General Education (Baccalaureate Programs and Associate in Arts Program)

The general education program at Pensacola State College provides the student with a broad range of knowledge and skills that have enduring value, no matter what path in life a student pursues. The foundation built through the general education courses prepares individuals not only for a baccalaureate or associate degree but for lifelong learning as well.

All baccalaureate and associate degree programs at the College include a general education component, which is a substantial part of each degree. Thirty-six credit hours of general education courses are required in the Bachelor of Applied Science in Supervision and Management, Bachelor of Science in Nursing, and the Associate in Arts degree. Associate in Science degrees require a minimum of 15 college credit hours of general education courses.

The general education requirements at Pensacola State College are designed to ensure breadth of knowledge. Coursework in Communications, Humanities, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Social Sciences is required. No course in the general education program may narrowly focus on skills, techniques, or procedures specific to a particular occupation or profession; instead, general education courses serve as an introduction to a wide range of knowledge and a broad overview of various disciplines and subject matters.

Global Learning Outcomes

Each student who completes the general education program at Pensacola State College will have achieved the following outcomes:

1. CRITICAL THINKING: Evaluate the validity of ideas, developing informed opinions or defensible conclusions.
2. COMMUNICATION: Effectively communicate knowledge and ideas.
3. SCIENTIFIC AND MATHEMATICAL LITERACY: Properly identify and apply scientific or mathematical principles and methods.
4. INFORMATION LITERACY: Effectively locate, evaluate, and apply information from a variety of sources.
5. CULTURAL LITERACY: Demonstrate an understanding of human culture and its diversity.

Minimum Grades

An AA student must maintain an overall GPA of 2.0 or higher and must earn a minimum grade of C or better in each course meeting a general education writing emphasis requirement and in each mathematics course meeting the general education requirement. An overall GPA includes the Pensacola State College cumulative GPA as well as any transfer courses earned prior to enrollment at Pensacola State College.

Non-Traditional Credits

An AA student may not earn more than 15 credits hours of the general education course work through non-traditional credits. Non-traditional credits include the following: credits earned through CLEP, departmental exemption examination, PLA, and all other credits described under “Non-Traditional Credits” in the Registration and Credits section.

Excess Hours Advisory Statement

Florida Statutes establishes an “excess hour” surcharge for a student seeking a baccalaureate degree at a state university. It is critical that students, including those entering Florida State colleges, are aware of the potential for additional course fees.

“Excess hours” are defined as hours that go beyond 120% of the hours required for a baccalaureate degree program. For example, if the length of the program is 120 credit hours, the student may be subject to an excess hour surcharge for any credits attempted beyond 144 credit hours (120 x 120%).

All students whose educational plan may include earning a bachelor’s degree should make every effort to enroll in and successfully complete those courses that are required for their intended major on their first attempt. Florida college students intending to transfer to a state university should identify a major or transfer program early and be advised of admission requirements for that program, including the approved common prerequisites. Course withdrawals and/or repeats as well as enrollment in courses non-essential to the intended major may contribute to a potential excess hours surcharge.

Foreign Language Requirement

A student who is enrolling in college for the first time (not a transfer student) in Fall 2014, or thereafter, and anticipates earning a baccalaureate degree or an Associate in Arts degree must meet the foreign language requirement. The foreign language requirement may be met with two years of the same foreign language in high school, two semesters of the same foreign language in college, the second semester of a freshman-level foreign language course, or appropriate scores on an external test for a foreign language.

An alternate method for students to demonstrate equivalent foreign language competence is by credit awarded on the basis of scores on the foreign language subject matter examinations in the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) as indicated in 6A-10.024(5)(b), F.A.C., which shall count toward the eight to ten semester hours. The examination, minimum scores for awarding credit, and maximum credit to be awarded are as follows:

Examination	Minimum Score	Maximum Credit
French	50	12 cc
	46	9 cc
	42	6 cc
German	55	12 cc
	52	9 cc
	43	6 cc
Spanish	55	12 cc
	48	9 cc
	45	6 cc

A student who received an Associate in Arts degree prior to September 1, 1989, or who enrolled in a program of studies leading to an Associate in Arts degree from a Florida state college prior to August 1, 1989, and has maintained continuous enrollment shall be exempt from this admissions requirement. Any lower division student admitted without meeting the foreign language requirement must earn such credits prior to admission to the upper division of a state university. Any Associate in Arts degree graduate from a public community college admitted without meeting the foreign language requirement must earn such credits prior to graduation from a state university.

Writing Emphasis Requirement

Per State Board of Education Rule 6A-10.030, hereafter referred to as the Writing Emphasis Requirement, prior to receipt of a baccalaureate or Associate in Arts degree from a public college or university, a student shall earn a grade of C or higher in at least twelve (12) college credit hours in which the student is required to demonstrate college-level writing skills through multiple assignments.

The student pursuing a baccalaureate or Associate in Arts degree is required to complete ENC 1101C, ENC 1102, and one literature course within the general education curriculum. These required courses satisfy nine (9) of the required writing emphasis credits. The remaining three (3) college credit hours of writing emphasis coursework must be earned through the completion of a second literature course or one of the courses listed below with a grade of C or higher.