CSU-GE Breadth Certification Requirements for STEM 2023-2024 (Updated May 2023)

The CSU will accept the CSU-GE for STEM if a student is earning an Associate of Science for Transfer (AS-T) in Biology or Chemistry at a community college that offers CSU-GE for STEM as an option for those degrees, and the CSU will accept partial certification of CSU-GE. Students will be required to complete additional lower division general education courses upon transfer to the CSU.

Area A - English Language Communication and Critical Thinking - (9 Unit Total)

Select one course from each category:

(A1) Oral Communication - (3 units)

  • COMM-01, 01H, 04, 05

(A2) Written Communication [AP accepted] - (3 units)

  • ENGL-01A

(A3) Critical Thinking - (3 units)

  • ENGL-01C, 13, 13H

  • PHIL-10, 12, 13, 13H

Area B - Scientific Inquiry and Quantitative Reasoning - (9 Unit Total)

A minimum of 9 units is required with one course each from areas B1, B2, and B4. At least one of the courses must be a lab course from B3 (Lab courses are underlined under B1 and B2):

(B1) Physical Science [AP, IB, & CLEP accepted] - (3 units)

  • AGPS-05

  • ARCH-01

  • ASTR-01

  • CHEM-02A, 02B, 04A, 04B

  • GEOG-01, 15

  • GEOL-01, 02, 03

  • PHSC-01, 02

  • PHYS-02A, 02B, 04A, 04B, 04C, 10

(B2) Life Science [AP, IB, & CLEP accepted] - (3 units)

  • AGPS-01

  • ANTH-01

  • BIOL-01, 02, 04A, 04B, 06, 09, 16, 18, 20, 32

  • PSYC-15*

(B3) Laboratory Activity

  • AGPS-01, 05

  • ANTH-01

  • ASTR-01L

  • BIOL-01, 02, 04A, 04B, 16, 18, 20, 32L

  • CHEM-02A, 02B, 04A, 04B

  • GEOG-01L

  • GEOL-01, 02, 03

  • PHSC-01L, 02L

  • PHYS-02A, 02B, 04A, 04B, 04C

(B4) Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning [AP, IB, & CLEP accepted] - (3 units)

  • CPSC-07

  • MATH-02, 02H, 03, 04A, 04B, 04C, 06, 07, 08, 10, 11, 15, 20A, 20B, 22, 25, 26, 27

  • PSYC-05

Area C - Arts and Humanities - (6 Units Total)

A minimum of 6 semester units are required with one course from each area:

(C1) Arts (Art, Music, Theater) [AP & IB accepted] - (3-6 units)

  • ART-01, 02, 03, 06, 10, 15

  • ARTD-07, 08, 40A, 40B

  • ENGL-14, 15

  • ETHN-11

  • MUSG-10, 12, 13, 14, 15

  • PHOT-33, 36

  • THTR-01*, 04

(C2) Humanities (Literature, Philosophy, and Foreign Language) [AP, IB, & CLEP accepted] - (3-6 units)

  • ANTH-12

  • ASLG-01, 02

  • ENGL-01B, 04A, 04B, 05, 06A, 06B, 07, 08, 10, 11, 18, 19*

  • ETHN-15*, 18, 19*

  • FREN-01, 02, 03, 04

  • GERN-01, 02, 03, 04

  • HIST-03A*, 03B*, 04A*, 04B*, 05*, 09A, 09B, 17A*, 17AH*, 17B*, 17BH*, 19*, 29*

  • HMNG-01, 02

  • HUM-01, 01H, 02, 02H, 15*, 21

  • JPNS-01A, 01B, 02

  • PHIL-01, 01H, 02*, 03, 04, 05, 15

  • SPAN-01, 02, 03, 04, 10, 11

  • THTR-01*

Area D - Social Sciences - (3 Units Total)

A minimum of 3 semester units are required from the following:

  • AGAB-05

  • AGRI-10

  • ANTH-02, 10

  • CLDV-01*, 02*

  • COMM-30

  • CRIM-01

  • ECON-01, 02

  • ETHN-01*, 05*, 07, 12*, 15*, 20*, 22, 23*

  • GEOG-02, 12

  • HIST-03A*, 03B*, 04A*, 04B*, 05*, 07, 10, 17A*, 17AH*, 17B*, 17BH*, 19*, 20*, 22, 23*, 29*

  • HUM-15*

  • NUTR-12

  • PHIL-02*

  • POSC-01, 01H, 02, 03, 04, 05, 07

  • PSYC-01A, 01AH, 15*, 22*, 23*, 25, 36

  • SOC-01, 02, 03, 04, 05*, 06

Area E - Lifelong Understanding and Self-Development - (3 Units Total)

A minimum of 3 units (of which only two units may be physical activity) are required from the following:

  • CLDV-01*, 02*, 09

  • GUID-30

  • HLTH-10

  • NUTR-10

  • PSYC-09, 22*, 23*, 40

  • REGN-34

    Physical Activity (two unit maximum)

  • ATHL-01D, 01F, 01K, 01L, 02A, 02B, 02D, 02F, 02G, 02I, 02K

  • KINE-09, 12B, 15, 16, 17, 20, 30, 32, 35, 36, 41, 42

Area F - Ethnic Studies - (3 Units Total)

A minimum of 3 units are required from the following:

  • ENGL-19*

  • ETHN-01*, 05*, 12*, 15*, 19*, 20*, 23*

  • HIST-20*, 23*

  • HUM-15*

  • SOC-05*

Minimum Total Partial CSU-GE Certification - (33 Units Total)

CSU United States History, Constitution and American Ideals

The American Institutions Requirement (AIR) (U.S. History, Constitution, California State and Local Government) as well as requirements for Political and Economic Institutions may be met by completion of one of the following sequences:

  • Sequence A:

    HIST-17A or HIST-17AH (both meet US-1 and US-2) AND

    HIST-17B or HIST-17BH (both meet US-1 and US-3)

  • Sequence B:

    HIST-17A or HIST-17AH or HIST-17B or HIST-17BH or HIST-22 (US-1) AND

    POSC-01 (US-2 AND US-3)

Students satisfy this CSU graduation requirement through coursework in three areas:
US-1: Historical development of American institutions and ideals
US-2: U.S. Constitution and government
US-3: California state and local government Conditions:
● This requirement may be met before or after transfer to the CSU.
● Students who want to fulfill this requirement with courses taken before Fall, 2004 should consult their college catalogs.
● If a course is approved for more than one US Area above, a student may use the course to satisfy all areas listed.
● US-1 may be completed with a score of 3 or higher on Advanced Placement US History.
● US-2 (but not US-3) may be completed with a score of 3 or higher on Advanced Placement US Government & Politics.
● At the discretion of the CSU Campus granting the degree, courses meeting this requirement may also be counted toward certification In general education (GE Breadth or IGETC).
Check with your counselor for details.

*Courses listed in multiple areas shall not be certified in more than one area, except CSU History Constitution, and American Ideals Graduation Requirement.

Updated MAY 2023
Added:
C1: ART-10
C2: ANTH-12
D: POSH-01H, 05
Previous Edition: CSU-GE Breadth Certification Requirements 2022-2023
Reference: ASSIST and CSU EO 1100