ASSOCIATE IN SCIENCE ( A . S .)
WHAT IS IT ?
The Associate in Science ( A . S .) degree is the two-year career education degree offered by Florida colleges primarily to prepare students for direct entry into the workforce . A . S . degrees will articulate to Eastern Florida State College ’ s Bachelor Degree programs and transfer to Florida colleges making it possible for A . S . degree students to complete a Bachelor Degree .
A . S . programs require a minimum of two years of study and contain a minimum of 15 credit hours of General Education and a minimum of 45 credit hours of career specific courses for a total of 60 credit hours . The General Education courses are designed to provide students with the general knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in a work environment . The career-specific courses are designed to provide students with the knowledge , skills , and competencies required for initial employment .
Once you decide on your degree or program , you can view your bachelor ’ s degree options for transfer within the Florida College System by using the “ State College Transfer Student Admission Requirements ” link at the FloridaShines transfer options site ( floridashines . org ).
Note : A . S . degrees are generally not designed for transfer to a state university bachelor program unless articulation agreements are in place , which they are in Florida for select degrees . Consult with an academic advisor if you plan to pursue a bachelor ’ s degree through an A . S . transfer pathway .
An Associate in Science ( A . S .) Degree differs from an Associate in Arts ( A . A .) Degree . The Associate in Arts Degree ( A . A .) is designed for students who intend to earn a bachelor ’ s degree from EFSC or another fouryear college or university . The A . A . degree can be paired with any of our eight Academic Communities , as its general education and elective courses can be customized to meet the prerequisite needs for an intended bachelor ’ s degree .
It is comparable to the freshman and sophomore years ( lower division ) of a university program and requires a total of 60 college-level credit hours and cumulative grade point average of 2.0 for completion .
Within the curriculum , students must successfully complete 36 credit hours of general education courses from within the subject areas of communications , mathematics , humanities , behavioral / social sciences and natural sciences . The remaining 24 credit hours are electives . It is essential that students work closely with an academic advisor to choose electives required for their intended major at the university or college baccalaureate degree program .
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