Associate in Arts Degree

General Education Requirements

The general education requirements for associate degrees at Florida Gateway College are consistent with the College philosophy which states that each student who attends the College shall be assisted in acquiring learning as a lifelong pattern. Specifically, students in career-oriented areas should be able to communicate, to calculate, and to understand the social and scientific implications of the world around them. Students seeking transfer to a baccalaureate program should complete a general education requirement which is broad in scope and requires an in-depth level of inquiry.

The College recognizes that student learning goals may change during a lifetime; therefore, the general education requirement for all degrees is collegiate in nature and, as such, should provide an academic foundation for lifelong learning. It is designed to meet students at their levels of ability and assist them in attaining collegiate levels of performance. Not all students come to the College prepared for this level of endeavor. Preparatory courses, therefore, are provided to assist the student in gaining the requisite skills necessary to be successful in a work or collegiate setting.

Florida Gateway College requires students in all associate degree programs to demonstrate computer competency. Competency is defined as the ability to use computer technology to access data, transform the data into information, and communicate that information to others. Students who were admitted for first time registration for the summer of 2001 and after (or students who have not been enrolled for at least one semester for every year of enrollment), are required to prove competency by one of the following ways prior to graduation: providing evidence of appropriate computer coursework on an official high school transcript; satisfactory completion of a collegewide proficiency test of computer competence; taking any course with the prefix CGS, COP, or EME, before graduation; or successfully completing a college Internet course.

Florida Gateway College requires students in all associate degree programs to demonstrate oral communication competency. Competency is defined as the ability to perceive, interpret, evaluate, organize, and demonstrate effective oral presentation. Students who were admitted for first time registration for the summer of 2001 and after (or students who have not been enrolled for at least one semester for every year of enrollment), are required to prove competency by passing one of the following courses before graduation: ORI 2000 Fundamentals of Oral Interpretation , SPC 1017 Oral Communications , SPC 1061 Introduction to Academic and Professional Speaking , or SPC 2608 Public Speaking .

General Learning Outcomes

Listed below are the FGC General Learning Outcomes to be mastered by all students who complete an Associate in Arts program or an Associate in Science program. The curriculum in these courses will be mapped to confirm coverage of the competencies and the course examinations will be designed to assess mastery of the competencies.

1. Communications: Demonstrate the ability to understand and be understood through effective reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills.
   
   • Student will demonstrate the ability to understand and respond to college level reading assignments through the application of effective reading skills.
   • Student will demonstrate the ability to understand and to produce effective writing.
   • Student will demonstrate the ability to apply effective listening skills.
   • Student will demonstrate the ability to understand and produce effective speaking.
2. Critical Thinking: Demonstrate the knowledge and ability to evaluate carefully and apply reasoning to differentiate between facts, inferences, assumptions and conclusions.
   
   • Student will demonstrate the ability to question and evaluate information (data, ideas or concepts) for accuracy, objectivity and quality.
   • Student will demonstrate the ability to analyze information (data, idea or concepts) in context to draw appropriate and well supported conclusions.
   • Student will demonstrate the ability to synthesize ideas from a variety of sources producing an original product.
3. Quantitative Reasoning: Demonstrate the ability to use numerical, geometric and measurement data in computations and reasoning to draw logical conclusions and make well-reasoned decisions.
   
   • Student will demonstrate the ability to make necessary numeric conversions from measurements in both the US and Metric Systems.
   • Student will demonstrate the ability to interpret mathematical models such as formulas, graphs, tables, and to draw inferences from them.
   • Student will demonstrate the ability to estimate and check answers to problems in order to determine reasonableness, identify alternatives, and select optimal results.
4. Scientific Reasoning: Demonstrate the ability to apply empirical evidence to describe, understand and predict natural phenomena.
   
