Transfer To BA/BS

Digital Media students exploring photography

Digital Media students exploring photography

Transfer Plans?

To address the growing academic needs of our students, the Digital Media department of Polk State College now offers additional transfer options for students. Be sure to consult with Polk State advisers and or the advisers of the university to which you intend to transfer to get the most accurate advice because requirements change frequently.

Differences between AA and AS degrees

Pursue an AA (Associate of Arts) degree at Polk State if your goal is to transfer to a state university and complete a four-year degree program. State universities in Florida will accept your AA degree in full and you will be halfway toward a bachelor’s degree. AA degrees allow you to enroll in and complete elective courses that support the major you will pursue at the transfer university. We recommend you complete Digital Media and Art courses for your electives. Please see the options below.

Pursue an AS (Associate of Science) degree in Digital Media at Polk State if you wish to enter the job market right after graduating. AS degrees are meant for entry-level jobs. AA degrees are intended for transfer to a four-year degree program. Please review the options below.

AA Degree with Digital Media Electives for Transfer

If you plan to transfer to a four-year college or university, we recommend enrolling in Polk State’s AA degree. The AA degree in Liberal Arts requires you to earn 36 credit hours (about 12 courses) in General Education and 24 credit hours (about eight courses) in electives for a total of 60 credits that will transfer to any state university in Florida.

You are now able to enroll in digital media courses for your elective course options. Please review our digital media course offerings here.

Specifically, we recommend completing the following digital media and art courses for your AA electives, especially if you wish to attend UCF or pursue a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree in graphic design or similar concentrations.

  • ARH 1050 – Intro to Art History I (equivalent to UCF’s ARH 2050)
  • ARH 1051 – Intro Art History II (equivalent to UCF’s ARH 2051)
  • ART 1201C – Design I (equivalent to UCF’s ART 2201C)
  • ART 1203C – Design II (equivalent to UCF’s ART 2203C)
  • ART 1300C – Drawing and Composition I (equivalent to UCF’s ART 2300C)
  • ART 1301C – Drawing and Composition II (equivalent to UCF’s ART 2301C)
  • DIG 2000C – Introduction to Digital Media (equivalent to UCF’s DIG 2000C)
  • DIG 2030C – Digital Video and Sound (equivalent to UCF’s DIG 2030C)
  • DIG 2109C – Digital Imaging Fundamentals (equivalent to UCF’s DIG 2109C)
  • DIG 2500C – Fundamentals of Interactive Design (equivalent to UCF’s DIG 2500C)
Digital Media students working a video production

Digital Media students working a video production

AS Degree for Entry Level Jobs in Digital Media

A two-year AS degree in Digital Media prepares you for immediate employment upon graduation for entry-level media positions. Many students seeking jobs after graduation prefer this degree option. However, a growing number of jobs are requiring a bachelor’s degree (four-year degree) for entry and mid-level positions. So, if you have earned an AS degree or enrolled in the AS degree program but wish to transition to a four-year degree program, we have three options:

Option 1: Complete AA instead with Digital Media Electives

If you are in your first semester as a student of Polk State pursuing an AS degree, but then you decide to transfer to a four-year institution upon graduation, we encourage you to speak to your Polk State adviser about switching your major to the AA degree (rather than an AS degree). You will still be able to enroll in digital media and art courses for your elective options (as recommended above). While it is possible to transfer the AS degree to a four-year university, the AA degree offers a streamlined approach because the AA degree is accepted in full, while the AS degree may be reviewed course-by-course at major universities before acceptance.

Option 2: Transfer to UCF’s BAS Online Degree

If you wish to stay in the AS degree track (rather than change to the AA track) until graduation, you may transfer to a Bachelor of Applied Science degree offered by state institutions such as University of Central Florida (UCF). Polk State recently partnered with UCF to offer additional transfer options to students. For details, please review these links:

OPTION 3: supplement your AS degree with AA course requirements

After completing your AS degree, you may take additional courses to meet the requirements for an AA degree. This option, while practical, may not be the best use of your time or money (if your goal is to transfer to a four-year institution). However, getting an AA degree from a state accredited institution such as Polk State, streamlines your transfer to state universities in Florida. An added benefit is that state universities will accept your AA degree in full including all your courses.

Please note that it is also possible to transfer your AS degree to state universities, but the process is less streamlined and four-year universities such as USF, UCF, or UF may choose to review your transcript to determine which courses will be accepted. So even though you may be able to enroll in a four-year university with an AS degree, we strongly recommend getting an AA degree instead if you plan to transfer.

If you intend to transfer to a state university after completing an AS degree in Digital Media at Polk State, ensure you have:

  1. Maintained a 2.5 GPA or above
  2. Completed two college-level English composition courses with a “C” or better grade
  3. Completed two college-level Mathematics courses with a “C” or better grade
  4. Completed a foreign language course at the second level (such as Spanish II)
  5. Taken prerequisite or recommended courses required by the state institution
  6. Communicated with the advising department of your state university

Select the appropriate link for more information about transfers to institutions such as UF, UCF or USF.

Student researching and working on a laptop

Student researching and working on a laptop

Equivalent Courses

Recently, we received additional information from UCF about art and digital media courses offered by Polk State that are considered equivalents to courses  offered in UCF’s BA or BFA degrees in their School of Visual Arts & Design. These courses include:

  1. ARH 1050 – Intro to Art History I (equivalent to UCF’s ARH 2050)
  2. ARH 1051 – Intro Art History II (equivalent to UCF’s ARH 2051)
  3. ART 1201C – Design I (equivalent to UCF’s ART 2201C)
  4. ART 1203C – Design II (equivalent to UCF’s ART 2203C)
  5. ART 1300C – Drawing and Composition I (equivalent to UCF’s ART 2300C)
  6. ART 1301C – Drawing and Composition II (equivalent to UCF’s ART 2301C)
  7. DIG 2000C – Introduction to Digital Media (equivalent to UCF’s DIG 2000C)
  8. DIG 2030C – Digital Video and Sound (equivalent to UCF’s DIG 2030C)
  9. DIG 2109C – Digital Imaging Fundamentals (equivalent to UCF’s DIG 2109C)
  10. DIG 2500C – Fundamentals of Interactive Design (equivalent to UCF’s DIG 2500C)

For more information, please contact Polk State’s advising or transfer departments for help. For questions about digital media, please contact Dr. Gregory Johnson.