General Education
- Objectives
- Course Requirements
- Area A: Basic Subjects (9 units)
- Area B: The Physical Universe and Its Life Forms (12 Units)
- Area C: The Arts and Humanities (12 Units)
- Area D: The Individual and Society (9 Units)
- Area E: Understanding Personal Development (3 Units)
- Area F: Ethnic Studies (3 Units)
- Additional Graduation Requirements
- Second Semester Composition Requirement
- Foreign Language Graduation Requirement
- American Institutions
- Race & Ethnicity in American Society (3-unit Supervenient Requirement)
- Writing Intensive and Graduate Writing Intensive (3-unit Supervenient Requirement)
- General Education Policies
Click here for General Education Requirements prior to Fall 2018.
Click here for General Education Requirements from Fall 2018 to Spring 2021.
One of the principles on which a modern university rests is the assumption that there is an important difference between learning to make a living and building the foundation for a life. While the first goal is important, the second is fundamental.
In focusing on the students’ development as whole or “educated” people, a university distinguishes itself from a trade school. The goal of a university education is not simply the acquisition and application of knowledge, but the creation of people who firmly grasp the worth of clear thinking and know how to do it; who understand and appreciate the differences between peoples and cultures as well as their similarities; who have a sense of history and social forces; who can express thought clearly and have quantitative ability; who know something about the arts as well as how to enjoy them; who can talk and think intelligently about the physical and life sciences, the humanities, and literature; and, above all, who have the desire and capability for learning. This goal is why a university degree is so highly valued by individuals, employers, and the community at large.
The Sacramento State General Education Program is designed to educate in this holistic sense. Thus, it is not simply a series of courses to complete or hoops for students to jump through as they complete the courses in their major. Rather, general education lies at the heart of what a university education is all about.
Therefore students should carefully select courses and actively seek subject areas that are new and may challenge their world views or cherished assumptions and offer new experiences, such as inquiry-based or community-based learning. In short, students should not take the easy way out. This is their opportunity to lay the foundation for the rest of their lives, and to define themselves as educated members of the human community. Their time at the university is precious and the General Education Program has been designed to help them begin the process of becoming truly educated people. In deciding to pursue a university degree, they have chosen well and should make the best use of the opportunities open to them.
Objectives
Upon completion of the General Education Program requirements, students will be expected to:
- read, write, and understand relatively complex and sophisticated English prose;
- construct a non-fallacious verbal argument, recognize fallacious arguments, and follow the verbal arguments of others;
- find and use common information resources, engage in specialized library research, use computers, and seek out appropriate expert opinion and advice;
- use mathematical ideas to accomplish a variety of tasks;
- gain a general understanding of current theory, concepts, knowledge, and scientific methods pertaining to the nature of the physical universe, ecosystems, and life on this planet;
- develop an acquaintance and understanding of cultures and major dynamic social institutions which affect one’s life,
- possess a significant and useful understanding of peoples from a diversity of cultures and backgrounds, including women and ethnic and other minority groups who have been the objects of prejudice and adverse discrimination within our society.
In addition to these basic skills, courses in the sciences, arts, humanities, and social sciences have been selected to help students attain the university’s baccalaureate learning goals and to satisfy particular GE Area Learning Outcomes. The Baccalaureate Learning Goals include:
- Competence in the Disciplines: The ability to demonstrate the competencies and values listed below in at least one major field of study and to demonstrate informed understandings of other fields, drawing on the knowledge and skills of disciplines outside the major.
- Knowledge of Human Cultures and the Physical and Natural World through study in the sciences and mathematics, social sciences, humanities, histories, languages, and the arts. Focused by engagement with big questions, contemporary and enduring.
- Intellectual and Practical Skills, Including: inquiry and analysis, critical, philosophical, and creative thinking, written and oral communication, quantitative literacy, information literacy, teamwork and problem solving, practiced extensively across the curriculum, in the context of progressively more challenging problems, projects, and standards for performance.
- Personal and Social Responsibility, Including: civic knowledge and engagement—local and global, intercultural knowledge and competence1, ethical reasoning and action, foundations and skills for lifelong learning anchored through active involvement with diverse communities and real-world challenges.
- Integrative Learning2, Including: synthesis and advanced accomplishment across general and specialized studies.
- 1
Understanding of and respect for those who are different from oneself and the ability to work collaboratively with those who come from diverse cultural backgrounds.
- 2
Interdisciplinary learning, learning communities, capstone or senior studies in the General Education program and/or in the major connecting learning goals with the content and practices of the educational programs including GE, departmental majors, the co-curriculum and assessments.
Sacramento State General Education courses are designed, selected, and approved by the faculty to meet these program objectives. Students will benefit from consultation with the Academic Advising Center or advisors in their major departments in planning their General Education course choices. Students may search the online Schedule of Classes by Area or other specification(s) for currently available GE courses.
Course Requirements
The following courses have been approved to meet the 48-unit General Education pattern required of Sacramento State students. At least 9 units must be in upper division GE courses (100-199) from Areas B, C, and D taken after you complete 45 units of coursework. Enrollment in upper division General Education courses is limited to students who have completed Areas A1, A2, A3. Upper division General Education courses must be completed in residence with the CSU.
General Education/Graduation Requirements Checklist
A checklist is available to download here.
Students must choose their General Education classes from the Areas and classes listed below:
Area A: Basic Subjects (9 units)
These requirements must be completed before enrollment in upper division GE courses. A grade of "C-" or better is required in all courses taken in Area A.
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| A1: Oral Communication | 3 | |
| Select one of the following: | ||
| Introduction to Public Speaking | ||
| Honors Public Speaking | ||
| The Communication Experience | ||
| A2: Written Communication | 3 | |
| Select one of the following: | ||
| Accelerated Academic Literacies | ||
| Accelerated Academic Literacies - Multilingual | ||
| Academic Literacies II | ||
| Academic Literacies II-Multilingual | ||
| Academic Writing Through World History | ||
| A3: Critical Thinking | 3 | |
| Select one of the following: | ||
| Language, Culture, and Critical Thinking | ||
| Argumentation | ||
| Critical Thinking and the Educated Person | ||
| Critical Thinking and the Educated Person: Honors | ||
| Environmental Issues and Critical Thinking | ||
| Fashion Sustainability, Global Impact, and Critical Thinking | ||
| History's Mysteries: Thinking Critically about the Past | ||
| Popular Culture: Thinking Critically About the World Around Us | ||
| Media Literacy and Critical Thinking | ||
| Reasoning and Critical Thinking on Health Topics | ||
| Critical Thinking | ||
| Science and Pseudoscience | ||
| Critical Thinking in Tourism | ||
| Sense and Nonsense in Social Issues and Research | ||
| Introduction to Gender & Sexuality | ||
Area B: The Physical Universe and Its Life Forms (12 Units)
At least 3 units must be taken in each of Areas B1, B2 and B4 and B5. At least one course with a laboratory component (B3) must be taken in conjunction with Area B1 or B2.
