Degree Requirements

In order to be eligible for graduation, students must meet the program requirements listed below.

Associate in Arts (A.A.) Degree: Programs of instruction consisting of college-level courses transferable to the State University System.

The requirements for the A.A. degree are:

Earning at least a 2.0 program of study GPA.
Completion of at least 60 semester hours of credit in a prescribed course of study, including:
- Completion of the minimum 36 general education credit hours, as specified in the College Catalog.
- Completion of the minimum requirements for the college-level communication and computation skills adopted by the State Board of Education.
- Demonstration of competency in Communication, Critical Thinking, Scientific Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning and Information Literacy.
Demonstration of competency in a foreign language.
Completion of the State of Florida Civic Literacy requirement.
Completion of a minimum of 25% of the semester hours for the degree at Santa Fe College (15 credit hours).
Meeting the eligibility requirements to participate in auto-graduation or complete an application for graduation through eSantaFe.

Associate in Science (A.S.) Degree: Programs of instruction consisting of college-level courses to prepare for entry into employment and include 15-18 hours of general education courses transferable to the State University System.

The requirements for the A.S. degree are:

Earning at least a 2.0 program of study GPA.
Completion of an approved program of at least 60 semester hours in accordance with Florida standard credit hour length that must include a basic core of 15 semester hours of general education courses that transfer to the State University System.
- The general education core must include at least one course from each of the following areas: Communications, Humanities, Natural Sciences, Social Sciences, and Math.
Completion of the State of Florida Civic Literacy requirement.
Completion of a minimum of 25% of the semester hours for the degree at Santa Fe College (15 credit hours).
Meeting the eligibility requirements to participate in auto-graduation or complete an application for graduation through eSantaFe.

Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) Degree: Programs of instruction consisting of college-level courses to prepare for entry into employment.

The requirements for the A.A.S. degree are:

Earning at least a 2.0 program of study GPA.
Completion of an approved program of study of at least 60 semester hours in accordance with Florida standard credit hour length that must include a basic core of 15 semester hours of general education courses.
- The general education core must include at least one course from each of the following areas: Communications, Humanities, Natural Sciences, Social Sciences, and Math.
Completion of the State of Florida Civic Literacy requirement.
Completion of a minimum of 25% of the semester hours for the degree at Santa Fe College (15 credit hours).
Meeting the eligibility requirements to participate in auto-graduation or complete an application for graduation through eSantaFe.

Baccalaureate Degrees (B.A.S, B.S.N. or B.S.): Programs of instruction consisting of college- level courses requiring a minimum of 120 semester hours.

The requirements for a Baccalaureate degree are:

Earning at least a 2.0 program of study GPA.
Completion of upper-division core requirements totaling at least 30 semester hours.
Demonstration of competency in a foreign language.
Completion of a minimum of 36 semester hours of general education coursework, consistent with the Associate in Arts requirements.
Completion of the State of Florida Civic Literacy requirement.
Completion of a minimum of 25% of the semester hours at Santa Fe College (30 credit hours).
Meeting the eligibility requirements to participate in auto-graduation or complete an application for graduation through eSantaFe.

Florida Civic Literacy Requirement

Civic Literacy is a graduation requirement that applies to the following students.
Catalog Year	Student Type	Degree Type	Requirement
2018 through 2020	First-time-in-college students	Associate in Arts (A.A.), Baccalaureate	Pass a course.
2021 and after	All Students	Associate in Arts (A.A.), Baccalaureate	Pass a course AND pass an assessment.
2022 and after	All Students	Associate in Science (A.S.)/Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.)	Pass a course AND pass an assessment.

