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>> JAIME: Hey, thanks for checking in and taking responsibility for your education!
If you’re a student who is planning on transferring to the University of California - the UC -
or the California State University - the CSU -
you will want to plan your general education courses from a list referred to as IGETC.
And here’s why. In order to graduate from most colleges or universities, students are
expected to complete specific general education requirements. The intent of general education
is to make sure that you have a broad knowledge base.
By successfully completing general education, you should know about human culture, how to
inquire, think, solve, and communicate effectively. As a college graduate, you’re expected to
engage in the broader world and integrate learning to adapt to new ideas.
So please don’t think of the general education requirements as a checklist, but rather as
a journey of discovery!
So, what does IGETC mean?
IGETC is an acronym for the “Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum.”
“Intersegmental” means that both the UCs and CSUs will accept the listed coursework
to satisfy their lower division general education requirements, which means you can take all
of them at the community college! So we strongly recommend that each semester, you choose a
couple of courses listed on the IGETC. This way you’ll have your G.E.s completed before
transferring.
However, if you plan to major in Math, Science, Engineering, Computer Science or ANY major
that requires extensive major preparation, then following the IGETC pattern isn’t recommended.
You should focus on completing your English requirements and your major preparation courses.
Let’s take a look at the IGETC form. At SBCC, most students know it simply as the
“Pink Sheet.” At first glance, it may seem complicated but once we break it down,
you’ll find it’s an easy document to follow.
IGETC is composed of 6 major areas or categories from which you are required to choose courses.
Area 1 is the English Communication area. There are three groups in this area and in
each one you will need to complete one course from those listed.
Group A lists our required first semester English Composition course,
Group B is our second semester English Composition and critical thinking course,
and Group C is the Oral Communication group which are primarily courses with topics such
as public speaking, interpersonal and group communication.
Area 2 is the Mathematical concepts and quantitative reasoning area. For IGETC, you’ll need at
least one math course from this area, but depending on your major you may end up taking
more.
Area 3 has two groups of courses; the Arts and the Humanities. You need to choose one
course from each group and, depending on your interest, you get to choose another course
from either the Arts or the Humanities, for a total of three courses.
Area 4 is the Social and Behavioral Sciences category and you must select three courses
from the list. When choosing, you must have the three courses from at least two different
disciplines or subjects, such a history and psychology.
Area 5 are the sciences. They are divided into two groups; Physical and Biological.
Here, you must choose one course from each group and at least one of those science courses
must have a lab associated with it. On our form, the labs are underlined.
Area 6 centers around Language other than English. In this area you will need one college
semester of a foreign language.
Great news! For those of you have completed two years of the same foreign language in
high school and earned a C- grade or better, you have satisfied this area and are not required
to complete it! Also, this is a UC requirement only, so if you’re thinking about transferring
only to a CSU, no need to take it.
Here’s an important consideration when choosing courses for IGETC. If you’re thinking of
transferring to a CSU, they require an additional American History and an American Government
course. This can be met before or after transfer to a CSU. Most, but not all CSUs will also
use these courses in the IGETC Areas 3 and 4. See the IGETC form for more information
on this requirement.
So as you can see, IGETC isn’t as complicated as it may seem. These areas can be taken in
any order and you must earn a grade of “C” or better in the courses.
Also, remember, that in order to be eligible to transfer to a UC or CSU, you will need
to complete a total of 60 transferable units. Completing all the IGETC course requirements
will total somewhere between 35 to 40 units. So that leaves you lots of room to take other
courses in your major and electives!
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Please keep in mind that although IGETC isn’t a transfer admission requirement, it is strongly
recommended. Between following IGETC, completing your major preparation courses and taking
some electives, it’s fairly easy to be able to be prepared to transfer.
To find your major preparation courses, please visit a website called ASSIST.org.
This completes our overview of IGETC. I hope you have found it useful. Please study it
and learn it, as it is a valuable tool and resource for you as you’re planning your
next semester courses.
Again, thanks for checking in and taking charge of your educational goals!
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