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| AREA B1: PHYSICAL SCIENCE | 3 | |
| Select one of the following: | ||
| Introduction to the Solar System | ||
| Introduction to Stars, Galaxies, and Cosmology | ||
| Introduction to Astrobiology | ||
| Astronomical Observation Laboratory | ||
| General Chemistry I | ||
| Introduction to General Chemistry | ||
| Science of Textile | ||
| Physical Geography: The Distribution of Natural Phenomena | ||
| Violent Weather/Changing Atmosphere | ||
| Laboratory in Physical Geography | ||
| Geology Of Mexico | ||
| Natural Disasters | ||
| Earth Science | ||
| Earth Science Lab | ||
| Physical Geology | ||
| Physical Geology Lab | ||
| Science of Food | ||
| General Physics: Mechanics, Heat, Sound | ||
| Physics In Our World | ||
| General Physics: Mechanics | ||
| AREA B2: LIFE FORMS | 3 | |
| Select one of the following: | ||
| Introduction to Biological Anthropology | ||
| Biological Anthropology Laboratory | ||
| Biodiversity, Evolution and Ecology | ||
| Introduction to the Science of Biology | ||
| Our Living World: Evolution, Ecology and Behavior | ||
| Basic Biological Concepts | ||
| Biology: A Human Perspective | ||
| Introduction to Environmental Science | ||
| Honors Environmental Science | ||
| AREA B3: LAB | ||
| Select a course from the following: | ||
| Astronomical Observation Laboratory | ||
| Biological Anthropology Laboratory | ||
| Biodiversity, Evolution and Ecology | ||
| Introduction to the Science of Biology | ||
| Laboratory Investigations in Biology | ||
| General Chemistry I | ||
| Introduction to General Chemistry | ||
| Laboratory in Physical Geography | ||
| Geology Of Mexico | ||
| Earth Science Lab | ||
| Physical Geology Lab | ||
| Exercise and Sport Physiology | ||
| General Physics: Mechanics, Heat, Sound | ||
| General Physics: Mechanics | ||
| AREA B4: MATHEMATICAL CONCEPTS AND QUANTITATIVE REASONING 1 | 3 | |
| Select one of the following: | ||
| Quantitative Reasoning in Human Development | ||
| Mathematical Practices Across Cultures | ||
| Financial Literacy | ||
| Mathematical Reasoning | ||
| Honors Mathematical Reasoning | ||
| An Introduction to Exploration, Conjecture, and Proof in Mathematics | ||
| Modern Business Mathematics | ||
| Calculus I for the Social and Life Sciences | ||
| Calculus II for the Social and Life Sciences | ||
| Pre-Calculus Mathematics | ||
| Calculus I | ||
| Calculus II | ||
| Introduction to Linear Algebra | ||
| Deductive Logic I | ||
| Inductive Logic I | ||
| Introduction to Statistics | ||
| Introduction to Probability and Statistics | ||
| Introductory Statistics with Developmental Mathematics | ||
| AREA B5: FURTHER STUDIES IN PHYSICAL SCIENCE, LIFE FORMS, AND QUANTITATIVE REASONING | 3 | |
| Select one from the following: | ||
| World Prehistory and the Evolution of Modern Humanity | ||
| The Anthropocene: Human Impacts on Ancient Environments | ||
| Health, Culture, Power: Topics in Medical Anthropology | ||
| Life of Primates | ||
| Forensic Anthropology | ||
| The Solar System and Space Exploration | ||
| Stars, Galaxies and Cosmology | ||
| Through Space and Time in the Planetarium | ||
| Introduction to Scientific Analysis | ||
| Life in the Ocean | ||
| Biology of Dinosaurs | ||
| Introduction to Structural Analysis | ||
| Mind and Brain in Developmental Context | ||
| Science in the Public Debate | ||
| Chemical Concepts | ||
| Advanced Organic Chemistry Laboratory | ||
| Soils and Foundations | ||
| Electrical Power Design Project I | ||
| Electrical Power Design Project II | ||
| Product Design Project I | ||
| Product Design Project II | ||
| Energy and Modern Life | ||
| Ethnoecology | ||
| Elements Of Meteorology | ||
| Climate | ||
| Biogeography | ||
| Global Climate Change | ||
| Visualizing Global Environments | ||
| Volcanoes: An Introduction | ||
| Oceanography | ||
| Age of Dinosaurs | ||
| Water Planet | ||
| Research on Aging & the Life Course | ||
| Ancient Science | ||
| History of the Physical Sciences | ||
| The History of Darwinism | ||
| Global Environmental History in the Age of Imperialism, 1450-Present Day | ||
| History of Madness in the United States | ||
| Science and the Public Good | ||
| Data Visualization | ||
| Exercise and Sport Physiology | ||
| Project Engineering I | ||
| Current Topics in Nutritional Sciences | ||
| Nutrition And Metabolism | ||
| The Brain and Gender-Related Differences | ||
| Research as the Foundation for Evidence-Based Nursing Practice | ||
| Philosophy Of Science | ||
| Modern Physics for Everyone | ||
| Physics of Sports | ||
| Musical Acoustics: Science and Sound | ||
| Seeing the Light | ||
| Quantitative Reasoning in Political Science | ||
| The Science of Nature Engagement and Human Health & Wellbeing | ||
| The Science of Play | ||
| Traumatology: An Introduction to Posttraumatic Growth | ||
| Gender & Health | ||
| Total Units | 12 | |
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See the Math Department website: https://www.csus.edu/college/natural-sciences-mathematics/math-placement-exam/ A grade of "C-" or better is required in all courses taken in Area B4.
