Degrees and Certificates

Accreditation 
The Bachelor Degree
University Transfer Program: Associate in Arts Degree 
The Associate in Science and Associate in Applied Science Degree 
Technical Certificates  
Programs 

The Bachelor Degree

CLAS Requirements
Graduation Requirements

The bachelor degree is an upper level degree for students who have earned an Associate in Science degree and wish to pursue further education. This program meets the Florida Department of Education requirements for the baccalaureate degree and respects the content of the A.S. degree through the appropriate transfer of both occupational and general education credit. The bachelor degree enhances the student’s technical education and experience while providing the management, leadership, critical thinking and communication skills which will both promote their ability to progress in their careers and enrich their personal and civic life.

*Bachelor Degree Admissions Requirements

1. Applicants interested in a B.A.S. or B.S. program should submit a bachelor’s degree membership application.
2. Applicants must have earned an Associate in Science (A.S.), Associate in Arts (A.A.) or higher degree from a regionally accredited college or university and completed a minimum of 60 transferable college credit hours with a GPA of 2.0 or above.
3. Applicants must have completed a unique set of general education courses as part of their associate degree. If you have not met the required 36 credit hours of general education courses, the applicant must complete or transfer the Florida State College approved general education courses for the bachelor’s degree in the appropriate discipline. The B.S.N. program requires 42 credit hours of general education courses.**
4. Applicants must provide a copy of your official college transcript(s). Applicants not currently enrolled in Florida State College and/or who are transferring college credit courses are required to have a copy of their official transcript(s) sent directly from the college or university to the Office of the Registrar, Florida State College, P.O. Box 40515, Jacksonville, FL 32203-0515. A second copy should be provided to the program for which you are applying.

*Bachelor degree programs are selective access.
**Applicants should develop an educational plan with a program advisor to complete the necessary steps to be considered for acceptance into the bachelor’s program of their choice. An evaluation to determine what additional coursework may be needed in order to meet the prerequisite requirements for the bachelor’s degree.

Bachelor Degree College Level Academic Skills (CLAS) Requirements

The state of Florida Legislature has repealed the requirement to pass the “College level communication and mathematics skills examination” (CLAST) in order to be awarded a bachelor’s degree effective July 1, 2009.

In order to demonstrate continuing concern for institutional accountability and effectiveness, as well as performance standards for student learning outcomes, students must meet one of the following CLAS requirements for receipt of a bachelor’s degree.

The following alternatives will fulfill the competency requirements in addition to other current requirements for the bachelor’s degree.

GPA Alternatives

1. Student must earn a 2.5 GPA in a combination of at least one (1) course with the ENC prefix and any other course that is designated as a “Gordon Rule” writing course (excluding courses with the SPC prefix). Florida State College has the following Gordon Rule courses:

   • ENC 1101 - English Composition I
   • ENC 1102 - Writing About Non-Fiction
   • LIT 2000 - Introduction to Literature: Writing about Fiction
   • HUM 2020 - Humanities Forum
   • HUM 2210 - Humanities: The Foundations
   • HUM 2230 - Humanities: Mainstreams of Cultures, 15th to 20th Century
   • HUM 2250 - Humanities: 20th Century Cultural Perspectives
   • HUM 2410 - Humanities of Asia
   • HUM 2450 - Humanities in the Americas

2. Students with a 2.5 GPA in college-level mathematics courses (excluding MAT 1033) may meet the CLAS requirements for the mathematics subtest. The mathematics courses that may be used to meet the requirements are:

   • MAC 1105 - College Algebra
   • any other MAC course with the last three digits greater than 105
   • MGF 1106 - Topics in College Mathematics
   • MGF 1107 - Explorations in Mathematics
   • MGF 2118 - Topics in Finite Mathematics

Examination Alternatives

3. ACT
   Scores on the ACT (with a minimum scores in each section) may meet the CLAS requirements. To register, visit the ACT Web site or call ACT Registration at (319) 337-1270. Additional fees are charged for standby testing.

   • Reading: ACT score of 22 or higher
   • Writing: ACT score of 21 or higher
   • Mathematics: ACT score of 21 or higher

4. SAT
   Scores on SAT (with minimum scores in each section) may meet the CLAS requirements. To register, visit the SAT Web site or call SAT Customer Service at (866) 756-7346. Additional fees are charged for standby testing.

