The Liberal Arts Curriculum (LAC) requires students to study a broad range of subjects, demonstrate basic proficiency in information technology, mathematics, and English language; and demonstrate advanced proficiency in written and oral English language.

Eight Liberal Arts Courses

Students must complete at least eight courses in the Liberal Arts Curriculum of the College, including one of these courses from each of the three Divisions (Humanities, Social Sciences, and Natural Sciences).

A liberal arts education at New College should develop one’s intellectual and personal potential as fully as possible, and as a result instill interest in diverse academic disciplines and inspire a regard for views different from one’s own. Courses that satisfy this LAC breadth requirement typically introduce a discipline, a field of study, a region, a time period, or a body of literature; have no pre-requisites; and are taught regularly by a faculty member in his or her area of expertise.  LAC courses are identified in each semester class schedule and posted in the year’s Liberal Arts Curriculum Guidelines.

In addition, each year’s Liberal Arts Curriculum Guidelines defines alternate methods of fulfilling these breadth requirements.  These methods include appropriate courses taken at another college and achievement of certain scores on specific subject exams via Advanced Placement, the International Baccalaureate Programme, the Advanced International Certificate of Education, and the College Level Examination Program.  (Please note, however, that while exam scores may be used to satisfy some LAC breadth requirements, exam scores cannot be counted toward transfer credit hour equivalents or contract certification.)

Mathematics/English Language/Information Technology Proficiency

Mathematics Proficiency

All New College students must demonstrate the required basic proficiency in mathematics in one of the following ways:

1.       Satisfactory completion of a course in mathematics  at New College

2.       A score of 500 or above on the mathematics section of the SAT Reasoning Test, the re-centered SAT I, or its equivalent

3.       A score of 21 or above on the mathematics section of the ACT

4.       A score of 91 or above on the ACCUPLACER Elementary Algebra exam

5.       A score of 3 on any Advanced Placement (AP) mathematics  exam

6.       A score of 5 or higher on an International Baccalaureate (IB) mathematics  exam

7.       A score of 50 or higher on a College-Level  Examination Program (CLEP) mathematics  exam

8.       A passing score on the mathematics  section of the College Level Academic Skills Test taken prior to July, 2009

9.       A passing score on the FTCE General Knowledge  Exam mathematics  section or a score of 91or higher on the mathematics portion of the Florida College-Level  Entry Placement Test

10.    A 2.5 grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) in traditional  postsecondary -level course work identified by the Florida State Board of Education and Florida Board of Governors as meeting the requirement  to demonstrate college -level skills in mathematics. (Contact the Office of the Registrar for details.)

11.    Six semester credit hour equivalents of mathematics course work completed at another accredited college or university, and deemed eligible toward transfer credit.  (Contact the Office of the Registrar for details.)

English Language Proficiency

1.       One way to demonstrate the required basic proficiency in English language is to achieve scores that meet or exceed minimum scores on a nationally standardized examination, as established by the State Board of Education in conjunction with the Board of Governors. This may be accomplished  with any one of the following:

2.       A score of 500 or higher on the SAT Reasoning Test Critical Reading portion; and , 500 or above on the SAT Reasoning Test

3.       Writing  portion taken after February 2005

4.       A score of 500 (recentered score) or 412 (non-recentered score) or above on the Verbal section of the SAT I taken prior to March 2005

5.       A score of 22 or above on the ACT program in Reading; and either one of the following:
                21 or above on the ACT program in English or
                21 or above on the ACT program in English/Writing

6.       (English with Essay Component)
A score of 20 or above on the Composite  of the ACT taken prior to October 1989

7.       93 or above on the ACCUPLACER Reading Comprehension Examination  and 105 or above on the ACCUPLACER SentenceSkills Examination

8.       A passing score on the English language, reading, and essay writing subtests of the College Level Academic Skills Test taken prior to July 1, 2009.

Alternatively, students with course work from another accredited college may meet the English Language Proficiency requirement  if they have achieved a 2.5 grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) in traditional  postsecondary -level course work identified by the Florida State Board of Education and Florida Board of Governors as meeting the requirement  to demonstrate  college -level skills in English language, reading, and essay writing. (Contact the Office of the Registrar for details.)

Advanced Proficiency in Written and Oral English Language

Satisfactory performance  on the final graduation requirements—the senior thesis or senior project, and the oral Baccalaureate  Exam—provides clear evidence that the student has met the College’s requirement  of Advanced Proficiency in Written and Oral English Language. The requirement for Advanced Proficiency in Written and Oral English Language cannot be waived.

Information Technology Proficiency

All enrolled New College students must satisfactorily complete online information technology training.

Waivers for Basic Mathematics Proficiency and English Language Proficiency

Students may apply for a waiver if they do not satisfy the basic requirement(s) of Mathematics Proficiency and/or English Language Proficiency. Applications for waivers [not related to a documented specific learning disability] will be reviewed by the Waiver Committee. This committee will include the Provost, a faculty member in Mathematics, a faculty member in English, a third member of faculty outside of Mathematics and English, and an institutional test administrator. Petitions for waivers will be considered only after students have been provided test accommodations and other administrative adjustments to permit accurate measurement of the student’s proficiency in the subject area measured by the exam. The Committee reviewing the request shall review the student’s academic records and such other information as appropriate.

Any student with a documented specific learning disability (SLD), such that the student cannot demonstrate successful mastery of basic Mathematics Proficiency and/or basic English Language Proficiency, may apply for a waiver through the Provost’s Office.

If a waiver is approved, the student’s transcript shall include a statement that the student did not meet the basic Proficiency requirement(s) and that a waiver was granted. (There shall be no mention of a disability should the student have received the waiver on the basis of a disability.)

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