For Undergraduate Students

1. Can my Community College credits count toward my electives and/or major at FAU?
   Community College credits can only apply toward your freshman/sophomore program. You must earn a minimum of 45 semester hours from a four-year institution (99 credits for architecture) and coursework toward your major must be taken at a four-year institution.
2. I took statistics (Calculus for ARC majors) at a Community College before being admitted to FAU, will it count for my prerequisite?
   As long as the course is a passing grade it will count toward your prerequisites. However, remember that any Gordon Rule class must be a ‘C’ or better to count toward Gordon Rule.
3. I completed eight credits of foreign language at the Community College. Will they count toward my degree?
   The language will meet FAU entrance and graduation requirements; however, the credits will not apply toward your upper division credits for your FAU program.
4. I took several courses from an out-of-state college that required writing; will they count toward the Gordon Rule writing requirement?
   The Gordon Rule states that the student must have four courses of 24,000 words in the area of writing. Most English I and II courses consist of 6,000 words of writing each. The student will need to provide documentation for the additional 12,000 words of writing. Documentation must be submitted to the Registrar’s Office and may consist of the following:
   • A catalog description, stating the number of words of writing per course.
   • A course syllabus, stating the number of words or pages required for a course.
   • A letter from the instructor or other college official, attesting to the completion of 12,000 additional words of writing, excluding any essay exams.
   Please click here for a Gordon Rule Evaluation form.
5. I took credits in my major from a four-year institution. How will I know if they count toward my program at FAU?
   You must set an appointment to meet with your Academic Advisor for a “program review”. The Advisor will submit a request to the respective Chairperson to review the coursework and either approve or deny the courses toward the program. Sometimes we require a course description or syllabus for review so it is helpful if you bring a catalog with you to the appointment. In the meantime, do not register for classes that seem similar to the ones you want to count toward your FAU program.
6. What is the maximum number of transfer credits that FAU will count toward my degree?
   You must earn at least 30 semester credits at FAU to be awarded a degree from FAU, therefore, you can bring in up to 90 semester hours from a four-year institution. Of the 90 hours, 75 may be lower division and 15 must be upper division. Architecture students will only be able to transfer a maximum of 60 credits at the lower division to count toward their 159 credits.
7. If I have an AA degree from a Florida public university or community college, will that satisfy FAU’s general education requirements?
   FAU accepts an AA degree that is awarded from a Florida Public University or Community College.
8. If I have an AA degree from an out-of-state institution, will that satisfy FAU’s general education requirements?
   Not necessarily. You need to contact your Academic Advisor and set up a meeting for a transcript evaluation.
9. If I have an AS degree from a Florida Public University or Community College, will that satisfy FAU’s general education requirements?
   Not necessarily. We do not accept some credits earned under an AS program, the student may still need to meet general education requirements for a BA or BS degree. In order to determine if you have deficiencies and how to meet the deficiencies, you should make an appointment to meet with your Academic Advisor.
10. What constitutes an upper division or lower division course?
    An upper division course is either a junior or senior level course. Typically, upper division courses are 3000/4000 level and lower division are 1000/2000 level.
11. How do I know if a course has a pre-requisite?
    In the back of the FAU catalog, you will find description of courses and they will indicate if a pre-requisite is required. It is the student’s responsibility to determine if pre-requisites are met prior to enrolling in courses.
12. What is a minor?
    The minors available at FAU are listed in the Academic Policies section of the FAU catalog. Usually you can use your electives toward obtaining a minor. A minor demonstrates that your electives are focused in a special area. This may help you be more marketable and give you more career options.
13. What kind of job can I get with my major?
    You can visit the career center website. You can also meet with a faculty member who has a background in the area you are interested. You may visit the Library and read about the various careers available to you. You may also join organizations and become a volunteer. Contact Student Affairs for more information.

For Graduate Students:

1. What are the requirements for being admitted to a FAU graduate program? 
   A student seeking admission into a graduate program of Florida Atlantic University must meet at least the minimum standards set by the Florida Board of Regents and the University as well as the specific requirements set by the program. The minimum FAU admission requirements established by the Florida Board of Regents are:
   • A Bachelor's degree or its equivalent from a regionally accredited institution and at least one of the following criteria:
   • A "B" (3.0 on a 4.0 scale) average or better in all work as a registered upper division student
   • A combined score of 1000 (verbal and quantitative) on the Graduate Records Exam (GRE), or;
   • A graduate degree from a regionally accredited institution.
   All applicants must take the GRE and submit their official scores regardless of their grade point average. Individual program requirements may be more selective.
2. Can I take classes that will count for my degree before I take the GRE?
   Yes, you can take up to 1/3 of the total program requirements prior to admission into a graduate program. These courses must be taken as a non-degree seeking student. Admission to the College or program will not occur without GRE scores.
3. How do I get an application? 
   Applications may be obtained by writing to the Director of Admissions, Florida Atlantic University, P.0. Box 3091, Boca Raton, FL 33431-0991 or call (954) 762-5660, or you can fill one out online by clicking here.
4. What documents do I need to send in with my application? 
   Graduate Applications require a $30 U.S. non-refundable application fee. Official transcripts from each college or university attended must be sent directly to the FAU Admissions Office. Graduate applicants must request that the Education Testing Service send their GRE scores to FAU.
5. I know there are several FAU campuses. Where will my classes be held? 
   The College for Design and Social Inquiry, headquartered at the Askew Tower campus in downtown Fort Lauderdale, offers courses at the Boca Raton, Davie, Tower, MacArthur, and Port St. Lucie campuses. Courses are offered at all campuses, however complete programs are only offered at specific campuses.
   
   The following complete programs are offered at the Davie campus:
   Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice
   Bachelor of Public Management
   Bachelor of Social Work
   Bachelor of Urban and Regional Planning
   
   The following complete programs are offered at the Boca Raton campus:
   Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice
   Bachelor of Public Management
   Bachelor of Social Work 
   Master of Social Work
   
   The following complete programs are offered at the Tower campus:
   Bachelor of Architecture
   Master of Criminology and Criminal Justice
   Master of Nonprofit Management
   Master of Public Administration
   Master of Urban and Regional Planning
   
   The following complete programs are offered at the MacArthur campus:
   Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice 
   Bachelor of Social Work
   
   The following complete programs are offered at the Port St. Lucie campus:
   Bachelor of Social Work
6. What graduate academic programs are offered by the College for Design and Social Inquiry?
   
   Criminal Justice:
   Master of Criminology and Criminal Justice
   Public Administration:
   Ph. D. in Public Administration
   Master of Public Administration
   Executive Certificate in Public Management
   Master of Nonprofit Management
   Social Work:
   Master of Social Work 
   Urban and Regional Planning:
   Master of Urban and Regional Planning
   Urban Planning Certificate
7. What financial aid is available?
   The College itself has some financial aid available specifically to its students. For example, there are Ph.D. stipends and Environmental Growth Management Fellowships in the MPA & MURP programs. College Stipend and Scholarship information is available from the Academic Coordinator, located at the Tower Campus (954) 762-5662. For more information about financial aid, see Financial and Scholarship Information available at this web site.