Admission Requirements for the California State University (CSU)

Transfer Applicants with 60 or More Transferable Semester Units

Transfer applicants with 60 or more transferable semester units must have a grade point average of 2.0 (C) or higher (2.4 for nonresidents) in all transferable semester units attempted, be in good standing at the last college or university attended, and meet any of the following eligibility standards:

1. Complete all subject requirements in effect at the time of high school graduation (both high school and college coursework may be used to meet the college preparatory course requirements), or
2. Complete with an overall grade of C (2.0) or higher a minimum of 30 semester (45 quarter) units selected from courses in English, arts and humanities, social science, science, and mathematics that are at least equivalent in level to courses that meet CSU General Education-Breadth or Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) requirements. All CSU general education requirements in communication in the English language (at least 9 semester units) and in mathematics (usually 3 semester units) must be completed as part of the 30-semester-unit requirement. The remainder of the units can be selected from any of the designated areas.

Applicants Who Graduated from High School Prior to 1988:

Applicants who graduated from high school prior to 1988 must meet any of the following eligibility standards:

1. Complete 4 years of high school English and 2 years of high school mathematics, with grades of C (2.0) or higher; or
2. Complete with a grade of C (2.0) or higher a baccalaureate course that meets CSU general education requirements in written communication and a course with a grade of C (2.0) or higher that meets the general education requirement in mathematics/quantitative reasoning; or
3. Complete IGETC requirements in English composition and mathematical concepts and quantitative reasoning (course meeting the general education mathematics requirement must be above the level of intermediate algebra).

(Information Source: CSU Admissions Handbook. Go to www.csumentor.edu for more information.)

CSU General Education Certification Pattern

Students may follow either the pattern of study outlined below or the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) to meet lower-division general education requirements for the CSU system.

TC does not accept foreign coursework from non-US regionally accredited institutions to meet CSU GE requirements.

To Transfer

A student must complete 60 or more transferable semester units with a minimum GPA of 2.0 (C) or higher (2.4 for nonresidents), be in good standing at the last college or university attended, and have completed or made up any missing college preparatory subject requirements.

Students must complete the 60 CSU-transferable semester units with an overall GPA of 2.0 or higher, a minimum of 30 semester/45 quarter units in general education courses that include all CSU general education requirements in Area A, Communication in the English Language (at least 9 semester units) in Area B4, and mathematics (usually 3 semester units). The remainder of the units can be selected from any of the designated areas. However, it is strongly recommended that, prior to transfer, students complete the CSU GE pattern in full, to include the American Institution graduation requirement.

Certain programs have more applicants than there are spaces available. These “impacted programs” have additional screening requirements. Please see a TC counselor for details.

CSU Certification

“Certification” means that Taft College has verified that a student has completed the lower-division general education requirements for the California State University system.

Certification from a community college is important, because without it, students will be held to the general education requirements specific to the CSU campus to which they are transferring. This typically involves additional lower-division coursework. Once a student is “certified,” however, the CSU campus of choice will identify the student as having completed the lower-division requirements that were spelled out in the articulation agreement established between the particular CSU campus and Taft College. (Students should note that 9 units of upper-division general education courses must be completed after transfer).

Courses from other schools may be considered for certification by petition through a process called “pass along certification.” Please see a TC counselor for assistance.

It is the student’s responsibility to request certification. Petitions for certification may be filed in the Records Office. Certification petitions are available in the Records Office and online (go to http://www.taftcollege.edu/administration/registrar.shtml).