Northwest Florida State College has received approval from the Florida State Board of Education to offer four new Specialized Associate in Arts Transfer (SAAT) degree programs that will create direct pathways into bachelor’s degree programs in engineering at the University of West Florida.
The four newly approved SAAT programs are civil engineering, computer engineering, electrical engineering and mechanical engineering.
Approved by the State Board during its July 22 meeting in Orlando, the action establishes engineering pathways through which students can complete the associate-degree portion of their education at NWFSC’s Niceville campus and then transition to UWF to complete their bachelor’s degree at the joint NWFSC–UWF campus in Fort Walton Beach.
“A student can start here, stay here and build a successful future here,” said NWFSC President Mel Ponder in a press release. “Students will be able to start their engineering degree at Northwest Florida State College, continue to the University of West Florida and complete a high-quality bachelor’s degree close to home. By working together, NWFSC and UWF are removing barriers, expanding access and building a stronger pipeline of engineers prepared to support our region’s military installations, growing aerospace and defense industry, expanding technology economy, and everyday needs in other industries such as infrastructure and manufacturing.”
UWF President Manny Diaz Jr. also emphasized how the new engineering pathways build upon the longstanding partnership between the two institutions to increase opportunities to complete bachelor’s degrees without leaving the region.
“This partnership reflects what higher education should do — create opportunities that meet students where they are and prepare them for where they want to go,” Diaz said in a press release. “Together, UWF and Northwest Florida State College are expanding access to engineering education while strengthening the workforce that will drive innovation and economic growth across Northwest Florida. Students can begin their academic journey at NWFSC and then complete a UWF engineering degree without leaving the community they call home.”
The SAAT degree allows state colleges like NWFSC to provide additional lower-division coursework beyond the traditional 60-credit Associate in Arts degree when students need specialized preparation before transferring into designated university programs. The structure helps students complete the mathematics, science and engineering prerequisites required for upper-division study before entering their bachelor’s degree programs.
The new pathways will also support the region’s need for engineers in high-demand fields tied to aerospace, defense, construction, infrastructure, manufacturing, technology and advanced industry. By combining the accessibility and affordability of NWFSC with UWF’s upper-division engineering programs, students will have a clear route from their first college course through completion of a bachelor’s degree.
Additional information regarding program enrollment, advising, course sequencing and anticipated start dates will be announced as implementation plans are finalized.
To learn more about engineering programs, visit NWFSC.edu/engineering and uwf.edu/hmcse.
