FAQ on General Education

How many units of General Education do I need to graduate?

All students need a minimum of 48 units in General Education.

Can I double count General Education classes with my major?

Yes, up to twelve units of GE courses can double count with your major. Of the twelve units, only six of these units, or two courses, can be double counted from Segment III. Double majors may double count up to 12 units for each major. There is no limitation on double counting between G.E. and minor.

If I started SFSU as a freshman student, can I take General Education courses at a community college?

Yes, if you are a freshman student, you should meet with an advisor at the Advising Center to ensure that you are selecting the appropriate course(s). You will need to complete a Segment II Placement Form, signed by an advisor, that will indicate which General Education requirement you will be satisfying. After completing the course at community college, you must be sure to submit your official transcript, indicating your grade, to the Admission Office.

If I started SFSU as a transfer student, can I take more General Education courses at a community college?

If you are a transfer student, you are permitted to take General Education courses at community college to fulfill your General Education. Numerically, the maximum number of units that can be transferred from all 2 year schools to SFSU is 70 semester units; however, requirements can be fulfilled with units which go beyond the 70. All transferrable units including those above 70, will be used to determine your GPA.

Can I take General Education courses Credit/No Credit?

You can take up to 30% of units Credit/No Credit. Most General Education courses can be taken for Credit/No Credit. Refer to the course descriptions in the Bulletin to determine the grading options for specific courses. Courses in GE which are also used in your major or minor may need to be taken for a letter grade - consult with your major advisor.

FAQ on Segment I

What GE math course should I take for Quantitative Reasoning?

The math course that is best for you depends on whether your major requires a certain course (check Bulletin or see a major advisor.) There is a set of approved GE Quantitative Reasoning courses listed towards the back of the Class Schedule in the GE section. If youmajor does not require a specific math class, choose a QR which most interests you. See an advisor in the Advising Center if you have questions.

What math class can I transfer in as Quantitative Reasoning?

Any college level math above intermediate algebra would satisfy our GE math requirement, such as statistics, calculus, finite math and etc. Courses approved can be found in assist.org, it is recommended that you see an advisor in selecting the appropriate course(s).

What satisfies the Seg. I - Written Communication requirement?

Freshman students must complete their second year, 214 composition class (ENG 310 for ESL students), with a grade of "C" or better. this course is graded A, B, C/ NC.

For transfer students, your ENG 114 equivalent course (shown on the articulation agreement) usually satisfies written communication. Nevertheless, all students must complete both composition courses, 114/214 or their equivalents.

FAQ on Segment II

Do I have to take six or nine units of science?

The number of science units you need depends upon if you are a freshman or a transfer student. If you transfer to SFSU from a CSU system school (jc or CSU) you may fall under the six-unit system pattern.

Freshman students need to take nine units of science, one course from each category:

• Category A(Physical Sciences)
• Category B(Biological Sciences)
• or Category C(Integrated Sciences)
• and L/F

Transfer students should refer to their Degree Audit Report (DARS) or their Advanced Standing Evaluation (ASE) to see if they were placed on a six or nine-unit pattern. Students who are on a six-unit pattern will only need to take six units of science (3 units of Physical science and 3 units of Biological Sciences plus one lab/field study).

Transfers on the 9 unit science pattern must take at least one 3-unit physical science, once 3-unit biological science, one lab/field study course and a total of 9 units minimum.

What is L/F?

L/F stands for Lab and/or Field study. All students must take at least ONE lab/field study course to graduate.

What is AERM?

AERM stands for American Ethnic Racial Minority. This denotes a course taught from a multicultural perspective and focuses on minority populations within the United States. Freshman students need one course in Segment II designated AERM. Transfers do not need this requirement to graduate.

Is AERM the same as CESD?

No, AERM (American Ethnic and Racial Minorities) is a requirement for those with the freshman GE Pattern and is met by selecting a course in the Segment II area with the AERM designation. Whereas, CESD (Cultural, Ethnic, and Social Diversity) is a requirement that all students must meet while completing their Segment III cluster.

What is LLD?

LLD stands for Life Long Development. This denotes a class that studies human development over a long period of time. All students need at least 3 units of LLD to graduate. Transfers from a school in the California Community College system may meet LLD by taking 3 units of Area E coursework.

Do I have to take a separate course for AERM and LLD?

No, any course which is designated AERM/LLD will meet both requirements simultaneously.

In Segment II, do I have to choose classes from the different categories?

If you are a freshman student you need to complete the category requirements in each area of Segment II. If you are a transfer student, you are not held to category requirements except those specified in the areas of Physical and Biological Science. Transfer students should refer to their Degree Audit Report (DARS) or their Advanced Standing Evaluation (ASE) to see how many units they need in each area.

Can Freshman and Sophomore students take upper division (#300-699) classes in G.E. and have them count?

You may take upper division Segment II courses in science, behavioral and social sciences and humanitites and creative arts, if they are designated for Segment II. But if a student takes a Segment III course before junior standing (60 units), then that class will not count for GE Segment III. It will be used as an elective. Be sure to check the course description in the bulletin to ensure you have fulfilled any course pre-requisistes for classes under consideration.

