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Associate of Arts Degree

Program Information

A.A. Degree - Code 010000 - Catalog 2023/2024

LaKisha Holmes, AVP, College of Arts & Sciences, 386-506-3769, LaKisha.Holmes@daytonastate.edu

Program Mission, Description, and Outcomes

Mission:

The mission of the Associate of Arts degree program is to provide the academic knowledge and skills necessary for successful transfer to meet higher education goals and for success in the workplace. To achieve this goal, the program provides students with a broad academic experience in fundamental areas of human knowledge and sets students on a path to gain skills most valued by both institutions of higher education and employers: to be able to communicate clearly, work with others, think critically, use technology appropriately, and appreciate diversity.

Description:

Students are required to complete 60 hours of transferable college-level credit to receive an Associate of Arts (AA) degree. Florida State Board of Education Administrative Rule 6A-14.0303 requires 36 semester hours of general education courses, excluding college prep/developmental courses.

The remaining 24 credit hours are elective credits. Graduates must also meet the requirements of the Florida State Board of Education Administrative Rule 6A-10.030, College-Level Communication and Computation Skills, and 6A-10.02413 Civic Literacy Competency.  Additionally, students must complete a state-mandated foreign language requirement. Students must also complete a course designated as a Cultural/Global Focus Area in either their general education curriculum or as an elective, meet the Daytona State College residency requirements, and have a cumulative 2.0 GPA and a Daytona State 2.0 GPA. (See Graduation Requirements and Procedures.)

Outcomes:

  1. Critical/Creative Thinking: Students will use systematic and creative thinking to analyze and evaluate issues and arguments, to solve problems, and/or to make decisions.

  2. Communication: Students will be able to read, write, and exchange information, ideas, and concepts effectively.

  3. Cultural Literacy: Students will understand the impact of the variations among and within cultures.

  4. Information and Technical Literacy: Students will use appropriate technology to locate, evaluate, and effectively process information.

Financial Aid

This program is eligible for federal financial aid and state Bright Futures Scholarship Program.

Financing Options: All students are encouraged to apply for federal and state student financial assistance by completing their FAFSA at http://www.fafsa.gov. For more information on grants, loans and work programs available see the Office of Financial Aid webpage at http://www.daytonastate.edu/finaid. Students are also encouraged to apply for one of the many Daytona State College Foundation scholarships offered each semester. For more information see: http://daytonastate.edu/scholarships.

Additional Graduation Requirements

Foreign Language Requirements:

Completion of two years of the same foreign language in high school, or completion of or demonstration of proficiency in a foreign language or American Sign Language at the elementary 2 level or above (e.g., for French, German, Italian, and Spanish at level 1121 or higher or ASL2150 or higher.) Foreign and sign language courses satisfy elective credits toward the AA degree.

Florida State Board of Education Administrative Rule 6A-10.02413, Civic Literacy Competency:

In accordance with the Florida Department of Education Administrative Rule, first-time-in-college AA and baccalaureate students entering a Florida College System institution in the 2018-19 academic year and thereafter must demonstrate competency in civic literacy prior to graduation.  Students can meet this requirement through one of the following options: successfully pass POS2041 American Federal Government or AMH2020 United States History 1865 to Present and by passing the Florida Civic Literacy Examination with a score of 60% or higher; or achieve a standard score on one of three assessments:

• AP Government and Politics: United States: 
• AP United States History or 
• CLEP: American Government

Florida State Board of Education Administrative Rule 6A-10.030, College-Level Communication and Computational Skills:

In accordance with the Florida Department of Education, ALL students are mandated to complete satisfactorily 12 semester hours of courses which include written assignments demonstrating college-level writing skills and also complete satisfactorily a minimum of six (6) semester hours of mathematics.

This rule applies to all students prior to receipt of an AA degree from a public community college or university, or prior to entry into upper division of a public university. For the purpose of this rule, a grade of "C" or better shall be considered successful completion.

The AA program is designed to ensure that students meet the College-Level Communication and Computation Skills requirements.

Each course used to satisfy these state rules and all General Education Core courses must be completed with a grade of "C" or higher.

Prior to enrollment in college-level English or math courses, some students may be advised to complete college preparatory/developmental course work. See an Academic Advisor to determine developmental course requirements.

General Education Courses

General Education Core

Communication

9
Mathematics

6
Natural Sciences

6
Humanities

6
Social Sciences

9
Total Credit Hours:36
General Education Core:  See note 1.

Transfer Elective Core

College Transfer Elective Courses

24

Transfer Electives: See note 2.

Total Credit Hours: 60

Note: Prior to enrollment in college-level English or math courses, some students may be advised to complete college preparatory/developmental course work. See an Academic Advisor to determine developmental course requirements. 

