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Graduation Requirements

Graduation Requirements

This is an overview of Gulf Coast State College (GCSC) Graduation Requirements. GCSC does not auto graduate students upon program completion.  The graduation process must be initiated by the student and is independent of participation in the ceremony.  The Tabs below provide specific degree requirements. 

All Graduates must:

  1. Fulfill academic program requirements for degree to include a minimum 25 percent of credit successfully completed at GCSC and the catalog under which a student graduates cannot be older than five years;
  2. Earn a 2.00 grade point average on all GCSC courses attempted;
  3. Earn a cumulative 2.00 grade point average (including transfer credit);
  4. Submit a graduation application to the Office of Enrollment Services by the published deadline regardless of ceremony participation; and
    1. Students graduating in the Summer or Fall semesters who want to participate in the Spring ceremony must apply for graduation by the preceding Spring deadline date.  See the GCSC general catalog for specific deadline dates.
  5. Fulfill all financial obligations to the College.

If you have questions regarding your graduation eligibility, contact the Graduation Specialist in Enrollment Services (AA students) or your program advisor (Certificates, AS, BAS and BSN).

Graduation Requirements for the Associate of Arts Degree

Although the AA degree does not indicate a specific major, it is strongly encouraged that students complete the AA degree prior to transferring to a public university in Florida.

All AA degree recipients must meet the following requirements for graduation:

  1. Successfully complete a minimum of 60 credit hours of acceptable college-level credit;
  2. Successfully complete requirements for graduation under the catalog in force at the time of entry into the program or re-entry into the program;
  3. Successfully complete the 36 credit hours of general education courses;
  4. Successfully complete a minimum of 24 credit hours of AA designated electives;
  5. Earn a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.00, including all transfer credits and courses attempted at GCSC. In addition, a student must earn a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.00 on all GCSC courses;
  6. Complete 25 percent of college-level credit hours at GCSC (a minimum of 15 credit hours);
  7. Submit an application for graduation; and
  8. Fulfill all financial obligations to the college.

Students can go back up to five catalog years as long as there was no break in enrollment (defined as missing a fall or spring semester). If there was a break in enrollment, the student will complete requirements for graduation under the catalog in force at the time of re-entry.

Graduation Requirements for Associate in Science Degrees

All AS degree recipients must meet the following requirements for graduation:

  1. Successfully complete the required credit hours for the program;
  2. Successfully complete requirements for graduation under the catalog in force at the time of entry into the program or re-entry into the program;
  3. Earn a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.00, including all transfer credits and courses attempted at GCSC. In addition, a student must earn a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.00 on all GCSC courses;
  4. Complete 25 percent of college-level credit hours at GCSC;
  5. Submit an application for graduation; and
  6. Fulfill all financial obligations to the college.

Students can go back up to five catalog years as long as there was no break in enrollment (defined as missing a fall or spring semester). If there was a break in enrollment, the student will complete requirements for graduation under the catalog in force at the time of re-entry.

Graduation Requirements for Bachelor in Science Degrees

To receive a bachelor’s degree, students must:

  1. Satisfy the requirements for the chosen major;
  2. Successfully complete requirements for graduation under the catalog in force at the time of entry into the program or re-entry into the program;
  3. Successfully complete a minimum of 120 semester hours with at least a “C” average (2.0 GPA) for an all college cumulative grade point average that includes Gulf Coast State College and transferred credits in lower and upper division courses;
  4. Successfully complete a minimum of 30 of their last 36 hours in regular courses at Gulf Coast State College;
  5. Apply no more than 45 semester hours in any combination of extension, correspondence, CLEP, University Credit by Examination and Armed Forces credits toward an undergraduate degree;
  6. Satisfy Gulf Coast State College’s General Education Requirements;
  7. Satisfy the Foreign Language requirement in any of the following manners:
    1. Students may complete eight semester hours of the same foreign language.
    2. Students may successfully complete two sequential high school credits in one foreign language as listed in status 1007.262 and DOE Board Rule 6A.10.02412. The student is responsible for requesting an official high school transcript to be sent to the Office of Enrollment Services for evaluation.
    3. Students may submit an English translated high school course-by-course transcript from a country of origin; exits test scores or certificates not acceptable.
      1. Students must have an English translation performed, at students’ expense, by a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES). Examples of acceptable services are Josef Silny & Associates and World Education Services.
    4. Students may also achieve appropriate College Level Examination Program (CLEP) level one and two scores in French, German, and Spanish.
  8. Submit an application for graduation; and
  9. Fulfill all financial obligations to the college.

Students can go back up to five catalog years as long as there was no break in enrollment (defined as missing a fall or spring semester). If there was a break in enrollment, the student will complete requirements for graduation under the catalog in force at the time of re-entry.

Graduation Requirements for Certificate Programs

All certificate degree recipients must meet the following requirements for graduation:

  1. Successfully complete the required credit hours for the program;
  2. Successfully complete requirements for graduation under the catalog in force at the time of entry into the program or re-entry into the program;
  3. Earn a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.00, including all transfer credits and courses attempted at GCSC. In addition, a student must earn a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.00 on all GCSC courses;
  4. Complete 25 percent of college-level credit hours at GCSC;
  5. Submit an application for graduation; and
  6. Fulfill all financial obligations to the college.

Students can go back up to five catalog years as long as there was no break in enrollment (defined as missing a fall or spring semester).   If there was a break in enrollment, the student will complete requirements for graduation under the catalog in force at the time of re-entry.

Gulf Coast State College does not discriminate against any person in its programs, activities, policies or procedures on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, national origin, marital status, religion, age, gender, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, disability, or veteran status. All questions or inquiries regarding compliance with laws relating to non-discrimination and all complaints regarding sexual misconduct or discrimination, may be directed to Lee Wood, Executive Director, Human Resources/Title II/504/Title IX Coordinator and Employment Equity Officer, Gulf Coast State College, 5230 W. US Highway 98, Panama City, FL 32401.