Academics: Transfer and Articulation Agreements

Associate in Arts for Baccalaureate Transfer

Any student transferring from Florida State College at Jacksonville with an associate in arts (A.A.) degree is guaranteed the transfer of credits earned toward that degree and junior-level standing within the state university system and the Florida College System (FCS) by the Statewide Articulation Agreement (SBE Rule 6A-10.024) at flrules.org/gateway/ruleNo.asp?ID=6a-10.024. However, a transferring student is not guaranteed admission to specific colleges or programs within the university.

The following are steps that require action on your part for transferring to be successful:

• identify a major and transfer institution (before accumulating 24 college credit hours);
• know the admission requirements to the university or FCS institution;
• in case of a limited-access major, identify the course and admission requirements;
• complete these requirements (items listed above) while attending Florida State College at Jacksonville;
• complete all of the requirements for associate in arts degree; and
• complete the admission and application process as required by the university or FCS institution.

There are many things to think about when transferring to another college or university to earn your bachelor’s degree. If you need assistance in identifying a transfer institution, please consult with an FSCJ academic advisor or use the Transfer Planning Checklist available at fscj.edu/transferservices/transfer-planning-checklist. This checklist guides students through the process of determining goals and educational needs, as well as the type, location/course delivery, cost, value and accreditation of potential transfer institutions. Determine if Florida State College at Jacksonville has a transfer articulation agreement with any of your selected institutions and for the specific major. Determine which of the colleges on your chart best fit your goals and educational needs and rank them in order of preference.

The Florida State College at Jacksonville baccalaureate transfer guide is an overview of the transfer process. This guide, along with the admission requirements for the 11 Florida state universities, is available at fscj.edu/transferguide.

Rights of Students in the A.A. Degree Program

Florida State College at Jacksonville associate in arts graduates are guaranteed the following rights under the Statewide Articulation Agreement (State Board of Education Rule 6A-10.024):

1. admission to one of the Florida public state universities or FCS institutions, except to Limited Access programs which have additional admission requirements,
2. acceptance of at least 60 credit hours by the state universities and FCS institutions toward the baccalaureate degree,
3. adherence to university or FCS requirements and policies based on the catalog in effect at the time the student first entered a state or community college, provided the student maintains continuous enrollment,
4. transfer of equivalent courses under the Statewide Course Numbering System,
5. acceptance by the state universities or FCS institutions of credit earned in accelerated programs (e.g., CLEP, AP, CCCE, Dual Enrollment, Early Admission and International Baccalaureate),
6. no additional General Education Requirements,
7. advance knowledge of selection criteria for Limited Access programs, and
8. equal opportunity with native university or FCS students to enter Limited Access baccalaureate programs.

Should any guarantee be denied, students have the right of appeal. Each state university, state college and community college shall make available established appeal procedures through the respective articulation officers.
 

Associate in Science Internal Baccalaureate Transfer

Students who have completed an associate in science degree are eligible for admission into the majority of Florida State College at Jacksonville’s 13 bachelor of applied science or bachelor of science degrees. Certain associate in science/associate in applied science degrees are transferable to related baccalaureate degree programs at Florida State College at Jacksonville. The number of transferable credit hours is dependent on the completed associate in science degree and the intended baccalaureate degree program. Supervision and Management (S100) (B.A.S.)  is designed to maximize transfer credit opportunities for those students with the associate in science degree.
 

Associate in Science External Baccalaureate Transfer

Students graduating from Florida State College at Jacksonville with an associate in science (A.S.) degree may articulate into the corresponding bachelor’s degree program with junior-level standing at designated universities within the state university system, under the Statewide Articulation Agreement (SBE Rule 6A-10-024) at fldoe.org/core/fileparse.php/7525/urlt/astobaccalaureate_agreemnts.pdf.

Students who intend to transfer to a state university upper division upon receipt of the associate in science degree are not guaranteed admission to a state university. However, graduates of any associate in science degree program may articulate all general education courses and may articulate some technical courses from that program into the corresponding baccalaureate programs in the state university system. Students with degrees not covered under statewide articulation agreements who plan to transfer to a state university should contact a counselor or advisor to assist in identifying courses that will ensure the maximum number of course credits are transferred.
 

Statewide Articulation Agreements

In accordance with the Florida Statewide Articulation Agreement, established in 1971 and currently codified in Section 1007.23, Florida Statutes at bit.ly/FS-1007-23, and Chapter 6A-10.024, Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.)/Board of Governors (BOG) Articulation Resolution at bit.ly/FR-articulation, Florida’s statewide articulation agreement provides specific guarantees for associate in arts graduates. In essence, it provides a 2 + 2 agreement between the 28 Florida state and community colleges and the 12 state universities. The 2 + 2 articulation agreement states that associate in arts degree graduates of a state-approved Florida college must be admitted as a junior to one of the state universities as long as the university has space, money, and the curriculum to meet the students’ needs. This is a student’s “right.” However, the articulation agreement does not guarantee entrance into a specific state university or to a specific major, should that major be Limited Access. Most universities are divided into different colleges (e.g. College of Education, College of Business, College of Engineering), each of which establishes its own admission requirements. Whether students spend their first two years at a state or community college or the university, they still must meet specific admission requirements for that major, usually beginning with the junior year.

