Course Descriptions
Waivers of prerequisites may be granted by deans, program directors or instructors-in-charge under certain conditions. Students who feel that they have sufficient training and/or experience to warrant an exception of the prerequisite should work with a student advisor to consult with the dean, program director or instructor-in-charge to assess whether a request for a waiver is appropriate or allowed.
Please note some courses may have special fees. Also, for some courses, the hours required may exceed the number of credit hours for the course. This will be especially true for courses in which clinical rotations or intern hours are required.
Florida's Statewide Course Numbering System
Courses use prefixes and numbers that are assigned by Florida's Statewide Course Numbering System (SCNS) whenever possible. This numbering system is used by all public postsecondary institutions in Florida and some participating nonpublic institutions to facilitate the transfer of courses between participating institutions. Students, advisors and administrators use the online Statewide Course Numbering System to obtain course descriptions and other information to assist them in making decisions about course transfer between participating schools (please visit the Florida SCNS website). Individual schools control the title, credit and content of their own courses. Individual schools also assign the first digit of the course number to reflect the level of instruction at which the course is being offered. Course prefixes and the last three digits of the course numbers are assigned by members of statewide faculty committee appointed by the Florida Department of Education to oversee the SCNS system.
Course Equivalencies
Equivalent courses at different institutions are identified by the same prefixes and same last three digits of the course number and are guaranteed to be transferable between the participating institutions that offer the course, with a few exceptions.
Example: ENC_101 - the freshman composition course is offered at schools participating in the Florida SCNS system with the same prefix and number. Only the first digit may change. This means an ENC 2011 taken at another school will be transferred into PHSC as ENC1101- note; only the first digit changed at PHSC.
Example: Science courses may have a "C" or "L" after the course number to indicate that a separate lab is required (separate section and location/time for lab class) or that the lab component was combined with the lecture class. If the lab section is separate at PHSC, than the combined course/lab course transferred in will be awarded separately to show student met both class-credit hours and lab-credit hours.
Quarter-term credit systems versus semester-term credit: Credit hours for courses are based on the number of instructional hours. Credits taken at a college using the quarter term system will not transfer in at the same credit hours used in the PHSC semester based system.
Example: ENC 1101 for three (3) credits in a quarter-term college = 2.66 credits at PHSC
Exceptions to Course Equivalencies
Transfer credit for courses that do not fall under the Florida state course numbering are accepted at the discretion of PHSC (the receiving institution). The following courses are exceptions to the general rule for course equivalencies outlined above and they may not transfer to PHSC:
- Courses not offered by PHSC
- For courses at nonregionally accredited institutions, courses offered prior to the established transfer date of the course in question on the SCNS tables
- Courses in the _900-999 series are not automatically transferable, and must be evaluated individually. Courses ending in these numbers may include special topics, internships or an individualized course
- College preparatory and vocational preparatory courses
- Credits for military training and service
- Upper-level courses: undergraduate courses numbering above 300+ level may be transferable at the discretion of the College, for students enrolled in baccalaureate (upper-level) programs
- Graduate level coursework
- Applied courses in the performing arts (art, dance, interior design, music and theater) and skill courses in criminal justice and/or law enforcement are not guaranteed as transferable
- Courses from foreign institutions or courses completed outside of the U.S.
Courses at Nonregionally Accredited Institutions
The Statewide Course Numbering System has a list of "Courses at Nonregionally Accredited Institutions" that identifies what courses will be accepted for transfer credit in Florida public institutions. This list is updated monthly - see the Florida SCNS website.
Questions about transfer credits should begin with your academic advisor. Credits may be changed to correct errors only. Appeals to have courses not accepted brought in or to have transfer credit awarded differently can be submitted to: Director of Admissions and Student Records, District Office (New Port Richey campus).