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Courses Introduction

Introduction to Course Descriptions

The course list is in alphabetical order by course prefix. The course list contains the full title of the course, the degree/certificate code for which the course may be applied, and the number of credits/clock hours earned upon successful completion of the course. This information is followed by the necessary prerequisites and/or corequisites and a description of the course.

Courses that are Gordon Rule and/or General Education courses will have an asterisk (*) at the end of the course listing to remind students that they may need to complete placement testing and/or remediation before taking these courses. These courses do not count toward Gordon Rule and General Education unless they are completed with a “C” or higher.

For the most current listing of courses and course information go to the Courses section of the catalog.

When considering enrollment in courses offered at Palm Beach State, students in Associate in Science (A.S.) or College Credit Certificate (C.C.C.) programs should refer to the program descriptions in this catalog for the list of required and elective courses in their program. For suggested course completion order and to obtain the most recent course configuration, please consult the program contact. View a list of program contacts.

Associate in Arts (A.A.) students should remember that transferability of a course to a four-year institution may be based on completion of the associate degree. For more information on course transferability and to obtain current information on degree requirements before enrolling in courses, consult a Palm Beach State academic advisor, an academic advisor at the targeted four-year institution, www.FloridaShines.org, or visit www.palmbeachstate.edu/admissions/.

Honors College Courses

Honors College Courses are standard courses that have been enhanced for the Honors student and approved to be offered by the discipline faculty cluster and the Honors Advisory Council. To enroll in these courses, students must contact and be accepted into the Dr. Floyd F. Koch Honors College. Visit Honors College website to apply to the College and find out about awards and scholarships that may be available. Visit current Honors Student website to see the list of Honors courses.

Florida’s Statewide Course Numbering System.

All public two- and four-year colleges and universities in Florida and 41 participating non-public institutions assign course numbers using the Florida’s Statewide Course Numbering System (SCNS). This common course numbering system is used to assist in transferring course credit between participating colleges and universities. Students and administrators can use the online Statewide Course Numbering System to obtain course descriptions and specific information about course transfer between participating Florida institutions. This information is located at https://flscns.fldoe.org.

Institutions may use their own titles to describe course content. The level is the first digit of the four-digit course number that follows the prefix. It indicates the academic year that the course is normally offered. (BSC 2010 is a sophomore level course.) The level code does not affect course equivalency – course equivalency is determined by the prefix and the last three digits. The course level numbers at Palm Beach State are as follows:

0 - developmental education and career certificate program courses (CCP). Courses with level "0" do not transfer.

1 – lower level undergraduate, freshman year

2 - lower level undergraduate, sophomore year

3 – upper level undergraduate, junior year

4 - upper level undergraduate, senior year

 

The Course Prefix

The course prefix is a three-letter code used for a discipline or subject area, in the SCNS course numbering taxonomy, or a component of a discipline, e.g., BSC – biology related courses. Courses are based on content, rather than by department or program. A single academic program may have several different prefixes.

Example of Course Identifier

The course identifier, the prefix and the last three digits of the course numbers (e.g., BSC 1010), are assigned by members of faculty discipline committees appointed by the Florida Department of Education. These committees are made up of a balance of faculty from two- and four-year, public and private participating schools that offer this subject area or specialization.

BSC _010 is a general education core course offered by 39 different two- and four-year colleges and universities in Florida. Each school uses “BSC_010” to identify its general biology course. The title may vary at each school and the level code (see paragraph two under Florida Statewide Course Numbering System) may differ. Palm Beach State offers BSC 1010, Principles of Biology. “BSC” indicates “Biological Sciences,” the century number “0” represents “Introductory, Entry Level Courses – Broad Area Discipline,” the decade number “1” represents “General Biology - Majors” and the unit number “0” represents “General Biology (GE Core).”

In science and other areas, some courses will have a “C” or “L” after the course number. The “C” stands for a combined lecture and lab course that meets in the same place at the same time. The “L” stands for a lab course or the lab part of a course with the same number, which meets at a different time or place.

