General Education

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.

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.

A1: Oral Communication3
Select one of the following:
Introduction to Public Speaking
The Communication Experience
A2: Written Communication3
Select one of the following:
Accelerated Academic Literacies
Accelerated Academic Literacies - Multilingual
Academic Literacies II
Academic Literacies II-Multilingual
A3: Critical Thinking3
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
Sense and Nonsense in Social Issues and Research

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.

AREA B1: PHYSICAL SCIENCE3
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 FORMS3
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 13
Select one of the following:
Mathematical Practices Across Cultures
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
Science in the Public Debate
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
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
Evolutionary Psychology
The Science of Nature Engagement and Human Health & Wellbeing
The Science of Play
Traumatology: An Introduction to Posttraumatic Growth
Gender & Health
Total Units12

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

AREA C1: ARTS3 - 9
Select 3-9 units from the following two divisions:
Lower Division: Select 3-6 Units
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
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
Modern East Asian Cinema
Appreciation and History of Dance
Dance Cultures Of America
African-Caribbean Dance
Advanced Topics Race & Intersectionality in Film
History Of Western Fashion
A Cultural History of Russia
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: HUMANITIES3 - 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
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
Japanese Civilization
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
History of Modern Korea
US-China Relations
Modernity and Globalization in Asia
History of Childhood: International and 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
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
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
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
Disability in World History: A Comparative History
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
The Hindu Year: Fall
The Hindu Year: Spring
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
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 In Literature
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
Feminism and the Spirit
Total Units6-18

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).

Select 9 units from the following two divisions9
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
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 Gender & Sexuality
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
Controversial Issues in Childhood Development, Education, and Social Policy
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
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
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
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
Religions of India I: The Formative Period
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
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 Units9

 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.

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)
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 Units3

Area F: Ethnic Studies (3 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 Units3

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 20ENGL 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:

CHIN 1BElementary Mandarin5
DEAF 52American Sign Language 24
FREN 1BElementary French4
FREN 2AIntermediate French4
GERM 1BElementary German4
ITAL 1BElementary Italian4
JAPN 1BElementary Japanese5
KORN 1BElementary Korean 1B5
PUNJ 1BElementary Punjabi4
RUSS 1BElementary Russian5
SPAN 1BElementary Spanish4

 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
ANTH 101Cultural Diversity 3
HIST 15HMajor Problems in U.S. History 3
HIST 17AUnited States History, 1607-1877 3
HIST 17BUnited States History, 1877-Present 3
HIST 18BBecoming America: Immigrants in American History, 1877-Present 3
HIST 151BFounding Documents: American Democracy before 18003
HIST 159History of US Foreign Relations3
HIST 161The American Vision3
HIST 162Social History of the United States3
HIST 167History of American Women3
HIST 177The African-American Experience, 1603-Present 3
WGS 110Introduction to Feminist Movements in the United States3
US Constitution and CA Government
POLS 1Essentials Of Government3
POLS 113American Political Thought3
POLS 150American Governments3

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).

POLS 180California State and Local Government3

 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.

Lower Division
EDUC 1Education, Equity, & American Society 3
FSHD 50The Family and Social Issues 3
HIST 15HMajor Problems in U.S. History 3
HIST 17AUnited States History, 1607-1877 3
HIST 17BUnited States History, 1877-Present 3
HIST 18Health, Medicine, and Science in America, 1600-Present 3
HIST 18BBecoming America: Immigrants in American History, 1877-Present 3
Upper Division
ANTH 101Cultural Diversity 3
ANTH 186Culture and Poverty 3
ASIA 111Asian Diaspora and Migration 3
CRJ 117American Criminal Justice and Minority Groups 3
DNCE 131Dance Cultures Of America 3
DNCE 132African-Caribbean Dance 3
ECON 181Economics of Racism 3
EDUC 121Multicultural Children's Literature 3
EDUC 158Latinas/os/x in Education 3
EDUC 160Urban Education 3
EDUC 165Sex Role Stereotyping in American Education 3
ETHN 100Ethnic America 3
ETHN 131La Raza Studies 3
ETHN 133Crosscultural Aging in America 3
ETHN/POLS 141Politics of the African Diaspora 3
FSHD 150Family Stress and Coping: Multicultural Focus 3
HIST/HRS 168Images Of America 3
HIST 173The History of the Civil Rights Movement: From Reconstruction to Deconstruction, 1865-Present 3
HIST 176AAfrican Cultural Heritage in the Americas 3
HIST 177The African-American Experience, 1603-Present 3
HIST 178Mexican-American History 3
HRS 146Islam in America 3
HRS 161Multicultural America 3
KINS 118AMartial Arts: Karate 3
KINS 118BMartial Arts: Tae Kwon Do 3
KINS 118CMartial Arts: Tai Chi 3
POLS 163Introduction to Black Politics in the U.S. 3
POLS 165Politics of the Underrepresented 3
PSYC 135Psychology of Multicultural Groups 3
SOC 118Chicano Community 3
SOC 120Ethnic and Race Relations 3
SWRK 102Crosscultural Theory and Practice: Issues of Race, Gender and Class 3
THEA 115AMulticultural Puppetry 3
THEA/WGS 144Women and Theatre: Staging Diversity 3
THEA 174Multicultural Perspectives in American Theatre 3
THEA 175Multicultural Perspectives in American Film 3
WGS 136Gender, Race, and Class 3
WGS 137Women of Color 3
WGS 140Latinx Feminist Studies 3
WGS 144Women 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 109MENGL 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).

