2024-25 Catalog

General Education and Course Requirements

The Associate in Arts degree requires 60 eligible college-level credits including 36 credits in general education, 24 credits of acceptable electives, and satisfaction of the foreign language proficiency requirement.

General Education Program Requirements for the Associate in Arts Degree (36 Credits)

The general education program at Valencia is an integral part of the A.A. degree program and is designed to contribute to the student’s educational growth by providing a basic liberal arts education. A student who completes the general education program should have achieved the following outcomes:

Cultural and Historical Understanding: Demonstrate understanding of the diverse traditions of the world, and an individual’s place in it.

Quantitative and Scientific Reasoning: Use processes, procedures, data, or evidence to solve problems and make effective decisions.

Communication Skills: Engage in effective interpersonal, oral and written communication.

Ethical Responsibility: Demonstrate awareness of personal responsibility in one’s civic, social and academic life.

Information Literacy: Locate, evaluate and effectively use information from diverse sources.

Critical Thinking: Effectively analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and apply information and ideas from diverse sources and disciplines.

The general education program is 36 semester credits which serve as the core of the curriculum. The 36 credits are selected from 5 core areas of academic courses offered at Valencia: Communications, Humanities, Mathematics, Science and Social Sciences.

Core courses are established by the State Board of Education to create a common General Education experience at every public institution in each of the 5 core areas. Core courses must be offered and accepted by every Florida College System (FCS) and State University System (SUS) institution. Core courses account for 15 credits in the General Education program. Institutional courses are established by each college and university to support their General Education program outcomes. Institutional courses account for the remaining 21 credits of the 36 credit General Education program. 

Area 1. Communications12
Area 2. Humanities6
Area 3. Mathematics6
Area 4. Science6
Area 5. Social Sciences6
Total Credit Hours36

Area 1. Communications

Required Courses - There are a required 12 credits. The Freshman Composition courses must be completed with a minimum grade of C to fulfill the Gordon Rule Requirement
Core
Freshman Composition I
ENC 1101FRESHMAN COMPOSITION I +*~13
or ENC 1101H FRESHMAN COMPOSITION I - HONORS
Institutional
Freshman Composition II
ENC 1102FRESHMAN COMPOSITION II +*~3
or ENC 1102H FRESHMAN COMPOSITION II - HONORS
Select one of the following Oral Communication courses:3
FUNDAMENTALS OF SPEECH ~
FUNDAMENTALS OF SPEECH - HONORS ~
INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION ~
INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION HONORS ~
New Student Experience3
NEW STUDENT EXPERIENCE ~
NEW STUDENT EXPERIENCE-HONORS
Total Credit Hours12
1

Students who complete ENC 1101 FRESHMAN COMPOSITION I with a grade of C or better will earn the Fundamentals of Written Communication digital badge. 

Area 2. Humanities

Required Courses - There are 6 required credits. Students must take three credits hours from the Core offerings and three credit hours from Institutional offerings. One course must be a Gordon Rule (GR) course, and completed with a minimum grade of C to fulfill the Gordon Rule Requirement
Core3
ART APPRECIATION ~
ART APPRECIATION - HONORS
INTRODUCTION TO HUMANITIES ~
INTRODUCTION TO HUMANITIES - HONORS
INTRODUCTION TO LITERATURE ~
MUSIC APPRECIATION +*~ (GR)
PHILOSOPHY ~
INTRODUCTION TO THEATER ~
Institutional 3
GREEK AND ROMAN HUMANITIES +*~ (GR)
GREEK AND ROMAN HUMANITIES-HONORS
MEDIEVAL HUMANITIES +*~ (GR)
MEDIEVAL HUMANITIES - HONORS
RENAISSANCE AND BAROQUE HUMANITIES +*~ (GR)
HUMANITIES - RENAISSANCE AND BAROQUE - HONORS
18TH AND 19TH CENTURY HUMANITIES +*~ (GR)
18TH AND 19TH CENTURY HUMANITIES - HONORS
20TH AND 21ST CENTURY HUMANITIES +*~ (GR)
20TH AND 21ST CENTURY HUMANITIES - HONORS
MYTHOLOGY +*~ (GR)
MYTHOLOGY - HONORS
MIDDLE EASTERN HUMANITIES +*~ (GR)
ASIAN HUMANITIES +*~ (GR)
AFRICAN - AMERICAN HUMANITIES +*~ (GR)
LATIN AMERICAN HUMANITIES +*~ (GR)
LATIN AMERICAN HUMANITIES - HONORS
WORLD RELIGIONS +*~ (GR)
HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE I +*~ (GR)
INTRODUCTION TO ART HISTORY II +*~ (GR)
MUSIC THEORY I ~2
ETHICS AND CRITICAL THINKING +*~ (GR)
Total Credit Hours6
2

MUT 1111 must be paired with MUL 1010 to satisfy both the Institutional Humanities and Gordon Rule requirements.