The state of Florida has given students certain rights and responsibilities. The following is a brief outline of the articulation agreement.

1. General Education Core
   Each state university, state college and community college must require at least 36 semester hours in communication, mathematics, social sciences, humanities, and natural sciences; these hours are collectively termed the “general education curriculum.” In accordance with F.S. 1007.25, students initially entering a Florida college or university in 2015-2016 and thereafter must complete one general education course identified as “statewide general education core” in each of the five general education areas within the 36 semester hours of general education. Once students have been certified by the state or community college on an official transcript as having satisfactorily completed the prescribed curriculum, with or without the completed associate in arts degree, no other state institution to which they may transfer can require further general education curriculum. If they do not complete the general education curriculum before transferring, the general education requirements must be satisfied according to the requirements of the new institution.
2. Associate in Arts Degree
   The associate in arts (A.A.) degree is awarded according to the following conditions.
   1. Completion of 60 semester hours in an established program of study including the 36 semester hours of general education curriculum, and the common program prerequisites and electives that have prior approval by the state university system.
   2. A minimum 2.0 GPA in all attempted courses that comprise the A.A. degree and all such courses taken at the state or community college awarding the degree; only the final grade received is used to compute this average. A grade of D will transfer and count toward the associate and baccalaureate degree in the same way as D grades obtained by native students in the receiving state university. The receiving state university will determine whether courses with D grades will be accepted toward any major. The 60 hours that comprise a completed associate in arts degree shall be accepted in total upon transfer to an upper division program at a state university.
   3. Demonstrated competency in a foreign language in accordance with Florida Statute 1007.25. Pursuant to guidelines set in Florida Statute 1007.262, competency is demonstrated by foreign language proficiency (at the intermediate level) equivalent to 2-years in high school or a sequence of two college credit courses in a single foreign language.
3. Accelerated Programs
   One of the goals of articulation is to allow students to advance easily, equitably and rapidly through the educational system. There are several acceleration methods, beginning at the high school level and proceeding upward through the system, including: Dual Enrollment, Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), Early Admission, College-Level Examination Program (CLEP), Cambridge Advanced International Certificate of Education Program (AICE), DANTES Subject Standardized Tests (DSST) and Excelsior College Examinations (UExcel). For additional methods of acceleration, see the catalog section on Credit for Prior Learning .
4. American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL)
   The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) is dedicated to the improvement and expansion of the teaching and learning of all languages at all levels of instruction.
5. Electives for Major
   The state university that awards the baccalaureate degree will determine major course requirements, including courses taken at the state or community college for a specific major.
6. Limited Access
   Limited Access program selection and enrollment criteria must be established and published by the university in catalogs, counseling manuals and other appropriate publications. Transfer students shall have the same opportunity to enroll in baccalaureate Limited Access programs as native university students. (Limited Access programs must be approved by the State Board of Education and registered with the articulation coordinating committee. It is required that the university denying students admission to a Limited Access program inform students of other educational options.)
7. Catalog Year
   The catalog year in which a student initially entered the College is also the catalog that is in effect when students enter the university, provided they maintain continuous enrollment as defined in the university catalog. Because course requirements change from year to year, a university catalog should be obtained for the academic year that a student first entered the state or community college in order to determine the upper division prerequisites for the individual majors.
8. Statewide Course Numbering System
   Credits earned in the Florida College System are identical to those at the state university as long as the statewide course designation has the same prefix and last three digits. Transferred credits are used on the same basis as those of native university students.
9. Articulated Programs
   The Articulation Coordinating Committee, appointed by the Florida State Board of Education, oversees the articulation agreement. This committee makes sure that students’ rights are safeguarded. The members of the committee can review individual cases of student transfer and admissions difficulties, and then recommend resolutions. Committee members also recommend policies and procedures to improve articulation system-wide.

For more information concerning student rights and the articulation agreement, contact a counselor or the university articulation officer.

Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida (ICUF) Statewide Agreement

In November 1992, the signing of an articulation agreement took place between the State Board of Community Colleges and the Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida. Florida has long been a leader in the articulation of students between the Florida College System and the public State University System and, once again, Florida has taken the lead by the signing of a statewide agreement between the Florida College System and the private colleges and universities.

The intent of the agreement was to establish “an effective and orderly transfer process for students entering a state community college, completing an associate in arts degree and transferring to an independent college or university.” Under the agreement, state and community college students holding an associate in arts degree are guaranteed junior standing, recognition of the general education core and the application of a minimum of 60 credit hours toward the baccalaureate degree. The ICUF manual contains admission and course prerequisite information to properly advise students planning to transfer to these institutions. This manual can be viewed at dlss.flvc.org/admin-tools/statewide-articulation-agreements.

More information can be found in the Statewide Postsecondary Articulation Manual at fldoe.org/core/fileparse.php/5421/urlt/statewide-postsecondary-articulation-manual.pdf.