Writing Intensive Courses
ANTH 102The Nature of Culture 3
ANTH/HRS 170The Religious Landscape of the Sacramento Valley 3
ANTH 186Culture and Poverty 3
ART 102Themes in World Art and Visual Culture 3
ART 111Latin American and Latino Art History 3
ASIA/HIST 140Modern East Asian Cinema 3
ASIA 198Modernity and Globalization in Asia 3
ASTR 131The Solar System and Space Exploration 3
ASTR 132Stars, Galaxies and Cosmology 3
COMS 100BRhetoric and Social Influence 3
CHAD 145Controversial Issues in Childhood Development, Education, and Social Policy 3
CRJ 190Contemporary Issues in Criminal Justice 3
EDUC 121Multicultural Children's Literature 3
EDUC 160Urban Education 3
EDUC 165Sex Role Stereotyping in American Education 3
ENGL 100ZTopics in Literary Theory and Criticism 4
ENGL 120CTopics in Composition 4
ENGL 120EDigital Writing and Rhetoric 4
ENGL 120LCommunity Literacy and Public Rhetorics 4
ENGL 120PProfessional Writing 4
ENGL 120RTopics in Rhetoric 4
ENGL 120TTechnical Writing 4
ENGL 130MArt of Autobiography 4
ENGL 140MModern British Drama, 1889-Present 4
ENGL 141AThe Essential Shakespeare 4
ENGL 150BAmerican Romanticism 4
ENGL 165DPostcolonial Literature 4
ENGL 170HIntroduction To Comedy 4
ENGL 170IIntroduction To Tragedy 4
ENGL/ETHN 180AForms of African-American Poetry 4
ENGL/ETHN 180BForms of African-American Fiction 4
ENGL 180LChicano Literature 4
ENGL 180MAsian American Literature 4
ENGL 185BTwentieth Century Fiction by Women 4
ENVS 112International Environmental Problems 3
ETHN 100Ethnic America 3
ETHN 145Native Voice, Memory, and Biography 3
ETHN 180AForms of African-American Poetry 4
ETHN 180BForms African-Am Fiction 4
FSHD 150Family Stress and Coping: Multicultural Focus 3
GEOG 190Senior Research Seminar in Geography 3
GEOL 140Geology and the Environment 3
HIST 100RDeveloping Historical Skills.3
HIST 105Great Ages and Issues in Modern European History 3
HIST 106Everyday Life and Society in Antiquity 3
HIST 122AHistory of Women in Western Civilization, Prehistory-Middle Ages 3
HIST 122BHistory of Women in Western Civilization, Renaissance-Present 3
HIST 137ALatin American Revolutions in the Twentieth Century 3
HIST 137BLatin American History in Film 3
HIST 140Modern East Asian Cinema 3
HIST 143DThe Arab-Israeli Conflict 3
HIST/HRS 168Images Of America 3
HIST 186AThe California Gold Rush 3
HRS 120Reason and Revelation: The Origins of Western Culture 3
HRS 132Renaissance 3
JOUR 135Public Affairs Reporting 3
KINS 133Integration of Concepts 3
LBRS 100/SOC 176Labor and the American Social Structure 3
MGMT 117Business, Ethics and Society 3
MUSC 110Research in Music History 3
MUSC 127The American Musical Theater 3
MUSC 129American Society and Its Music 3
NUFD 112Current Topics in Nutritional Sciences 3
NURS 120Nursing Application of Research and Critical Analysis 3
NURS 179Professional Communication and Reasoning Development 3
PHIL 101Ethics and Social Issues 3
PHIL 105Science and Human Values 3
PHIL 112History Of Ethics 3
PHIL 115Philosophy In Literature 3
PHIL 117Existentialism 3
PHIL 145AChinese Philosophy 3
PHIL 145BPhilosophies Of India 3
PUBH 124Ethical Considerations in Public Health 3
POLS 149AOriginal Research in Comparative Politics 3
POLS 165Politics of the Underrepresented 3
RPTA 122Perspectives On Leisure 3
RPTA 125Leisure, the Individual, and Contemporary Society 3
SOC 133Sport in a Global Perspective 3
SOC 168Self and Society 3
SOC 176Labor and the American Social Structure 3
SWRK 126Theories of Criminal Behavior 3
SWRK 191Exploration of Veteran Studies: An Ethnographic Approach 3
THEA 170African American Theatre and Culture 3
WGS 136Gender, Race, and Class 3
WGS 138Women and Work 3
WGS 175Gender & 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.

  1. A maximum of nine units of coursework from your major department may also be applied to the General Education requirements.
  2. 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.
  3. The Writing Intensive requirement can be met with a course from the major or major department in specified majors, but not in all majors.
  4. 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.

  1. There is no university restriction on the overlap of courses between GE and coursework approved for GE from your major department.
  2. 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.
  3. The Writing Intensive requirement can be met with a course from the major or major department in specified majors, but not in all majors.
  4. 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.