Area C: The Arts and Humanities (12 Units)
At least 3 lower division units must be completed in Area C1: ARTS and at least 3 lower division units must be completed in C2: HUMANITIES. At least 3 additional lower division units and 3 upper division units must be completed in either of the C1: Arts or C2: Humanities
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| AREA C1: ARTS | 3 - 9 | |
| Select 3-9 units from the following two divisions: | ||
| Lower Division: Select 3-6 Units | ||
| History of Architecture: Prehistory to 1800 | ||
| History of Architecture: 1800 to Today | ||
| Art, Religions, and Power before 1400 | ||
| Art, Empires, and Cross-Cultural Exchange, 1400-1800 | ||
| Global Modern and Contemporary Art | ||
| History of Islamic Art | ||
| Traditional Asian Art | ||
| Modern and Contemporary Asian Art | ||
| European Visual Traditions | ||
| Art of the Americas | ||
| Introduction to Art and Visual Culture | ||
| Beginning Drawing | ||
| Form, Space Vision | ||
| Clay Sculpture | ||
| Beginning Sculpture | ||
| Introduction to Graphic Design | ||
| History Of Graphic Design | ||
| Introduction to Film | ||
| History of Architecture: Prehistory to 1800 | ||
| History of Architecture: 1800 to Today | ||
| Introduction to Interior Design | ||
| Design | ||
| Basic Music | ||
| Music In World Cultures | ||
| Survey of Music Literature I | ||
| Survey of Music Literature II | ||
| Music Appreciation | ||
| Digital Photography I | ||
| Introduction To Theatre | ||
| History of the Theatre: Ancient to Renaissance | ||
| Theatre History After 1660 | ||
| Aesthetics of Theatre and Film | ||
| Appreciation Of Acting | ||
| Upper Division: Select 0-3 Units | ||
| The Studio: Explorations in Arts and Letters | ||
| Themes in World Art and Visual Culture | ||
| US and Caribbean Art: Race and Representation | ||
| Latin American and Latino Art History | ||
| Art of India and Southeast Asia | ||
| Art of China and Japan | ||
| Public Art in the Americas | ||
| African American Art and Visual Culture | ||
| Global Animation History | ||
| Modern East Asian Cinema | ||
| Appreciation and History of Dance | ||
| Dance Cultures Of America | ||
| African-Caribbean Dance | ||
| Masterpieces of the Cinema | ||
| Advanced Topics Race & Intersectionality in Film | ||
| History Of Western Fashion | ||
| Socialist Popular Culture | ||
| Modern East Asian Cinema | ||
| A History of Anime | ||
| Contemporary Issues in Film | ||
| Introduction to Italian Cinema I | ||
| American Popular Music: Jazz History | ||
| History of Rock Music | ||
| Hip-Hop in Urban America | ||
| World Music: Asia | ||
| World Music: Africa | ||
| World Music: Latin America | ||
| The American Musical Theater | ||
| American Society and Its Music | ||
| Philosophy Of Art | ||
| Multicultural Puppetry | ||
| Black Drama in the African Diaspora | ||
| Women and Theatre: Staging Diversity | ||
| African American Theatre and Culture | ||
| Contemporary Chicano/Latino Theatre: Themes and Performance 1965-Present | ||
| Multicultural Perspectives in American Theatre | ||
| Multicultural Perspectives in American Film | ||
| Women and Theatre: Staging Diversity | ||
| Women In Art | ||
| AREA C2: HUMANITIES | 3 - 9 | |
| Select 3-9 units from the following two divisions | ||
| Lower Division: Select 3-6 Units | ||
| Magic, Witchcraft and Religion | ||
| Comparative Early Civilizations | ||
| Elementary Mandarin | ||
| American Sign Language 2 | ||
| Introduction to British Literature I | ||
| Introduction to British Literature II | ||
| Introduction to American Literature I | ||
| Introduction to American Literature II | ||
| Introduction to World Literatures in English | ||
| Modern Short Plays | ||
| Elementary French | ||
| Intermediate French | ||
| Elementary German | ||
| Survey of Early Western Civilization | ||
| Survey of Modern Western Civilization | ||
| Asian Civilizations | ||
| History of African Civilizations | ||
| Islam and the West | ||
| World History I: to 1500 | ||
| What We Ate: A Global History of Food | ||
| World History I: to 1500 | ||
| World History from 1500 to the Present. | ||
| World History from 1500 to the Present | ||
| Great Books and World Civilization I | ||
| Great Books and World Civilization II | ||
| Exploring World Religions | ||
| Arts and Ideas of the West: Ancient to Medieval | ||
| Arts and Ideas of the West: Renaissance to Modern | ||
| Arts and Ideas of Asia: Ancient to Medieval | ||
| Arts and Ideas of Asia: Medieval to Modern | ||
| Elementary Italian | ||
| Elementary Japanese | ||
| Elementary Korean 1B | ||
| Ethics | ||
| Introduction to Philosophy: Knowledge, World and Self | ||
| History of Philosophy | ||
| History of Early Modern Philosophy | ||
| The Meaning of Government: An Introduction to Political Ideas | ||
| Elementary Punjabi | ||
| Elementary Russian | ||
| Elementary Spanish | ||
| World Literatures in Film | ||
| Upper Division: Select 0-3 Units | ||
| Archaeology of Mexico | ||
| Japanese Culture and Society | ||
| Rise of Religious Cults | ||
| The Religious Landscape of the Sacramento Valley | ||
| Nationalism in Asia | ||
| History of Modern Korea | ||
