FloridaShines – Common Prerequisites Manual

What is the Common Prerequisites Manual?

The Common Prerequisites Manual lists the prerequisite courses and substitutions for each university degree program. You must complete all required prerequisite courses to be admitted into an upper division program. Specific requirements are determined by the your enrollment date.

The purpose of such a list is to provide students, especially those who plan to transfer between institutions, with information regarding the courses that they will need to take to be admitted into upper division programs.

 

Does the Common Prerequisites Manual list all the requirements for admissions into a program?

No. The Common Prerequisites Manual is not intended as a comprehensive advising manual. For effective academic planning, you should refer to university catalogs and counseling manuals.

Some programs may have additional requirements for acceptance into that program such as Grade Point Average or grades on specified courses. You should consult university catalogs, counseling manuals, and advisors at the receiving institution to ensure accurate academic planning.

 

Do all academic programs have common prerequisites?

No. Some programs do not require common prerequisite courses.

 

What is the difference between a program prerequisite and a course prerequisite?

A program prerequisite is a course or other requirement that a student must have taken prior to enrolling in a specific program.

A course prerequisite means a course or other requirement that a student must have taken prior to enrolling in a specific course.

You should know that occasionally a common prerequisite requirement has course prerequisites. With qualifying placement test scores, you may be able to move directly into that common prerequisite without having to take the course prerequisite. It should be noted that some students may need to take one or all of the course prerequisites before moving into the common prerequisite listed. In this instance, credit hours will be added to the total A.A. Degree program.

What is a Catalog Year?

Your catalog year refers to the academic year you were first admitted into the college or university. Your catalog year is important because you follow the curriculum requirements that were in effect that academic year. For example, if you were admitted in Fall 2019, your catalog year is 2019-2020. This ensures that, if requirements for a program change in future years, your specific requirements will remain the same.

 

How does the Catalog Year in Effect work for transfer students?

Students who transfer from one public institution to another in the State University and Community College Systems within two (2) years of their enrollment and seek admission to the upper division come under the common prerequisite requirements of their entering catalog. For example, a student who enters a Florida community college in Fall 2019 and seeks admission to an upper division major for Fall 2021 must meet the major common prerequisites listed in the 2019-2020 Common Prerequisite Manual. However, if the student does not seek admission within two years of his or her enrollment, he or she will come under the manual dated two years prior to transfer. For example, if the student enters in Fall 2019, but does not transfer until Fall 2025, he or she must meet the requirements of the 2023-2024 Manual.

 

What are equivalent courses listed in the Common Prerequisites Manual?

When a note indicates an “equivalent” course will substitute for a common prerequisite, the eligible course will be determined by the Florida public community college or university where the student is currently earning the Associate in Arts or Baccalaureate degree.

 

Institutions may approve as a substitution for a common prerequisite program (CCP) course a comparable course which has an advanced treatment of the material required in the CCP course. Determination that the course is more advanced will be made by the department offering the course at the receiving institution.

What are General Education Courses?

General Education Courses are the required curriculum (foundation courses) that makes up the foundation of an undergraduate degree. Courses which satisfy the General Education Requirements vary from institution to institution, although all adhere to 36 credit hours.

 

At some community colleges, a course satisfying General Education Requirements may fulfill more than one category area. For instance, ENL X010 may meet the General Education Requirement for Communications OR Humanities. In such a case, the student may not use the course to fulfill the two areas simultaneously. The student must choose either Communications or Humanities. However, the same course may be used to fulfill a common prerequisite and one of those General Education areas.

What is a 2+2 Program?

Under the 2+2 program, students complete their general education courses in college, including core courses that are required for every graduate from a state college or university. Students also must declare their intended major after earning 30 hours of course credit, which is generally after their freshman year.

 

In a 2 + 2 agreement, the college or university has typically agreed to accept an entire associate degree, the student is accepted at the junior level and must complete the equivalent of two years of full-time coursework to complete the bachelor’s degree.

What are the benefits of planning early to complete my degree?

Planning early, joining a 2+2 program and declaring a major are all factors that will help you take the right courses to ensure you are prepared to pursue your bachelor’s degree when you enter a university. Planning early can also save you money and time to earn your degree in the most efficient way.

 

Where can I get help to start planning early?

The best contact at an institution, to help you with academic planning, is your academic advisor. Academic advisors help students in class planning, transfer options, major and minor selections, career and internship options, graduate school opportunities, and research possibilities. They also work with every department on campus to bring resources to you. You are encouraged to meet with your academic advisor every semester.