Cal-GETC Standards

Version 1.3

The 2025 Cal-GETC Standards, Policies and Procedures Version 1.3 is an updated, corrected version of the 1.0 version that was created in response to the requirement that ICAS establish a singular lower division general education pathway that meets the academic requirements necessary for transfer admission to the California State University and the University of California per AB 928 (Berman, 2021). The document is intended to be both self-contained and accessible. It includes current practices and policies and, in some cases, will generate new policies and procedures to be implemented by the California Community Colleges, the California State University, and the University of California. The Cal-GETC standards, policies, and procedures contained in this document are independent of any prior General Education requirements.

1 History

1.1 Purpose

The California General Education Transfer Curriculum (Cal-GETC) is the singular general education pathway for California Community College (CCC) students to fulfill lower-division general education requirements necessary for transfer and admission to both the California State University (CSU) and the University of California (UC). The curriculum and its policies are overseen by the Intersegmental Committee of the Academic Senates (ICAS), representing faculty from California’s three segments of public higher education.

1.2 Background

Since the development of the 1960 Master Plan for Higher Education, ease of transfer has been the cornerstone of California’s three-tiered system of higher education. Transfer issues were therefore central to the concerns of legislators and members of the Commission to Review the Master Plan (“the Commission”), who examined and renewed the Master Plan for Higher Education in California in the 1980s.

Beginning in Fall 1981, CCC students were able to use the statewide CSU General Education- Breadth pattern (CSU GE) to meet lower-division general education requirements if transferring to the CSU. This lower-division component of the CSU GE pattern was predominantly used by CCC students who transferred to a CSU campus. For these CSU-bound students, the CSU GE- Breadth requirements were defined within Title 5 and in executive orders defining the CSU GE pattern (cf., CSU General Education Breadth Requirements).

In response to the concerns raised by the Commission and the Legislature, embodied in Assembly Bill 1725 (Chapter 973, Statutes of 1988), faculty from the California Community Colleges, the California State University, and the University of California developed IGETC (Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum) to provide a statewide, lower-division general education transfer curriculum applicable to all California Community College (CCC) students transferring to a California State University (CSU) or University of California (UC) campus.

The IGETC pattern, as implemented, differed for the UC and the CSU. The CSU required an additional course in Oral Communication in addition to the common IGETC pattern whereas the UC required proficiency in a language other than English (LOTE) in addition to the common IGETC pattern. Ostensibly to reduce confusion given the differences in standards¹ and content² for lower-division General Education transfer pathways (CSU GE, IGETC for the CSU, IGETC for the UC, UC specific patterns), AB 928 (Berman, 2021) required the development of a singular lower-division general education pathway that would meet academic eligibility and sufficient academic preparation for transfer admission to both the CSU and the UC (i.e., a single set of requirements for lower-division GE certification and transfer admission). AB 928 (Berman, 2021), states, in part: 

On or before May 31, 2023, the Intersegmental Committee of the Academic Senates of the University of California, the California State University, and the California Community Colleges shall establish a singular lower division general education pathway that meets the academic requirements necessary for transfer admission to both the California State University and University of California. If the Intersegmental Committee of the Academic Senates of the University of California, the California State University, and the California Community Colleges is unable to come to agreement on or before May 31, 2023, the respective administrative bodies of those segments shall establish a singular lower division general education pathway that meets the academic requirements necessary for transfer admission to the California State University and the University of California by December 31, 2023

The Academic Senates of the CCC, the CSU, and the UC endorsed the creation of Cal-GETC to facilitate the ease of transfer for California Community College students, regardless of the CSU or UC campus to which they transfer. The Cal-GETC pattern for transfer and admissions to the CSU or UC began to be formulated in 2022. ICAS developed the Cal-GETC framework based on a modification of the IGETC pattern in Spring 2022 and approved a preliminary structure in Spring of 2023.

The use of the Cal-GETC transfer pathway is intended to begin Fall 2025 of the 2025-26 Academic Year. Under Cal-GETC, every student will be designated simply as having achieved, or not having achieved, Cal-GETC certification irrespective of their transfer destination. Transfer students with catalog rights prior to Fall 2025 will be able to maintain their use of their CSU GE Breadth or IGETC pattern for GE certification to the extent permitted by the relevant programs and institutions.

2 Areas of Distribution for Cal-GETC

The California General Education Transfer Curriculum is comprised of courses taught at California Community Colleges that satisfy specific areas of general education:

AREA 1 – ENGLISH COMMUNICATION (Three courses: one English Composition, one Critical Thinking and Composition, and one Oral Communication. 9 semester or 12 quarter units)

1A: ENGLISH COMPOSITION (One course: 3 semester or 4 quarter units)
1B: CRITICAL THINKING AND COMPOSITION (One course: 3 semester or 4 quarter units)
1C: ORAL COMMUNICATION (One Course: 3 semester or 4 quarter units)

AREA 2 – MATHEMATICAL CONCEPTS AND QUANTITATIVE REASONING (One course: 3 semester or 4 quarter unit)

AREA 3 – ARTS AND HUMANITIES (Two courses: one Arts and one Humanities. 6 semester or 8 quarter units)

3A: ARTS (One course: 3 semester or 4 quarter units)
3B: HUMANITIES (One course: 3 semester or 4 quarter units)

AREA 4 – SOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES (Two courses: two academic disciplines. 6 semester or 8 quarter units)

AREA 5 – PHYSICAL AND BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES (Two courses: one Physical Science and one Biological Science. One of the two courses must be associated with a one-semester or one-quarter unit laboratory [Section 9.5.3]. 7 semester units or 9 quarter units)

5A: PHYSICAL SCIENCE (One course: 3 semester or 4 quarter units)
5B: BIOLOGICAL SCIENCE (One course: 3 semester or 4 quarter units)
5C: LABORATORY (1 semester or 1 quarter unit)

AREA 6 – ETHNIC STUDIES (One course: 3 semester units or 4 quarter units)
This course must be in ethnic studies or in a similar field, provided that the course is cross-listed with ethnic studies.

Summary table for areas of Distribution for Cal-GETC

CAL-GETC SUBJECT AREAS	SUBJECT AREA DESCRIPTIONS	COURSES PER SUBJECT AREA
Area 1 – English Communication	One course from each 1A, 1B, and 1C subject area. Area 1A: English Composition- 1 course (3 semester or 4 quarter units) Area 1B: Critical Thinking and Composition- 1 course (3 semester or 4 quarter units) Area 1C: Oral Communication- 1 course (3 semester or 4 quarter units)	3 courses (9 semester or 12 quarter units; 3 semester or 4 quarter units for each of 1A, 1B, and 1C)
Area 2 – Mathematical Concepts and Quantitative Reasoning	One course in Area 2.	1 course (3 semester or 4 quarter units)
Area 3 – Arts and Humanities	One course from each 3A and 3B subject area. Area 3A: Arts- 1 course (3 semester or 4 quarter units) Area 3B: Humanities- 1 course (3 semester or 4 quarter units)	2 courses (6 semester or 8 quarter units)
Area 4 – Social and Behavioral Sciences	Two courses from two academic disciplines or in an interdisciplinary sequence.	2 courses (6 semester or 8 quarter units)
Area 5 – Physical and Biological Sciences	One course from each 5A and 5B subject area. One of the two courses must include a laboratory. Area 5A: Physical Science- 1 course (3 semester or 4 quarter units) Area 5B: Biological Science- 1 course (3 semester or 4 quarter units) Area 5C: Laboratory- (1 semester or 1 quarter unit)	2 courses (7 semester or 9 quarter units)
Area 6 – Ethnic Studies	One course in ethnic studies or in a similar field provided that the course is cross-listed with ethnic studies.	1 course (3 semester or 4 quarter units)
	TOTAL	11 courses (34 semester or 45 quarter units)

3 Students Who May Use Cal-GETC

Completion of the California General Education Transfer Curriculum (Cal-GETC) will permit a student to transfer from a California Community College (CCC) to a California State University (CSU) campus or program without the need, after transfer, to take additional lower-division, general education courses to satisfy campus general education requirements. Completion of Cal-GETC will permit a student to transfer from a California Community College (CCC) to a University of California (UC) campus or program generally without the need, after transfer, to take additional lower-division, general education courses to satisfy campus general education requirements. For most students, it is strongly recommended that students complete Cal-GETC prior to transfer. Advantages of completing Cal-GETC may include more flexibility in class selection at the university and timely progress to degree completion. All CSUs and most UC campuses and programs will accept certified Cal-GETC completion as satisfying lower-division general education requirements. Note that some individual colleges or majors within a UC campus may not accept or recommend Cal-GETC to fulfill all of their general education requirements. A list of those UC colleges and majors is found on the UC Admissions web page (under “general education”).