Area 3. Mathematics

Required Courses - There are 6 required credits. Students must take three credit hours from the Core offerings, and three credit hours from either the Core or Institutional offerings. All courses must be completed with a minimum grade of C to meet the Gordon Rule Requirement. Any student who successfully completes a mathematics course for which one of the general education core course options in mathematics is an immediate prerequisite shall be considered to have completed the mathematics core.
Core ^must take a minimum of three credit hours3
COLLEGE ALGEBRA +*~ (GR)
COLLEGE ALGEBRA - HONORS
MATHEMATICAL THINKING +*~ (GR)
MATHEMATICAL THINKING - HONORS
CALCULUS WITH ANALYTIC GEOMETRY I +*~ (GR)
CALCULUS WITH ANALYTIC GEOMETRY I - HONORS
STATISTICAL METHODS +*~ (GR)
STATISTICAL METHODS - HONORS
Institutional ^students may take three or more credit hours3
COLLEGE TRIGONOMETRY +*~ (GR)
PRECALCULUS ALGEBRA +*~ (GR)
CALCULUS WITH ANALYTIC GEOMETRY II +*~ (GR)
CALCULUS WITH ANALYTIC GEOMETRY II - HONORS
CALCULUS FOR BUSINESS AND SOCIAL SCIENCE +*~ (GR)
CALCULUS FOR BUSINESS AND SOCIAL SCIENCE
MGF 1131MATHEMATICS IN CONTEXT +*~ (GR)3
Total Credit Hours9

Area 4. Science

Required Courses -There are 6 required credits. Students must take at least three credit hours from the Core offerings and three credit hours from either the Core or Institutional offerings. Any student who successfully completes a natural science course for which one of the general education core course options in natural science is an immediate prerequisite shall be considered to have completed the natural science core.
Valencia does not require a science course with a laboratory. Courses with a C designation have a combined class and laboratory; however, university majors determine if the student must take one or more laboratory science courses at Valencia. To select the most appropriate science courses for your major or transfer plan, complete an education plan through Atlas.
Core ^minimum of three credit hours required3
ASTRONOMY ~
ASTRONOMY - HONORS
BIOLOGICAL SCIENCE ~
BIOLOGICAL SCIENCE COMBINED ~
BIOLOGICAL SCIENCE - HONORS
GENERAL BIOLOGY I *~
GENERAL BIOLOGY I HONORS
CHEMISTRY IN EVERYDAY LIFE ~
GENERAL CHEMISTRY WITH QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS I *~
GENERAL CHEMISTRY WITH QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS I -HONORS
EARTH SCIENCES ~
INTRODUCTION TO ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE ~
INTRODUCTION TO ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE HONORS
PHYSICAL GEOLOGY
INTRODUCTION TO OCEANOGRAPHY
CONCEPTUAL PHYSICS ~
GENERAL PHYSICS WITH CALCULUS I *~
GENERAL PHYSICS WITH CALCULUS I - HONORS
COLLEGE PHYSICS I WITH ALGEBRA *~
Institutional ^students may take three or more credit hours3
BOTANY ~
GENERAL BIOLOGY II *~
GENERAL BIOLOGY II - HONORS
HUMAN BIOLOGY ~
BSC 1020C
~
BIOLOGY OF HUMAN SEXUALITY ~
BIOLOGY OF HUMAN SEXUALITY - HONORS
INTRODUCTION TO BIOTECHNOLOGY ~
HUMAN ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY I *~
HUMAN ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY II *~
INTRODUCTION TO GENERAL CHEMISTRY *~
GENERAL CHEMISTRY WITH QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS II *~
GEOLOGY OF NATIONAL PARKS ~
THE SCIENCE OF NUTRITION ~
INTRODUCTION TO METEORLOGY ~
GENERAL PHYSICS WITH CALCULUS II *~
COLLEGE PHYSICS II WITH ALGEBRA AND TRIGONOMETRY *~
MICROBIOLOGY *~
Total Credit Hours6

Area 5. Social Sciences

Required Courses - There are 6 required credits. Students are required to take three credit hours from the Core offerings and three credit hours from Institutional offerings. The three hours of Institutional credit will apply toward the Gordon Rule (GR) requirement and must be completed with a minimum grade of C to fulfill the Gordon Rule Requirement.
Core3
U.S. GOVERNMENT ~
U.S. GOVERNMENT - HONORS
UNITED STATES HISTORY TO 1877 ~
U.S. HISTORY 1877 TO PRESENT ~
UNITED STATES HISTORY 1877 TO PRESENT - HONORS
INTRODUCTORY ANTHROPOLOGY ~
INTRODUCTORY ANTHROPOLOGY - HONORS
PRINCIPLES OF ECONOMICS-MACRO ~
PRINCIPLES OF ECONOMICS-MACRO-HONORS
GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY ~
GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY - HONORS
Institutional 3
CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY +*~ (GR)
DEAF CULTURE +*~ (GR)
ANCIENT AND MEDIEVAL WESTERN CIVILIZATION +*~ (GR)
MODERN WESTERN CIVILIZATION +*~ (GR)
MODERN WESTERN CIVILIZATION-HONORS
INTERNATIONAL POLITICS +*~ (GR)
INTERNATIONAL POLITICS HONORS
STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT +*~ (GR)
STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT - HONORS
INTRODUCTORY SOCIOLOGY +*~ (GR)
INTRODUCTORY SOCIOLOGY- HONORS
SOCIAL PROBLEMS +*~ (GR)
WORLD HISTORY TO 1500 +*~ (GR)
WORLD HISTORY SINCE 1500 +*~ (GR)
Total Credit Hours6
+

 This course must be completed with a grade of C or better.

