Current through Reg. 50, No. 187; September 24, 2024
It is the intent of the Board of Governors in regulation and
the State Board of Education in rule to facilitate articulation and seamless
integration of the education system by agreeing to the provisions of this
articulation agreement, pursuant to Section
1007.23, F.S. The authority to
adopt and amend this rule aligns with the Constitutional power given the Board
of Governors for the state university system and the statutory authority given
the State Board of Education for the district school boards, the Florida
College System, and the Department of Education.
(1) Each state university board of trustees,
Florida College System board of trustees, and district school board shall plan
and adopt policies and procedures to provide articulated programs so that
students can proceed toward their educational objectives as rapidly as their
circumstances permit.
(2) General
education.
(a) Each state university and
Florida College System institution shall establish a general education
curriculum, which shall require thirty-six (36) semester hours of
communication, mathematics, social sciences, humanities, and natural sciences
for students working toward an associate in arts degree, specialized associate
in arts transfer degree, or baccalaureate degree.
(b) After a state university or Florida
College System institution has published its general education curriculum, the
integrity of that curriculum shall be recognized by the other public
postsecondary institutions. Once a student has been certified by such an
institution on the official transcript as having completed satisfactorily its
prescribed general education curriculum, regardless of whether the associate in
arts degree or specialized associate in arts transfer degree is conferred, no
other public postsecondary institution to which he or she may transfer shall
require any further such general education courses.
(c) If a student does not complete the
general education curriculum prior to transfer, the general education
requirement becomes the responsibility of the new institution, consistent with
Section 1007.24, F.S.
(3) Associate in Arts (A.A.)
Degree. Every associate in arts graduate of a Florida College System
institution shall be granted admission to the upper division of a public
postsecondary institution consistent with Section
1007.23, F.S. Admission to the
student's preferred public postsecondary institution or program is not
guaranteed.
(a) The associate in arts degree
is defined in subsection
6A-14.030(3),
F.A.C., (The rule may be obtained from the Office of Articulation, Florida
Department of Education, 325 West Gaines Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32399)
which definition is incorporated by reference herein, and for purposes of this
agreement, shall include:
1. Completion of
sixty (60) semester hours of college credit courses in an established program
of study that includes a general education curriculum of thirty-six (36)
semester hours of college credit in communication, mathematics, social
sciences, humanities, and natural sciences and demonstration of competency in a
foreign language pursuant to s.
1007.262, F.S., and
demonstration of civic literacy competency pursuant to s.
1007.25(5),
F.S. The sixty (60) semester hours that comprise a completed associate in arts
degree shall be accepted in total upon transfer to an upper division program at
another public postsecondary institution.
2. Achievement of a cumulative grade point
average of at least 2.0, provided that only the final grade received in courses
repeated by the student shall be used in computing the average. The grade of
"D" shall transfer and count toward the associate and baccalaureate degrees in
the same way as "D" grades obtained by native students in the receiving public
postsecondary institution. Whether courses with "D" grades in the major satisfy
requirements in the major field may be decided by the receiving public
postsecondary institution.
(b) Nothing herein shall prevent a
postsecondary institution from denying admission or continued enrollment based
on an applicant's past misconduct, both on or off campus, or when past actions
have been found to disrupt or interfere with the orderly conduct, processes,
functions or programs at any other postsecondary institution.
(c) Each student in an associate in arts
program at a Florida College System institution must indicate a baccalaureate
degree program at an institution of interest by the time the student earns
thirty (30) semester hours. If the student indicates a program at a public
postsecondary institution, the Florida College System institution in which the
student is enrolled must inform the student of the common program
prerequisites, pursuant to Section
1007.23(4),
F.S.
(d) The award of additional
credit after award of the associate in arts degree pursuant to Section
1007.25(9),
F.S., does not exclude a student from the provision in subsection (3). However,
students must maintain a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or higher to
qualify for guaranteed admission under subsection (3) of this rule.
(4) Specialized Associate in Arts
Transfer (SAAT) Degree. Specialized associate in arts transfer degrees are
designed for Florida College System institution students who need lower-level
coursework beyond the sixty (60) credits required for the general associate in
arts degree for admission to a specified bachelor's degree program. Every
associate in arts specialized transfer degree graduate of a Florida College
System institution shall be granted admission to the upper division of a public
postsecondary institution based upon an executed articulation agreement between
the awarding Florida College System institution and receiving State University
System institution consistent with s.
