Purpose of General Education - The goals of general education are accomplished jointly through the General Education Program, major and minor programs, and other graduation requirements.  The goals include the following:

1.   develop and reinforce basic skills in writing, speaking, and listening in the English language, in critical thinking and logical reasoning, and in quantitative reasoning;

2.   provide students with a breadth of exposure to mathematics, life and physical sciences, arts and humanities, and social and behavioral sciences;

3.   provide students with an in-depth exposure to themes of importance in the modern world-natural science and technology, arts and humanities, and social and behavioral sciences;

4.   assist students in the process of becoming well-informed and responsible citizens;

5.   increase students’ understanding of human diversity and their tolerance for differences of perceptions, ideas and values;

6.   give students an international and multicultural perspective on issues and problems confronting human society and the natural world; and

7.   facilitate the process of ethical development and responsibility at the personal, interpersonal, and societal levels.

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Curriculum of General Education - Students must accumulate a minimum of 72 quarter units to complete CSUB’s General Education Program.

The program consists of two parts.  The first part is comprised of introductory, lower-division courses that expose students to the breadth of the core disciplines.  These courses are grouped into four broad subject areas (Areas A-D).  Typically, 60 quarter units earned in Areas A-D courses are required to satisfy this part of CSUB’s General Education Program.  However, CSUB accepts certification of the CSU general education requirements by California community colleges and completion through the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC).  The overall unit requirements may also be reduced through the passage of externally developed standardized examinations and through the passage of CSUB waiver or challenge examinations.

The second part consists of a minimum of 12 quarter units in upper-division (300 and 400 level) courses grouped in three thematic areas (Themes 1-3).  This requirement must be completed in residence at CSUB and after the student achieves upper-division status, i.e., completes 90 quarter units.  These courses are designed to give students a more in-depth exposure to topics not fully covered in introductory, lower-division courses.  Instructors in all courses will incorporate materials related to the dimensions of human diversity, whenever appropriate and to the extent possible.

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Part 1:  Lower Division Component

Areas A-D Requirements

These lower-division courses are designed to be introductory in nature and will expose students to the richness and breadth of disciplines.  They are grouped in the following four areas:

A.   Communication in the English Language

B.   Mathematics, Life and Physical Sciences

C.   Arts and Humanities

D.   Social and Behavioral Sciences

The lists of approved courses are published in the quarterly Class Schedule and can also be secured in the Undergraduate Studies Office, Academic Advising & Information Center (AAIC), relevant departments and school dean’s offices.

Area A: Communication in the English Language

Thirteen to seventeen (13-17) quarter units in Communication in the English Language.

A1. One course in speaking (with emphasis on public speaking) and listening

A2. One course in writing and reading (must be completed with a grade of “C” (2.0) or higher

A3. One course in writing-intensive critical thinking and logical reasoning

Area B: Mathematics, Life and Physical Sciences

Thirteen to seventeen (13-17) quarter units in Mathematics, Life and Physical Sciences.

B1. One lecture course in life sciences

B2. One lecture course in the physical sciences

B3. One related science laboratory in life sciences or physical sciences

B4. One course in mathematics (must be completed with a grade of “C” (2.0) or higher

Area C: Arts and Humanities

Thirteen to seventeen (13-17) quarter units in the Arts and Humanities. One course from three of the following subareas:

C1. Art or Performing Arts (Music or Theatre)

C2. Modern Languages and Literatures (103 level or above fluency courses),

C3. World History

C4. Literature

C5. Philosophy/Religious Studies

Area D: Social and Behavioral Sciences

Thirteen to seventeen (13-17) quarter units in the Social and Behavioral Sciences. One course from three of the following subareas:

D1. Anthropology

D2. Economics

D3. Political Science

D4. Psychology

D5. Sociology

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Part 2: Upper Division Component

Students must complete in residence at CSUB a minimum of 12 quarter units from coursework approved for upper-division general education credit.  Students can enroll in this coursework only after they have achieved upper-division status, i.e., completed 90 quarter units, and have completed the lower-division requirements in Area A, Communication in the English Language, and B4, Quantitative Reasoning.  In addition, students must have completed all the lower-division courses for the respective Area related to each Theme-Area B for Theme 1, Area C for Theme 2, and Area D for Theme 3.

Thematic Course Requirements - The upper-division component of the General Education Program normally consists of three courses, one from each of the following themes:

1.   Natural Sciences and Technology

2.   Arts and Humanities

3.   Social and Behavioral Sciences

Thematic courses may have specific lower-division prerequisites that must be completed prior to enrollment in the thematic course.  One of the three thematic courses may be taken as an optional credit, no-credit.  All thematic courses have a significant writing assignment in addition to classroom examinations.

Students may satisfy two of these thematic requirements by taking a specially designed interdisciplinary course (minimum of eight quarter units) taught by faculty representing two of the thematic areas.

Thematic courses shall NOT be used to satisfy lower-division Area requirements or the Gender, Race, Ethnicity (GRE) Requirement.

Approved thematic courses are listed in the quarterly Class Schedule, and the lists are also available in the Academic Information & Advising Center (AAIC), Undergraduate Studies Office, and relevant school dean and department offices.

Theme 1: Natural Sciences and Technology

Courses offered under this theme will provide students with an analysis and understanding of contemporary issues involving technology and physical and biological sciences.  Within this context, courses will focus on issues regarding the impact of human activities on natural resources and the resulting global implications.

