CSU General Education: Breadth

It is recommended that students planning to transfer to a California State University (CSU) complete their lower division general education prior to transfer by following the CSU GE-Breadth pattern. Counselors can help students select courses that fulfill lower-division major requirements as well as general education. THIS PATTERN IS NOT FOR STUDENTS WHO BEGAN FALL 2025. YOU SHOULD FOLLOW THE NEW Cal-GETC PATTERN.IF you took a course in Summer 2025, please consult with a counselor if you may follow this pattern. Beginning in Fall 2025, the GE requirements in the CSU will change from the GE pattern that has existed since Fall 2021. The revised CSU GE Requirements was approved by the CSU Board of Trustees in March 2024 to provide an equitable experience for all CSU students. This goal stemmed from the passage of California Assembly Bill 928 (AB 928), the Student Transfer Achievement Reform (STAR) Act of 2021, which mandates a singular lower-division GE pattern, known as the California General Education Transfer Curriculum (Cal-GETC), for students transferring from the California Community Colleges to the CSU or the University of California. Effective Fall 2025, Cal-GETC will become the only GE transfer pattern offered by the California Community Colleges. After students complete the CSU GE-Breadth pattern, they must meet with a counselor in the Counseling Department to request certification. Certification is not automatic. Without this �certification�, students may have additional lower-division general education requirements to fulfill after transfer that vary from campus to campus in the CSU system. Students who fully complete the CSU GE-Breadth for Ventura College will also be eligible to apply for a Certificate of Achievement in California State University General Education-Breadth (CSU GE-Breadth). CSU GE is not appropriate for every major/college within the CSU. Check on www.assist.org or with your counselor or the Transfer Center for updated information. Certification - After students complete the CSU GE-Breadth pattern, they must meet with a counselor in the Counseling Office to request certification. Without this �certification�, students may have additional lower-division general education requirements to fulfill after transfer that vary from campus to campus in the CSU. Associate Degrees for Transfer(ADTs) require full certification. Certification of the CSU General Education Breadth requirements may include courses completed at Ventura College and previously completed courses from other regional accredited institutions as well as external exams (AP/IB/CLEP). Courses completed at other CSU campuses or at California community colleges will be certified in accordance with their General Education Patterns. It is the student's responsibility to provide an official transcript(s) from external institutions and/or official test scores for external exams. Courses that have been completed at a regionally accredited institution other than a California community college or CSU will be included only under the following circumstances: The student provides an official transcript, catalog description(s) and, course outline of record, if required. The course is determined to be comparable to a course in Ventura College's CSU General Education pattern through the pass-along process in accordance with California State University Executive Orders (EO), the Academic Senate of the California Community Colleges (ASCCC) Resolution on Reciprocity and VCCCD AP 4100. Partial Certification � It is possible to complete separately any of the Areas or sections (A-E) at Ventura College and receive partial certification in any or several of these areas; if you are not fully certified, it will be necessary for you to complete the remaining areas (and perhaps other areas) after transferring as defined by the catalog of the transfer school. Course Restrictions - No course may be counted in more than one area. Scholarship � A grade of "C" or better is required for each course completed in the oral communication (A1), written communication (A2), critical thinking (A3), and mathematics or quantitative reasoning (B4) of the CSU GE-Breadth. A �pass� or �P� is allowed, if the college�s catalog states that it is equivalent to a C or better. Although a �P� is permissible, it is highly recommended that students complete each of these four (4) courses with a letter grade (A, B or C). Note: While a "C-" can be used for CSU GE-Breadth Certification, students earning an Associate degree cannot use this grade to meet written competency (ENGL V01A English Composition) and Mathematics requirements. The grade in these areas must be a "C" or better, or "P". Major Courses � Most campuses require a grade of "C" or better for each course required in preparation for a student�s major; most do not allow a �P� (Pass) grade for major courses. Some CSU campuses allow applicants who submit full or partial certification to double count courses for general education and major requirements. Some majors are highly selective and require completion of some, or all, of the required major preparation coursework prior to transfer. Consult a counselor or assist.org for more information. U.S. History, Constitution and American Ideals Requirements �All campuses require students to complete college-level coursework in U.S. History, American Government and California Government, in addition to GE requirements for graduation. Courses approved to satisfy this requirement are specified in appropriate areas. CSU campuses may permit double counting of courses taken to meet this requirement and GE-Breadth if the student is partially or fully certified. External Credits or Credit by Examination - Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), and College Level Examination Program (CLEP) exams will be included in the CSU certification of general education requirements in accordance with the CSU Chancellor's Office policy. Students wishing to use units awarded for AP, IB, or CLEP should check with a counselor or refer to the Credit by Examination section of this catalog.