General Education Requirements for the AA Program

English/Reading Developmental Education Courses (0-8 Hours)

Math Developmental Education Courses (0-6 Hours)

AREA I.

Communications and Information Literacy: 9 Semester Credit Hours

The following (3) courses are required for all students:

AREA II.

Mathematics: 6 Semester Credit Hours

SB 366 modified section 1007.23, Florida Statues, to establish three mathematics pathways for students by aligning mathematics courses to programs, meta-majors and careers. The three pathways are: Algebra through Calculus, Statistical Reasoning and Mathematical Thinking in Context. A brief description of each pathway follows:

Algebra through Calculus: This pathway is intended to students whose academic program requires a foundation of algebra followed by a sequence of courses that may lead to calculus.

Statistical Reasoning: This pathway will allow students to gain a statistical knowledge foundation in areas such as descriptive statistics, probability and inferential statistics that will allow them to use and interpret data.

Mathematical Thinking in Context: This pathway is intended for students in the broadest range of programs of study. In this pathway students will explore a variety of mathematical concepts utilizing multiple ways of thinking to formulate and solve problems in context.

Intermediate Algebra (MAT 1033) and Pathways to Mathematical Literacy (MAT 1100) may be required as a prerequisite for college-level math courses based on placement test scores and will count as elective credit.

Select two courses from Category A or one course each from Category A and Category B:

Students are encourages to select the math sequence that supports their intended transfer major.

AREA III.

Natural Sciences: 6 Semester Credit Hours

Select two courses from Category A or one course each from Category A and Category B:

Students are encouraged to select the science sequence that supports their intended transfer major.

AREA IV.

Social and Behavioral Sciences: 6 Semester Credit Hours

Select two courses from Category A or one course each from Category A and Category B:

AREA V.

Humanities: 6 Semester Credit Hours

Select two courses from Category A or one course each from Category A and Category B:

AREA VI.

Technological Fluency: 3 Semester Credit Hours

The following course is required for all students with the exception of select health program students:

Electives: 24 Semester Credit Hours

Foreign Language Requirement

All students pursuing an Associate in Arts (AA) degree starting in Fall 2014 will be required to meet the FOREIGN LANGUAGE COMPETENCY REQUIREMENT to graduate with their degree.  This requirement can be met by one of the following:

A.   Two years of the same high school foreign language.

B.   Two semesters of the same college-level foreign language.

C.   Documented proficiency of a foreign language.

D.   Met the satisfactory score on the CLEP Exam for foreign language or other PHSC approved external testing.

Civic Literacy Requirement

Effective Fall 2021, Florida Rule 6A-10.04213, will be updated to align with SB 1108 which amends s. 1007.25, F.S. This amendment will require students initially entering an FCS institution in 2021-22 and thereafter to demonstrate competency in civic literacy by completing a course and passing an approved assessment. The civic literacy requirement can be met as outlined below.

Option 1- complete a. (course) and b. (assessment)

a. Complete one of the following:

• successfully pass POS 2041 American Federal Government with a grade of "C" or above.

• successfully pass AMH 2020 History of the United States II with a grade of "C" or above.
• successfully pass AMH 2020 or POS 2041 via credit-by-exam
  Note: If credit by exam is AP or CLEP then see Option 2

b. Achieve Standard Score on the following Assessment

• Florida Civic Literacy Exam (Passing Score=60)
  Note: Students who pass the Florida Civic Literacy Exam (FCLE) in high school will still be required to pass an approved course once they enter the Florida College System (FCS).

Option 2 - complete one of the following assessments

Meets both the course and assessment requirement

• Advanced Placement (AP) Test - Government & Politics: U.S. (Passing Score = 3)
• Advanced Placement (AP) Test - U.S. History (Passing Score = 4)
• CLEP American Government (Passing Score = 50)

Students may also elect to complete POS 2041 or AMH 2020 as a transient student online at another institution via the FloridaShines transient student request procedure.

Students who have entered PHSC prior to Fall semester 2018 and have maintained consistent enrollment should meet with an Academic Advisor to find out if they are exempt from this requirement.

To whom does the civic literacy requirement apply?

* There is not a state requirement governing policy on catalog year in effect for returning students. Policies and procedures relating to assigning catalog years are left to institutions to determine.

** The Florida Department of Education (Department) anticipates entering into rule development to add the civic literacy requirement as a condition of A.S./A.A.S. degree completion to coincide with general education changes from House Bill 1507, which will be effective with the 2022-23 catalog year.

Dual Enrollment Students and Civic Literacy Competency Requirements

*Public high schools are not required to offer the FCLE to dually enrolled students but may choose to do so at their discretion.

**FCS institutions are not required to offer the FCLE to dually enrolled students buy may choose to do so at their discretion.

• For public school dually enrolled students, this would be through a partnership arrangement with the public high school.
• Florida home education or private school dually enrolled students, below are items that should be considered when deciding to allow them to take the FCL:
  • How and where home education/private school students will obtain a FLEID
  • How home education/private school students will be informed where they can test
  • How often the test will be available to home education/private school students
  • Procedures for testing home education/private school students
  • How the score will be recorded on a home education/private school student's record