The CSU will honor completion of lower-division general education coursework at a CCC provided the course was on the approved GE certification list in assist.org at the time the course was completed. Students transferring to a CSU who are Cal-GETC certified will still need to complete 9 semester units of upper-division general education (GE) after transfer and may also be held to other campus specific graduation requirements outside of general education and major coursework.

3.1 Cal-GETC and Other Lower-division General Education Options

Completion of the Cal-GETC is not an admission requirement or admission guarantee for transfer to the CSU or UC, nor is it the only way to fulfill the lower-division, general education requirements for students at the CSU or UC. However, Cal-GETC may be a requirement for some programs (e.g., if an ADT is required) and under AB 928 is the “singular lower division general education pathway that meets the academic requirements necessary for transfer admission to the California State University and the University of California.”

For the UC, students may choose to complete coursework to meet the campus general education requirements of the university program to which they plan to transfer. For the CSU, some students may elect to take courses to fulfill the CSU’s general education requirements (CSU GE) after transfer, but such a course of action would be inconsistent with the intent of AB 928.

Completion of the Cal-GETC lower-division General Education Transfer pathway may not be appropriate for some engineering, math, or science students or for students completing majors that have a high number of lower-division unit requirements (especially those without a Transfer Model Curriculum for the Associate Degree for Transfer). Such students may be advised to focus on completing their lower-division major preparation requirements while meeting minimum admission requirements (e.g., the UC seven-course pattern for UC admissions). Such a student would not be Cal-GETC certified prior to transfer.

Although CLEP cannot be used for Cal-GETC (Section 6.3), the CSU has a system-wide policy for CLEP exams and awarding transfer credit for admission or towards the completion of CSU GE based on these exams. The CSU policy for CLEP.

3.2 Students who are eligible to use Cal-GETC

ICAS developed Cal-GETC for use by California Community College transfer students. A student may be Cal-GETC certified if they have completed coursework at any of the California Community Colleges without regard to current enrollment status or number of units accrued at a CCC.

3.3 Restrictions for Returning Students

Students who initially enroll at a UC campus, then leave and attend a community college, and subsequently return to the same campus are considered “readmits” by the UC. Such students cannot use Cal-GETC. CSU does not have a system-wide policy that addresses these students and/or this reverse-transfer situation and thus there is no prohibition on use of Cal-GETC for students returning to the CSU from a CCC.

4 Cal-GETC Course Database and Certification

After a course has been approved for Cal-GETC, it will be available on the Cal-GETC course list on ASSIST (assist.org). Development and maintenance of the Cal-GETC database allows counselors and students seamless electronic access to all California Community College articulated courses and helps ensure accurate information when certifying coursework completed at other California Community Colleges.

5 Cal-GETC Course Eligibility (courses that can be used for Cal-GETC)

5.1 Cal-GETC Course Submission and Review Process

The UC and the CSU conduct an annual, joint review of CCC courses submitted for Cal-GETC. Submission decisions are announced annually in the Spring to articulation officers and are updated on the ASSIST website (assist.org) each academic year.

5.1.1 Effective Date

If a course was active in the college’s curriculum at the time of approval (or will be active in the next fall term), the to-be-approved course will start to carry Cal-GETC area certification effective the fall term of the academic year after the course was submitted (presuming the Cal-GETC application was successful).

Example: A course submitted in December of 2025, and approved in May 2026, becomes effective on Cal-GETC beginning Fall 2026. If a course is not approved for Cal-GETC inclusion, detailed reasons for denial will be provided to the CCC. The CCC may then modify their outline of record and resubmit in the following submission cycle.

5.1.2 Re-evaluation of existing approvals

Occasionally, during the Cal-GETC review cycle certain existing Cal-GETC course(s) are reviewed to verify that the course(s) continue to meet the Cal-GETC standards. Course(s) found to not meet Cal-GETC standards will be scheduled for phasing out but allowed to remain on the CCC Cal-GETC approved list for at least two academic years. This allows the CCC time to submit a revised course outline for review, if appropriate.

Example: As a result of re-review, a CCC may be notified in Spring 2025 that their ART 101 course outline of record was determined to no longer meet Cal-GETC Standard for 3A (Arts). Because the Cal-GETC standard for 3A (Arts) did not differ from IGETC standards, the ART 101 course will remain effective on Cal-GETC in area 3A (Arts) through Summer 2027.

5.1.3 Textbooks

Identifying the course textbook (or textbooks/textbook-equivalents) is a required element of the submission process:

• Textbooks must be identified in the CCC Course Outline of Record (COR) and published within seven years of the course submission date or clearly identified as a classic in the COR.
• Open Educational Resources (OER), or online texts, are acceptable if they are constant and publicly available as published textbooks (i.e., not as a list of web links). CORs must include title, author, and publication date. Laboratory science courses must have a clearly identified Laboratory Manual included in the COR. Lab manuals from either a publisher or compiled by CCC faculty (e.g., “CHEM 001 Lab Manual, CCC Chemistry department, 2023”) are acceptable.

5.1.4 Cross-Listed Courses

GE review requires CCCs to have curriculum approved (e.g., college curriculum committee or college/district board) for cross-listing before submitting course outlines of record. Course outlines of record for cross-listed courses are identical in title, description, objectives, content, methods of instruction, methods of evaluation, textbooks/readings, and assignments but may have a different prefix. All approved cross-listed courses must appear together or with an annotation in official college publications.

5.2 Cal-GETC Courses and Cal-GETC Certification

5.2.1 Intra- and Inter- segmental transfer of Cal-GETC Courses towards Cal-GETC certification

Given that students often attend multiple California Community Colleges, Cal-GETC coursework completed in specific subject areas of Cal-GETC will be used in the Cal-GETC area designated by the CCC at which the course was completed.

Example: If College A is certifying Cal-GETC completion using work completed at College B, College A should use the coursework according to the approved Cal-GETC certification course list from College B on the ASSIST site, regardless of where College A has certified their otherwise potentially-similar course.

Example: A lower-division research methods course might be qualified (only) in the quantitative reasoning area for Cal-GETC at College A, but (only) in the Social and Behavioral Sciences area of Cal-GETC for College B. College A could not use the research methods course from College B to meet the quantitative reasoning requirement for Cal-GETC certification.

In a similar manner, if a student has taken a course or courses at a UC or CSU counted for GE areas corresponding to, and which could qualify to meet the standards for, Cal-GETC areas, it is generally appropriate for CCCs to certify the course(s) towards completion of those corresponding areas of the Cal-GETC pattern.

If a course from California public higher education does not explicitly carry Cal-GETC area certification, it is inappropriate to award Cal-GETC credit.

5.2.2 California Community College Course Application Rights

Certification of coursework completed for Cal-GETC will be honored provided that a course was on a college’s approved Cal-GETC certification course list on the ASSIST site when it was completed.

Although California Community College courses may be listed in more than one area, they can only be applied to one area during Cal-GETC certification for each individual student.

5.2.3 Non-California Community College Courses on Cal-GETC

Appropriate non-CCC general education courses in the humanities, mathematics, social sciences, and natural sciences that are completed at United States institutions with accreditation from ICAS approved accreditors should be routinely included in Cal-GETC. For example, California Community Colleges should not hesitate to include such traditional introductory general education courses as Psychology, Sociology, Economics, Political Science, Biology, or Chemistry that have been completed at non-CCC colleges. Such courses should be from institutions with accreditation from ICAS approved accreditors.

Care should be taken to review course outlines for content, prerequisites, texts, units, and Cal-GETC Area Standards (See Section 9.0 for Standards). Particular care should be taken when evaluating non-CCC courses to fulfill any of:

1. Cal-GETC Area 1B (Critical Thinking and Composition) – few non-CCC colleges offer a second semester course that combines Critical Thinking and Composition
2. Cal-GETC Area 1C (Oral Communication) – note differences from CSU GE Area A1 requirements, or
3. Cal-GETC Area 6 (Ethnic Studies) – where there are narrow constraints on course eligibility and required competencies that are unlikely to be met by any one course not specifically targeted to the requirements.

