Instruction and Awards
The purpose of this Board Rule is to establish Board policy regarding instruction and awards.
The College is authorized to provide instruction and to award degrees, certificates and diplomas as prescribed by Florida Administrative Code 6A-14.030, Instruction and Awards in Florida College System Institutions. Any degree program, certificate, or diploma program offered by the College shall be offered at the established standard credit hour length, as established and approved by the State Board of Education.
- Bachelor's Degree. The College may provide programs of instruction consisting of upper division college credit courses that prepare students to enter into employment. The bachelor’s degree shall be awarded upon the satisfactory completion of a planned program of one hundred and twenty (120) college credits, including thirty-six (36) college credits of general education coursework plus foreign language competency.
- Associate in Arts (A.A.) Degree. The College shall provide programs of arts or general instruction consisting of lower division college credit courses. The associate in arts degree is a transfer degree and a basis for admission to a related bachelor’s degree. The Associate in Arts Degree shall be awarded upon satisfactory completion of a planned program of sixty (60) college credits, after demonstration of the attainment of predetermined and specified performance requirements. The associate in arts degree must include thirty-six (36) hours of general education coursework plus foreign language competency and civic literacy competency.
- Associate in Science (A.S.) Degree. The College shall provide programs of career and technical instruction consisting of lower division college credit courses to prepare students for entry into employment. The associate in science degree is a transfer degree and a basis for admission to a related bachelor’s degree. The Associate in Science Degree shall be awarded upon satisfactory completion of a planned program of instruction comprised of the standard credit hour length established after demonstration of the attainment of predetermined and specified performance requirements. The associate in science degree must include a minimum of fifteen (15) college credits of general education coursework.
- Technical Certificate. The College shall award the Technical Certificate, which is a program of instruction of less than 60 credits of college-level courses, and which is part of an Associate in Science Degree which prepares students for entry into employment. The College shall award the Technical Certificate to students who evidence satisfactory completion of the program.
- Applied Technology Diploma (A.T.D.). The College shall award the Applied Technology Diploma, which is a course of study that is part of an Associate in Science Degree, is less than sixty 60 credit hours, and leads to employment in a specific occupation. The College shall award the Applied Technology Diploma to students who have met the program requirements of that diploma. An Applied Technology Diploma program may consist of either clock hours or college credit.
- Advanced Technical Certificate. The College shall award the Advanced Technical Certificate, which is a program of instruction of at least nine (9) credit hours but less than forty-five (45) credit hours of lower division and/or upper division courses. The Advanced Technical Certificate may be awarded to students who have already received an Associate in Science Degree and are seeking an advanced specialized planning program of study to supplement their associate degree.
- Career and Technical Certificate. The College shall provide programs of instruction consisting of clock hour courses to prepare for entry into employment. Upon satisfactory completion of a planned program after the demonstration of the attainment of predetermined and specified performance requirements, the Career and Technical Certificate shall be awarded.
- Continuing Workforce Education (C.W.E.). The College may provide noncredit continuing workforce education instruction tailored to individual needs and designed to improve job performance.
- Developmental Instruction. The College shall provide, according to the needs of its students, basic instruction to provide degree seeking students who wish to enroll in college credit courses with additional academic preparation. Satisfactory completion of such instruction shall be recognized by the award of units of measure called developmental credit.
- Lifelong Learning Instruction. The College shall provide non-credit instructional activities to address community social and economic issues related to health and human relations, government, parenting, consumer economics, and senior citizens.
- Recreational and Leisure Time Instruction. The College shall provide non-credit instructional activities to develop recreational or leisure time skills.
- Institutional Credit. The College shall provide institutional credit for students who successfully complete Educator Preparation Institute (EPI) modules for competency-based teacher certification. Institutional credit as applied to the collaborative model for competency-based teacher certification is intended only as a framework for establishing program length and assessing tuition and fees. It does not imply an award of traditional “college credit” for any module. Institutional credit is “transportable” among Florida College System institutions using the collaborative model for EPI delivery. However, institutional credit is not “transferable” as a “college credit” to other institutions of higher learning.
- Honorary Degree. The College may award an Honorary Associate or Bachelors Degree to an individual who has made outstanding contributions to the College, community, state, or nation. An honorary degree will be designated as an “Associate in Arts Degree for Special Recognition of Service” or an “Associate/Bachelors in Science Degree for Special Recognition of Service,” or a “Bachelors in Applied Science Degree for Special Recognition of Service,” The awarding of an Honorary Associate Degree will be upon recommendation by the President and approval by the District Board of Trustees. Upon approval by the District Board of Trustees, an Honorary Degree may be presented to the recipient at the College’s commencement ceremony or at a time and place preferred by the District Board of Trustees and the recipient.
- Degree in Memoriam. The College may award a Degree in Memoriam to a student who dies while enrolled at the College, provided that the following requirements are met:
- The student was enrolled at the College in an Associate or Bachelor’s Degree program at the time of death.
- The student was in good academic standing and was in the final semester of a degree program at the time of death and was expected to graduate at the end of the semester.
- The award of the Degree in Memoriam must have the consent of the student’s immediate family and/or legally-designated representative.
- The student must have demonstrated good citizenship with no record of illegal behavior or disciplinary infractions at the College.
A Degree in Memoriam will be designated as an “Associate in Arts Degree in Memoriam,” an “Associate in Science Degree in Memoriam.” or a “Bachelor’s Degree in Memoriam.”