   • Verbal/Critical Reading: SAT score of 500 or higher
   • Mathematics: SAT score of 500 or higher

5. CPT
   Scores on ACCUPLACER® (with minimum scores in each section) may meet the CLAS requirements:

   • Reading: Accuplacer/CPT 93
   • Writing: Accuplacer/CPT 105
   • Mathematics: Accuplacer/CPT 91

Application of Credits Earned via Credit-By-Examination

6. Credit granted in accordance with the ACC Credit-By-Examination Equivalency List (including AP, IB, AICE, CLEP, DSST, and Excelsior) may be substituted for the courses used to meet CLAS skills requirements. Students must earn a minimum of six (6) credits.

If a student earns credit in two (2) college courses within the same subject area via ACC-approved credit-by examination, the CLAS requirements in that subject area will be considered “met.” For example, student has earned two Ps from credit by examination for a minimum of six (6) credits will be considered met.

If a student earns credit for one (1) college course via approved ACC credit–by-examination, no grade will be assigned for that course. The 2.5 GPA calculations will be calculated only on the grade earned in the second course. (i.e. the grade in the second course must equate to a 2.5 or higher). For example, student has earned a “P” by taking a credit-by-examination and has earned a “B” or higher in the second course will be considered met.

CLAS Waivers

7. Any student who has taken a subtest of a CLAS alternative examination at least three (3) times and has not achieved a passing score, but has otherwise demonstrated proficiency in coursework in the same subject area, may request a waiver for that particular subtest. A student must demonstrate remediation efforts and has earned a 2.0 GPA in all college credit courses in that skill area to be considered for a waiver. The waiver committee will consider other evidence as well. A student may obtain a waiver form from the Dean of Student Success offices. The waiver form should be forwarded to Dr. Judy Jones-Liptrot for processing except for students who are requesting a waiver due to a documented disability. Those waiver forms are to be sent to the office of Students with Disabilities.

Additional information on CLAS is available in campus enrollment services offices as well as assessment and certification centers.

Bachelor Degree Graduation Requirements

To receive a bachelor’s degree, students must:

1. Fulfill the requirements for the chosen major;
2. Earn a minimum of 120 semester hours with at least a “C” average (2.0 GPA) for an all college cumulative grade point average that includes Florida State College and transferred credits (excluding prep) in lower and upper division courses;
3. Earn a minimum of 25 percent of the total hours required for the degree in residence at Florida State College;
4. Apply no more than 45 semester hours in any combination of extension, correspondence, CLEP, University Credit by Examination and Armed Forces credits toward an undergraduate degree;
5. Fulfill the General Education Requirements ;
6. Fulfill the Foreign Language requirement. Students may fulfill the requirement by completing eight semester hours of the same foreign language or sign language. Alternative options that will be considered include the following:
   1. Successful completion of two sequential high school credits in one foreign language as listed in status 1007.262 and DOE Board Rule 6A.10.02412. The student is responsible to send official high school transcripts to the Registrar’s office for evaluation.
   2. Submitting an English translated high school course-by-course transcript from a country of origin, exits test scores or certificates not acceptable. Students must have an English translation performed, at students’ expense, by a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES). Examples of acceptable services are Josef Silny & Associates and World Education Services.
   3. Also, appropriate College Level Examination Program (CLEP) level one and two scores in French, German, and Spanish will be accepted.
7. Fulfill the College–Level Academic Skills (CLAS) requirement according to Florida Rule 6A-10.030.

Note: Students are cautioned to pay particular attention to the following statements.

1. Graduation dates will be the date at the end of the college term in which students complete all requirements for the degree or certificate for which they are an applicant. (The removal of an incomplete grade does not affect students’ graduation date, since the grade change is effective as of the end of the term in which the incomplete grade was assigned rather than the term in which the incomplete work was made up.). 
2. If students expect to complete the coursework under the terms of the catalog in effect during the term of their first registration, they must graduate within seven years or they will automatically be reassigned to the catalog in effect during their seventh year. Accordingly, students who enter under this catalog (2010/2011) must graduate by the end of the Summer Term 2017, or they will automatically be reassigned to the 2016/2017 catalog requirements. Changes to requirements as mandated by law or by rule of the District Board of Trustees may supersede this provision.
3. Many courses in this catalog have prerequisite requirements and/or prerequisite courses listed in the course descriptions. Students are advised to be guided by these requirements.