A California Community College may include non-CCC lower-division courses that are completed at a United States Institution with accreditation from ICAS approved accreditors and meet Cal-GETC specifications if the following criteria are met:

1. The coursework completed at these institutions is deemed by the CCC faculty in the discipline or their designee (e.g., Articulation Officer) to be comparable to coursework on that community college’s approved Cal-GETC course list; or
2. If the certifying CCC does not have a Cal-GETC comparable course for a non-CCC course, but there is a comparable course at another CCC which is found on their Cal-GETC pattern, the course may be used on Cal-GETC as long as the course outlines are comparable in content, prerequisites, texts, units, and conformity to Cal-GETC Area Standards (please see Section 9 for Standards); or
3. If there is no comparable course at either the certifying CCC or at other CCCs, then the certifying CCC may use the non-CCC course on the Cal-GETC provided that the non-CCC course conforms to the Cal-GETC Area Standards (please see Section 9 for Standards); or
4. If the non-CCC course was completed prior to the CCC course’s Cal-GETC effective date and meets the criteria as outlined in number 2 above, the non-CCC course may be applied to Cal-GETC; or
5. If a course has been determined by UC to meet minimum transfer admissions eligibility using the UC seven-course pattern, the course may be applied to Cal-GETC (e.g., UC-E, UC-M, UC-S, etc.).

Note: In all cases, these courses should be carefully assessed in order to assure the course offering has sufficient breadth to meet the intent of the Cal-GETC standards. If a course from California public higher education does not explicitly carry Cal-GETC area certification, it is almost always inappropriate to award Cal-GETC credit.

ICAS Approved Accreditors:

• Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) Western Association of Schools and Colleges
• Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
• Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
• New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE)
• Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)
• Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
• WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC)

5.2.4 Upper Division Courses

In general, non-CCC courses applied to Cal-GETC should be classified as lower-division. However, there are instances when a course that is listed as upper-division may be applied to Cal-GETC certification. They include the following:

1. When there is documentation that a UC or CSU campus has classified a course or series as upper- division but has requested to systematically allow lower- division transfer credit (possibly because an equivalent course is taught at a community college or because the preparation of the subject is desired prior to transfer from the 2-year institution to the 4-year institution). Current examples may include some campus offerings of economics, organic chemistry and possibly adult psychopathology (abnormal psychology).
2. When a non-CCC course is determined comparable to one taught and approved for Cal-GETC at a CCC, it may be applied to Cal-GETC regardless of its upper-division status provided that it meets the standards and criteria for inclusion in the Cal-GETC area and would otherwise be Cal-GETC eligible.
3. When a CSU uses an upper-division course to fulfill a “lower-division” CSU GE requirement in an area in which the standards and criteria for CSU GE and Cal-GETC do not differ (cf., Cal-GETC Area 3A (Arts), Cal-GETC Area 3B (Humanities) or Cal-GETC Area 4 (Social and Behavioral Sciences) the course would be Cal-GETC eligible.

5.2.5 International coursework

International coursework may be applied to Cal-GETC if the international institution has United States accreditation from ICAS approved accreditors. All other international coursework cannot be applied to Cal-GETC. Students with a substantial amount of international coursework at a non-United States regionally accredited institution should be encouraged to follow the CSU GE or campus-specific UC GE patterns.

5.2.6 Coursework Taught in a Language Other Than English

Some United States coursework taught in a language other than English at an institution with accreditation from ICAS approved accreditors may be used for Cal-GETC. However, course outlines must be submitted for review in English.

Exception: Courses in Area 1 (Area 1A: English Composition, Area 1B: Critical Thinking and Composition, and Area 1C: Oral Communication) must be taught and delivered in English.

There is no limitation on the number of courses completed at other United States institutions with accreditation from ICAS approved accreditors that can be included in the Cal-GETC certification.

5.2.7 Distance and Correspondence Education

5.3 Courses Appropriate for Cal-GETC

Courses must be both CSU and UC transferable. There is no limitation on the number of courses completed at other institutions accredited by ICAS-approved accreditors that can be included in the Cal-GETC certification.

5.4 Courses Not Appropriate for Cal-GETC

5.4.1 Courses That Focus on Personal, Practical, or Applied Aspects

Content taught in courses applicable to and appropriate for Cal-GETC shall be presented from a theoretical point of view and focus on the core concepts and research methods of the discipline. Courses such as Everyday Legal Problems, Beginning Drawing, News Writing, Physical Education, College Success, Library Science or Child Development: Implications for Child Guidance are examples of courses that focus on personal, practical, or applied aspects and therefore do not meet Cal-GETC criteria.

5.4.2 Introductory Courses to Professional Programs

Courses such as Introduction to Business, Set Design for Theater, and Writing for Commercial Markets and other introductory professional courses are not considered to have sufficient breadth to meet general education requirements and are therefore excluded from Cal-GETC.

5.4.3 Independent Study or Topics Courses

Independent study and special topics courses are not acceptable for Cal-GETC. For example, if content varies from term to term, the applicability of these types of courses to Cal-GETC cannot be determined.

5.4.4 Summary of Non-Applicable Courses including, but not limited to, the following Courses not transferable to the CSU and UC using Cal-GETC:

• Pre-baccalaureate courses (including remedial English composition)
• Variable Topics
• Directed Study
• Independent Study
• Personal, Practical, Skills Courses
• Introductory courses to professional programs
• Performance Courses
• Creative Writing
• Logic
• Computer Science
• Trigonometry, unless combined with college algebra or pre-calculus
• Course outlines not written in, or translated to, English
• International coursework from institutions lacking accreditation from ICAS approved accreditors

5.4.5 Minimum Units and Unit Restrictions on courses for Cal-GETC certification

While courses may carry “extra” units beyond the minimum requirements for the Cal-GETC Area, courses with fewer than 3 semester or 4 quarter units cannot carry Cal-GETC certification. An exception is made for 3 quarter unit or 2 semester unit Math and English courses that satisfy Cal-GETC Areas 1A (English Composition) or Cal-GETC Area 2 (Mathematical Concepts and Quantitative Reasoning). Such courses may be applied if they are part of a sequence and at least two of the 3 quarter unit or 2 semester unit sequence courses have each been completed with a “C” grade or higher (2.0 on a 4.0 scale). The course sequence must meet the rigors and breadth of Cal-GETC.

Example 1: a stand-alone 4-semester unit course addressing the requirements of Cal-GETC Area 4 (Social and Behavioral Science) can be certified for Cal-GETC Area 4 (Social and Behavioral Science).

Example 2: a stand-alone 2-semester unit course addressing the requirements of Cal-GETC Area 4 (Social and Behavioral Science) cannot be certified for Cal-GETC Area 4 (Social and Behavioral Science).

6 Credit by External Exams

There is no limit on the number of external exams that can be applied to Cal-GETC. External exams may be used regardless of when the exam was taken. Cal-GETC certification does not determine applicability towards meeting program requirements at the receiving institution.

6.1 Advanced Placement (AP)

• There is no equivalent AP exam for Cal-GETC Area 1B (Critical Thinking and Composition).
• Where more than one area of Cal-GETC is possible (cf., 3B or 4) the AP exam may be used in either area (either Cal-GETC Area 3B or Cal-GETC Area 4) regardless of where the certifying CCC’s comparable course is located.
• Students earning a score of 3, 4 or 5 in a Physical or Biological science AP examination earn credit toward Cal-GETC Area 5A (Physical Science) or 5B (Biological Science) and also meet the Cal-GETC 5C (Laboratory) requirement. With this exception, each AP exam may only be applied to one Cal-GETC area.
• Generally, an acceptable AP score for Cal-GETC equates to either 3 semester or 4 quarter units for certification purposes.

An exception is that AP exams in Biology, Chemistry, Physics 1, or Physics 2 allow CCC campuses to apply 4 semester or 5 quarter units to Cal-GETC Area 5 certification.

