6A-14.0303. General Education Course Options

(1) Purpose. It is necessary that every undergraduate student of a Florida public postsecondary educational institution graduates as an informed citizen through participation in rigorous general education courses. General education courses should provide broad foundational knowledge to help students develop intellectual skills and habits that enable them to become more effective and lifelong learners and contain high-level academic and critical thinking skills. This rule implements the requirements for general education courses as required by section 1007.25, F.S., and the principles, standards and content for general education required under section 1007.55, F.S.

(2) General education core courses. Courses listed in this subsection implement the required principles, standards and content in accordance with s. 1007.55, F.S. Prior to the award of an associate in arts degree, specialized associate in arts transfer degree, or baccalaureate degree, first-time-in-college students entering a Florida College System institution in the Fall Term, 2015, and thereafter must complete at least one (1) course from each of the general education subject areas listed in this section. Beginning in the 2022-23 academic year and thereafter, students entering associate in science or associate in applied science, degree programs must complete at least one (1) course from each of the general education subject areas listed in this section prior to the awarding of their degree.

(a) Communication:

1. ENC X101 English Composition I; or

2. Any student who successfully completes a course with an ENC prefix for which ENC X101 is an immediate prerequisite shall be considered to have completed the communication core.

(b) Humanities:

1. ARH X000 Art Appreciation;

2. HUM X020 Introduction to Humanities;

3. LIT X000 Introduction to Literature;

4. MUL X010 Music Literature/Music Appreciation;

5. PHI X010 Introduction to Philosophy; or

6. THE X000 Theatre Appreciation.

(c) Mathematics for students entering a Florida College System institution in the Fall Term, 2015, through the 2023-24 academic year:

1. MAC X105 College Algebra;

2. MAC X311 Calculus I;

3. MGF X106 Liberal Arts Mathematics I;

4. MGF X107 Liberal Arts Mathematics II;

5. STA X023 Statistical Methods; or

6. Any student who successfully completes a mathematics course for which one (1) of the general education core course options in mathematics is an immediate prerequisite shall be considered to have completed the mathematics core.

(d) Mathematics for students entering a Florida College System institution in the 2024-25 academic year and thereafter:

1. MAC X105 College Algebra;

2. MAC X311 Calculus I;

3. MGF X130 Mathematical Thinking;

4. STA X023 Statistical Methods; or

5. Any student who successfully completes a mathematics course for which one (1) of the general education core course options in mathematics is an immediate prerequisite shall be considered to have completed the mathematics core.

6. To avoid excess credit hours, successful completion of MGF X106 and X107 prior to the 2024-25 academic year may be used to satisfy the mathematics core in lieu of MGF X130.

(e) Natural Sciences:

1. AST X002 Descriptive Astronomy;

2. BSC X005 General Biology;

3. BSC X010 General Biology I;

4. BSC X085 Anatomy and Physiology I;

5. CHM X020 Chemistry for Liberal Studies;

6. CHM X045 General Chemistry I;

7. ESC X000 Introduction to Earth Science;

8. EVR X001 Introduction to Environmental Science;

9. GLY X010 Introduction to Geology;

10. OCE X001 Introduction to Oceanography;

11. PHY X020 Fundamentals of Physics;

12. PHY X048 General Physics with Calculus;

13. PHY X053 General Physics I; or

14. Any student who successfully completes a natural science course for which one (1) of the general education core course options in natural science is an immediate prerequisite shall be considered to have completed the natural science core.

(f) Social Sciences:

1. AMH X010 Introductory Survey to 1877;

2. AMH X020 Introductory Survey Since 1877;

3. ANT X000 Introduction to Anthropology;

4. ECO X013 Principles of Macroeconomics;

5. POS X041 American Government; or

6. PSY X012 Introduction to Psychology

(3) Other means by which students can satisfy general education core course requirements.

(a) A student who has completed an associate in arts degree, specialized associate in arts transfer degree, or baccalaureate degree conferred by a Florida College System institution or state university is considered to have met general education requirements, including requirements for general education core courses.

(b) Institutions must recognize credit earned through an acceleration mechanism in section 1007.27, F.S., as meeting the related general education core course requirement as prescribed in Rule 6A-10.024, F.A.C.

(c) Institutions may grant a substitution or modification to the courses listed above for eligible students with disabilities, subject to Rule 6A-10.041, F.A.C.

(d) Each institution must accept a student’s courses taken as meeting general education core course requirements upon transfer, regardless of whether the receiving institution offers the identical general education core courses.

(e) An institution may not require a student to complete an additional course to meet a subject area requirement in subsection (2) that was completed by the student at a Florida College System institution or state university with a course that has since been removed as a general education core course.

(4) Institutional implementation and reporting of general education core courses. Institutions shall report to the Statewide Course Numbering System, established in s. 1007.24, F.S., all courses used to fulfill subject area core course options. Any course recommended by the institution to be added to its list of general education core course options from subsection (2) of this rule must follow the statewide course description provided in the Statewide Course Numbering System and shall be reported to the Office of K-20 Articulation at [e-mail] for review. Each institution may apply its own course titles to the general education core course options.

(5) Institutional general education course offerings implementation and reporting. The remaining courses and credits, in addition to the core course options, to fulfill the total 36-hour general education requirement for an associate in arts degree, specialized associate in arts transfer degree, and baccalaureate degrees are provided by each Florida College System institution and approved by the State Board of Education in accordance with this rule. An institution may not require a student to take an additional course to meet a subject area requirement that was completed by the student with a course that has since been removed as a general education course.

(a) Each Florida College System institution board of trustees and president must annually review and approve, at a public meeting, the courses offered by the institution that meet general education course requirements in accordance with ss. 1007.24, 1007.25 and 1007.55, F.S.

(b) Each institution must submit its approved list of general education courses to the Articulation Coordinating Committee no later than September 1 of each year by the course prefix and number in the Statewide Course Numbering System, including the institution’s course title, in a format prescribed by the Department.

(c) The Articulation Coordinating Committee shall annually submit each institution’s completed list of general education courses to the State Board of Education, along with the statewide data elements required in s. 1007.55, F.S., no later than December 1 of each year.

(d) Using the criteria for general education course standards, principles and content listed in s. 1007.55, F.S., the State Board of Education will approve or reject each institution’s list of general education course offerings and notify the institution in writing within ninety (90) days of receiving the list from the Office of K-20 Articulation.

1. If the State Board of Education rejects an institution’s list of courses, the reason(s) for the rejection will be provided in writing to the institution, including any specific courses that were found to be not in compliance with the statute.

2. An institution whose list is rejected must resubmit its list to the State Board of Education for reconsideration within sixty (60) days. Until the new list is approved, the institution must continue to offer courses from the prior approved list.

3. If an institution whose list is rejected does not submit a revised list within sixty (60) days, or if the resubmitted list is rejected by the State Board of Education, the Commissioner may withhold performance funding payments for that institution until it submits a course list that meets requirements and is approved by the State Board of Education.

Rulemaking Authority 1001.02(1), (2)(n), (6)(d)3., 1007.25(3), 1007.55 FS. Law Implemented 1007.25(3), 1007.55 FS. History‒New 5-18-14, Amended 11-23-21, 2-21-23, 2-20-24, 8-27-24.