| US-China Relations | ||
| Modernity and Globalization in Asia | ||
| History of Childhood: Interdisciplinary Perspectives | ||
| Chinese Civilization | ||
| Survey of Chinese Literature | ||
| European Economic History | ||
| Multicultural Children's Literature | ||
| Cross-Cultural Bridges: A Humanist Approach to Education | ||
| Jewish American Literature | ||
| STEM Leadership, Ethics, and Social Change | ||
| Environmental Ethics | ||
| Asian American Women | ||
| American Indians, Film and Popular Culture | ||
| Asian Americans in Media and Popular Culture | ||
| Native Voice, Memory, and Biography | ||
| Native American Oral Tradition and Storytelling | ||
| African Religions and Philosophies | ||
| French Civilization | ||
| Culture Wars: From Knighthood to Revolution | ||
| Heroes, Dragons and Quests | ||
| German Mythology and Legend | ||
| German Folk Literature, Legend, and Lore | ||
| King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table in Germany | ||
| German Civilization: Beginning to 16th Century | ||
| German Civilization: 17th Century to Present | ||
| Mediterranean Europe: From the Renaissance to the European Union | ||
| Great Ages and Issues in Modern European History | ||
| Everyday Life and Society in Antiquity | ||
| History of Modern Greece | ||
| The Ancient Near East: A Cultural History | ||
| Ancient Greece | ||
| Ancient Rome | ||
| Early Medieval Europe | ||
| Europe, 1648-1815, The Age of Revolution | ||
| History of Women in Western Civilization, Prehistory-Middle Ages | ||
| History of Women in Western Civilization, Renaissance-Present | ||
| Women's Global Activism in the 20th Century | ||
| Evolution of Christianity to the Reformation | ||
| Evolution of Christianity Since the Reformation | ||
| Medieval Russia | ||
| Imperial Russia | ||
| The Fall Of Communism | ||
| History of Sexuality in Comparative Perspective | ||
| History Of Mexico To 1910 | ||
| Latin American Revolutions in the Twentieth Century | ||
| Latin American History in Film | ||
| History of Women in Africa | ||
| Middle Eastern History to 1800 | ||
| Cultural History of Japan to 1800 | ||
| The History of Manga | ||
| History of Buddhism | ||
| China: Antiquity to 1600 AD | ||
| Early American Book History | ||
| Images Of America | ||
| Hollywood and America | ||
| Queer Black Histories | ||
| Disability in World History: A Comparative History | ||
| The Public Good Through the Visual and Performing Arts | ||
| The Culture of Classical Greece | ||
| The Culture of Classical Rome | ||
| Paganism in the Roman World | ||
| Classical Mythology | ||
| Reason and Revelation: The Origins of Western Culture | ||
| Introduction to the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament | ||
| Introduction to the New Testament | ||
| Medieval Culture | ||
| Renaissance | ||
| Baroque and the Enlightenment | ||
| Romanticism and Revolution | ||
| Birth Of The Modern | ||
| Global Crossings: Art and Culture 1945 to Present | ||
| Introduction To Judaism | ||
| Introduction to Christianity | ||
| Introduction To Islam | ||
| Introduction to Islamic Cultures | ||
| Islam in America | ||
| African Arts and Cultures | ||
| World Mythology | ||
| Great Mystics of the World | ||
| Food, Farming, and the Sacred | ||
| Spirit and Nature | ||
| Multicultural America | ||
| American Space and Identity | ||
| Introduction to the East Asian World | ||
| The Classical Culture of China | ||
| Chinese Philosophy and Religion | ||
| Modern Japanese Literature and Culture | ||
| Zen Buddhism and Daoism | ||
| The Confucian Tradition | ||
| Religions of India | ||
| India's Religions: Hindus & Buddhists | ||
| The Hindu Year: Fall | ||
| The Hindu Year: Spring | ||
| The Film | ||
| World Religions and Cultures in Cinema | ||
| Fantasy and Romance | ||
| Italian Civilization: The Dialogue Form It's Origins and European Context | ||
| Japanese Civilization | ||
| Martial Arts: Karate | ||
| Martial Arts: Tae Kwon Do | ||
| Martial Arts: Tai Chi | ||
| STEM Leadership, Ethics, and Social Change | ||
| Cultural and Social Aspects of Food | ||
| Nursing Application of Research and Critical Analysis | ||
| Professional Communication and Reasoning Development | ||
| Professional and Public Service Ethics | ||
| History Of Ethics | ||
| Philosophy of Literature and Film | ||
| Existentialism | ||
| Political Philosophy | ||
| Philosophy Of Religion | ||
| Chinese Philosophy | ||
| Philosophies Of India | ||
| US-China Relations | ||
| Russian Civilization | ||
| Social Change and Migration in Latin America | ||
| Sociology of Popular Culture | ||
| Asian Societies | ||
| Middle Eastern Societies and Culture | ||
| Asian American Women | ||
| Women Of The Middle East | ||
| Sex & Gender in South Asia | ||
| Goddess, Witch, Feminist | ||
| Total Units | 6-18 | |
Area D: The Individual and Society (9 Units)
A minimum of two disciplines (e.g. ANTH, ECON, ETHN, HIST, POLS, RPTA, etc.) must be taken in Area D. Up to three units of the The American Institutions graduation requirement may be satisfied in Area D in either US History or US Constitution and California government (see American Institutions Graduation Requirement).