Theme 2: Arts and Humanities

Courses offered under this theme will enable students to gain knowledge of linguistics, literature, history, philosophy, religion, and/or the artistic expression of ideas.  Artists and humanists use different methods to convey perspectives on the human condition to express perceptions, values, and ideas, such as truth and beauty.  These courses will assist students in exploring these methods and their results and in connecting them with their respective academic disciplines.

Theme 3: Social and Behavioral Sciences

Courses offered under this theme will focus on human, social, economic, and political behavior and institutions and their historical backgrounds.  These courses will enable students to gain knowledge of contemporary social and behavioral issues as well as individual initiatives and public policies which address those issues.

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POLICIES for GENERAL EDUCATION

1.   Students must complete the four areas and three themes and accumulate as many additional units as are needed to reach a total of 72 units.

2.   Students must complete three approved upper-division theme courses in residence at CSUB.  These are required of all students intending to graduate from CSUB, regardless of community college certification or the courses completed at other institutions.  These courses cannot be completed and counted toward this requirement until the student has achieved upper division status, i.e., 90 quarter units.  These courses can NOT be double-counted toward lower-division area requirements or the Gender, Race, Ethnicity (GRE) requirement.

3.   Lower-division general education and upper-division theme courses may be double-counted for the major, minor, cognate, foundation, or American Institutions requirements.

4.   Waiver Exams:  The requirements for subareas A1, A2, A3, and B4 may be satisfied by a test designed specifically for that requirement.  The exams for subarea A1 are scheduled once each quarter by the Undergraduate Studies Office (EDUC 242).  Exams for subareas A2, A3, and B4 are available through the Testing Office (Health Center).  Exams cost $10.00 each.

5.   Students earning degrees in Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Geology, Nursing, and Physics have the Theme 1 requirement waived by their senior seminar.

6.   The US Constitution/CA State and Local Government course fulfills the requirement for subarea D3, Political Science.

7.   Students with a verified learning disability who are registered with the Office of Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) may be eligible to petition for a course substitution for a General Education requirement.  The Dean for Undergraduate Studies acts on all such petitions.  Information regarding course substitutions can be obtained from the Office of Services for Students with Disabilities.

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Sequencing for “Basic Skills” (Areas A and B4) - Because the four basic skills (speaking, writing and reading, critical/logical thinking, and mathematical reasoning) are so fundamental to the educational process and to living an informed life, students must demonstrate that they have acquired these skills to a sufficient degree.  This may be accomplished by passing challenge examinations or, in what is assumed to be the normal case, by satisfactorily completing a course or courses specifically designed to increase our students’ basic skills.

The University requires students to demonstrate basic skills competency in a timely manner.

1.   Students who begin their CSUB studies with less than 30 quarter units are required to:

      a.   Complete Area A2 within the first 45 quarter units at CSUB;

      b.   Complete Areas A1 and A3 within the first 60 quarter units at CSUB;

      c.   Complete Area B4 within the first 75 quarter units at CSUB.

2.   Students transferring with 30 or more quarter units are required to:

      a.   Complete Areas A1, A2, and A3 within the first 45 quarter units at CSUB;

      b.   Complete Area B4 within the first 60 quarter units at CSUB.

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Certification of General Education - The University accepts full certification of lower-division General Education (57 quarter units) or partial certification by Area (A, B, C, or D) from California Community Colleges, other CSU campuses, and other institutions of higher education that have negotiated agreements with the CSU.  Courses and examinations used to certify units must be baccalaureate level and have been completed at the certifying institution.  However, any participating institution may report completion of courses or examinations taken at other participating institutions provided that all such courses and examinations would be certified by the institution offering them.  Such courses and examinations shall be deemed to have been certified.  It is the student’s responsibility to request the community college, other CSU, or other institutions of higher education to send the certification to the Evaluations Office at CSUB.

Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) - CSUB participates fully in the IGETC system. Students who have completed an IGETC program at a California community college or other participating institutions should ask the last institution attended to submit an IGETC completion form to the Evaluations Office at CSUB.

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Petitions for Exception regarding General

Education

Transfer Students - In unusual circumstances, transfer students may petition for exemption from a specific General Education requirement by providing appropriate justification of undue hardship and/or of other means by which the student has acquired the knowledge.  Petitions are reviewed and approved by the Dean for Undergraduate Studies (EDUC 242, 654-3420).

Students with Disabilities - Students with documented learning disabilities may petition for substitution of course(s) for specific General Education requirements.  Students must be registered with Services for Students with Disabilities (SA 140, 654-3360) and undergo a review by a certified staff member for recommendation of any substitution.  All recommendations are reviewed and approved by the Dean for Undergraduate Studies (EDUC 242, 654-3420).

Upper-Division Students Who Have Broken “Continuous Enrollment” - Upper-division students who have broken “continuous enrollment” (see Applicable University Requirements page 57) may discover that the General Education requirements have changed upon their re-admission to CSUB.  These changes may cause serious hardship for the student in terms of additional courses needed to complete the new requirements.  These students have an opportunity to petition to the Academic Petitions Committee (APC) for return to the catalog in effect at the time the student stopped attending CSUB.  Students desiring to submit such a petition to the APC must get information regarding the specific content and format of the petition at the Undergraduate Studies Office (EDUC 242, 654-3420).