Requirements for Associate of Arts Degree

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 education 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, known as College-Level Communication and Computation Skills (formerly known as the Gordon Rule). Students must complete the state-mandated foreign language requirement by the time they graduate with their bachelor's degree. If students are not going to pursue a bachelor's degree they must complete their foreign language requirement before graduating with their AA. Students also must 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.)

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. French, German, Italian, Spanish 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-10.030, College-Level Communication and Computational Skills (formerly known as the Gordon Rule):

In accordance with the Florida Department of Education Administrative Rule, ALL students are mandated to satisfactorily complete 12 semester hours of courses which include written assignments demonstrating college-level writing skills and also satisfactorily complete 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.

Students who do not complete all of the College-Level Communication and Computational Skills courses within the 60 credits must complete additional courses to fulfill AA degree requirements.

Courses that satisfy the College-Level Communication and Computational Skills rule are part of the General Education Core and are denoted with an ^. College-Level Communication and Computational Skills Writing Courses consist of any course denoted as a College-Level Communication and Computational Skills course EXCEPT those in the Mathematics Core.

Each course used to satisfy this rule 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 course work.

*Three (3) of the 24 elective credits must be SLS1122 (Managing Your Success). This course is a graduation requirement for students in the Associate of Arts (A.A.) degree. 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 30+ credits and a 3.0 cumulative GPA; 2. Readmit students with 30+ credits and a 3.0 cumulative GPA; and 3. Students who change their program from an AS program to the AA program with 30+ credits toward the AA degree and a 3.0 cumulative GPA.

Associate of Arts (AA) Elective Courses

Students are required to have 24 credit hours of elective credits to complete the Associate of Arts (AA) degree. Any college credit course that is not already counting toward a General Education requirement may be used to meet this requirement, except courses that have a course number that begins with a 0, for example MAT0018C, ARR0121C, CJK0012. Courses in limited access programs are available only for students admitted to that program. (See Course Descriptions)

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 before they have earned 30 credit hours.

Students should know the requirements of the senior university they plan to attend and work with their Daytona State College faculty advisor or an academic advisor to select electives to fulfill the prerequisites for their major.  *Please see the Excess Hours Advisory Statement below from the Division of Florida Colleges.  

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

*EXCESS HOURS ADVISORY STATEMENT

This Division of Florida Colleges advisory statement for incoming students is intended to ensure that all students within The Florida College System understand the importance and potential consequences of their course selections.

 Section 1009.286, Florida Statutes, establishes an “excess hour” surcharge for students seeking baccalaureate degrees at state universities. It is critical that students, including those entering Florida College System Institutions, are aware of the potential for additional course fees. For the 2012-13 academic year and thereafter, “excess hours” are defined as hours that go beyond 110% 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 132 credit hours (110% 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 System students intending to transfer to state universities should identify a major or “transfer program” early and, by the time the student earns 30 semester hours of college credit, be advised of admission requirements for that program, including the approved common prerequisites. Course withdrawals and/or repeats, as well as enrollment in courses nonessential to the intended major, may contribute to a potential excess hours surcharge.