AP exams in Environmental Science, Physics C: Mechanics and Physics C: Electricity/Magnetism only allow CCC campuses to apply 3 semester or 4 quarter units to Cal-GETC certification.³

Advanced Placement Table

Note: AP exams that have been discontinued are not shown on this table. A student with catalog rights may be able to use the now discontinued exam if accepted under the comparable area of IGETC or under Cal-GETC at the time the exam was taken.

Example: If a U.S. History at a CCC is approved for Cal-GETC Area 3B (Humanities), then the U.S. History AP exam may be used for Cal-GETC Area 3B (Humanities, via local articulation) or Area 4 (Social and Behavioral Sciences, via Cal-GETC credit by exam equivalency).

Actual AP transfer credit (including possible differences in units to be awarded beyond those used for Cal-GETC certification) awarded for these and other AP exams at admission is determined by the CSU and UC.

• The UC Policy for AP credit
• The CSU Systemwide Credit for External Examinations governing the use of these and other AP exams for awarding general education

6.2 International Baccalaureate (IB)

Credit for International Baccalaureate (IB) High Level exams is similar to AP exams. Students who have earned credit from an IB exam should not take a comparable college course because transfer credit will not be granted for both.

• A score of 5, 6 or 7 on Higher Level exams is required to grant credit for Cal-GETC certification.
• An acceptable IB score for Cal-GETC equates to either 3 semester or 4 quarter units for certification purposes.

International Baccalaureate (HL) Table

INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE (IB)	CAL-GETC AREA
IB Biology HL	5B
IB Chemistry HL	5A
IB Economics HL	4
IB Geography HL	4
IB History (any region) HL	3B or 4
IB Language A: Literature (any language, except English) HL	3B
IB Language A: Language and Literature (any language, except English) HL	3B
IB Language A: Literature (any language) HL	3B
IB Language A: Language and Literature (any language) HL	3B
IB Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches HL	2
IB Mathematics: Applications and Interpretation HL	2 (may not be at all UC)
IB Physics HL	5A
IB Psychology HL	4
IB Theatre HL	3A

Example: History IB HL at a CCC is approved for Cal-GETC Area 3B (Humanities). History IB HL may be used in Cal-GETC Area 3B (Humanities) or Cal-GETC Area 4 (Social and Behavioral Sciences).

Actual IB transfer credit (including possible differences in units to be awarded beyond those used for Cal-GETC certification) awarded for these and other IB exams at admission is determined by the CSU and UC.

• The UC Policy for IB credit
• The CSU system-wide minimums policy, CSU Systemwide Credit for External Examinations governing the use of these and other IB exams for awarding general education credit

6.3 College Level Examination Program (CLEP)

CLEP cannot be used for Cal-GETC.

6.4 Other Exams

Other College Board and ACT exams cannot be used to satisfy Cal-GETC requirements (e.g., SAT I, SAT II, Subject Tests, Achievement Tests).

Credit by exam is acceptable provided that a transcript from a United States college or university with accreditation from ICAS approved accreditors specifies the course title, unit value, grade and is posted to a specific term. A “Credit/Pass” designation is acceptable provided that the institution’s policy states that a “Credit/Pass” designation is equivalent to a “C” grade or higher (2.0 grade points on a 4.0 scale). The course must be deemed comparable by the CCC faculty in the discipline or its designee (e.g., Articulation Officer) as defined in Section 5.1.

7 Unit Value

A course must have a minimum unit value of 3 semester or 4 quarter units to meet the requirements for Cal-GETC. Laboratory courses intended to accompany lecture courses are an exception to this guideline (e.g., Section 9.5.3). It is not allowable to take three 1 semester unit courses to fulfill a 3-semester unit requirement. As a rule, the content of a sequence of 1-unit courses will not provide the depth, scope and rigor of a single 3-unit course (see exception below).

Exception: 3 quarter unit or 2 semester unit Math and English courses that satisfy Cal-GETC Area 1A (English Composition) or Cal-GETC Area 2 (Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning) may be applied if:

1. they are a part of a sequence,
2. at least two of the 3 quarter unit or 2 semester unit courses as part of the same sequence have each been completed with “C” grade or higher (2.0 on a 4.0 scale), and
3. the course sequence meets the rigor and breadth of Cal-GETC Standards (see Section/s 9.1.1 and/or 9.2).

Example 1: If a student takes English 101, 102, and 103 (3 quarter units each). The CCC certifying college may apply any combination of 101, 102, or 103 that have been completed with a “C” grade or higher (2.0 on a 4.0 scale) for a total of six quarter units to satisfy Cal-GETC Area 1A (English Composition) as long as the combination of courses meet the rigor and breadth of the Cal-GETC Standards in Section 9.1.1.

Example 2: Student takes Math 121 – Calculus A (3 quarter units) and Math 122 – Calculus B (3 quarter units) and completes each course with a “C” grade or higher (2.0 on a 4.0 scale). Calculus 121 and 122 are the same as Calculus 120 – Calculus (6 quarter units). The certifying CCC campus may apply Math 121 and 122, for a total of 6 quarter units, to Cal-GETC Area 2 (Mathematical Concepts and Quantitative Reasoning) as long as the courses meet the rigor and breadth of the Cal-GETC Standards in Section 9.2.

Example 3: Student takes English 100 and 105 (2 semester units each and each course requires students to write a minimum of 3,000 words). The CCC certifying college may apply English 100 and 105, for a total of 4 semester units, to satisfy Cal-GETC Area 1A (English Composition) as long as the courses meet the rigor and breadth of the Cal-GETC Standards in Section 9.1.1.

7.1 Combining Quarter and Semester Units

When combining quarter and semester unit values within a Cal-GETC area, units shall be converted to either all quarter units or all semester units to benefit the student. For example, for Cal-GETC Area 4 (Social and Behavioral Sciences), a student needs either a minimum of 6 semester units or 8 quarter units. If a student has satisfactorily completed (C grade or higher, 2.0 on a 4.0 scale) one 4-quarter unit course and one 3-semester unit courses, convert the semester units to quarter units (3 units x 1.5 quarter units = 4.5 quarter units). The student will be credited with 8.5 quarter units in Area 4 and will have satisfied the requirement (>8 quarter units).

The conversion of units from semester to quarter for meeting minimum unit requirement may result in a student needing additional coursework to meet CSU graduation requirements.

Example: two four quarter unit courses would be 2 x 4 = 8 quarter units; 8 x 2/3 = 5.33 semester units (i.e., < 6). Unless the to-be-transferred-to program already included “extra” units a “fully prescribed” semester unit major program might then require an additional 0.67 semester units to achieve the 120-semester unit minimum for CSU graduation.

8 Grades

8.1 Minimum Grade Requirements

A minimum “C” grade is required in each college course for Cal-GETC. A “C” is defined as a minimum of 2.0 grade points on a 4.0 scale. A “C-” grade valued at less than 2.0 grade points on a 4.0 scale cannot be used for Cal-GETC certification.

8.2 Credit/No Credit-Pass/No Pass

Courses in which a student receives a “Credit/Pass” grade may be used towards Cal-GETC certification if the community college’s policy states that a “Credit or Pass” designation is equivalent to a “C” grade or higher (2.0 grade points on a 4.0 scale). It is important to keep in mind that CSU and UC campuses may have limitations on the number of “Credit/No Credit” (“Pass/No Pass”) courses and units accepted towards transfer, graduation, and major requirements. For example, the UC system allows a maximum of 14 semester units of courses graded “Pass/No Pass” (Credit/No Credit) toward the 60 transferable semester units required for transfer admission.

No more than 14 semester units (21 quarter units) of Pass/No Pass (Credit/No Credit), excluding credit by examination, may be used toward Cal-GETC certification.

9 Subject Areas and Course Guidelines

All courses offered towards satisfaction of the requirements of the California General Education Transfer Curriculum (Cal-GETC) must be baccalaureate in level and must be acceptable for transfer among all segments of California public postsecondary education. Courses listed in more than one area can only be applied in one area (Laboratory exception, see Section 9.5.3).

Courses in Cal-GETC shall be culturally broad in their conception. They should help students understand the nature and richness of human culture and social structures through a comparative approach and have a pronounced historical perspective. They should recognize the contributions to knowledge, civilization, and society that have been made by men, women, and members of various ethnic or cultural groups.

Cal-GETC courses shall address the modes of inquiry that characterize the different areas of human thought: the nature of the questions that can be addressed, the way questions are formulated, the way analysis is conducted, and the validity and implications of the answers obtained.