*

 This course has a prerequisite; check description in Valencia catalog

~

 This is a General Education course.

(GR)

 Denotes a Gordon Rule course

1

Students who complete ENC 1101 FRESHMAN COMPOSITION I with a grade of C or better will earn the Fundamentals of Written Communication digital badge. 

2

MUT 1111 must be paired with MUL 1010 to satisfy both the Institutional Humanities and Gordon Rule requirements.

Electives/Required Prerequisites for Major (24 Credits)

Most college-level credit courses taught at Valencia will count toward elective credit. Any credits in excess of the minimum required in any of the five core areas listed above will count as elective credits. University majors require certain prerequisite courses before transferring; these are the courses that should be taken as electives at Valencia.

To select the most appropriate electives, create an education plan through Atlas for review with a Student Services staff member.

Foreign Language Proficiency Requirement

Valencia’s college-level foreign language proficiency requirement can be satisfied in one of the following ways:

  • You may complete two credits (two years) of high school instruction in one language other than English with a passing grade each year as documented on your official high school transcript.
  • You may successfully complete one of the following sequences in a single foreign language with a letter grade of “C” or better:
    ARA 1120
    ARA 1121
    ELEMENTARY ARABIC I
    and ELEMENTARY ARABIC II
    8
    ASL 2140
    ASL 2150
    AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE I
    and AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE II
    8
    FRE 1120
    FRE 1121
    ELEMENTARY FRENCH I
    and ELEMENTARY FRENCH II
    8
    GER 1120
    GER 1121
    ELEMENTARY GERMAN I
    and ELEMENTARY GERMAN II
    8
    LAT 1120
    LAT 1121
    ELEMENTARY LATIN I
    and ELEMENTARY LATIN II
    8
    POR 1120
    POR 1121
    ELEMENTARY PORTUGUESE I
    and ELEMENTARY PORTUGUESE II
    8
    SPN 1120
    SPN 1121
    ELEMENTARY SPANISH I
    and ELEMENTARY SPANISH II
    8
    SPN 1340
    SPN 1341
    SPANISH FOR HERITAGE SPEAKER
    and SPANISH FOR HERITAGE SPEAKER II
    8
  • You may satisfy this requirement by successfully completing foreign language course work at the Elementary II college level with a minimum grade of "C."
  • Demonstration of proficiency by passing a CLEP (College Level Examination Program) foreign language test or a foreign language proficiency test administered by the University of Central Florida. Students who earn college-level foreign language credits through course work or CLEP may apply these credits toward the 24 Elective credits.
  • If your native language is a language other than English, you may satisfy the foreign language proficiency requirement by successful completion of English for Academic Purposes (EAP) course requirements and successful completion of the Area I Communications requirements for the Associate in Arts degree.
  • Demonstrated college-level proficiency in American Sign Language (either through completion of eight semester credits or successful completion of ASL 2150) can be used to fulfill this requirement at Valencia.
  • Demonstration of proficiency by passing Advanced Placement test with a score of 4 or higher.
  • American Sign Language cannot be used to fulfill the foreign language graduation requirement at many universities. Students are responsible for verifying acceptability at the institution to which they plan to transfer.

Note: Satisfaction of this graduation requirement for Valencia may also satisfy the foreign language admission requirement for Florida public universities; it may or may not satisfy a specific university graduation requirement. Students are encouraged to find out the specific requirements of institutions in which they are interested.

Civic Literacy Requirement

Satisfy the civic literacy requirement. As per Florida Rule 6A-10.04213*, prior to the award of an associate in arts or baccalaureate degree, students initially entering a Florida College System institution in the 2021-22 school year, and thereafter must demonstrate competency in civic literacy prior to graduation by:
a. receiving a passing score on the Florida Civic Literacy Exam (FCLE), and
b. successful completion of one of the following:

  • successfully passing POS 2041 U.S. GOVERNMENT, or AMH 2010 UNITED STATES HISTORY TO 1877 or AMH 2020 U.S. HISTORY 1877 TO PRESENT or

  • successfully passing a prescribed assessment:
    AP Government & Politics: United States Test** (passing score =3), or
    AP United States History Test** (passing score = 4), or
    CLEP American Government** (passing score = 50)
    CLEP History of the United States I** (passing score = 50)
    **receiving a passing score will satisfy both the FCLE and course requirements.