Graduation Requirements

General Information

Students may participate in the commencement ceremony during the calendar year in which they will complete their degree requirements. However, diplomas will be awarded only after all of the degree requirements are fulfilled. Degree notations on transcripts will include academic terms in which all of the requirements were completed.

Continuously enrolled students may choose to meet graduations requirements as defined in the College Catalog in effect during their initial term of enrollment or the College Catalog in effect during the term in which they apply for graduation. Degree and certificate requirements printed in the Catalog are subject to change. Final responsibility for meeting graduation requirements rests with the student.  Please note, an incomplete grade may delay graduation if requirements have not been met by the end of the term.

Associate Degrees and Certificate Programs

To receive the Associate in Arts degree, Associate in Science degree, or a Certificate, students must satisfy the requirements for that degree or certificate. Students are encouraged to see an academic advising specialist prior to each registration. Students must satisfy the following College requirements:

1. Students must submit completed applications for graduation to the Registrar by the published deadline.
   1. Students interested in graduating at the end of a  term must submit their applications for graduation by the date published in the Official College Calendar for that term. 
   2. The Registrar will accept applications after the deadline. However, students who submit late applications will be evaluated for academic honors as time permits; this evaluation may occur after the commencement ceremony.
   3. Students failing to meet the degree requirements in the semester in which they have applied to graduate must reapply and pay the graduation fee.  Failure to meet degree requirements may include: incomplete grades, or low evaluation reviews in clinical courses.
2. Earn the minimum required semester hours for the degree or certificate with a cumulative 2.00 GPA.  Students may apply only 6 hours of EAP college-level credits toward a degree.
3. Satisfy Gordon Rule requirements, if applicable.
4. Complete all non-course requirements, if applicable.
5. Successfully complete a minimum of 25 percent of the required degree or certificate coursework at Edison State College.
6. Fulfill all obligations to Edison State College.
7. Students must submit a completed application for graduation to the Registrar by the published deadline.
8. Students failing to meet the degree requirements in the semester in which they have applied to graduate must reapply and pay the graduation fee.

Baccalaureate Degrees

The following general requirements for graduation from Edison State College must be met by all candidates for the Bachelor of Applied Science and Bachelor of Science Degrees. Additional requirements may exist for individual programs.

1. Students must satisfactorily complete 120 credit hours. For residency purposes, a minimum of 30 credit hours required for graduation must be completed at Edison State College. All other specific degree requirements must also be met. Credit awarded for college-preparatory instruction may not be counted toward fulfilling the total number of credits required for residency purposes or graduation.
2. For purposes of conferring the bachelor’s degree, students must complete at least 36 credit hours of courses numbered 3000 level or above.
3. Students must fulfill all requirements for their program major. Students should refer to program graduation requirements.
4. Students must achieve a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale for all work at Edison State College. Students pursuing a degree in education must achieve a 2.5 average or higher in all coursework. Individual programs may require a higher grade point average for graduation.
5. Students must earn a grade of “C” or better in all upper division program requirements.
6. Students must complete the general education requirements of the Associate in Arts Degree including any assessment of general education outcomes that are required by the College. Transfer courses will be reviewed for equivalency. Students who transfer to Edison State College with a previous associate in arts degree from a Florida community college, or bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution, are considered to have met the general education component of the degree.
7. Students must have completed Florida’s foreign language requirement prior to the completion of the bachelor’s degree. Students may meet this competency in one of two ways:
   1. successful completion of two years of a single foreign language while in high school (official high school transcripts must be submitted to the College Registrar), or
   2. successful completion of two semesters (8-10 credit hours) of a single foreign language in college (or through corresponding College Level Examination Program CLEP exams). Edison State College may determine standards for review of nontraditional foreign language competence for languages not available through CLEP (in languages other than French, German and Spanish).
8. Students must meet program criteria prior to enrollment in the capstone or internship experience.
9. Students must submit a completed application for graduation to the Registrar by the published deadline.
   1. Students interested in graduating at the end of a  term must submit their applications for graduation by the date published in the Official College Calendar  for that term. 
   2. The Registrar will accept applications after the deadline. However, students who submit late applications will be evaluated for academic honors as time permits; this evaluation may occur after the commencement ceremony.
   3. Students failing to meet the degree requirements in the semester in which they have applied to graduate must reapply and pay the graduation fee. 

