Creating a Class Schedule at Florida State University

Incoming freshman at the Florida State University are required to begin a process of fulfilling thirty six liberal arts credits before they begin their journey into taking classes for their major. While it seems like a relatively simple task, many requirements and guidelines are in place to ensure a very specific schedule that taylors the needs of the student and the state.

To process of fulfilling all thirty six liberal arts requirements is done by taking a specific amount of credit hours in specific liberal arts study areas. These guidelines are as follows:

1.) Mathematics: 6 semester hours

2.) English Composition: 6 semester hours

3.) Natural Science: 6 semester hours and 1 laboratory credit

4.) History: 3 semester hours

5.) Social Science: 3 semester hours

6.) Humanities (literature): 3 semester hours

7.) Humanities (general): 3 semester hours
8.) In addition, 6 more hours must be selected from history, humanities, and/or social science
(http://undergrad.fsu.edu/iaa.html#b)

Students may receive credit from Advanced Placement Exams, College Level Examination Program International Baccalaureate Exams, AICE Scores, and SAT/ACT Scores. This credit will exempt them from specific credit hours above, and all guidelines associated with those specific courses.

Six of those credit hours must be "multicultural" courses designated by either an "X" or a "Y" which represent cross cultural studies and diversity in Western experience.

In addition, four specific classes (twelve credit hours) must be "W" classes, or classes which have a certain number of written assignments you will do.

Along with the 36 Liberal Arts credits, you must also fulfill an "Oral Competency Course" either by taking a Speech class, or having prior experience in a High School Speech class. You must also take One Computer Literacy Course before you graduate, which gives you knowledge on how to run basic applications on your computer.