CSU General Education (GE) Requirements

This policy is intended to establish a common understanding of the requirements for California State University (CSU) General Education (GE) and to provide for the certification of courses completed by transfer students at institutionally accredited colleges or universities. Reciprocity among CSU campuses for full and/or subject area completion of GE requirements is also addressed in this policy.

This policy is effective for students subject to the fall 2025 and subsequent catalog years.

This document also addresses:

Read the complete CSU General Education (GE) Requirements  policy. 

Article 1. Applicability

1.1. Prior to Completion of CSU Lower-Division GE Requirements

The requirements, policies and procedures adopted pursuant to this policy are effective for students subject to the fall 2025 and subsequent catalog years who have not previously been enrolled continuously at a campus of the CSU or the California Community Colleges (CCC) and who have not satisfied lower-division GE requirements according to the provisions of Title 5, Section 40405.5 or 40405.3.

1.2. Subsequent to Completion of All CSU GE Requirements

Following completion of CSU GE lower-division and upper-division requirements, a student shall not be required to satisfy additional GE requirements.

Article 4. Subject Area Distribution

Courses approved to fulfill the following GE subject area distribution requirements should address the contributions to knowledge and civilization that have been made by members of diverse cultural and gender groups. Campuses shall not exceed area unit requirements as detailed below.
Area 1AEnglish Composition 
Area 1BCritical Thinking 
Area 1COral Communication 
Area 2Mathematical Concepts and Quantitative Reasoning 
Upper-DivisionMathematical Concepts and Quantitative Reasoning 
Area 3AArts 
Area 3BHumanities 
Upper-DivisionArts or Humanities 
Area 4Social and Behavioral Sciences 
Upper-DivisionSocial and Behavioral Sciences 
Area 5APhysical Science 
Area 5BBiological Science 
Area 5CLaboratory* 
Upper-DivisionPhysical or Biological Science 
Area 6Ethnic Studies 

 

CSU GE Overview Trifold

CSU GE Comparison Trifold (calstate.edu) (pdf)

California General Education Transfer Curriculum (Cal-GETC)

Cal-GETC_Standards_1v2_2024.pdf
(PDF, 991.08 KB)

Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC)