A multi-level cell (MLC) memory array may be programmed using a programming circuit having a binary input register to store data to be input into the MLC array and a register to store a programming vector, where each element in the programming vector corresponds to a charge storage region of an MLC in the array. A controller may map pairs of bits from the input register to elements in the programming vector such that mapping a pair of bits to an element of the programming vector may set the vector element to a "program" value if the pair of bits corresponds to at least one specific program state associated with the programming vector.