General Education Course Options
Students initially entering a Florida College System (FCS) or State University System (SUS) institution in 2015-2016 and thereafter, are required to complete at least one general education core course in each of the subject disciplines of communication, mathematics, social sciences, humanities and natural sciences. The general education core course options are adopted in State Board of Education (SBOE) Rule 6A-14.0303, Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.), and Board of Governors (BOG) Regulation 8.005.
Section (s.) 1007.25, Florida Statutes (F.S.) maintains that each general education core course option must contain high-level academic and critical thinking skills and common competencies that students must demonstrate to successfully complete the course.
In 2023, Senate Bill (SB) 266 modified s. 1007.25, F.S., creating content standards for each of the five general education subject disciplines. Additionally, the bill created s. 1007.55, F.S., to specify content, principles and standards for all general education, providing that every undergraduate student should graduate as an informed citizen through participating in rigorous general education courses that promote and preserve the constitutional republic through traditional, historically accurate and high-quality coursework. General education courses should provide broad foundational knowledge to help students develop skills and habits that enable them to become more effective and lifelong learners.
General Education Core Course Options
SB 266 (2023) also initiated a review of the general education core course options related to new content, standards and principles, which were conducted by faculty committees appointed by the SBOE and BOG. Faculty committees recommended some modifications to the general education core course list, which were presented to the Articulation Coordinating Committee (ACC). The core course list recommendations were approved by the ACC on October 13, 2023, and provided to the SBOE and BOG for consideration. Separately, faculty committees also reviewed and drafted course descriptions for the general education core courses and evaluated high school advanced courses related to general education core courses based on the new statutory requirements.
In January 2024, the SBOE and the BOG adopted general education core courses into SBOE Rule 6A-14.0303, F.A.C., and BOG Regulation 8.005. The course descriptions and corresponding learning outcomes have been added to the Statewide Course Numbering System, on the State Course Detail tab, in the Profile Description field. General education core courses will be reviewed every four years, hereinafter, by faculty reviewers.
Institution Review of General Education Course Options
Section 1007.55, F.S., requires public postsecondary institution boards of trustees and presidents to annually review and approve general education course requirements offered at their respective institutions. To facilitate the annual review, the Office of K-20 Articulation prepares an individualized report from the Statewide Course Numbering System for each FCS and SUS institution to certify their general education course requirements. Each institution is responsible for the review and approval of general education course requirements, at a public meeting, by their board of trustees and president, before submitting their proposed list of general education course requirements to the ACC by September 1 of each year. Once reviewed, the institution lists are submitted to the SBOE or BOG, respectively, for review and approval each year by December 1.
SBOE Rule 6A-14.0303, F.A.C., provides the timeline for the SBOE’s review and either approval or rejection of each FCS institution’s general education course list. BOG Regulation 8.005 provides the timeline for the BOG’s review and either approval or rejection of each state university’s general education course list. Technical assistance resources for these processes are provided below.
Approved Lists
- Florida College System Institutions (Excel)
- State University System Institutions
Resources
- Joint Memorandum - Amendment to Rule 6A-14.0303, Florida Administrative Code, General Education Course Options, and Board of Governors Regulation 8.005, General Education Course Options (PDF)
- Webinar Presentation, February 13, 2024 - Rule 6A-14.0303, General Education Course Options (PDF)