1007.25, F.S., as approved by
the State Board of Education.
(a) The
specialized associate in arts degree is defined in Rule
6A-14.030(4),
F.A.C.
1. Completion of at least sixty (60)
semester hours of college credit and the attainment of predetermined and
specified performance requirements in an established program of study that
includes a general education curriculum of thirty-six (36) semester hours of
college credit in communication, mathematics, social sciences, humanities, and
natural sciences, demonstration of competency in a foreign language pursuant to
s. 1007.262, F.S., and
demonstration of civic literacy competency pursuant to s.
1007.25(5),
F.S. All completed coursework that comprises a completed associate in arts
specialized transfer degree shall be accepted in total upon transfer to the
receiving upper division program based upon the established articulation
agreement.
2. Achievement of a
cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0, provided that only the final
course grade received in courses repeated by the student shall be used in
computing the average. The grade of "D" shall transfer and count toward the
associate and baccalaureate degrees in the same way as "D" grades obtained by
native students in the receiving public postsecondary institution. Whether
courses with "D" grades in the major satisfy requirements in the major field
may be decided by the receiving public postsecondary institution.
(b) Nothing herein shall prevent a
postsecondary institution from denying admission or continued enrollment based
on an applicant's past misconduct, both on or off campus, or when past actions
have been found to disrupt or interfere with the orderly conduct, processes,
functions or programs at any other postsecondary institution.
(5) Associate in Science (A.S.)
Degree. The associate in science degree is defined in subsection
6A-14.030(5),
F.A.C., and for purposes of this agreement shall include:
(a) Completion of the minimum number of
semester hours of college credit courses in an established program of study as
required in subsection
6A-14.030, F.A.C.
(b) Completion of a minimum of fifteen (15)
semester hours in the general education subject areas of communication,
mathematics, social sciences, humanities, and natural sciences. English and
mathematics courses must meet the requirements adopted by the State Board of
Education in Rule 6A-10.030, F.A.C., and the Board
of Governors Regulation 6.017. No physical education credit will be included in
the general education block of credit.
(c) Courses taken as part of the associate in
science degree to meet the general education requirements will transfer and
apply toward the thirty-six (36) general education credit hours required for
the baccalaureate degree. No additional general education credit hours can be
required except to complete the total thirty-six (36) general education
hours.
(d) Capstone Degree
Articulation Agreement. A capstone agreement that is entered into by a specific
public or private postsecondary institution provides for the acceptance of a
specific associate in science degree from any Florida college and applies it as
a block of credit toward a specified baccalaureate degree. The quality and
content of the associate in science degree is respected as the technical
component of the baccalaureate degree and the remainder of the program is
designed to complete general education requirements and provide management
skills to assist in job progression. Every associate in science degree graduate
of a Florida College System institution program that articulates with a
capstone degree program in a specific Florida public or private postsecondary
institution shall be guaranteed admission to that program except for limited
access programs and those requiring specific grades on particular courses for
admission. All associate in science degree graduates who articulate under the
capstone agreement shall be treated equally, regardless of the Florida College
System institution from which they receive their degrees. The general education
component of the associate in science degree shall be accepted in total as a
portion of the general education requirement upon transfer to the capstone
program in a specific Florida public or private postsecondary
institution.
(e) Career Ladder
Degree Articulation Agreement. The Career Ladder agreement integrates specific
associate in science degree programs with identified baccalaureate degree
programs statewide. Each associate in science degree program must meet specific
requirements as prescribed in the agreement and public postsecondary
institutions are required to honor the transfer of credit toward the specified
baccalaureate degree. Graduates of a Florida College System institution
associate in science degree program with an agreement that is documented and
maintained by the Articulation Coordinating Committee shall be granted
admission to a public postsecondary institution in the program designated to
articulate with their degree, except for limited access programs and those
requiring specific grades on particular courses for admission. Admission to the
student's preferred public postsecondary institution is not guaranteed. Each
State University System institution shall develop admissions criteria to ensure
that associate in science degree students are evaluated on an equal basis with
associate in arts degree graduates and native university students for admission
into Career Ladder programs designated as limited access and those requiring
specific grades on particular courses for admission.