General Rule for Equivalent Courses

Courses that have the same academic content and are taught by faculty with comparable credentials are given the same prefix and number and are considered equivalent courses. Equivalent courses are guaranteed to transfer to any other institution participating in the SCNS. The credit awarded for these equivalent courses will satisfy the receiving institution’s requirements on the same basis as credits awarded to native students (1007.24(7), F.S). Courses that are not substantially like any other course in the SCNS are given unique course numbers and are not considered equivalent.

 

For example, BSC 1010 is offered at Palm Beach State. The same course is offered at a participating four-year institution is BSC 2010. A student who has successfully completed BSC 1010 at Palm Beach State is guaranteed transfer credit for BSC 2010 at any participating college or university in Florida to which the student transfers. The student cannot be required to take BSC 2010 again since BSC 1010 is equal to BSC 2010. With a few exceptions, transfer credit must be awarded for successfully completed equal courses. It must be used by the participating two- or four-year institution to satisfy degree requirements in the same way it would be used for the same credits earned by students who attend the receiving school. Receiving institutions are never precluded from accepting non-equivalent courses to satisfy specific requirements.

Note: Credit generated at institutions on the quarter-term system may not transfer the equivalent number of credits to institutions on semester-term systems. For example, 4.0 quarter hours often transfers as 2.67 semester hours.

Exceptions to the General Rule for Equivalent Courses

The following courses are exceptions to the general rule for course equality and may not transfer. The ability of these courses to transfer is up to the receiving school:

  • Courses not offered by the receiving institution.
  • For courses at non-regionally accredited (private) institutions, courses offered prior to the established transfer date of the course in question.
  • Courses in the _900-_999 series are not automatically transferable and must be evaluated individually. These include such courses as Special Topics, Internships, Practicums, Study Abroad experiences, Thesis and Dissertations (including any individualized courses with numbers other than those in the _900-_999 series).
  • College developmental education, vocational developmental education courses, and career preparatory courses.
  • Graduate-level courses.
  • Applied courses in the performing arts (Art [prefix ART], Dance [prefix DAA], Interior Design, Music [prefix MVB, MVH, MVJ, MVK, MVO MVP, MVS, MVV and MVW], and Theatre [prefix TPP with numbers ranging from _000-_299]) and skills courses in Criminal Justice are not automatically transferable. These courses need evidence of achievement (e.g., portfolio, audition, interview, etc.) and must be evaluated individually.

Note: College developmental education, vocational developmental education, and CCP courses (level “0”) may not be used to meet A.A. degree requirements and may not transfer.

 

Section 1007.24(7), Florida Statutes, states:

Any student who transfers among postsecondary institutions that are fully accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education and that participate in the statewide course numbering system shall be awarded credit by the receiving institution for courses satisfactorily completed by the student at the previous institutions. Credit shall be awarded if the courses are judged by the appropriate statewide course numbering system faculty committees representing school districts, public postsecondary educational institutions, and participating nonpublic postsecondary educational institutions to be academically equivalent to courses offered at the receiving institution, including equivalency of faculty credentials, regardless of the public or nonpublic control of the previous institution. The Department of Education shall ensure that credits to be accepted by a receiving institution are generated in courses for which the faculty possess credentials that are comparable to those required by the accrediting association of the receiving institution. The award of credit may be limited to courses that are entered in the statewide course numbering system. Credits awarded pursuant to this subsection shall satisfy institutional requirements on the same basis as credits awarded to native students.

Courses at Non-regionally Accredited Institutions

The Statewide Course Numbering System makes available on its home page (https://flscns.fldoe.org), a report entitled “Courses at Non-regionally Accredited Institutions” that contains a comprehensive listing of all nonpublic institution courses in the SCNS inventory, as well as each course’s transfer level and transfer effective date. This report is updated monthly.

Questions about the Statewide Course Numbering System and appeals regarding course credit transfer decisions should be directed to the College Admissions Office, 561-868-3000, or the Florida Department of Education, Office of Articulation, 701 Turlington Building, 725 West Gaines Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0400. Special reports and technical information may be requested by contacting the Statewide Course Numbering System office at  articulation@fldoe.org, 850-245-0427 or via the Web at https://flscns.fldoe.org.