NICEVILLE, Fla. (July 24, 2026) – 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
- Mechanical Engineering
The State Board approved the programs 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. “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.”
“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,” UWF President Manny Diaz Jr. said. “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 offer targeted lower-division coursework beyond the traditional 60-credit Associate in Arts degree. By covering required mathematics, science, and engineering prerequisites before transfer, this pathway ensures students are fully prepared for their upper-division study. Crucially, these additional credits qualify for financial aid, creating a more seamless, affordable, and streamlined transition into university programs.
“This is exactly the kind of partnership that strengthens both our College and the communities we serve,” said Rhea Goff, chair of the NWFSC District Board of Trustees. “Students should not have to leave Northwest Florida to pursue an engineering education or prepare for careers in industries that are vital to our region. These new pathways give local students an affordable and accessible starting point while helping employers develop the highly skilled workforce they need.”
The coordinated pathway is designed to provide students with a more seamless transition from NWFSC to UWF. Students will begin by completing foundational coursework at NWFSC before advancing into upper-division engineering instruction through UWF at the institutions’ joint campus in Fort Walton Beach.
The new pathways will also support the region’s need for engineers in high-demand fields connected 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.
We will share additional information about program enrollment, advising, course sequencing, and anticipated start dates as implementation plans are finalized.
To learn more about engineering programs at Northwest Florida State College, visit NWFSC.edu/engineering.
Photo credit: Northwest Florida State College.