B.S. in Education-Additional Program Graduation Requirements

1. Students must earn a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale.
2. Students must pass all sections of the Florida Teachers Certification Examination (FTCE) for certification within the State of Florida.
3. While Edison State College governs a student’s program requirements, changes to a program emanating from the Florida State Board of Education will take precedence over the College catalog and may alter a student’s program of study.
4. The Florida State Board of Education requires all education students to demonstrate competency in all of the Florida Educator Accomplished Practices (FEAPs), Florida Subject Area Competencies (FSAC), and Professional Educator Competencies and Skills (PECS) as a condition of graduation, including completion of a professional portfolio.  Elementary Education students must demonstrate achievement of all State required ESOL Competencies and Performance Standards and Reading competencies as a condition of graduation.
5. Students must apply for internship the semester prior to enrollment in the final internship. Fall graduates must apply no later than February 1 of the preceding spring semester. Spring graduates must apply no later than October 1 of the preceding fall semester.
6. Students must successfully complete all school based hours to include eight week practicum’s  and one sixteen week final internship experience as a condition of graduation. 
7. Teacher candidates must submit an application for Practicum I and II as well as for Final Internship to the Field Experience Office.  All required benchmarks must be met prior to being approved for Field Experience placements.  All practicum courses must span a minimum of eight weeks.  During internship, teacher candidates are expected to attend all duty days and assume all responsibilities as required of the K-12 mentor teacher.
8. Students must submit a completed application for graduation to the Registrar by the published deadline.

The College holds commencement ceremonies in May and December for graduating students. Students who complete their requirements for graduation during the Summer term will officially graduate and the degree or certificate will be awarded in August. All students who complete degree requirements during the summer are invited to participate in the December commencement ceremony.  Students who wish to participate in the commencement ceremony are required to register online.

Honors Graduation Distinction for Baccalaureate Students

Baccalaureate students with a record of academic achievement may be considered for honors upon graduation. To graduate with an honors distinction, baccalaureate degree candidates must have completed a minimum of 39 credit hours of upper division graded coursework at Edison State College and must have earned an overall grade point average (GPA) of 3.50 or higher.  Honors designations are conferred according to the following scale and are noted on a student’s official academic transcripts and diploma:

cum laude (with honors): an overall GPA of 3.50, but below 3.70
magna cum laude (with high honors): an overall GPA of 3.70, but below 3.90
summa cum laude (with highest honors): an overall GPA of 3.90 or higher

When determining honors for graduation, the GPA is not rounded up (e.g., 3.49 is not rounded up to 3.50 for graduation with an honors designation).

Recognition of Honors at Commencement

Candidates who have accumulated the minimum honors GPA requirements, prior to the term of graduation, will be recognized at the commencement ceremony and will be provided with gold honors cords. Candidates who will become eligible for honors after the current term’s grades are recorded will not be recognized at the commencement ceremony, but will have the honors designation posted on their official academic transcripts and diploma.

Baccalaureate Regalia

Candidates for the baccalaureate degree will dress in the traditional black gown. Gold embossed diploma covers will be presented to baccalaureate graduates. Tassels for placement on the traditional graduation cap will represent the color associated with the baccalaureate discipline. The colors associated with the different disciplines are as follows:

Course Substitutions

Students admitted to Edison State College are expected to complete the degree requirements listed in the ESC Catalog.  In cases where substitutions may be appropriate, the changes must be initiated by the academic advisor at the time the student declares a major.  Requests for course substitutions must be received no later than the date published in the Official College Calendar  to be considered for graduation.  All course substitutions must be approved by the faculty chair, the Associate Dean, the Academic Dean and the Vice President for Academic Affairs.  Students are limited to a maximum of three (3) course substitution requests.  The College retains the right to revoke a substitution in the event that the student changes majors.

Approval for Course Substitution forms are available online or in Academic Advising. A substituted course must derive from a regionally accredited academic institution as transfer credit and meet the content and competencies of the course it serves to replace.  A description of the course to be substituted and how it meets the content and learning outcomes of the requirement must be attached to the course substitution request.