Associate in Arts Degree

The program tracks listed are a representative sample of the many A.A. tracks available. If you wish to pursue a transfer major not listed, please consult with an IRSC Advisor at any campus to plan an appropriate program of study.  

To assist with planning, IRSC has identified a number of program tracks within the framework of the A.A. degree program to prepare students for many of the most common transfer majors, as shown below. An advisor can work with the student to develop a customized plan for the intended transfer institution as well as for additional transfer majors not included in this list. When you graduate from Indian River State College with an A.A. degree, your diploma will say Associate in Arts. Even though you’ll have picked a specialization, or ‘transfer track,’ so you are prepared for your upper division coursework, IRSC doesn’t identify this as an individual ‘major’. There is just one A.A. degree.

It is essential  that students in the A.A. degree program choose electives that satisfy requirements for their intended transfer major. Your assigned advisor can help you create a personalized academic plan which outlines the right classes to take each semester so that you have a smooth and successful transfer.

Associate in Arts Degree Requirements

As its primary function, the Associate in Arts Degree program gives the student an academic experience in preparation for continued success in his or her college career. A major component of the A.A. Degree program is the General Education Requirement.

To meet the requirements for the Associate in Arts Degree, the student must complete 36 semester hours of General Education, plus 24 semester hours of elective prerequisite courses designed for the Associate in Arts Degree major (excluding occupational courses). Effective with the Spring 2016 term, new Associate in Arts degree seeking students are required to complete SLS 1101 Student Success during their first semester of attendance. Please see your advisor for details. Sixty (60) semester hours must be earned for the A.A. Degree. In addition to the above requirements, students must:

1. Complete at least 25% of the coursework required for their program at Indian River State College.
2. Submit the required placement scores (ACT, SAT, P.E.R.T.) to IRSC. Students who present ACT scores of Reading 19, English 17, Math 19 or SAT scores taken before March 1, 2016, of Verbal 440, Mathematics 440, or higher, or SAT scores taken after March 1, 2016, of Critical Reading 24 or higher, Math 24 or higher, may be exempt from taking the P.E.R.T.
   
   Students who graduated from a Florida public high school since 2007 and students who are serving as an active duty member of any branch of the United States armed services are exempt from mandatory placement testing. Non-exempt students who test into developmental courses must successfully complete the required courses in English, math, and reading.
3. Achieve a grade point average of not less than 2.0 in all courses taken at IRSC (excluding occupational courses), and all courses attempted (including transfer hours), and complete the requirements of the Communications and Computation Rule (Gordon Rule).
4. Prior to completion of an Associate in Arts Degree at IRSC, students must demonstrate foreign language competence by providing evidence that documents the successful completion of two (2) credits of sequential high school foreign language instruction, or by passing the second level of foreign language at the college level. Students may demonstrate equivalent foreign language competence via the alternative methods specified by the Florida Department of Education including established minimum College Level Examination Program (CLEP) scores, minimum College Board MAPS Latin examination scores, or other methods as determined by IRSC. Indian River State College reserves the right to validate the foreign language competence of any student prior to awarding the Associate in Arts Degree through methods including, but not limited to, review of official transcripts, portfolio and performance reviews, competency testing, standardized testing, or other methods determined by IRSC that are designed to assess the foreign language competencies outlined in Rule 6A-10.02412 of the Florida Administrative Code. Some majors and universities require additional foreign language competencies. Please consult an advisor regarding your foreign language transfer requirements.  
5. Be recommended by the faculty to the President of the College for the confirmation of the degree.

It is the responsibility of the student to check his or her records to ensure that all of the above graduation requirements are met. An advisor will assist with course selections and in determining status toward meeting the graduation requirements.