(f) The statewide associate in science to
baccalaureate degree program articulation agreements between public
postsecondary institutions shall be documented and maintained by the
Articulation Coordinating Committee. The Department of Education, in
consultation with institutions, shall review periodically, as necessary, but no
more than once a year, the provisions of the state articulation agreements and
the prescribed curricula to ensure the continued effectiveness of the
articulation between the A.S. and B.A./B.S. programs. Any recommendations for
revisions to the state articulation agreements will be forwarded to the
Articulation Coordinating Committee for review. The revisions may be approved
after the Board of Governors and the State Board of Education make independent
determinations that the recommended revisions are consistent with board
policies.
(6) Applied
Technology Diploma (A.T.D.). The A.T.D. consists of a course of study that is
part of an associate in science (A.S.) or an associate in applied science
degree (A.A.S.), is less than sixty (60) credit hours, is approximately fifty
(50) percent of the technical component (non-general education), and leads to
employment in a specific occupation. An A.T.D. program may consist of either
clock hours or college credit.
(a) Students
must have a high school diploma, a high school equivalency diploma, or a
certificate of completion pursuant to Section
1003.433(2)(b),
F.S.; to be admitted to an applied technology diploma program; home education
students may be admitted pursuant to Section
1007.263, F.S. Within six (6)
weeks of entry, students in applied technology diploma programs of 450 or more
hours must be tested pursuant to Rule
6A-10.040, F.A.C., and, if below
minimum standards for completion from the program as defined in the program
standards document adopted in Rule
6A-6.0571, F.A.C., must receive
remedial instruction. The minimum standards must be at least the equivalent of
a score of ten (10) on all sections of any basic skills test approved in Rule
6A-10.040, F.A.C. Students must
successfully complete all remedial instruction before completing the
A.T.D.
(b) Florida College System
institutions may offer either college credit or clock hours toward the applied
technology diploma. Career centers may offer only clock hours.
(c) All faculty providing instruction must
have at least a baccalaureate degree or an associate degree with demonstrated
competencies in the specific instructional program area as defined by the
institutional accrediting agency or association that is recognized by the U.S.
Department of Education.
(d) The
information related to the guaranteed transfer of credit between an applied
technology diploma program and associate in science or an associate in applied
science degree must be documented and maintained by the Articulation
Coordinating Committee. The documentation shall include the following:
1. The total number of clock or credit hours
within the program.
2. The
associate in science or associate in applied science degree into which the
applied technology diploma is guaranteed to transfer.
3. The number of college credit hours
guaranteed to transfer.
4. An
effective date.
(e) The
transfer of the applied technology diploma to an associate in science or
associate in applied science degree is guaranteed for a period of five (5)
years following the date of the award of the applied technology
diploma.
(f) Applied technology
diploma students entering an associate degree program shall meet the admissions
standards stipulated in Section
1007.263, F.S. Additional
admissions requirements for limited access programs may be established by the
Florida College System institution board of trustees.
(7) Credit by examination.
(a) For examination programs listed in
Section 1007.27, F.S., a list of
examinations, minimum scores for guaranteed transfer credit, maximum credits
guaranteed to transfer, and recommended course equivalents shall be maintained
by the Articulation Coordinating Committee and reviewed annually. The list is
incorporated in the document Articulation Coordinating Committee
Credit-by-Examination Equivalencies, Effective August 2024, which is herein
incorporated by reference and located at (
http://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-16840).
The list may be requested from the Office of Articulation, Florida Department
of Education, 325 West Gaines Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32399.
(b) Transfer of credit by examination is
guaranteed for up to forty-five (45) credits, provided that credit was awarded
in accordance with the Articulation Coordinating Committee's recommended
minimum scores and course equivalents.
(c) Transfer of examination credit over
forty-five (45) credits is at the discretion of the receiving
institution.
(d) Credit by
examination may not duplicate credit from previous successfully completed
postsecondary courses or examinations. Credit by examination shall be included
in institution grade forgiveness policies.
(e) No grades or grade points shall be
assigned for credit by examination.
(f) For all Advanced Placement (AP),
International Baccalaureate (IB), Advanced International Certificate of
Education (AICE), DANTES Subject Standardized Tests (DSST), Defense Language
Proficiency Test (DLPT), College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) and UExcel
(Excelsior College) examinations, credit must be awarded at a minimum in
accordance with the credit-by-examinations equivalencies determined by the
Articulation Coordinating Committee referenced in paragraph (8)(a) of this
rule. The postsecondary institution shall determine the credit awarded for
examinations completed prior to November 1, 2001, or examinations not included
in the Articulation Coordinating Committee Credit-by-Examination
Equivalencies.