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Select 9 units from the following two divisions | 9 | |
| Lower Division: Select 6 Units | ||
| Introduction to Cultural Anthropology | ||
| Introduction to Archaeology | ||
| Asia in the World Today | ||
| Introduction to Criminal Justice and Society | ||
| Introduction to Deaf Studies | ||
| Introduction to Macroeconomic Analysis | ||
| Introduction to Microeconomic Analysis | ||
| Education, Equity, & American Society | ||
| Africa: Myths and Realities | ||
| Cultural Geography | ||
| Cultural Geography - Honors | ||
| Fashion and Human Environment | ||
| The Family and Social Issues | ||
| Major Problems in U.S. History | ||
| United States History, 1607-1877 | ||
| United States History, 1877-Present | ||
| Health, Medicine, and Science in America, 1600-Present | ||
| Becoming America: Immigrants in American History, 1877-Present | ||
| Health Care: Issues and Delivery Systems | ||
| Essentials Of Government | ||
| Honors Government | ||
| World Politics | ||
| Introductory Psychology | ||
| Race, Class Gender and Leisure | ||
| Principles of Sociology | ||
| Social Problems | ||
| Issues in Crime and Social Control | ||
| Introduction to LGBTQ Studies | ||
| Introduction to Disability Studies | ||
| Introduction to Women's & Gender Studies | ||
| Upper Division: Select 3 Units | ||
| Cultural Diversity | ||
| The Nature of Culture | ||
| Culture and Society in Mexico | ||
| Peoples of Southeast Asia | ||
| Cultures of South Asia | ||
| Women Cross-Culturally | ||
| Culture and Poverty | ||
| Asian Diaspora and Migration | ||
| North Korean Politics and Society | ||
| Civil Engineering Project Skills | ||
| Contemporary Issues in Human Development | ||
| Freedom Of Speech | ||
| Women and the Criminal Justice System | ||
| Gangs and Threat Groups in America | ||
| Sexual Offenses and Offenders | ||
| Violence and Terrorism | ||
| Restorative Justice and Conflict Resolution | ||
| American Criminal Justice and Minority Groups | ||
| Drug Abuse and Criminal Behavior | ||
| Economics of Racism | ||
| Hmong in Education | ||
| Latinas/os/x in Education | ||
| Urban Education | ||
| Sex Role Stereotyping in American Education | ||
| Sustainable Design and Construction | ||
| Engineering Economics | ||
| American Environmental History | ||
| Ethnic America | ||
| The Asian American Experience | ||
| Contemporary Asian American Issues | ||
| Asian American Communities | ||
| Asian Americans and Globalization | ||
| Asian American Politics and Public Policy | ||
| Sikh Americans and Globalization | ||
| Hmong American Experiences | ||
| Chicano/Mexican-American Experience | ||
| La Raza Studies | ||
| US Mexican Border Relations | ||
| Race and Ethnicity in Latin America and Caribbean | ||
| Native American Experience | ||
| Politics of the African Diaspora | ||
| Native American Tribal Governments | ||
| Genocide and Holocaust Studies | ||
| Pan African Studies | ||
| Clothing, Society, and Culture | ||
| Family Stress and Coping: Multicultural Focus | ||
| Population Geography | ||
| Geology and the Environment | ||
| Aging Issues in Contemporary America | ||
| Culture and Language in Modern Greece, 1821-1909 | ||
| Culture and Language in Modern Greece, 1909-Present | ||
| Greece's Turbulent Century, 1909 - 2010 | ||
| Europe Since 1945 | ||
| The Fall Of Communism | ||
| Revolutionary and Modern Mexico | ||
| Spanish Civil War | ||
| Colonial Latin America | ||
| Modern and Contemporary Latin America | ||
| History of Africa Since 1800 | ||
| The Modern Middle East | ||
| Ottoman State and Society | ||
| The Arab-Israeli Conflict | ||
| Modern Japan, 1800-present | ||
| China, 1600 to Present | ||
| Founding Documents: American Democracy before 1800 | ||
| History of US Foreign Relations | ||
| The American Vision | ||
| Social History of the United States | ||
| The City in US History | ||
| American Environmental History | ||
| History of American Women | ||
| American Indian History to 1840 | ||
| American Indian History since 1840 | ||
| The History of the Civil Rights Movement: From Reconstruction to Deconstruction, 1865-Present | ||
| History of Disability in the United States | ||
| Sex, Population, and Birth Control in America | ||
| Health, Death and Disease in America | ||
| African Cultural Heritage in the Americas | ||
| The African-American Experience, 1603-Present | ||
| Mexican-American History | ||
| The California Gold Rush | ||
| Civic Engagement, Service Learning: Pursuing the Public Good | ||
| India's Religions: Jains & Sikhs | ||
| Women in Film and American Culture | ||
| Urban Design and Society | ||
| Introduction to Japanese Popular Culture | ||
| War, Peace and the Mass Media | ||
| Women in the Mass Media | ||
| Labor and the American Social Structure | ||
| Business, Ethics and Society | ||
| Human Sexuality | ||
| Hospice and Palliative Nursing Care | ||
| Ethics and Social Issues | ||
| Business and Computer Ethics | ||
| Bioethics | ||
| Science and Human Values | ||
| Philosophy of Love | ||
| Philosophy of Sports | ||
| American Political Thought | ||
| War, Peace and the Mass Media | ||
| Politics of the African Diaspora | ||
| Government and Politics in Africa | ||
| Causes of War, Causes of Peace | ||
| European Politics | ||
| Asian Politics | ||
| Latin American Government and Politics | ||
| Governments and Politics in the Middle East | ||
| American Governments | ||
| Introduction to Black Politics in the U.S. | ||
| Politics of the Underrepresented | ||
| Science, Technology, and Politics | ||
| California State and Local Government | ||
| Psychology of Human Sexuality | ||
| Psychology of Multicultural Groups | ||
| Stress Management | ||
| Human Ecology and Health | ||
| Alcohol and Other Drugs | ||
| Understanding Human Sexuality | ||
| Leisure, the Individual, and Contemporary Society | ||
| Births, Deaths and Borders | ||
| Chicano Community | ||
| Ethnic and Race Relations | ||
| Sociology of Gender | ||
| Animals in Society | ||
| Criminology | ||
| Delinquency | ||
| Conflict, Oil and Development in the Middle East | ||
| Sociology of Globalization | ||
| Labor and the American Social Structure | ||
| Spanish Civil War | ||
| Crosscultural Theory and Practice: Issues of Race, Gender and Class | ||
| Theories of Criminal Behavior | ||
| Crimes Without Victims | ||
| Poverty and Homelessness in America | ||
| Welfare In America | ||
| Health Services and Systems | ||
| Exploration of Veteran Studies: An Ethnographic Approach | ||
| Introduction to Feminist Movements in the United States | ||
| Mother Woman Person | ||
| Gender, Race, and Class | ||
| Women of Color | ||
| Women and Work | ||
| Violence Against Women | ||
| Latinx Feminist Studies | ||
| Gender & Disability | ||
| Total Units | 9 | |
Area E: Understanding Personal Development (3 Units)
Only a single one-unit KINS activity course may be applied to this area. A one-unit KINS course cannot be combined with a two-unit DNCE course to meet this requirement. KINS 99 may be taken concurrently with any 1 unit KINS activity course for a total of 3 units of Area E GE credit.
