PHOENIX — Maricopa Community Colleges are now offering programs to earn bachelor’s degrees.
Starting this fall, students can enroll in classes and graduate from MCC with a bachelor’s degree through programs like:
- Behavioral Sciences
- Early Childhood Education
- Data Analytics and Programming
- Elementary Education and Special Education
- Information Technology
- Nuclear Medicine Technology and Computed Tomography
- Public Safety Administration
In 2024 and 2025, MCC will also offer the following programs:
- Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing
- Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
- Business Administration - Accounting
- Business Administration - Management
The newly accredited programs offer a more affordable and convenient way for many to earn a college degree.
MCC says a bachelor’s degree from MCC will save up to $10,000 each year in tuition compared to the cost of a university.
Community colleges across the state were given the authority by Governor Doug Ducey and the Arizona State Legislature to offer bachelor's degrees after a bill was signed into law in 2021.
Previously, community college students could only get two-year degrees at MCC or transfer credits to a university to continue to a bachelor’s degree.
Find out how to apply and get more information on the programs here.
In order for MCC to be able to offer four-year degrees, the law says they have to offer degrees that universities don’t already have.
So, their degrees are a little more focused. For example, in the early education sector, one program will have an emphasis on dual language while another will be a degree in both elementary education and special education.
“Most of our degrees are really targeted at filling a workforce demand that’s currently unmet by the universities,” said Bettina Celis, the acting vice chancellor and provost for the MCC district.
Since announcing the bachelor’s degree programs, Celis said they have about 1,800 students in the pipeline who are prepared to enroll into a bachelor’s degree. Celis said there are 804 students enrolled in the seven programs who have not been with the college district before.
“Which has far exceeded our enrollment targets for this. We’d originally projected about 700,” Celis said.
Celis says they continue to work with their partners at the university level, too.
“I think we’ve worked very collaboratively with them as we’ve launched these. Part of our process is reaching out to them and let them know. They’ve been very supportive of our development thus far,” Celis said.
The Arizona Board of Regents, which oversees all three state universities, issued the following statement:
Arizona’s public universities are proud to partner with the Arizona community colleges and view them as essential partners in providing quality public higher education to students in our state. Four-year degree options at Maricopa Community Colleges mean increased choice and access for students. That is a win for students and our state, which has set an important goal for 60 percent of the state’s population (ages 25-64) to have an educational credential past high school by 2030. Increased educational attainment leads to greater individual prosperity and a vibrant economy for the state and meeting that goal is something we are all must work together to achieve.
