nicely into this program to build a pipeline for enrollment, and EMCC and PC have the infrastructure in place to begin offering this program.  Offering affordable bachelor’s degrees in this field provides an opportunity for our students to be managers and leaders in these high-demand jobs.  As Arizona expands and attracts more high-tech industries into our state, this program can help in the development of a skilled workforce.

A Bachelor of Applied Science in Data Analytics & Programming will be developed by MCC. This program will prepare students to apply programming and systems analysis principles to the selection, implementation, and troubleshooting of computer and software installations. Career opportunities for graduates exist in areas such as Computer Systems Analysts, Software Developers, and Mobile Application Developers.  A bachelor’s degree in this field will provide students with the opportunity to deepen their skills and knowledge through hands-on work-based experiences.

MCC and the east valley colleges (CG, RS, and SCC) are well-positioned through their existing collaboration in the Maricopa Information Technology Institute – East Valley (MITI-EV) to offer this program. 

Similar to Information Technology, this is a high growth, high-demand, high-wage occupational area with existing related degree and certificate pathways, along with qualified faculty in place to teach upper-division courses in this program area.  

A Bachelor in Arts in Elementary Education and Special Education (dual certification) will be developed through a regional approach by GCC, Rio, and PVCC. This program will prepare students to teach elementary education subject matter.  The dual certification with special education will also prepare students to teach individuals with special learning needs or disabilities, in a special education teacher capacity.  

Our existing associate’s degree pathway that has strong completions would help to create an enrollment pipeline into this bachelor’s degree program.

This is an occupational area where there was partner/community support during the legislative process, and these partners have continued to express interest in collaborating with Maricopa to design programs to address the workforce gap that exists.  MCCCD will work alongside these partners to create innovative programs to address the pipeline from high school, accelerate learning through flexible class formats and scheduling, and capitalize on existing structures to support the certification of new teachers for Arizona schools.  This will include working closely with our university transfer partners to find the best path for each student to become an Arizona educator.

A Bachelor in Arts in Early Childhood Education - Dual Language (dual certification) will be developed by MCC.  The focus of this program is preparing students to teach within public schools, and for management-level positions with private schools.  MCC is uniquely positioned to offer this program due to its existing partnerships, such as that with Mesa Public Schools, and the qualified faculty, existing facilities, and student support resources that are in place.  

This program would be unique by focusing on dual language to encourage and prepare a team of educators qualified to support emerging bilingualism -- a valuable skill in many workforce sectors.  Over the last 15 years, MCCCD has built a strong Early Childhood Education Program including community partnerships and collaborations with district and state higher education institutions. The current Early Childhood faculty serve as leaders across the district and state advocating for the discipline, and collaborating with and mutually supporting other higher education institutions. The program is currently seeking National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) accreditation.

A Bachelor of Applied Science in Public Safety Administration with specializations in Law Enforcement, Emergency Management (Fire/EMT), and Judicial Studies will be developed through a regional approach by PC and Rio. MCCCD has long offered certificates and degrees to support fire and law enforcement academies as well as the development of front-line supervisors. MCCCD is uniquely positioned to offer this program due to our existing partnerships with these agencies, such as AZPOST and the Phoenix Fire Department, to name a few. 

There is significant projected growth in the area of social and public service administration, and at the same time, these areas face recruitment challenges. The offering of a bachelor’s award tailored to meet the “field-specific” needs will expand the support of our partners and prepare future leaders in these agencies to address the unique and increasingly challenging work of fire and police services.

We will collaborate regionally as a system and with our partners to offer cohort and location-based opportunities that serve the unique needs of working professionals.

A Bachelor in Science in Behavioral Health Sciences will be developed by SMCC. The focus of this program is on providing mental health care professionals with the knowledge and skills to deliver specialized and comprehensive behavioral health and social services to individuals and families. Upon completion, students will be qualified to apply for licensure through the AZ Board of Behavioral Health Examiners. There is a growing demand for behavioral health services made even more critical as a result of the opiate crisis and COVID-19 pandemic. There is also a high level of student interest in this field.

MCCCD is in a unique position to support diverse populations in becoming mental health providers in their communities through our affordable tuition.  SMCC, working collaboratively with the other colleges, is well-positioned to offer this program due to its existing qualified faculty, facilities, and student support resources.

Our program will be taught by board-certified licensed practitioners and will focus on the much-needed applied skills (such as work-based learning opportunities) to prepare students for the rigors and stressors of working in this front-line health care field.

A Bachelor of Applied Science in Nuclear Medicine Technology and Computed Tomography will be developed by GWCC. Nuclear Medicine is a specialized area of radiology that plays a critical role in preparing and administering radioactive drugs to patients in order to detect abnormalities and help diagnose and treat a range of conditions and diseases. There is significant projected growth in this field and the field is professionalizing to require a bachelor’s level degree as a standard for accreditation and hiring. 

No universities within Arizona offer this unique workforce program that combines academic, clinical, and laboratory training and experiences to train students for the complexities of imaging, diagnostics, patient care, chemistry, physics, and math required to be a nuclear medicine professional. 

One of the strongest reasons to pursue this bachelor’s degree for further development is that the MCCCD associate’s degree in this area already requires a minimum of 109 credits for students to learn the necessary knowledge and skills required to sit for professional (board) certification. This is 11 credits shy of the total 120 credits required by the average bachelor’s degree. Our students should be earning a degree in alignment with the level of training and education required, and with the passage of SB1453 we now have the option make this opportunity accessible.