The table below lists the options to satisfy the course and assessment requirements.
Option	Grade/Score	Meets Course Requirement	Meets Assessment Requirement
Course - AMH2010: United States History to 1877	D or higher	(Only if taken in Fall 2024 or later)
Course - AMH2020: United States History from 1877 to Present	D or higher
Course - POS2041: American National Government	D or higher
AICE Exam – US History 1840-1990 (A-Level)	A, B, C, D or E
IB Exam – History (HL): History of the Americas	5-7
CLEP Exam - History of the United States II: 1865 to Present	50 or higher
CLEP Exam - History of the United States I: Early Colonization to 1877	50 or higher
CLEP Exam - American Government	50 or higher
AP Exam - Government and Politics: United States	3 or higher
AP Exam - United States History	4 or higher
FCLE (Florida Civic Literacy Examination*)	48 or higher out of 80 (at least 60%)

* Students that have taken the FCLE at another institution must provide official college or high school transcripts to meet the requirement.

FAQ's

Once the civic literacy competency requirement has been met, does it have to be "re-met" or renewed if a student graduates and transfers or enrolls in a different program type?
Students who earned a prior degree and previously completed a civic literacy requirement as part of that degree will not have to meet the requirement again as part of another degree program.

Can AMHX010 Introductory Survey to 1877 taken before fall 2024 be used to satisfy the civic literacy competency course requirement?
No. AMHX010 taken prior to fall 2024 did not contain the statutorily required competencies to meet the civic literacy competency course requirement. The updated course learning outcomes that reflect the required competencies are effective with the fall 2024 term. Only AMHX010 taken fall 2024 and thereafter will count toward meeting the civic literacy competency course requirement.

Will CLEP: History of the United States II be included in Rule 6A-10.02413, F.A.C., as an approved assessment to meet the civic literacy competency assessment requirement?
No. CLEP: History of the United States II will not be included in rule as an approved assessment to meet the requirement. This exam does not sufficiently contain the required competencies to be included in rule as an approved assessment to meet the civic literacy competency assessment requirement. However, credit awarded for the CLEP exam as AMHX020 will still meet the civic literacy competency course requirement.

How does the Florida Civic Literacy Competency requirement apply to previously dual enrolled, transfer, out-of-state and returning students?
The civic literacy requirement applies to students who are entering into A.A. and baccalaureate programs under catalog year 2021 or later, and to students entering into A.S. or A.A.S. programs under catalog year 2022 or later, regardless of prior postsecondary coursework. This includes formerly dual enrolled, transfer, out-of-state students, and returning students entering with prior postsecondary coursework. Students who have previously achieved a passing score on an approved assessment or passed an approved course will have met the assessment requirement or coursework requirement, respectively, and will not need to re-take assessments or courses.

How does the Florida Civic Literacy Competency requirement apply to baccalaureate students who are entering with an A.A., or A.S., A.A.S. degree?
Baccalaureate students under catalog year 2021 or later are required to meet the civic literacy course and assessment requirement unless they previously met the requirement as part of another degree.

How will students take the Florida Civic Literacy Examination (FCLE)?
Contact the SF Placement and Assessment Center for information and instructions about taking the FLCE exam. Currently, there is no fee for this exam nor is there a limit on the number of retakes.

What is the re-take policy for students?
Students will be able to re-take the exam as early as the day after an unsuccessful attempt.

How can I prepare for the Florida Civic Literacy Examination (FCLE)?
The Lawrence W. Tyree Library's FCLE guide has a list of resources to help you prepare for the FCLE exam.

Who is exempt from meeting the Florida Civic Literacy Competency requirement?
Students with catalog years 2018 through 2020 are exempt from the Florida Civic Literacy Competency requirement if they:

Earned college credit prior to Fall 2018 (excluding ABE, GED, AP, IB, AICE and CLEP); or
Were dual enrolled prior to Fall 2018.

What are the required Civic Literacy competencies?
Students initially entering a Florida College System institution or state university in 2018 and thereafter must demonstrate competency in civic literacy. As outlined by statute, civic literacy competencies and outcomes include:

Understanding of the basic principles and practices of American democracy and how they are applied in our republican form of government;
An understanding of the United States Constitution and its application;
Knowledge of the founding documents and how they have shaped the nature and functions of our institutions of self-government; and
An understanding of landmark Supreme Court cases, landmark legislation, and landmark executive actions, and their impact on law and society.