View General Education Requirements
The Associate in Arts degree (A.A.) is designed for students who plan to transfer to a Florida public four-year institution as a junior to complete a bachelor’s degree program. The A.A. degree provides the courses of study equivalent to those offered in the freshman and sophomore years at Florida’s state colleges and universities. The A.A. degree requirements consist of 36 credit hours of general education and 24 credit hours of electives. Each student should choose elective courses that are required for admission to the student’s intended major at the desired college or university.
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 the state of 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. The Division of Colleges and Universities 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 Prerequisite Manual, which can be accessed at www.FLVC.org (click on Student Services). 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 advisers 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 into 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 course work, 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 advisers 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.
General Education Requirements
General education is the core preparation for lifelong learning. It fosters an intellectual curiosity that leads to exploration of the foundations and range of knowledge in the arts and sciences. The general education program encourages academic excellence, respect for self and others, the free exchange of ideas and responsibility to the community.
It is expected that every general education course at TCC will promote a learning environment in which students are afforded opportunities to participate actively in their learning. This is achieved through processes such as the following:
- The use of reading, writing, listening, speaking and/or other forms of self-expression
- Information gathering, synthesis and analysis for solving problems and in critical thinking (including the use of the library, electronic/computer and other resources, and quantitative reasoning and interpretation, as applicable)
- Engagement in cooperative learning, teamwork and/or use of collaboration as a problem-solving tool
- Participation in course projects, laboratory exercises and/ or service learning projects
- Class discussions
Associate in Arts General Education Learning Outcomes
Communications
- Students will demonstrate effective reading and writing skills by using appropriate strategies for a variety of rhetorical purposes and audiences.
Quantitative and Scientific Reasoning
- Students will identify and apply appropriate quantitative analytical methods to explain phenomena and generate effective solutions.
Critical Thinking
- Students will apply critical and creative thinking skills to analyze, evaluate, and synthesize ideas.
Global and Social Diversity
- Students will demonstrate an understanding of diverse perspectives and their influence on individual, social, historical, and political events or on cultural expression.
Information Literacy
- Students will demonstrate effective information literacy skills by locating, evaluating, and effectively and ethically using information to achieve an academic or professional purpose.