General Transfer Information for A.A. Degree Students
Florida’s higher education system is designed to allow students to pursue a bachelor’s degree by first earning an Associate in Arts (A.A.) degree at a Florida college or community college and then transferring to a four-year institution. There is, however, no guarantee that students will be admitted into a specific institution or program. Transfer admission to four-year institutions and specific programs can he highly competitive. Most bachelor’s degree programs require specific coursework be completed before transfer. These additional courses are referred to as common prerequisites. Students working towards an A.A. degree should decide on a program of study/major as early as possible so they can identify the prerequisite courses required for that program of study/major and complete them as part of the A.A. degree. (See the 2+2 Publication on the FloridaShines website.)
TCC students may access this information through a variety of sources, including the My Success Platinum advising tool, which has links to the websites of Florida public colleges and state universities, the Common Prerequisites Manual, and FloridaShines. Students are required to select a career goal and university pre-major by the time they have earned 18 college credit hours so they can work with an academic advisor on developing an individual learning plan that includes the common prerequisites for their four-year major.
Articulation Agreements with Colleges and Universities
Articulation agreements are official agreements between TCC and baccalaureate degree-granting colleges and universities. The agreements specify the courses taught at TCC that transfer to the specific college or university.
To obtain additional information about any of the articulation agreements listed below, contact the college or university, or TCC’s Admissions and Records office at (850) 201-8555 or admissions@tcc.fl.edu.
Articulation with Florida’s Public Colleges and Universities
Statewide articulation (transfer) agreements protect credits earned by students during their time at community colleges. The agreements specify the courses taught at Florida community colleges that transfer to upper division state colleges and universities, in addition to the common prerequisites. To learn more, visit FloridaShines. (Select Succeed in College, then Transfer Schools.)
Common Prerequisites
Many majors at Florida’s state colleges and universities require that specific courses be taken as part of the A.A. degree. Known as common prerequisites, these courses are required for degree programs within the Florida State University System (SUS) and Florida College System (FCS). Common prerequisite courses have been identified for more than 600 bachelor’s degrees across all public institutions throughout Florida.
Common prerequisites are the same at all Florida state colleges and universities, and all institutions must accept the common prerequisites and/or substitutions in transfer. Florida has approved exceptions to the standard prerequisites for programs with different focuses or different structures of a similar major. The various programs, concentrations and tracks with corresponding prerequisites are noted in the Common Prerequisites Manual, which can be accessed at FloridaShines. Many programs’ prerequisite requirements are easily met through careful selection of courses for the A.A. degree. Students are advised to update their learning plan regularly and consult college and university catalogs, counseling manuals and advisors at the state college, university or other institution of their choice to ensure accurate academic planning.
Limited-access Majors
The A.A. degree guarantees admission to one of Florida’s state colleges or universities, but not necessarily admission to a specific program. Certain majors are designated as restricted-access or limited-access programs, meaning that they have admission requirements in addition to earning the A.A. degree. These may include completion of specific courses, a minimum grade point average in specific courses, a minimum grade point average in all coursework, an interview, a minimum number of hours of related volunteer work, an audition, the submission of a portfolio and/or specified deadlines. Community college A.A. transfer students have equal opportunities in enrolling in college or university limited-access programs as students who are currently enrolled at the college or university.
Students should work with TCC advisors to make sure they take the required courses and meet other criteria for entry into their college or university program of choice. Students should refer to institutional catalogs, counseling manuals and other appropriate documents for more information about the selection and enrollment criteria for limited-access programs.
Articulation with Other Colleges and Universities
Independent Colleges and Universities in Florida (ICUF)
The Florida Department of Education has developed articulation agreements to protect the credits earned by students transferring to independent colleges and universities in Florida. To learn more about the ICUF agreements, visit the Florida Department of Education website.
Other Independent Colleges and Universities
The Florida Department of Education has developed articulation agreements with other private colleges and universities that allow students with an associate’s degree to transfer into certain majors at these institutions. Agreements have been made with institutions such as the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities, DeVry University, Keiser University, Strayer University and the University of Phoenix. To learn more about articulation agreements with private colleges and universities, visit the Florida Department of Education website.
TCC’s University Partners
In addition to the articulation agreements listed above, students have the opportunity to continue their education on TCC’s campus by enrolling with one of the College’s two University Partners. Degree offerings for these colleges are listed below. To learn more, contact the University Partners at (850) 201-7070 or bachelors@tcc.fl.edu, or visit the University Center.
Flagler College
- Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration
- Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration/Accounting
- Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education
- Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education and/or Exceptional
- Bachelor of Arts in Strategic Communications
- Student Education ESOL Endorsement
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