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The Associate in Arts (A.A.) degree is equivalent to the first two years of a bachelor’s degree program and is offered for those students planning to transfer to a four-year institution or to remain at Northwest Florida State College (NWFSC) to complete the last two years of a bachelor’s degree program. Although the number of credits and specific courses required for a bachelor’s degree may vary across four-year institutions, The State of Florida has a statewide articulation agreement between Florida College System (FCS) institutions and State University System (SUS) institutions. Students pursuing the A.A. degree should work closely with a Student Success Navigator to select the appropriate courses that meet their long-term educational goals.
Graduation Requirements for the A.A. Degree
The A.A. degree curriculum requires the following.
- Complete a minimum of 60 college credits per the following distribution:
- Complete 36 credit hours of general education courses distributed appropriately across the Communications, Humanities, Social Sciences, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and General Education Elective categories presented in the A.A. Degree General Education Requirements.
- Completion of two sequential credits in high school foreign language, a minimum of 6 credit hours in one foreign language at the college level or an appropriate score on an approved CLEP examination.
- Complete 24 credit hours of college credit electives. Students should consult with a Student Success Navigator to select the electives most appropriate to their intended baccalaureate program.
- Meet the College-Level Communications and Computation Skills minimum grade and writing requirements:
- Attain a grade of “C” or higher in each writing course (any general education course from Communications, Humanities, or designated Social Science categories) whether credits in such courses are earned at NWFSC or transferred for credit from other institutions.
- Attain a grade of “C” or higher in each College-Level Communications and Computation Skills Mathematics course (any course from the Mathematics category that is used to meet A.A. general education requirements), whether credits in such courses are earned at NWFSC or transferred for credit from other institutions.
- Meet the Civic Literacy Competency. In accordance with FAC-Rule 6A-10.02413, Civic Literacy Competency, as required by section 1007.25(4), Florida Statutes (F.S.), beginning with students enrolled in an A.A. or baccalaureate program under the 2021-2022 Catalog must demonstrate civic literacy competency prior to graduation through successful completion (with a grade of “C” or higher) of POS 1041 , AMH 2020 , or AMH 2010 and by achieving a passing score on an assessment outlined in the table below.
| Assessment |
Standard
Score
|
| AP Government and Politics: United States |
3 |
| AP United States History |
4 |
| CLEP: American Government |
50 |
| CLEP: History of the United States |
50 |
| Florida Civic Literacy Exam |
60% |
NWFSC will gladly assist students in achieving a smooth transfer to other institutions in Florida. NWFSC partners with several universities across the state, with university liaisons making regular visits to campus to meet directly with students and answer transfer questions. Students may contact Student Success Navigation at (850) 502-2895 or studentsuccess@nwfsc.edu for the names of the liaisons and dates of upcoming visits. In addition, Common Prerequisite Manuals for the Florida State University System are available here.
It is important that students transferring to a four-year institution plan their program so that common prerequisites can be completed for the upper-division transfer school for their major. It is best for the student to complete the entire two-year degree program prior to transfer, as A.A. graduates who transfer to one of the SUS institutions have certain protections under the statewide articulation agreement.
NWFSC is proud to offer the necessary prerequisites for most of the State of Florida University Baccalaureate Programs. Students are encouraged to consult a current catalog from the four-year institution where they plan to transfer and to speak with an advisor or faculty member at that institution to acquire an official program plan of study for their intended major. Students should work closely with both a Student Success Navigator at NWFSC and an advisor at their intended four-year institution to ensure a smooth transfer.
Foreign Language Requirements
Students who initially entered a Florida College System institution or state university after Fall 2014 must demonstrate competency in a foreign language. This includes students undertaking coursework for an Associate in Arts degree entering college for the first time following high school graduation in Fall 2014 or later. The requirement stems from Florida Statute s. 1007.262 and SBE Rule 6A‐10.02412.
NWFSC offers the necessary coursework in French, Spanish, and American Sign Language (ASL) to meet the Florida SUS admission requirements.
Competency may be met through any of the following means:
- Completion of two years of high school instruction in the same foreign language (with a grade of D or higher)
- Completion of a college-level course at the Elementary-2 level (or higher) in a foreign language or in American Sign Language (ASL) (e.g., SPN 1121 Spanish 2, FRE 1121 French 2, ASL 1150 American Sign Language 2)
- Achievement of appropriate scores using nationally standardized examination programs such as CLEP, AP, etc. following recommendations established by the statewide Articulation Coordinating Committee (ACC)
- Documented completion of a high school diploma from a foreign country where the student studied in a language other than English.
Students should contact their intended State University System transfer institution for specific information related to its foreign language admissions requirement.
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