Associate in Science Degree Requirements
An Associate in Science (AS) degree will be awarded upon completion of the hours specified in the program. The individual must complete a minimum of 15 hours in General Education courses and the remaining courses listed in the program. (The majority of AS degrees at PHSC require 18 hours in General Education courses, however to learn about the specific General Education requirements in your AS program, please refer to that program description in the Catalog.) Courses designated for technical certificates, except where specific articulation agreements exist, or those below the 1000 or 2000 level, are not applicable to this degree. At least 25 percent of the hours in a student's program, other than by Credit-By-Examination, College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) or Advanced Placement (AP), must be earned in residence in classroom instruction at PHSC. A cumulative grade point average of not less than 2.0 must be achieved prior to graduation.
A grade of "C" or higher is required for all General Education courses whether they are being used to fulfill program or elective requirements.
The General Education requirements for the AS Degree are:
AREA I.
Communications: 9 Semester Credit Hours
The following course is required for all students:
Note(s): Students are encouraged to enroll in English Composition I (ENC 1101) during the first term of their enrollment at the College. The credit-hour requirement noted above still must be met as specified in the AS program description.
AREA II.
Mathematics: 3 Semester Credit Hours
Select one of the following courses:
Note(s): Credit earned in courses not offered by PHSC but awarded via transfer evaluations, examinations and other external credit mechanisms may also be used to meet the Area II requirement. Courses must begin with the following prefixes: MAC, MAP, MGF, MTG or STA. The credit-hour requirement noted above still must be met as specified in the AS program description.
AREA III.
Natural Sciences: 3 Semester Credit Hours
Select one of the following courses:
| AST 1002 | Introduction to Astronomy | 3 cr. |
| BSC 1005 | Introduction to Biology | 3 cr. |
| BSC 1020 | Human Biology | 3 cr. |
| BSC 1050 | Introduction to Environmental Science | 3 cr. |
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| BSC 1085 | Human Anatomy and Physiology I | 3 cr. |
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| BSC 1085L | Human Anatomy and Physiology I Laboratory | 1 cr. |
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| BSC 1086 | Human Anatomy and Physiology II | 3 cr. |
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| BSC 1086L | Human Anatomy and Physiology II Laboratory | 1 cr. |
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| BSC 1311 | Marine Biology | 3 cr. |
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| BSC 2010 | Biology I | 3 cr. |
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| BSC 2010L | Biology I Laboratory | 1 cr. |
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| CHM 1020 | Chemistry in Your Life | 3 cr. |
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| CHM 1025 | Introductory Chemistry | 3 cr. |
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| CHM 1025L | Introductory Chemistry Laboratory | 1 cr. |
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| CHM 2045 | General Chemistry and Qualitative Analysis I | 3 cr. |
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| CHM 2045L | General Chemistry and Qualitative Analysis I Laboratory | 1 cr. |
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| CHM 2210C | Organic Chemistry I | 5 cr. |
| GLY 2010 | Introduction to Geology | 3 cr. |
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| MCB 2010 | Microbiology | 3 cr. |
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| MCB 2010L | Microbiology Laboratory | 1 cr. |
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| MET 2010 | Introduction to Meteorology | 3 cr. |
| OCE 2001 | Introduction to Oceanography | 3 cr. |
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| PHY 1053 | General Physics I | 3 cr. |
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| PHY 1053L | General Physics I Laboratory | 1 cr. |
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| PHY 2048C | General Physics I with Calculus | 4 cr. |
| PSC 1121 | Survey of the Physical Sciences | 3 cr. |
| PSC 1341 | Introduction to the Physical Sciences | 3 cr. |
Note(s):
Credit earned in courses not offered by PHSC but awarded via transfer evaluations, examinations and other external credit mechanisms also may be used to meet the Area III requirement. Courses must begin with the following prefixes: AST, BOT, BSC, CHM, GLY, MCB, MET, OCE, PHY or PSC. The credit-hour requirement noted above still must be met as specified in the AS program description.