FAQ on Segment III

Can I transfer Segment III from my community college?

Segment III is SFSU's upper division residence requirement for GE; that means these classes must be taken at SFSU, and thus cannot be transferred in. This is true even if you transfer from another California State University.

When can I start my Segment III courses?

You can start your Segment III courses during or after the semester in which you reach 60 units. At 60 units, you have reached upper division junior standing. If you take a Segment III prior to junior standing, the course(s) will not count toward Segment III.

What is CESD?

CESD stands for Cultural Ethnic Social Diversity. This denotes a course that explores the social interactions of different cultures across the world. All clusters include at least one course which is CESD. You need a CESD to meet Segment III requirements.

Can I use a class from Segment II to also satisfy Segment III requirement?

No. Courses taken at SFSU to fulfill Segment III cluster requirements may not also be used to fulfill Segment II requirements or the U.S. History and Government requirement, including the California State and Local Government component.

FAQ on Transfer Students

Transfer from California Community College

California Community College transfers can easily transfer General Education to SFSU. At your JC or community college, there is a transfer or counseling center which can help you with your transfer plan.

SFSU has General Education agreements with each institution that specify courses that can fulfill the Area A-E (Segment I and II) requirements. There is a website called Assist which can help you figure out if GE at your California community college can meet Segment I and II. Hint: try to finish all Area A - E courses on your transfer agreement prior to transfer. If you follow the IGETC agreement, all GE will transfer as long as you complete the entire IGETC certification.

Our Student Outreach Services makes visits to many campuses in California to answer GE, admissions and transfer questions, and will even do instant admissions programs at many campuses. Go to their Visitation Calendar for information on when they may visit your campus.

Remember, all transfers will need a minimum of nine upper division GE classes at SFSU to graduate. This is our Segment III requirement.

Transfer from California State University

There is a similar GE Segment I and II format (Area A-E) at each CSU. Remember, all transfers will need a minimum of nine upper division GE classes at SFSU to graduate. This is our Segment III requirement.

Visit Junior and Senior transfer GE admissions requirements. If you have questions, you can email to Student Outreach Services at outreach@sfsu.edu or visit them at Student Services Center, Room 106.

Transfer from UC

University of California transfers can transfer with many General Education requirements already met. Many Segment I and Segment II courses, such as sciences, social sciences and humanities, are also part of the GE pattern at UC's. See our admissions requirements if you are a transfer freshman or sophomore. Notice, you may be admitted based on a combination of your university classes plus high school transcripts.

Upper division transfers who have completed at least 60 college units (credits) must have completed certain GE requirements to be admitted. Some of these classes may not have been part of the GE pattern at UC, such as public speaking or critical thinking. Be sure to have all admissions requirements met by the time you transfer to SFSU.

United States history and US government, while waived for UC students, are a graduation requirement at SFSU. We suggest that a UC transfer may want to take one semester of coursework at a community college to pick up missing courses, such as history, government, speech and critical thinking.

Transfer from out-of-state

Out of state transfers can transfer with many General Education requirements already met. Evaluations looks for general education or general studies-type courses, such as sciences, social sciences and humanities and creative arts and will give you credit for similar requirements in our GE. See our admissions requirements if you are a transfer freshman or sophomore. Notice, you may be admitted based on a combination of your university classes plus high school transcripts.

Upper division transfers who have completed at least 60 college units (credits) must have certain GE to be admitted. Even though you are coming from out of state, you will be expected to have the 4 basic subjects courses including English composition, public speaking, critical thinking and math (above the level of intermediate algebra). All of the basic subjects must completed no later than the spring prior to Fall admissions. Be sure to have all admissions requirements met by the time you transfer to SFSU.

Transfer from International Institution

International transfers Evaluations looks for general education or introductory level general studies courses taken after the 12th year of primary and secondary education.

Most international students, unless transfers from English-speaking countries, will need most of Segment I (written communication (English), oral communication and critical thinking) at SFSU. ESL students need to take both the ESLPT as well as the EPT prior to the first day of classes. See SFSU Testing Website for dates and registration.

These courses from out of country can include:

• Mathematics, (statistics, calculus, trigonometry, etc)
• Physical and biological sciences (earth and biological science)
• Behavioral and social sciences (psychology, history, political science, economics)
• Humanities (literature, foreign language, philosophy, etc)
• Creative arts (art, music, film, etc)

Evaluators will generate an evaluation of your transfer GE during your first semester. Come to orientation if you want help making a safe plan for your first semester classes.

General Education Requirements for Transfer Students

General Education consists of 48 semester units. Transfers may bring credits from other schools to meet GE, and receive an evaluation of their transfer work during their first semester of attendance. Depending on your transfer school, you will receive either a DARS (Degree Audit Report) or an ASE (Advanced Standing Evaluation.) Each evaluation will tell you what GE has transferred and what GE is fulfilled. If you are entering SFSU as a junior or upper division transfer, it is possible to transfer in all lower division GE requirements (Segments I and II below). All transfers will need to complete at least 9 units of upper division GE at SFSU (Segment III below).

General Education, also called the Breadth Requirements, is divided into three areas, called Segments. You can obtain more information about Segments HERE.