Sample Program of Study

Year 1

1st Semester

ENC1101Introduction to Composition

3
 
MAC1105College Algebra

3
OR
MGF2106Survey in Mathematics

3
OR
MGF2107Mathematics for Liberal Arts

3
 
SLS1122Managing Your Success

3
College Transfer Elective

3
College Transfer Elective

3

General Education Core: See note 1

Transfer Electives:  See note 2

MAC1105, MGF2106, MGF2107: See note 3

SLS1122, Social Sciences Core: See note 4

2nd Semester

ENC1102Writing with Research

3
Natural Sciences Core - Choose One

3
STA2023Elementary Statistics

3
College Transfer Elective

3
College Transfer Elective

3

General Education Core: See note 1

Transfer Electives:  See note 2

STA2023: See note 3

Natural Sciences Core: See note 7

Year 2

1st Semester

Natural Sciences Core - Choose One

3
SPC2608Oral Communications/Research/Presentation Skills

3
Social Sciences Core - Civic Literacy (AMH2020 or POS2041)

3
College Transfer Elective or Foreign Language I

3
College Transfer Elective or Foreign Language II

3

General Education Core: See note 1

Transfer Electives: See note 2

Natural Sciences Core: See note 7

2nd Semester

Humanities Core - Choose One (AML, LIT)

3
Humanities Core - Choose One (ARH, HUM, MUL, PHI, REL, THE)

3
Social Sciences Core - Choose One

3
College Transfer Elective

3
College Transfer Elective or Cultural/Global Course

3

General Education Core:  See note 1

Complete a Cultural/Global focus area elective for one of these College Transfer Electives: See note 2 and 5.

Humanities Core: See note 6

College Transfer Electives (24)

Transfer Electives:  See note 2

Note: Sequence of courses may vary. Check catalog course descriptions for requisite requirements.

Notes

  1. The state-mandated 36 hours of general education are distributed in Communication, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, Humanities, and Social Sciences. In the areas of NATURAL SCIENCE, HUMANITIES, and SOCIAL SCIENCES, you must choose two (2) courses each to satisfy the core requirement. The appropriate course selections for each of these areas are designated by Column I and Column II designations; students must complete at least one (1) course from Column I in the areas of NATURAL SCIENCE, HUMANITIES, and SOCIAL SCIENCES. Visit link to Requirements for Associate of Arts Degree for details. 

    2. Additionally, in the areas of NATURAL SCIENCES and HUMANITIES, you must choose two (2) courses each to satisfy the core requirement. In the area of SOCIAL SCIENCES, you must choose three (3) courses to satisfy the core requirement, though you are required to complete a course meeting the Civics Literacy requirement (either POS2041 or AMH2020) and SLS1122 (Managing Your Success) as part of your selections. Students enrolled in an active bachelor's program are not required to complete SLS1122.

    Some students may be exempt from the requirement to complete SLS1122. Cases in which a student in the AA program are exempt are 1. Transfer students with 24+ credits and a 2.75+ cumulative GPA; 2. Readmit students with 24+ credits and a 2.75+ cumulative GPA; and 3. Students who change their program from an AS program to the AA program with 24+ credits toward the AA degree and a 2.75+ cumulative GPA.

  2. College Transfer Elective Course Options Students are required to have 24 credit hours of elective credits to complete the Associate of Arts (AA) degree. Three (3) of the credits must be a course designated as a Cultural/Global Focus Area course. Visit link to Requirements for Associate of Arts Degree for details. Any college credit course that is not already counting toward a General Education requirement may be used to meet elective options in this requirement, except courses that have a course number that begins with a 0, for example MAT0018C, ARR0121C, CJK0012, etc. Courses in limited access programs are available only for students admitted to that program. Link to Catalog Course Descriptions for college transfer elective options.  

    Florida regulations require you to take any prerequisites needed for your intended transfer school/major as part of your AA degree. Students are required to meet with an academic advisor to discuss their intended transfer school and major and be informed of the prerequisites for their intended program by the time they have earned 30 credits. However, it is recommended that students know the requirements of the senior university they plan to attend and that they work with an academic advisor to select electives to fulfill the prerequisites for their major upon transfer.

  3. Mathematics Core - Higher level mathematics courses will also satisfy this core requirement.

  4. SLS1122 - Managing Your Success is a requirement for students in the Associate of Arts (AA) degree and meets 3 credits of the Social Science core. See possible exemptions in note #1 above.

  5. Cultural/Global Focus - You may choose any of the following Cultural/Global Focus electives to satisfy this requirement: CPO2001; EDF2085; EUH2000, GEB2351; GEO2000; GEO2420; HUM2020; HUM2210; HUM2230; INR2002; LIT2110; LIT2120; REL2300; SYG2010; SLS2281.

  6. Humanities Core - Students MUST choose 6 credits to meet this requirement and ONE MUST be a Literature course (AML, LIT); ONE MUST be a Humanities course (ARH, DAN, HUM, MUH, MUL, PHI, REL, THE). One of these must come from Column I.

  7. Natural Sciences Core - Higher-level natural science courses will also satisfy this core requirement.

Note: Courses transferred from other institutions are decided on an individual basis.

Please refer to the Excess Hours Advisory Statement from the Division of Florida Colleges in the College Catalog under General Education - Requirements for the Associate of Arts Degree.