Coursework taken at an institution of higher education accredited by an ICAS-approved accreditor taught in a language other than English may be used for Cal-GETC. However, course outlines must be submitted for review in English.

Exception: Courses in Cal-GETC Area 1 (English Composition, Critical Thinking and Composition, and Oral Communication) must be delivered in English.

The following requirements are listed in terms of the number of courses specified for each designated area and the minimum number of semester or quarter units so represented.

9.1 Subject Area 1: English Communication

(3 courses: 9 semester or 12 quarter units)

Area 1A: English Composition. One course: 3 semester or 4 quarter units

Area 1B: Critical Thinking and Composition. One course: 3 semester or 4 quarter units

Area 1C: Oral Communication. One course: 3 semester or 4 quarter units

9.1.1 Subject Area 1A: English Composition

The main focus of this area and its primary activities involve the practices of academic writing. The instructional goal of the course is to help students practice recursive stages of writing, and to teach students how to make informed decisions in response to varied writing situations – student abilities that transfer to writing across the curriculum.

Courses that do not fulfill the English Composition Requirement, include, but are not limited to:

Literature courses
Humanities content-focused courses Creative writing courses
English as a Second Language courses (ESL) with content that is exclusively language- acquisition focused.
Writing courses designed to meet the needs of a particular major (e.g., Writing for Engineers, Journalism, Business Writing/Communication).

9.1.2 Subject Area 1B: Critical Thinking and Composition

Successful completion of the course in Cal-GETC Area 1A (English Composition) develops reading and written composition skills that shall be prerequisite to the course in Cal-GETC Area 1B (Critical Thinking and Composition), which shall emphasize the development and refinement of critical thinking skills necessary to evaluate and produce academic and argumentative writing. Cal-GETC Area 1B (Critical Thinking and Composition) requirements may be met by those courses in critical thinking taught in a variety of disciplines which build on the rhetorical approaches to writing introduced in Cal-GETC Area 1A (English Composition) by providing, as a major component, instruction in methods of critical reasoning, inquiry-driven research, and argumentative writing. 

Courses in Cal-GETC Area 1B (Critical Thinking and Composition) shall emphasize the formal and rhetorical components of argumentative writing that are necessary to:

• analyze, criticize, and generate complex ideas,
• reason inductively and deductively,
• identify the assumptions upon which particular conclusions depend,
• reflect critically on one’s own thought processes,
• respond appropriately to texts, with attention to their intended audience, purpose, and social context,
• distinguish knowledge from belief and fact from judgment,
• recognize common logical errors or fallacies of language and thought,
• evaluate sources with respect to their relevance, reliability, and appropriateness to the rhetorical context.

Students will demonstrate their understanding of these critical concepts and processes through the analysis and construction of arguments, especially in research and written work that attends appropriately to audience, purpose, context, genre, and language conventions. A minimum of 5000 words of writing is required. This 5000-word requirement may include a combination of process drafts, written peer response, and other forms of informal writing which informs students’ inquiry-driven research and writing process. Students should revise and receive feedback on at least one extended argument from their instructors. Texts chosen for critical analysis should reflect an awareness of cultural diversity and instructors should attend to fairness, equity, and access as guiding principles for curricular design and assessment. Courses should offer opportunities for students to reflect on their learning, their knowledge, and their writing processes to enable the possibility of knowledge transfer across the curriculum.

9.1.3 Subject Area 1C: Oral Communication

The Cal-GETC Area 1C (Oral Communication) requirement can only be fulfilled by a course taught in English (see Section 5.1.8). Cal-GETC Area 1C (Oral Communication) can be fulfilled by an approved course that provides students with the foundational knowledge and practice of public speaking in a democratic society, to enable them to successfully communicate ideas of an informative and persuasive nature in the public speaking mode, and to critically evaluate the speeches of others.

Students who have completed this requirement shall have been exposed to coursework that is designed to convey and provide practice in:

• understanding the theoretical foundations of creating and sharing knowledge, including the canons of rhetoric and the Aristotelian proofs of ethos, pathos, and logos
• finding, critically examining, and using supporting materials from primary and secondary sources for credibility, accuracy, and relevance in their speeches and presentations
• conceptualizing and effectively using compelling arguments in support of a guiding thesis and organizational pattern appropriate for the audience, occasion, and across a variety of contexts
• knowing and adhering to ethical communication practices which include truthfulness, accuracy, honesty, and reason as essential to the integrity of communication
• demonstrating rhetorical sensitivity to diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, and accessibility
• practicing and refining the concepts presented in the course through a variety of well-prepared faculty-supervised, faculty-evaluated speeches delivered to a live audience (one to many) using effective delivery techniques
• employing effective verbal and nonverbal practices while delivering a speech and managing communication apprehension
• listening critically to provide constructive criticism to peers
• applying rhetorical principles to analyze historical and contemporary public discourse

Note: Certification of a course for CSU GE Area A1 (Oral Communication) does not necessarily imply that the course could meet Cal-GETC Area 1C (Oral Communication) requirements (see section 5.1.1).

9.1.4 Restriction on Unit Distribution

Completion of a single course is required to fulfill Cal-GETC Area 1C (Oral Communication). 

9.2 Subject Area 2: Mathematical Concepts and Quantitative Reasoning

(1 course: 3 semester or 4 quarter units)

Cal-GETC Area 2 (Mathematical Concepts and Quantitative Reasoning) is met by completing a transfer-level⁴ course in mathematics, statistics, or other quantitative disciplines⁵. An approved course will have its primary purpose and content focused on mathematics and quantitative reasoning. Additionally, courses approved to fulfill this requirement must address students’ ability to develop, present, use, and critique quantitative arguments. For example, a course in statistics must emphasize the mathematical basis of statistics, including probability theory, estimation, applications, and interpretation.

Symbolic Logic and Computer Programming courses are generally deemed unacceptable to fulfill the Cal-GETC Subject Area 2 requirement.

A course covering mathematical concepts for elementary school teachers is a valuable foundation for future educators. However, it will not be accepted for Cal-GETC Area 2 if the content primarily focuses on elementary school mathematical competencies or teaching pedagogy. A course must engage students with more advanced mathematical reasoning and quantitative skills essential to transfer-level coursework to be considered for Cal-GETC Area 2.

A sequence of courses may be approved only if students are required to pass all classes in the sequence and the transferable course content is equivalent to an approved Cal-GETC Area 2 (Mathematical Concepts and Quantitative Reasoning) course.

Adherence to these guidelines will ensure that all graduates are equitably prepared for an environment in which public and private decision making is regularly expressed in quantitative terms. We routinely confront raw information that requires quantitative calculation and analysis to make decisions and take actions. Post-secondary graduates need to be able to participate in such quantitative reasoning and have the capacity to critique quantitative arguments. For this reason, a growing list of disciplines require a sound mathematical foundation. The guidelines for Cal-GETC Area 2 (Mathematical Concepts and Quantitative Reasoning) ensure that graduates are given a durable foundation preparing them to respond effectively and flexibly to the quantitative challenges they will face.

9.2.1 Restriction on Unit Distribution

Completion of a single course is required to fulfill Cal-GETC Area 2 (Mathematical Concepts and Quantitative Reasoning).

9.3 Subject Area 3: Arts and Humanities

(2 courses: 6 semester or 8 quarter units)

At least one Cal-GETC Area 3A (Arts) course and one Cal-GETC Area 3B (Humanities) course are required.

The Arts and Humanities requirement shall be fulfilled by completion of at least two courses which encourage students to analyze and appreciate works of philosophical, historical, literary, aesthetic, religious and cultural importance. Students who have completed this requirement shall have been exposed to a pattern of coursework that

• is designed to develop and advance historical understanding of major civilizations and cultures, both Western and non-Western, through the study of philosophy, language, literature, religion and the fine arts.
• recognizes the contributions to knowledge, civilization, and society that have been made by men and women as well as members of various ethnic or cultural groups.
• encourages students to analyze and appreciate works of philosophical, historical, literary, religious and cultural importance.
• historically constitutes the heart of a liberal arts general education because of the fundamental humanizing perspective that they provide for the development of the whole person.

Note: CSU campuses have the discretion on whether to allow Cal-GETC Area 3A (Arts) courses and/or Cal-GETC Area 3B (Humanities) courses to also satisfy the CSU United States History, Constitution and American Ideals (AI) graduation requirement.