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Select one from the following: | 3 | |
| First Year Seminar: Becoming an Educated Person | ||
| Freshman Seminar: Becoming an Educated Person | ||
| Civil Engineering Seminar | ||
| Engineering Graphics and CAD | ||
| Human Development | ||
| Child and Adolescent Development | ||
| First Year Seminar: Becoming an Educated Person | ||
| First Year Seminar: Becoming an Educated Person | ||
| First Year Seminar: Becoming an Educated Person | ||
| Introduction to Logic Design | ||
| First Year Seminar: Becoming an Educated Person | ||
| First Year Seminar: Becoming an Educated Person | ||
| First Year Seminar: Becoming an Educated Person | ||
| Introduction to Logic Design | ||
| First Year Seminar: Becoming an Educated Person | ||
| Introduction to Engineering | ||
| Engineering Graphics and CADD (Computer Aided Drafting and Design) | ||
| First Year Seminar: Becoming an Educated Person | ||
| First Year Seminar: Becoming an Educated Person | ||
| The Child In The Family | ||
| First Year Seminar: Becoming an Educated Person | ||
| First Year Seminar: Becoming an Educated Person | ||
| First Year Seminar: Becoming an Educated Person | ||
| First Year Seminar: Education, Self-Examination, and Living | ||
| First Year Seminar: Becoming an Educated Person | ||
| First Year Seminar: Becoming an Educated Person | ||
| First Year Seminar: Becoming an Educated Person | ||
| Exercise for Healthy Living | ||
| First Year Seminar: Becoming an Educated Person | ||
| First Year Seminar: Becoming an Educated Person | ||
| First Year Seminar: Becoming an Educated Person | ||
| Nutrition And Wellness | ||
| First Year Seminar: Becoming an Educated Person | ||
| First Year Seminar: Becoming an Educated Person | ||
| The Photographic Self | ||
| First Year Seminar: Becoming an Educated Person | ||
| Healthy Lifestyles | ||
| First Year Seminar: Becoming an Educated Person | ||
| Happiness, Quality of Life, and Recreation Over the Lifespan | ||
| Leadership and Group Development | ||
| The Outdoor Recreation Experience | ||
| First Year Seminar: Becoming an Educated Person | ||
| First Year Seminar: Becoming an Educated Person | ||
| Total Units | 3 | |
Area F: Ethnic Studies (3 Units)
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Select one from the following: | 3 | |
| Introduction to Ethnic Studies | ||
| Introduction to Ethnic Studies (Honors) | ||
| Introduction to Asian American Studies | ||
| Introduction to Chicano/Latino Studies | ||
| Introduction to Native American Studies | ||
| Introduction to Pan African Studies | ||
| California Indian Studies | ||
| Total Units | 3 | |
Additional Graduation Requirements
In addition to the 48-unit General Education Area Requirements, undergraduate students must also complete the following Graduation Requirements. Some courses that satisfy the GE Area Requirements may also satisfy Graduation Requirements.
Second Semester Composition Requirement
Second semester composition (ENGL 20, ENGL 20M or an approved equivalent) must be completed with a grade of C- or better.
Foreign Language Graduation Requirement
Foreign language graduation requirement may be met by successfully completing appropriate coursework or passing proficiency exams. For details on challenge exams, please visit the Department of World Languages and Literatures website.
With a grade of “C-“ or better, the following second semester or equivalent college-level language courses may satisfy both GE Area C2 units and the Foreign Language Requirement:
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| CHIN 1B | Elementary Mandarin | 5 |
| DEAF 52 | American Sign Language 2 | 4 |
| FREN 1B | Elementary French | 4 |
| FREN 2A | Intermediate French | 4 |
| GERM 1B | Elementary German | 4 |
| ITAL 1B | Elementary Italian | 4 |
| JAPN 1B | Elementary Japanese | 5 |
| KORN 1B | Elementary Korean 1B | 5 |
| PUNJ 1B | Elementary Punjabi | 4 |
| RUSS 1B | Elementary Russian | 5 |
| SPAN 1B | Elementary Spanish | 4 |
American Institutions
This requirement may be fulfilled by completing one course in US History and one course in the US Constitution and California Government from the following list. Up to three units of the American Institutions Requirement may also satisfy GE Area units requirements. In addition, students have the option of taking challenge exams in US History, and/or US Constitution and California State and Local Government. For details on challenge exams, please see the Departments of History or Political Science.
US History
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| ANTH 101 | Cultural Diversity | 3 |
| HIST 15H | Major Problems in U.S. History | 3 |
| HIST 17A | United States History, 1607-1877 | 3 |
| HIST 17B | United States History, 1877-Present | 3 |
| HIST 18B | Becoming America: Immigrants in American History, 1877-Present | 3 |
| HIST 151B | Founding Documents: American Democracy before 1800 | 3 |
| HIST 159 | History of US Foreign Relations | 3 |
| HIST 161 | The American Vision | 3 |
| HIST 162 | Social History of the United States | 3 |
| HIST 167 | History of American Women | 3 |
| HIST 177 | The African-American Experience, 1603-Present | 3 |
| WGS 110 | Introduction to Feminist Movements in the United States | 3 |
US Constitution and CA Government
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| POLS 1 | Essentials Of Government | 3 |
| POLS 113 | American Political Thought | 3 |
| POLS 150 | American Governments | 3 |
CA Government (California State and Local Government does not meet the U.S. Constitution requirement included in other government courses listed above but may be used by students who have taken a U.S. Constitution course outside of California. It fulfills the state and local government requirement only).
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| POLS 180 | California State and Local Government | 3 |
Race & Ethnicity in American Society (3-unit Supervenient Requirement)
These courses also meet specific GE requirements in Areas C-E. One of these courses is required for students with catalog rights beginning Fall 1990 or later. The course may also be applied to the Area requirements.
