Northwest Florida State College streamlines math graduation requirements

NICEVILLE — Northwest Florida State College has announced that students are no longer required to take math courses deemed unrelated to their intended career path.

Allowed by legislation signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2021, Senate Bill 366 amends Florida statute 1007.23 and mandates three distinct math pathways tailored to specific programs, which NWFSC officials say will "align math courses with specific programs and the skills demanded by the industry."

“I could not be more thrilled with our faculty and staff as they worked collaboratively and quickly to implement the recent changes,” said Devin Stephenson, president of NWFSC, in a news release. “A student-centered approach to education has always been at the heart of the College, and this initiative only strengthens our enduring commitment to provide the best education for career mobility.”

As part of this change, the college has removed outdated prerequisite math courses and introduced an accelerated college algebra course, MAC1105C. It's also instituted a new peer- and embedded-tutoring model, enhanced access to facility mentors and comprehensive support for all students. The change will hopefully remove excess credits and additional costs for students.

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Henry Mack, vice president of academic affairs commended the governor and legislature for enabling relevant pathways that connect general education with career aspirations.

"I am excited by what this will mean for students, particularly by way of cutting down on their time to degree completion without sacrificing the rigor this College is known for," Mack said in the release.

For further details on NWFSC's math pathways, interested individuals can visit www.nwfsc.edu/math-pathways/ or contact Jenna Sheffield, associate vice president for academic affairs, via email at jsheffield@nwfsc.edu.