AREA IV
Social and Behavioral Sciences: 3 Semester Credit Hours
Select one of the following courses:
| AMH 2010 | History of the United States I | 3 cr. |
| AMH 2020 | History of the United States II | 3 cr. |
| AMH 2070 | History of Florida | 3 cr. |
| AMH 2091 | Survey of African American History | 3 cr. |
| ANT 2000 | Introduction to Anthropology | 3 cr. |
| ANT 2100 | Introduction to Archaeology | 3 cr. |
| ANT 2410 | Introduction to Cultural Anthropology | 3 cr. |
| ANT 2511 | Introduction to Physical Anthropology | 3 cr. |
| CLP 2140 | Abnormal Psychology | 3 cr. |
| DEP 2002 | Child Psychology | 3 cr. |
| DEP 2004 | Lifespan Development | 3 cr. |
| DEP 2302 | Adolescent Psychology | 3 cr. |
| DEP 2402 | Psychology of Adulthood and Aging | 3 cr. |
| ECO 2013 | Principles of Macroeconomics | 3 cr. |
| ECO 2023 | Principles of Microeconomics | 3 cr. |
| EDP 2002 | Educational Psychology | 3 cr. |
| EUH 1000 | Western Civilization I: 700 BC to 1200 CE | 3 cr. |
| EUH 1001 | Western Civilization II: 1200 to 1763 | 3 cr. |
| GEA 2000 | World Regional Geography | 3 cr. |
| GEA 2210 | Geography of North America | 3 cr. |
| HIS 2300 | War and Society | 3 cr. |
| INR 2002 | Introduction to International Relations | 3 cr. |
| ISS 2160 | Contemporary Ethnic Diversity Issues | 3 cr. |
| ISS 2263 | Psychosocial Aspects of the Holocaust | 3 cr. |
| POS 2041 | American Federal Government | 3 cr. |
| POS 2112 | State and Local Government | 3 cr. |
| PPE 2001 | Introduction to Personality | 3 cr. |
| PSY 1012 | Introduction to Psychology | 3 cr. |
| SOP 2640 | Consumer Psychology | 3 cr. |
| SOP 2721 | Cross-Cultural Psychology | 3 cr. |
| SOP 2772 | Human Sexuality | 3 cr. |
| SYG 1361 | Death in America | 3 cr. |
| SYG 1420 | Families in Transition | 3 cr. |
| SYG 2000 | Introduction to Sociology | 3 cr. |
| SYG 2010 | Social Problems | 3 cr. |
| SYG 2221 | Women in American Society | 3 cr. |
| SYG 2430 | Marriage and The Family | 3 cr. |
| SYG 2809 | Gender Violence in Global Perspectives | 3 cr. |
| SYO 2201 | Sociology of Religion | 3 cr. |
Note(s): Credit earned in courses not offered by PHSC but awarded via transfer evaluations, examinations and other external credit mechanisms may also be used to meet the Area IV requirement. Courses must begin with the following prefixes: AMH, ANT, CLP, DEP, ECO, EDP, EUH, GEA, HIS, INR, ISS, POS, PPE, PSY, SOP, SYG or SYO. The credit-hour requirement noted above must still be met as specified in the AS program description.
AREA V
Humanities: 3 Semester Credit Hours
Select one of the following courses:
| ARH 1000 | Art Appreciation | 3 cr. |
| HUM 1020 | Introduction to Humanities | 3 cr. |
| HUM 2210 | Humanities: The Ancient World to the Middle Ages | 3 cr. |
| HUM 2230 | Humanities: The Renaissance to the Modern Day | 3 cr. |
| MUL 1110 | Music Appreciation | 3 cr. |
| PHI 1630 | Applied Ethics | 3 cr. |
| PHI 1010 | Introduction to Philosophy | 3 cr. |
| PHI 2070 | Introduction to Non-Western Philosophy | 3 cr. |
| PHI 2100 | Introduction to Logic | 3 cr. |
| REL 2000 | Introduction to Religion | 3 cr. |
| REL 2300 | World Religions | 3 cr. |
| THE 2010 | Survey of Drama: Ancient Greece to the Early Renaissance | 3 cr. |
| THE 2011 | Survey of Drama: High Renaissance to Present | 3 cr. |
| THE 1000 | Theatre Appreciation | 3 cr. |
Note(s): Credit earned in courses not offered by PHSC but awarded via transfer evaluations, examinations and other external credit mechanisms also may be used to meet the Area V requirement. Courses must begin with the following prefixes: ARH, HUM, MUL, PHI, REL or THE. The credit-hour requirement noted above still must be met as specified in the AS program description.
AREA VI.
Information Literacy and Technological Fluency: 3 Semester Credit Hours
The following course is required for all students:
Note(s): Students are encouraged to enroll in Microcomputer Applications (CGS 1100) during the first term of their enrollment at the college.
Civic Literacy
To whom does the civic literacy requirement apply?
| For students entering in: |
The civic literacy requirement applies to: |
In the following programs: |
These students must: |
|
2018-19 -
2020-21
|
First-time-in-college students |
A.A.
Baccalaureate
|
Pass a course OR pass an assessment |
| 2021-22 |
Students entering FCS under 2021-22 catalog year* |
A.A.
Baccalaureate
|
Pass a course AND pass an assessment |
| 2022-23** |
Students entering FCS 2022-23 catalog year |
A.S.
A.A.S.
|
Pass a course AND pass an assessment |
* There is no a state requirement governing policy on catalog year in effect for returning students. Policies and procedures relating to assigning catalog years are left to institutions to determine.
** The Florida Department of Education (Department) anticipates entering into rule development to add the civic literacy requirement as a condition of A.S./A.A.S. degree completion to coincide with general education changes from House Bill 1507, which will be effective with the 2022-23 catalog year.
Additional Information
Each program also will include computer competencies, general computational skills, oral communication skills and human relations skills taught in a specific course or courses, based on the curricular needs. Some programs also may require particular courses to meet the requirements in II, III, IV, V and VI above. See the individual program listings for required General Education courses that must be completed.
It is strongly recommended that the first of any required English and mathematics courses be taken within the first 15 hours of course work. If the need for college preparatory courses is indicated by placement scores, college preparatory courses must be completed by the time the student completes 12 credit hours. The first of any required English and mathematics courses, as applicable, should be taken as soon thereafter as the student demonstrates the necessary skills for these courses.
In accordance with state Rule 6A.10.0315(1), Florida Administrative Code, students entering into degree programs (including AA and AS) shall enroll in college preparatory communication and computation courses if their placement test scores indicate a need for college preparatory coursework. Students must successfully complete required college preparatory coursework by the time they have accumulated 12 hours of college credit courses, or must maintain continuous enrollment in college preparatory courses until requirements are completed while performing satisfactorily in their degree coursework.