Note: Not every class that meets the Arts and Humanities requirement needs to individually meet each element of the above standards. For example, a class meeting the standards might focus on works of historical but not literary importance or exclusively on Chinese art or philosophy.

9.3.1 Courses That Fulfill the Arts Requirement

Courses that have as their major emphasis the integration of history, theory, aesthetics, and criticism. Performance and studio classes may be credited toward satisfaction of this subject area if their major emphasis is the integration of history, theory, aesthetics, and criticism (e.g., courses in dance history, film art, history of architecture, history of modern art, the history of or introduction to theatre, multicultural theatre, music history, the jazz experience, music theory and analysis).

9.3.2 Courses That Do Not Fulfill the Arts Requirement

Courses which focus on technique, skills or performance do not meet the Cal-GETC Area 3A (Arts) requirement (e.g., courses in beginning drawing, beginning painting, and readers theater and oral interpretation courses focusing primarily on performance and/or skills-building) (see Section 5.3.1).

9.3.3 Courses That Fulfill the Humanities Requirement

Acceptable Humanities courses are those that encourage students to analyze and appreciate works of philosophical, historical, literary, aesthetic, religious and cultural importance. Advanced foreign language and ESL courses (which do not have a principal focus on skills acquisition) may be approved if they include substantial literary or cultural aspects. Theater and film courses may be approved if taught with emphasis on substantial historical, literary, or cultural aspects.

9.3.4 Courses That Do Not Fulfill the Humanities Requirement

Courses such as English Composition⁶, logic, speech, creative writing, oral interpretation, readers theatre, and all elementary language other than English courses are skills or performance courses that do not meet the curricular specifications for Cal-GETC Area 3B (Humanities).

9.3.5 Restriction on Unit Distribution

Completion of a single course is required to fulfill Cal-GETC Area 3A (Arts) requirement. A separate course is required to fulfill the Cal-GETC Area 3B (Humanities) requirement. If a course is approved as satisfying both 3A and 3B, it can be used to satisfy only one of those requirements.

9.4 Subject Area 4: Social and Behavioral Sciences

(2 courses: 6 semester or 8 quarter units) Two academic disciplines are required.

The Cal-GETC Area 4 (Social and Behavioral Sciences) requirement shall be fulfilled by completion of two courses focusing on how individuals, organizations, institutions, and societies interact and/or behave within socially-constructed dynamics. The two courses used must be from two academic disciplines or in an interdisciplinary sequence (e.g., an inherently interdisciplinary prefix [cf., Social Justice Studies or Global Studies] or if one of the two courses is cross-listed [cf., Psychology and Women’s Studies]). The pattern of coursework completed shall provide opportunities for students to develop understanding of the perspectives and research methods of the social and behavioral sciences. Problems and issues in these areas should be examined in their contemporary, historical, and geographical settings. Students who have completed this requirement will have been exposed to a pattern of coursework designed to help them gain an understanding and appreciation of the contributions and perspectives of individuals and groups, including but not limited to diverse genders, sexualities, races, ethnicities, classes, countries, cultures, and societies. The material should be presented from a theoretical point of view and focus on core concepts and methods of the discipline rather than on personal, practical, or applied aspects.

Courses in Cal-GETC Area 4 (Social and Behavioral Sciences) provide students with the opportunity to gain a basic knowledge of the cultural and social organizations in which they exist as well as the behavior and social organizations of other human societies. People have, from earliest times, formed social and cultural groups that constitute the framework for the behavior of the individual as well as the group. Inclusion of the contributions and perspectives that have been made by different genders as well as members of various ethnic or cultural groups as part of such study will provide a more complete and diverse view of the world.

Note: CSU campuses have the discretion on whether to allow Cal-GETC Area 4 (Social and Behavioral Sciences) courses to also satisfy the CSU United States History, Constitution and American Ideals (AI) graduation requirement.

Note: Certification of an Introduction to American government course for Cal-GETC Area 4 (Social and Behavioral Sciences) does not necessarily imply that the course would meet the CSU American Institutions Graduation Requirement.

9.4.1 Courses That Do Not Fulfill the Social and Behavioral Sciences Requirement

Courses that are not taught from the perspective of a social or behavioral science do not meet Cal-GETC Area 4 (Social and Behavioral Sciences) requirements. Consequently, courses such as Physical Geography and Statistics do not meet the Cal-GETC specifications for this area and are not approved. Community colleges should resubmit these courses in more appropriate subject areas. Courses with a practical, personal, career professional or applied focus are not approved (see Section 5.3.1). Courses in disciplines such as Administration of Justice may be approved if the content focuses on core concepts of the social and behavioral sciences.

9.4.2 Restriction on Unit Distribution

Completion of two courses in separate disciplines (see section 9.4) is required to fulfill the Cal-GETC Area 4 requirement.

9.5 Subject Area 5: Physical and Biological Sciences

(At least 2 courses: 7 semester or 9 quarter units)

A minimum of one course in each area is required, and at least one must include a lab.

The Physical and Biological Sciences requirement shall be fulfilled by completion of at least two courses: one in Cal-GETC Area 5A (Physical Science) and one in Cal-GETC Area 5B (Biological Science). At least one of these two courses must be associated with a laboratory as defined in Cal-GETC Area 5C (Laboratory). Courses must emphasize experimental methodology, the testing of hypotheses, investigation, and the process of systematic questioning and assessment, rather than the recall of facts, data, and events. Courses that emphasize the interdependency of the sciences are especially appropriate for non-science majors.

The contemporary world is influenced by science, discoveries, and its applications. Many of the most difficult and relevant choices facing individuals, leaders and institutions concern the relationship of scientific advancements and capability with human values and social goals. To function effectively in such a complex world, students must develop a comprehension of the basic scientific concepts of the physical and biological aspects of the world as well as an understanding of science as a human endeavor including its limitations and power.

9.5.1 Courses That Fulfill the Physical and Biological Sciences Requirement (Area 5A and 5B)

Courses that focus on the core concepts of a physical or biological science discipline (e.g. observation, hypothesis testing, evidence-based reasoning, introduction, and application of fundamental theoretical principles) are appropriate to satisfy Areas 5A and 5B.

9.5.2 Cal-GETC Laboratory Science Requirement (Area 5C)

Science laboratory courses should rely on hands-on or validated simulation of manipulations of matter, equipment, and instrumentation. Laboratories should introduce students to the safe use of equipment and instruments relevant to the particular subject.

The Cal-GETC physical and biological science area requires a minimum of two courses, at least one of the which must include a minimum of one unit of laboratory content. This laboratory content must be either (i) a standalone laboratory course associated with a course having Area 5A or 5B approval listed as a prerequisite or corequisite or (ii) included in the course outline of an integrated lecture and laboratory course that carries Area 5A or 5B approval. The intent of the Cal-GETC laboratory science requirement is that students take at least one physical or biological science course incorporating a laboratory component. Since the experimental methodology and hypothesis testing taught in a lab builds on the principles presented in the lecture portion of the course, the two must be related. Lecture and lab courses may have separate course numbers. Lab science courses must include a clearly identified lab manual in the course outline.

9.5.3 Restriction on Unit Distribution including Unit Requirement for Laboratory Science Courses

Three semester or four quarter unit laboratory science courses may be used for Cal-GETC to meet the laboratory science requirement as long as the minimum unit value is met for this area (7 semester or 9 quarter units). Stand-alone lab courses which have a prerequisite or co- requisite of the corresponding lecture course must be a minimum of 1 semester/quarter unit.

Example 1: 1 Biological Science w/lab, 3 semester units 1 Physical Science, lecture, 4 semester units Conclusion: Area 5 satisfied

Example 2: 1 Biological Science w/lab, 3 semester units 1 Physical Science, lecture, 3 semester units
1 Physical Science corresponding Lab, 1 semester unit

9.6 Ethnic Studies

(1 course: 3 semester or 4 quarter units)

CCC courses for Area 6 could be written with both CSU and UC Ethnic Studies Core Competencies requirements in mind, but the courses must meet either the CSU or UC Ethnic Studies Core Competencies requirement.