   • Student will demonstrate an understanding of fundamental scientific principles and their application to scientific research and to society.
   • Student will demonstrate the ability to utilize and apply technological data to understand natural phenomena.
   • Student will demonstrate the ability to apply these steps of the scientific method to solve problems by:
     
     1. Observation of natural phenomena
     2. Interpretation of the natural phenomena through formulation of a hypothesis which is a tentative explanation of the observed phenomena.
     3. Acquisition of scientific data through experiment or continued observation.
     4. Formulation of a conclusion to explain the results obtained and be able to modify that conclusion when new data is collected.
   • Student will demonstrate the ability to integrate ideas and concepts from different disciplines.
5. Information Literacy: Demonstrate the ability to locate, comprehend, evaluate and use information effectively and ethically.
   
   • Student will demonstrate the ability to locate relevant resource materials available in the library or through the Florida college system in either electronic or print format.
   • Student will demonstrate the ability to differentiate between reliable and unreliable Web sites and relevant subject databases provided through the library, and utilize reliable electronic web resources to support their beliefs, position, and/or argument.
   • Student will demonstrate the ability to use information derived from a variety of sources in accordance with the laws and guidelines of “Fair Use” and intellectual property rights.
   • Student will demonstrate the ability to gather information by using an internet search engine.
   • Student will demonstrate the ability to send and receive basic e-mail communication.
   • Student will demonstrate the ability to organize data in a tabular format (using an appropriate computer software package).
     
     1. Demonstrate the ability to apply an appropriate analysis method to the data (based on the software capabilities).
   • Student will demonstrate the ability to save data in an electronic form.
   • Student will demonstrate the ability to print a document from the computer.
6. Cultural Awareness: Demonstrate an awareness, understanding and appreciation of the interconnectedness of cultures within and across local, regional, state, national and global communities.
   • Student will acquire an awareness of cultural differences and/or interconnections based upon multiple perspectives of either culture outside their own or the interconnections of cultures, languages and/or nations at various levels, including international.
   • Student will demonstrate the ability to reflect upon cultural differences and/or interconnections, resulting in the formulation of their own responses to the culture or global issue and be able to relate such reflection through written or spoken analysis, contrast/comparison and informed deliberation.
   • Student will begin to develop greater tolerance and appreciation of cultural differences and/or interconnections and by extension begin to develop a global perspective, through the identification of positive elements in different cultures.

General Information

A student wishing to transfer to an upper division university should be enrolled in courses leading to the Associate in Arts degree (A.A.). The Associate in Arts (A.A.) degree is the freshman and sophomore years of a four-year bachelor’s degree. Florida Gateway College offers a wide range of preprofessional courses designed to prepare students to transfer to upper division universities.

The transfer articulation agreement between state universities in Florida and community colleges allows each community college to develop its own general education requirements and determine what electives are allowed for the granting of the Associate in Arts degree. A student who completes the general education program at a community college will not be required to complete other general education requirements at the four-year university.

A student should realize that upper division universities also set their own academic requirements for entry into specific programs. The College will make every effort to advise a student concerning upper division requirements for each major. However, for reliable information concerning which electives to choose while in residence at Florida Gateway College, each student is encouraged to consult with the dean, department chair, advisor or registrar of the school he or she expects to attend. Students are strongly encouraged to declare a major upon first enrolling at the College, because courses selected for electives may have to be used to meet university prerequisites to degree programs.

A student who has determined a professional program of study should become thoroughly familiar with the requirements for admission into that program at the particular four-year university to which he or she plans to transfer.

Graduation Requirements

Graduation Requirements for the Associate in Arts degree are shown below. A student who owes an obligation to the college will not receive a diploma or transcript until the obligation is resolved.

1. demonstrate competence in oral communication and computer literacy by assessment or passing the appropriate courses,
2. complete general education requirements (36 semester hours) and elective courses (24 semester hours) to complete a minimum of 60 semester hours,
3. complete the college residency requirement, which is a minimum of 25 percent of credits of the program at Florida Gateway College before graduation,
4. complete multiple writing assignments in the areas below with a grade of C or better in each course,
   Communications
   Humanities
   Social Sciences
5. successfully complete a course in Student Development if any developmental reading, writing or math course is required,
6. earn a cumulative GPA of 2.0 in all college credit courses,
7. satisfactorily complete the following specific requirements as listed below:

 Associate in Arts Program Requirements