GE Areas
To help faculty meet expectations delineated in GE Policy 21-09, as well as the General Education Learning Outcomes (PDF), the list below includes portions relevant to each GE Area from both documents. The links also include a few clarifications in brackets and italics to help faculty to instantiate policy requirements. Please contact the GE Coordinator Danny Paskin for further assistance.
GE Areas:
CSU GE Breadth - Fall 2021 to Summer 2025
Lower-Division (39-40 units)
Area A: Communication in the English Language and Critical Thinking
- A1 Oral Communication (3 units)
- A2 Written Communication (3 units)
- A3 Critical Thinking (3 units)
Area B: Scientific Inquiry and Quantitative Reasoning
- B1 Physical Science (3 units)
- B2 Life Science (3 units)
- B3 Laboratory Activity (0-1 units)
- B4 Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning (3 units)
Area C: Arts and Humanities
- C1 Arts (3 units)
- C2 Humanities (3 units)
- Additional C1 or C2 (3 units)
Area D: Social Sciences ^
- Two courses (6 units)
Area E: Lifelong Learning and Self-Development (3 units)
Area F: Ethnic Studies
- One course (3 units)
Upper-Division (9 units)
- Upper-division B Scientific Inquiry and Quantitative Reasoning (3 units)
- Upper-division C Arts or Humanities (3 units)
- Upper-division D Social Sciences ^ (3 units)
^Two Different disciplines across the 9 units in Area D
CSU GE - Fall 2025 and Beyond
Lower-Division (34 units)
Subject Area 1: English Communication
- 1A English Composition (3 units)
- 1B Critical Thinking (3 units)
- 1C Oral Communication (3 units)
Subject Area 2: Mathematical Concepts and Quantitative Reasoning
- One course (3 units)
Subject Area 3: Arts and Humanities
- 3A Arts (3 units)
- 3B Humanities (3 units)
Subject Area 4: Social and Behavioral Sciences ^
- Two courses (6 units)
Subject Area 5: Physical and Biological Sciences (3 units)
- 5A Physical Science (3 units)
- 5B Biological Science (3 units)
- 5C Laboratory (1 unit) - May be embedded in 5A or 5B course, as long as 7 units met for lower-division Subject Area 5.
Subject Area 6: Ethnic Studies
- One course (3 units)
Upper-Division (9 units)
- Upper-division 5 Science or 2 Mathematical Concepts/Quantitative Reasoning (3 units)
- Upper-division 3 Arts or Humanities (3 units)
- Upper-division 4 Social and Behavioral Sciences ^ (3 units)
^Two Different disciplines across the 9 units in Area 4tent Goes here.
CAL-GETC* - Fall 2025 and Beyond
Lower-Division (34 units)
Subject Area 1: English Communication
- 1A English Composition (3 units)
- 1B Critical Thinking and Composition (3 units)
- 1C Oral Communication (3 units)
Subject Area 2: Mathematical Concepts and Quantitative Reasoning
- One course (3 units)
Subject Area 3: Arts and Humanities
- 3A Arts (3 units)
- 3B Humanities (3 units)
Subject Area 4: Social and Behavioral Sciences
- Two courses, two different disciplines (6 units)
Subject Area 5: Physical and Biological Sciences
- 5A Physical Science (3 units)
- 5B Biological Science (3 units)
- 5C Laboratory (1 unit) - May be embedded in 5A or 5B course, as long as 7 units met for lower-division Subject Area 5.
Subject Area 6: Ethnic Studies
- One course (3 units)
*Cal-GETC is the lower-division transfer pattern for California Community College students transferring to the CSU or the UC.
Note: Nine units of upper-division GE are required of Cal-GETC-certified students after transferring to a CSU campus.