A course meeting the CSU Ethnic Studies Core Competencies requirement will be deemed to have met the UC Ethnic Studies Core Competencies requirement. Similarly, a course meeting the UC Ethnic Studies Core Competencies requirement will be deemed to have met the CSU Ethnic Studies Core Competencies requirement.

9.6.1 CSU’s definition of the Ethnic Studies Core Competencies requirement

This lower-division, 3 semester (4 quarter) unit requirement fulfills CSU Education Code Section 89032. The requirement to take a 3 semester (4 quarter) unit course in Area 6 shall not be waived or substituted.

To be approved for this requirement, courses shall have the following course prefixes: African American, Asian American, Latina/o American or Native American Studies. Similar course prefixes (e.g., Pan-African Studies, American Indian Studies, Chicana/o Studies, Ethnic Studies) shall also meet this requirement. Courses without ethnic studies prefixes may meet this requirement if cross-listed with a course with an ethnic studies prefix.

Courses that are approved to meet this requirement shall meet at least 3 of the 5 following core competencies. Campuses may add additional competencies to those listed.

1. Analyze and articulate concepts such as race and racism, racialization, ethnicity, equity, ethno-centrism, eurocentrism, white supremacy, self-determination, liberation, decolonization, sovereignty, imperialism, settler colonialism, and anti- racism as analyzed in any one or more of the following: Native American Studies, African American Studies, Asian American Studies, and Latina and Latino American Studies.
2. Apply theory and knowledge produced by Native American, African American, Asian American, and/or Latina and Latino American communities to describe the critical events, histories, cultures, intellectual traditions, contributions, lived-experiences and social struggles of those groups with a particular emphasis on agency and group- affirmation.
3. Critically analyze the intersection of race and racism as they relate to class, gender, sexuality, religion, spirituality, national origin, immigration status, ability, tribal citizenship, sovereignty, language, and/or age in Native American, African American, Asian American, and/or Latina and Latino American communities.
4. Critically review how struggle, resistance, racial and social justice, solidarity, and liberation, as experienced and enacted by Native Americans, African Americans, Asian Americans and/or Latina and Latino Americans are relevant to current and structural issues such as communal, national, international, and transnational politics as, for example, in immigration, reparations, settler-colonialism, multiculturalism, language policies.
5. Describe and actively engage with anti-racist and anti-colonial issues and the practices and movements in Native American, African American, Asian American and/or Latina and Latino communities and a just and equitable society.

As described in Article 6 in the CSU General Education Breadth Requirements, CSU campuses may certify upper-division ethnic studies courses to satisfy the lower-division Area F (Ethnic Studies) requirement so long as adequate numbers of lower-division course options are available to students. As described in Article 2 in the CSU General Education Breadth Requirements, Ethnic Studies courses required in majors, minors or that satisfy campus-wide requirements and are approved for GE Area F (Ethnic Studies) credit shall also fulfill (double count for) this requirement.

9.6.2 UC’s definition of the Ethnic Studies Core Competencies requirement

To be approved for the ethnic studies requirement, community college courses shall have the following course prefixes: African American, Asian American, Latina/o/x American, or Native American Studies (which reflect the specific named populations centered in ethnic studies, hereinafter referred to as the “Populations”). Similar fields and course prefixes (e.g., Black Studies, African Diaspora Studies, Pan African Studies, American Indian Studies, Indigenous Studies, Asian American & Asian Diaspora Studies, Asian American and Pacific Islander Studies, Chicana/o/x Studies, Latina/o/x Studies, Critical Race and Ethnic Studies) shall also meet this requirement. Courses without ethnic studies prefixes may meet this requirement if cross-listed with a course with an ethnic studies prefix. Courses that are approved to meet this requirement shall meet at least 3 of the 5 following core competencies.

1. Analyze and articulate concepts such as race and racism, racialization, ethnicity, equity, ethnocentrism, eurocentrism, white supremacy, antiblackness, racial capitalism, self-determination, liberation, decolonization, sovereignty, imperialism, settler colonialism, exploitation colonialism, xenophobia, intersectionality, and anti- racism as studied in any one or more of the abovementioned fields.
2. Apply theory and knowledge produced by the above-mentioned Populations to understand the critical events, histories, cultures, intellectual traditions, contributions, lived experiences and social struggles of those groups with a particular emphasis on subjection or subject formation, agency and group affirmation.
3. Critically analyze the intersection of race and racism as they relate to class, gender, sexuality, religion, spirituality, national origin, immigration status, ability, tribal citizenship, sovereignty, language, and/or age in the communities of the above- mentioned Populations.
4. Critically situated, in historical context, how struggle, resistance, racial and social justice, solidarity, and liberation, as experienced and enacted by the above- mentioned Populations are relevant to current and structural issues at the local, national, international, and transnational levels. Such issues may include, for example, immigration, reparations, settler colonialism, multiculturalism, and language policies.
5. Describe and engage with anti-racist, abolitionist, and anti-colonial thought, issues, practices, and movements in communities of the above-mentioned Populations seeking a more just and equitable society.

9.7 Requirements outside of Cal-GETC

9.7.1 U.S. History, Constitution, and American Ideals (AI) Requirement

The CSU U.S. History, Constitution, and American Ideals (AI) graduation requirement is not part of Cal-GETC. A course used to satisfy this requirement may also be listed and applied to Cal-GETC Subject Areas. As last verified on April 30, 2024, CA Ed Code Title 5, section 40404, allows CCCs to certify completion of the CSU graduation requirement in U.S. History, Constitution and American Ideals. CSU campuses have the discretion on whether to allow courses not certified by CCC to satisfy the CSU United States History, Constitution and American Ideals graduation requirement to also count for GE.

9.7.2 Language Other Than English (LOTE)

The UC Language other than English (LOTE) graduation requirement is not part of Cal-GETC. Upon transfer to UC, a course that is approved to fulfill a Cal-GETC subject area may be used to satisfy the LOTE requirement if it meets relevant UC criteria.

10 Certification Processes

It is the student’s responsibility to request Cal-GETC Certification. Each CCC campus has their own processes. It is strongly recommended that students complete the Cal-GETC prior to transfer. Advantages of completing the Cal-GETC may include more flexibility in class selection at the university and timely progress to degree completion.

10.1 Who Certifies Cal-GETC?

Students who have completed coursework at more than one California Community College should have their coursework certified by the last California Community College they attended for a regular term (fall or spring for semester schools; fall, winter, or spring for quarter schools) prior to transfer. If a student requests certification from a California Community College that is not the last school of attendance, it is at the discretion of that community college to certify.

Each CCC campus will process Cal-GETC certifications without regard to current enrollment status or number of units accrued at a particular CCC. The Cal-GETC certification form shall be included or sent with the student’s transcript directly to the UC or CSU campus’ Office of Admissions.

10.2 Exceptions to the Certification Process

1. Cal-GETC Certification Using Pre-Fall 2025 IGETC Courses
   Students who completed IGETC-approved courses prior to Fall 2025, including courses that are no longer active in assist.org, may apply those courses in the same Cal-GETC area(s) for certification.
2. IGETC Certification Using Cal-GETC Courses
   Students seeking IGETC certification may use Cal-GETC-approved courses in the same area(s)—whether newly created or newly approved as of Fall 2025.

Note: These provisions are intended to allow for exceptional cases in which a student would be required to repeat a similar course or courses in the same GE area, expend more financial aid, exceed the transferable unit cap, or incur other undue burdens to transfer without this exception.

10.3 Reviewing Coursework from Other Institutions

10.3.1 Coursework from another California Community College

The coursework should be applied to the subject area in which it is listed by the institution where the work was completed. In other words, if college A is certifying completion of the Cal-GETC using work completed at college B, College A should place coursework according to the approved list for college B (see Section 5).

10.3.2 Coursework from all Other United States institutions with accreditation from ICAS approved accreditors

The coursework from these institutions should generally be placed in the same subject areas as those for the community college completing the certification (see Section 5.2 for details).

