FAQ - Transfer Process

What is the difference between transferability and equivalency of course credit?

Transferred course credits are applicable toward a baccalaureate or graduate degree; i.e., they are from an accredited educational institution and are at the baccalaureate or graduate level (not high school, remedial, or vocational-technical level).  They may or may not be equivalent to CSULB courses.

Equivalent courses are those CSULB has articulated or are determined by Enrollment Services or by the major department to be equivalent.

By what criteria is course equivalency determined?

It is determined by these criteria:

1. Is the course level the same (e.g., lower or upper division)?

2. Are the course title and, more importantly, course content or description the same at CSULB and at the college from which the course is transferred?

What do students do if the level and description of the course are not recognizably the same?

The burden is on the student to submit other proof of course content (text, course outline, etc.) to the department requiring the course. Departments may accept a transferred lower division course as equivalent to an upper division course but students never receive upper division credit toward the 40 unit upper division requirement for graduation if this sort of substitution is made.

Are all courses transferred to CSULB evaluated for equivalency to the major and GE requirements?

No, GE courses taught in the California Community College system and a few other institutions are transferred even without equivalencies into the CSULB General Education patterns as long as they appear on the community college GE lists.

What are articulated courses?

Articulated courses are those which CSULB and various accredited public and private colleges and universities in California have determined, in advance, are equivalent to each other.

Academic courses taken at other accredited institutions of higher education, although not listed in the articulation agreements, can still be deemed equivalent. Major departments can make determinations about major course equivalencies or substitutions while the Academic Appeals Committee can make determinations about equivalencies or substitutions of GE courses. Recommendations are welcome from the departments in which the GE courses are offered.

What if I need more on-line information?

For more information on the transfer process, please connect to Enrollment Services web site or call them at (562) 985-5471. You may also find more information on statewide articulated courses at the assist.org web site.