大发

General Education for Faculty/Staff

Fall 2025 Changes to General Education (GE) 

Effective Fall 2025, the CSU has a new General Education pattern (CSU GE). This new GE pattern was created as a result of California legislation (AB 928) aimed at improving the process for transfer from the California Community College system to the UC or CSU. 

The new comprises the following changes from the prior GE Breadth pattern:

• • All subject areas renamed (e.g., Areas A-F changed to Areas 1-6)
  • Arts/Humanities (Area C) reduced by 3 units
  • Lifelong Learning (Area E) removed
  • Physical Science, Life Science, and Laboratory (Areas B1-B3) changed from 6 units to 7 units, with 1 unit for the lab
  • Mathematics (Area B4) separated into new Subject Area

The Quick Reference Chart outlines the differences between the two GE patterns.

For more resources regarding these changes, please visit the Academic Programs website. Please direct students to Academic Advising for detailed questions to ensure they receive answers tailored to their degree plan. 

Catalog Rights

A detailed explanation of catalog rights is available on the Catalog Rights page. In summary, this is how the changes to GE and catalog rights impact students at 大发:

• New Transfers

  New students transferring to 大发 in Fall 2025 (and beyond) will be assigned the new GE requirements. However, those who attended a California Community College (CCC) or CSU have the right to elect the GE requirements in place at the time they began at the CSU or CCC. (Though, in nearly all cases, the new GE requirements will not lengthen a student's time to degree).

• New first-year students

  New first year students do not have catalog rights to a prior term. They will be assigned the GE and major requirements in place at the time of admission.

• Current/continuing students

  Current 大发 students have a right to complete the GE requirements in place at the time they were admitted and/or at the time of graduation. For this reason, current 大发 students are eligible to elect the new GE requirements, if it benefits them. If they do not, their Academic Requirements Report (ARR) and Degree Planner will remain unchanged.

  A small number of students who would significantly benefit from electing the new GE requirements will be notified and permitted to easily 'opt-in' to the new requirements

What does this mean for advising students?

• Tools are accurate Students' Academic Requirements Reports (ARR) and Degree Planners will remain accurate, and students should be encouraged to continue to follow these tools
• Both patterns and subject areas For years to come, you will encounter students who are subject to requirements with the previous Subject Area names (e.g., A2 Written Composition) and students who are subject to the new requirements and Subject Area names (e.g., Area 1A English Composition)
• More detailed questions If students inquire about whether they should elect the new GE pattern, refer them to their Academic Advisor for an individualized review

FAQs

General

• Who is responsible for advising students on General Education?
  Detailed questions regarding a student鈥檚 degree plan and changes to GE requirements should be referred to Academic Advising. General questions regarding minimum requirements for CSU GE, and not student-specific (i.e., information included on this page) can be answered by all 大发 staff. Student may also be referred to the General Education information page on the Registrar鈥檚 website.  
• What are the primary changes in the new CSU GE pattern:?
  • All Subject Areas were renamed (e.g., Areas A-F changed to Areas 1-6)
  • Arts/Humanities (Area C) reduced by 3 units
  • Lifelong Learning (Area E) removed
  • Physical Science, Life Science, and Laboratory (Areas B1-B3) changed from 6 units to 7 units
  • Mathematics (Area B4) separated into new Subject Area (Area 2)
• What is the difference between CSU GE and Cal-GETC?

  CSU GE and Cal-GETC are not the same, and we should always refer to CSU GE when speaking to students about graduation requirements at 大发 (i.e., we should not refer to GE graduation requirements as Cal-GETC).  Cal-GETC is the GE pattern that students follow at the California Community College in order to transfer to a CSU or UC. There are four main differences between CSU GE and Cal-GETC. 

  • CSU GE includes upper division GE. GE. Cal-GETC does not include upper division GE. 
  • CSU GE requires a minimum grade of C- for Area 1A, 1B, 1C and Area 2. Cal-GETC requires a C or higher in all GE subject areas.
  • CSU GE accepts Math for Teachers programs to meet Area 2. Cal-GETC does not accept Math for Teachers courses to meet Area 2.
  • CSU GE does not require that English Composition (1A) be a pe-requisite to Critical Thinking (1B). Cal-GETC requires that all Critical Thinking (1B) courses include English Composition (1A) as a pre-requisite. 
• When will ASSIST.org be updated with the Fall 2025 CSU GE requirements?
  The CSU Chancellor鈥檚 Office will be updating all GE certification information on Assist.org. The date is TBD.
• What should I do when in doubt about catalog terms, GE, or articulation?
  Please refer students to Academic Advising for clarification and assistance.  
• How can a student elect the Fall 2025 GE pattern?
  In April 2025, a number of continuing students will be offered an easy 'opt-in' message in My大发 to elect the new Fall 2025 CSU GE (i.e., students who have been identified as having a shorter path to graduation with the new requirements). All other students must submit the Election of Catalog Rights form. See the instruction available to students on the Catalog Rights page.
• Can students graduate with less than 120 units if they elect the Fall 2025 GE requirements?
  No, students cannot graduate with less than 120 units, even if they elect the new GE requirements. 
• When will the Fall 2025 GE requirements appear in the ARR for new students?
  The Fall 2025 CSU GE requirements for new students will be visible in the ARR no later than April 23, 2025. Until this date, the ARR for new matriculated students will include inaccurate requirements, and students should be directed to wait until after May 1 to review their degree requirements.
• Can a continuing student elect the Fall 2025 GE requirements to avoid retaking a course they failed?
  Yes, a continuing student can elect the Fall 2025 GE requirements, which may release them from retaking a failed course if it is no longer required.  
• With Area E eliminated, will new first year students enroll in GEL 101 in Fall 2025?

  Because the new CSU GE does not include Area E, GEL 101 is not required for graduation for new students. Planning is underway for administratively enrolling new first year students in GEL 101 as an elective.  

  GEL 101 continues to fulfill Area E for students who are subject to the previous GE pattern.

ARR, Degree Planner, Road Maps

• Will the 4-year road maps be updated?
  The four-year road maps are a work-in-progress and will be updated, but the degree planner and ARR updates are prioritized for Fall 2025. 
• Will students see both the new Fall 2025 GE and former GE pattern in their ARR?
  No, students will only see the GE requirements based on their catalog term.  
• Can students use the What-If report(s) to review changes to the ARR/Degree Planner if the Fall 2025 GE requirements are elected?

  No. Students should consult with Academic Advising before electing a new GE catalog term.

  There are two What-If Reports a student can run: one in the ARR and one in the Degree Planner. The What-If Report in the ARR does not permit a change to the GE catalog term (only the major term), so it will not provide guidance for electing the Fall 2025 GE. The What-if Report in the Degree Planner allows a student to change the GE catalog term, but it will not produce an accurate report if a major catalog term of Fall 2025 (or later) is combined with a GE catalog term prior to Fall 2025. 

Transfer Credit

• Will AP exams with sufficient test scores fulfill the new GE requirements?
  Yes, AP exams with sufficient test scores will to meet the new GE requirements as they have in the past.  
• Can credits from the Joint Services Transcript (JST) continue to fulfill units for military students?
  With the removal of Area E, military students will no longer be able to count units from their joint service transcript towards Area E. However, other ACE-evaluated credits may still apply to different GE areas.