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Lower Division | ||
| EDUC 1 | Education, Equity, & American Society | 3 |
| FSHD 50 | The Family and Social Issues | 3 |
| HIST 15H | Major Problems in U.S. History | 3 |
| HIST 17A | United States History, 1607-1877 | 3 |
| HIST 17B | United States History, 1877-Present | 3 |
| HIST 18 | Health, Medicine, and Science in America, 1600-Present | 3 |
| HIST 18B | Becoming America: Immigrants in American History, 1877-Present | 3 |
| Upper Division | ||
| ART 172 | African American Art and Visual Culture | 3 |
| ANTH 101 | Cultural Diversity | 3 |
| ANTH 186 | Culture and Poverty | 3 |
| ASIA 111 | Asian Diaspora and Migration | 3 |
| CHAD 145 | Contemporary Issues in Human Development | 3 |
| CRJ 117 | American Criminal Justice and Minority Groups | 3 |
| DNCE 131 | Dance Cultures Of America | 3 |
| DNCE 132 | African-Caribbean Dance | 3 |
| ECON 181 | Economics of Racism | 3 |
| EDUC 121 | Multicultural Children's Literature | 3 |
| EDUC 158 | Latinas/os/x in Education | 3 |
| EDUC 160 | Urban Education | 3 |
| EDUC 165 | Sex Role Stereotyping in American Education | 3 |
| ETHN 100 | Ethnic America | 3 |
| ETHN 131 | La Raza Studies | 3 |
| ETHN 133 | Crosscultural Aging in America | 3 |
| ETHN/POLS 141 | Politics of the African Diaspora | 3 |
| FSHD 150 | Family Stress and Coping: Multicultural Focus | 3 |
| HIST/HRS 168 | Images Of America | 3 |
| HIST 173 | The History of the Civil Rights Movement: From Reconstruction to Deconstruction, 1865-Present | 3 |
| HIST 176A | African Cultural Heritage in the Americas | 3 |
| HIST 177 | The African-American Experience, 1603-Present | 3 |
| HIST 178 | Mexican-American History | 3 |
| HRS 146 | Islam in America | 3 |
| HRS 161 | Multicultural America | 3 |
| KINS 118A | Martial Arts: Karate | 3 |
| KINS 118B | Martial Arts: Tae Kwon Do | 3 |
| KINS 118C | Martial Arts: Tai Chi | 3 |
| POLS 163 | Introduction to Black Politics in the U.S. | 3 |
| POLS 165 | Politics of the Underrepresented | 3 |
| PSYC 135 | Psychology of Multicultural Groups | 3 |
| SOC 118 | Chicano Community | 3 |
| SOC 120 | Ethnic and Race Relations | 3 |
| SWRK 102 | Crosscultural Theory and Practice: Issues of Race, Gender and Class | 3 |
| THEA 115A | Multicultural Puppetry | 3 |
| THEA/WGS 144 | Women and Theatre: Staging Diversity | 3 |
| THEA 174 | Multicultural Perspectives in American Theatre | 3 |
| THEA 175 | Multicultural Perspectives in American Film | 3 |
| WGS 136 | Gender, Race, and Class | 3 |
| WGS 137 | Women of Color | 3 |
| WGS 140 | Latinx Feminist Studies | 3 |
| WGS 144 | Women and Theatre: Staging Diversity | 3 |
Writing Intensive and Graduate Writing Intensive (3-unit Supervenient Requirement)
One Writing Intensive course, i.e., a course with comprehensive writing assignments (minimum 5,000 words) is required. Some Writing Intensive courses also satisfy a GE Area Requirement, a major requirement, or both. Prerequisite: Completion of GE Areas A2, A3, second semester composition (ENGL 20), junior standing, and either ENGL 109M/ ENGL 109W or completion of the WPJ. Successful completion of the writing intensive course with a grade of C- or better certifies the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR).
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Writing Intensive Courses | ||
| ANTH 102 | The Nature of Culture | 3 |
| ANTH/HRS 170 | The Religious Landscape of the Sacramento Valley | 3 |
| ANTH 186 | Culture and Poverty | 3 |
| ART 102 | Themes in World Art and Visual Culture | 3 |
| ART 111 | Latin American and Latino Art History | 3 |
| ASIA/HIST 140 | Modern East Asian Cinema | 3 |
| ASIA 198 | Modernity and Globalization in Asia | 3 |
| ASTR 131 | The Solar System and Space Exploration | 3 |
| ASTR 132 | Stars, Galaxies and Cosmology | 3 |
| BIO 220B | Scientific Writing and Communication | 3 |
| COMS 100B | Rhetoric and Social Influence | 3 |
| CHAD 145 | Contemporary Issues in Human Development | 3 |
| CRJ 190 | Contemporary Issues in Criminal Justice | 3 |
| EDUC 121 | Multicultural Children's Literature | 3 |
| EDUC 160 | Urban Education | 3 |
| EDUC 165 | Sex Role Stereotyping in American Education | 3 |
| ENGL 100Z | Topics in Literary Theory and Criticism | 4 |
| ENGL 120C | Topics in Composition | 4 |
| ENGL 120E | Digital Writing and Rhetoric | 4 |
| ENGL 120L | Community Literacy and Public Rhetorics | 4 |
| ENGL 120P | Professional Writing | 4 |
| ENGL 120R | Topics in Rhetoric | 4 |
| ENGL 120T | Technical Writing | 4 |
| ENGL 130M | Art of Autobiography | 4 |
| ENGL 140M | Modern British Drama, 1889-Present | 4 |
| ENGL 141A | The Essential Shakespeare | 4 |
| ENGL 150B | American Romanticism | 4 |
| ENGL 165D | Postcolonial Literature | 4 |
| ENGL 170H | Introduction To Comedy | 4 |
| ENGL 170I | Introduction To Tragedy | 4 |
| ENGL/ETHN 180A | Forms of African-American Poetry | 4 |
| ENGL/ETHN 180B | Forms of African-American Fiction | 4 |
| ENGL 180L | Chicano Literature | 4 |
| ENGL 180M | Asian American Literature | 4 |
| ENGL 185B | Twentieth Century Fiction by Women | 4 |
| ENGR/NSM 193 | STEM Leadership, Ethics, and Social Change | 3 |
| ENVS 112 | International Environmental Problems | 3 |
| ETHN 100 | Ethnic America | 3 |
| ETHN 145 | Native Voice, Memory, and Biography | 3 |
| ETHN 180A | Forms of African-American Poetry | 4 |
| ETHN 180B | Forms African-Am Fiction | 4 |
| FSHD 150 | Family Stress and Coping: Multicultural Focus | 3 |
| GEOG 190 | Senior Research Seminar in Geography | 3 |
| GEOL 140 | Geology and the Environment | 3 |
| HIST 100R | Developing Historical Skills. | 3 |
| HIST 105 | Great Ages and Issues in Modern European History | 3 |
| HIST 106 | Everyday Life and Society in Antiquity | 3 |
| HIST 122A | History of Women in Western Civilization, Prehistory-Middle Ages | 3 |
| HIST 122B | History of Women in Western Civilization, Renaissance-Present | 3 |
| HIST 137A | Latin American Revolutions in the Twentieth Century | 3 |
| HIST 137B | Latin American History in Film | 3 |
| HIST 140 | Modern East Asian Cinema | 3 |
| HIST 143D | The Arab-Israeli Conflict | 3 |
| HIST/HRS 168 | Images Of America | 3 |
| HIST 186A | The California Gold Rush | 3 |
| HRS 120 | Reason and Revelation: The Origins of Western Culture | 3 |
| HRS 132 | Renaissance | 3 |