10.4 Instructions for Completing the California General Education Transfer Curriculum (Cal-GETC) Certification Form

1. The Cal-GETC certification form shall be completed by authorized CCC staff or faculty as determined by each community college. The CCC Articulation Officer should have final review and determination of courses and be the official liaison to the CSU and UC.
2. For each Area, list course(s) taken, name of college or the Advanced Placement exam (minimum score of 3 is required). Advanced Placement cannot be used for Area 1B (Critical Thinking and Composition) or 1C (Oral Communication). List units in the “Units Completed” column on the right side, indicating quarter or semester units.
3. Full Cal-GETC Certification may be forwarded to the CSU or UC in one of two ways:
   • Utilizing a certification form with all areas completed (see Section 10.5 for a sample Cal-GETC Certification form).
   • Noting full Cal-GETC certification on the official transcript, either hard copy or electronic.
4. Courses used for Cal-GETC certification must be passed with a minimum grade of “C” (“C-” is not acceptable. A “C” is defined as a 2.0 on a 4.0 scale. A “Credit” or “Pass” is acceptable providing either is equivalent to a grade of “C” (2.0 on a 4.0 scale) or higher. A college transcript or catalog must reflect this policy.
5. Sign and date the form. A campus seal is not required.
6. The form must come directly from the community college to the UC or CSU campus(es) to be considered official. A copy of the form will be considered official by CSU and UC campuses provided it has an official contact person, contact information, signature, or stamp.
7. Students who have completed coursework at more than one California Community College should have their coursework certified by authorized staff from the last California Community College attended for a regular term (fall or spring for semester schools; fall, winter, or spring for quarter schools) prior to transfer. If a student requests certification from a California Community College that is not the last school of attendance, it is at the discretion of that community college to certify.
8. When combining quarter and semester unit values within a Cal-GETC Area, see Section 7.
9. The conversion of units from semester to quarter for meeting minimum unit requirements may result in a student needing additional coursework to meet CSU graduation requirements in addition to the 9 semester (12 quarter) units of upper- division general education coursework.
10. Although not part of Cal-GETC, CCCs may certify completion of the CSU graduation requirement in U.S. History, Constitution and American Ideals.
11. Although not part of Cal-GETC, CCCs may certify completion of Language other than English (LOTE) for those students pursuing the Cal-GETC pattern, given that some UCs may require LOTE for graduation and accept certification from CCCs. Further instructions for appropriate LOTE certification through coursework, examinations, or other methods are found below.

10.4.1 Certification of Competence in a Language Other Than English

Students transferring to the University of California are encouraged to demonstrate competence (proficiency) in a language other than English equivalent to two years/second level of high school instruction. Competence may be demonstrated through one of the following mechanisms:

1. Coursework
   • High School Courses:
     • In an English-language institution:
       • Completion of the second level of high school coursework in a language other than English with a letter grade of “C-“ or better in the second semester of the second year.
     • In a non-English-language institution:
       • Formal schooling through the sixth-grade level or higher. Appropriate documentation must be presented to substantiate the language of instruction. If an official sealed transcript cannot be obtained from an international institution, an unofficial or opened transcript may be used, as appropriate.
   • College Courses:
     • Satisfactory completion of a course (or courses) at a college or university equivalent to the second level of high school instruction, with a letter grade of “C“ (2.0 out of 4.0 scale) or higher (or a “Credit/Pass“ grade where passing is equivalent to 2.00 or higher) in each course. Usually, one semester of college work in a language other than English is equivalent to two years of high school-level instruction. The equivalency is usually stated in the college catalog. The appropriate courses that can be used to satisfy the LOTE requirement are indicated on the approved IGETC list of each community college and reflected at assist.org, the official repository of articulated courses.
     • A Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center (DLIFLC) language other than English course which is indicated as passed with a “C“ or higher on the official transcript.
2. Examinations
   • SAT Subject Tests in languages other than English:
     • Minimum scores as indicated below. If taken before May 1995, use the first score; if taken after May 1995, use the second score:
       • Chinese with listening: 500/520
       • French/French with listening: 500/540
       • German/German with listening: 500/510
       • Hebrew (Modern): 500/470
       • Italian: 500/520
       • Japanese with listening: 500/510
       • Korean/Korean with listening: /500
       • Latin: 500/530
       • Spanish/Spanish with listening: 500/520
   • Advanced Placement (AP) Examinations:
     • Score of 3 or higher in languages other than English.
   • International Baccalaureate Higher Level (IBHL) Examinations:
     • Score of 5 or higher in languages other than English.
   • General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCE) Examinations:
     • “O“ level exams in languages other than English with a grade of “A,“ “B,“ or “C.“
     • “A“ Level exams in languages other than English with a grade of “A,“ “B,“ or “C.“
3. Other Methods
   • Achievement Tests:
     • Satisfactory completion of an achievement test administered by a community college, university, or other college in a language other than English. The test must assess the student’s proficiency at the level equivalent to two years of high school language. This conclusion must be posted on a transcript indicating units, course title, and grade or on official college letterhead of the institution granting proficiency stating that the student has mastered proficiency in the language equivalent to two years of high school language.
   • Faculty Verification:
     • If an achievement test is not available, a faculty member associated with a United States regionally accredited institution of higher education can verify a student’s competency. The institution must provide a document on college letterhead asserting that the student has mastered proficiency in the language equivalent to two years/second level of high school instruction.

10.5 Cal-GETC Certification Form

Curriculum Cal-GETC Certification Form Template (PDF)

11 Revision History

Version 1.0 Approved May 22, 2023
Version 1.1 Approved December 11, 2023 3 (includes updates to Areas 3-5 and Certification Form)
Version 1.2 Approved May 7, 2024
Version 1.3 Approved May 22, 2025

12 Cal-GETC Standards Committee

The members of the 2024-2025 ICAS Cal-GETC Standards Committee:

• California Community Colleges:
  • Stephanie Curry
  • LaTonya Parker
  • Eric Wada
• California State University:
  • Samuel Frame
  • Natalie Muñoz
  • Kimber Quinney
• University of California:
  • Susan Keen
  • Catherine Sugar
  • David Volz

The members of the 2023-2024 ICAS Cal-GETC Standards Committee:

• California Community Colleges:
  • Cheryl Aschenbach
  • LaTonya Parker
  • Robert L. Stewart, Jr.
• California State University:
  • Elizabeth (Betsy) Boyd
  • Eniko Csomay (Chair of the committee)
  • Beth A. Steffel
• University of California:
  • Steven W. Cheung
  • James Steintrager
  • Deborah Swenson

13 Cal-GETC Standards Ongoing Governance

The Cal-GETC Standards are maintained by the faculty of the University of California, the California State University, and the California Community Colleges, all through their elected representatives on the Intersegmental Council of Academic Senates (ICAS).

The current roster and contact information for both ICAS and the subcommittee that advises it on the Cal-GETC Standards are available at icas-ca.org.

Because of (i) the desired unity of Cal-GETC implementation across the segments, (ii) the intersegmental nature of the Cal-GETC Standards themselves, and (iii) the need for intersegmental alignment on implementation updates to Cal-GETC from the current approved version (currently version 1.1), further updates to these standards will be considered to be adopted when the potentially updated standards have been authorized by ICAS and transmitted to the three segment offices (UC Office of the President, CSU Office of the Chancellor, and CCC Office of the Chancellor).

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1. IGETC requires a “C” (2.0 gpa on a 4.0 scale) in every course; CSU GE requires an overall 2.0 gpa but allows a C- (1.7 gpa) in English Composition, Oral Communication, Critical Thinking, and Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning (overall 2.0 for these courses), while allowing a D- (0.7) in other individual CSU GE courses. ↩︎
2. Oral Communication is required for CSU GE, and IGETC for CSU but not for IGETC for UC; Lifelong Learning and Self-Development is required for CSU GE but not IGETC for CSU nor for IGETC for UC; proficiency in a language other than English is required for IGETC for UC but not IGETC for CSU nor CSU GE. ↩︎
3. All students must meet the minimum unit requirements for Cal-GETC Area 5 (Physical and Biological Sciences) (see Section 9.5). ↩︎
4. The UC special regulations for transfer courses describe the requirements for mathematics courses to be approved for a UC Transfer Course Agreement (TCA). ↩︎
5. The California Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSSM) specifies the content of the high school courses required for admission to the UC and CSU. Baccalaureate level courses deepen and reach beyond the content in these college prep courses. ↩︎
6. While English composition courses are, generally speaking, not to be included in this area as they are included in Area 1/A (English Composition) and 1/B (Critical Thinking and Composition), some advanced English composition courses may be approved if they include significant literary and humanities content and/or a methodological, epistemological, or theoretical focus. ↩︎