(g) All credit by
examination that is initially awarded based on Articulation Coordinating
Committee (ACC) recommended minimum scores and maximum amount of credit is
guaranteed to transfer and must be accepted by all public postsecondary
institutions.
(h) Institutions may
award credit for examinations that are not listed in this rule or that do not
have recommended course equivalents, minimum scores, and maximum credits.
Acceptance of transfer credit so awarded is at the discretion of the receiving
institution.
(8) Limited
access programs. Florida College System institution and state university
transfer students shall have the same opportunity to enroll in baccalaureate
limited access programs as native students. Baccalaureate limited access
program selection and enrollment criteria shall be established and published in
catalogs, counseling manuals, and other appropriate publications.
(9) A state university may accept
non-associate in arts degree credit in transfer based on its evaluation of the
applicability of the courses to the student's program at the
university.
(10) State universities
and Florida College System institutions shall publish with precision and
clarity in their official catalogs the admission, course, and prerequisite
requirements of the institution, each unit of the institution, each program,
and each specialization. Any applicable duration of requirements shall be
specified. The university or college catalog in effect at the time of a
student's initial collegiate enrollment shall govern upper division
prerequisites in the same manner as for native students at the same
institution, provided the student maintains continuous enrollment as defined in
that catalog unless otherwise specified.
(11) The Department and all public
universities, Florida College System institutions, and school districts shall
maintain the electronic exchange of student transcripts and associated
educational records, including acquisition of and access to test scores of
students in the standard format established by the ACC.
(12) All postsecondary courses offered for
college credit, clock hours, or developmental education credit as they are
defined in Rule 6A-14.030, F.A.C. (The rule may
be obtained from the Office of Articulation, Florida Department of Education,
325 West Gaines Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32399), which definitions are
incorporated by reference herein, shall be entered in the statewide course
numbering system. Each course shall be assigned a single prefix and a single
identifying number in the course numbering system.
(13) When a student transfers among
postsecondary institutions that are fully accredited by a regional or national
accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education and
that participate in the statewide course numbering system, the receiving
institution shall award credit for courses satisfactorily completed at the
previous participating institutions when the courses are judged by the
appropriate common course designation and numbering system faculty task forces
to be academically equivalent to courses offered at the receiving institution
including equivalency of faculty credentials regardless of the public or
nonpublic control of the previous institution. The award of credit may be
limited to courses that are entered in the statewide course numbering system.
Credit so awarded shall satisfy institutional requirements on the same basis as
credits awarded to native students.
(14) Statewide Award of Uniform Postsecondary
Credit for Specified Training and Experience. Florida College System
institutions must award credit to students with prior training or experience in
service to the community, state, or nation, as required in Rule 6A-10.0244,
F.A.C.
(15) Statewide Mathematics
Pathways. To facilitate seamless transfer of credits, reduce excess credit
hours, and ensure students take the courses needed for their future careers,
students entering the Florida College System in the 2024-2025 academic year and
thereafter shall be advised of the mathematics pathway that aligns to the
mathematics skills needed for success in the corresponding academic programs
aligned to their career goals. The Mathematics Pathways List contains the three
mathematics pathways and associated gateway courses. Florida College System
institutions shall align associate and baccalaureate degree program
requirements to the appropriate mathematics pathway as identified on the
Mathematics Pathways List. The Mathematics Pathways List, Effective February
2023, is herein incorporated by reference and located at (http://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-15154).
The list may be requested from the Office of Articulation, Florida Department
of Education, 325 West Gaines Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32399.
Rulemaking Authority
1001.02(1),
(2)(n),
1007.23(1),
1007.25,
1007.27,
1004.096(1),
1004.0981 FS. Law Implemented
1007.01(2),
1001.64(8)(a),
1007.23,
1007.25,
1007.27,
1004.096,
1004.0981
FS.
New 5-5-75, Amended 10-7-75, 6-8-76, 8-22-77, 12-26-77,
3-28-78, 5-10-78, 7-2-79, 2-27-80, 5-27-81, 1-6-83, 4-5-83, 6-28-83, 1-9-85,
Formerly 6A-10.24, Amended 8-4-86, 5-18-88, 5-29-90, 7-30-91, 10-4-93, 5-3-94,
1-2-95, 9-30-96, 6-15-98, 12-13-99, 8-14-00, 10-15-01, 9-22-03, 12-18-05,
12-23-14, 3-23-16, 8-23-17, 6-19-18, 6-25-19, 10-27-20, 8-23-21, 9-20-22,
2-21-23, 9-26-23.