| JOUR 135 | Public Affairs Reporting | 3 |
| KINS 133 | Integration of Concepts | 3 |
| LBRS 100/SOC 176 | Labor and the American Social Structure | 3 |
| MGMT 117 | Business, Ethics and Society | 3 |
| MUSC 110 | Research in Music History | 3 |
| MUSC 127 | The American Musical Theater | 3 |
| MUSC 129 | American Society and Its Music | 3 |
| NSM/ENGR 193 | STEM Leadership, Ethics, and Social Change | 3 |
| NUFD 112 | Current Topics in Nutritional Sciences | 3 |
| NURS 120 | Nursing Application of Research and Critical Analysis | 3 |
| NURS 179 | Professional Communication and Reasoning Development | 3 |
| PHIL 101 | Ethics and Social Issues | 3 |
| PHIL 105 | Science and Human Values | 3 |
| PHIL 112 | History Of Ethics | 3 |
| PHIL 115 | Philosophy of Literature and Film | 3 |
| PHIL 117 | Existentialism | 3 |
| PHIL 145A | Chinese Philosophy | 3 |
| PHIL 145B | Philosophies Of India | 3 |
| PUBH 124 | Ethical Considerations in Public Health | 3 |
| POLS 149A | Original Research in Comparative Politics | 3 |
| POLS 165 | Politics of the Underrepresented | 3 |
| RPTA 122 | Perspectives On Leisure | 3 |
| RPTA 125 | Leisure, the Individual, and Contemporary Society | 3 |
| SOC 133 | Sport in a Global Perspective | 3 |
| SOC 168 | Self and Society | 3 |
| SOC 176 | Labor and the American Social Structure | 3 |
| SWRK 126 | Theories of Criminal Behavior | 3 |
| SWRK 191 | Exploration of Veteran Studies: An Ethnographic Approach | 3 |
| THEA 170 | African American Theatre and Culture | 3 |
| WGS 136 | Gender, Race, and Class | 3 |
| WGS 138 | Women and Work | 3 |
| WGS 175 | Gender & Disability | 3 |
| Graduate Writing Intensive Courses | ||
General Education Policies
- All upper division GE courses require at least second semester sophomore standing (45 units) and completion of all GE Area A courses as prerequisites.
- At least 3 upper division GE units must be completed each in Area B, Area C, and Area D, for a total of at least 9 upper division GE units.
- Each course taken to satisfy Area A Basic Subjects, Area B4 Quantitative Reasoning, Second Semester Composition, Foreign Language, and Writing Intensive Requirements must be completed with a grade of “C-” or higher.
- A 2.0 cumulative GPA is required in General Education.
Overlap Between General Education and Majors/Minors (Fall 1992 - Spring 2013)
General Education requirements include five areas (A-E) in which you must take courses (area requirements), a nine-unit upper division requirement, a Race and Ethnicity requirement, and a Writing Intensive requirement. The overlap possibilities among these four aspects of General Education are outlined below. Students needing help applying these overlap policies are encouraged to seek advising through their College Advising Centers or through an advisor in the Academic Advising Center, Lassen Hall 1012.
- A maximum of nine units of coursework from your major department may also be applied to the General Education requirements.
- The Race and Ethnicity requirement can be met with an upper or lower division course from a student’s major or major department. Example: A Social Work major can use SWRK 102 to meet the Race and Ethnicity requirement.
- The Writing Intensive requirement can be met with a course from the major or major department in specified majors, but not in all majors.
- There is no restriction on the overlap of courses between GE and minor requirements*
Note: For Business majors, substitute “College of Business” for “major department.” For Social Science majors, substitute “History” for “major department.”
Overlap Between General Education and Majors/Minors (Fall 2013 and Spring 2021)
General Education requirements include five areas (A-E) in which you must take courses (area requirements), a nine-unit upper division requirement, a Race and Ethnicity requirement, and a Writing Intensive requirement. The overlap possibilities among these four aspects of General Education are outlined below. Students needing help applying these overlap policies are encouraged to seek advising through their College Advising Centers or through an advisor in the Academic Advising Center, Lassen Hall 1012.
- There is no university restriction on the overlap of courses between GE and coursework approved for GE from your major department.
- The Race and Ethnicity requirement can be met with an upper or lower division course from a student’s major or major department. Example: A Social Work major can use SWRK 102 to meet the Race and Ethnicity requirement.
- The Writing Intensive requirement can be met with a course from the major or major department in specified majors, but not in all majors.
- There is no restriction on the overlap of courses between GE and minor requirements
Transfer Students
Transfer students who have completed lower division General Education requirements at a California Community College, including those certified under the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Core Curriculum (IGETC), and/or those in receipt of an Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT), are required to complete 9 units of upper division GE at Sacramento State (or another CSU campus), meet the foreign language proficiency graduation requirement, meet the state “code” requirements in U.S. History, American and California Government, and the writing intensive requirement. These 9 units may or may not include the writing intensive requirement, depending on the policy of the student’s major department. Students who have not completed an approved course for the "Race and Ethnicity in American Society" category at a community college must take a course in this category at Sacramento State. In addition, all transfer students, except those fully certified as having completed the IGETC core curriculum, must complete the required second semester writing course or an approved course at a community college.
Note: Foreign Language Proficiency Requirement - If not satisfied before entering Sacramento State, it may be satisfied in General Education Area C2 (Humanities). "C- or higher required." The alternative methods for satisfying the Foreign Language Proficiency Requirement are described here.
For more information about IGETC requirements and/or Associate Degrees for Transfer, contact your community college counselor.