More than 50% of CSU students are transfer students, arriving primarily from the California Community Colleges system. In an effort to simplify their pathway to a four-year degree, the Student Transfer Achievement Reform Act (AB 928) creates a singular, lower-division General Education (GE) pattern for both California State University and University of California transfer admissions. This pattern, called Cal-GETC, was approved by all three higher education intersegmental partners via the Intersegmental Committee of Academic Senates in spring 2023. When Cal-GETC is implemented in fall 2025, it will become the only transfer GE pattern offered by California community colleges.
The STAR Act is meant to support student success and equity, helping to ease access, simplify advisement across segments, eliminate barriers and carve a clear path to a four-year degree across California's educational segments.
Recognizing a growing trend of first-time, first-year students arriving to the CSU with college credit, including 60% of CSU first-year applicants who have earned college credit, the Chancellor's Office has recommended a unified pathway. Historically, the CSU has had one unified GE pattern for all students—CSU GE Breadth. Changes to Title 5 California Code of Regulations ensure the CSU continues to provide one unified GE pattern whether students enroll as first-time, first-year students or transfer students.
GE Informational Webinar, April 15, 2024
An informational webinar was held on Monday, April 15, 2024 hosted by Interim Associate Vice Chancellor of Academic and Faculty Programs Laura Massa and Assistant Vice Chancellor and State University Dean Brent Foster. Questions posed in this webinar will be posted shortly.
Next Steps
On March 27, 2024, the CSU Board of Trustees approved proposed changes to Title 5 CSU General Education that modify CSU GE Breadth to mirror the Cal-GETC pattern and units.
The Chancellor’s Office will support campuses and faculty through the implementation processes, including through resources to support faculty release, written guidance and stipends for faculty effort during off-contract periods. Each campus will determine the application of units that are not included in Cal-GETC.
Changes to CSU General Education
The update to CSU GE removes five units from the GE pattern. It does this by:
- Including a one-unit laboratory for Biological or Physical Sciences
- Not including one of three Arts or Humanities courses (in Area C)
- Not including Area E, Lifelong Learning and Self-Development
The five units removed from GE will be returned to campuses to determine how to utilize.
| A1 – Oral Communication | 3
| Oral Communication | 3
|
| A2 – Written Communication | 3 | English Composition | 3
|
| A3 – Critical Thinking | 3 | Critical Thinking and Composition | 3
|
| B1 – Physical Sciences | 3
| Physical Sciences | 3 |
| B2 – Life Sciences | 3
| Biological Sciences | 3
|
| B3 – Laboratory (included in B1/B2 units) | — | Laboratory (for Bio/Physical Sciences course) | 1
|
| B4 – Mathematics/QR | 3 | Mathematical Concepts/QR | 3
|
| C1 – Arts | 3 | Arts | 3
|
| C2 – Humanities | 3
| Humanities | 3
|
| C3 – Additional course from C1 or C2 | 3
| — | —
|
| D1 – Social and Behavioral Sciences | 3
| Social and Behavioral Sciences | 3 |
| D2 – Social and Behavioral Sciences | 3
| Social and Behavioral Sciences | 3 |
| E – Lifelong Learning and Self-Development | 3 | — | —
|
| F – Ethnic Studies | 3 | Ethnic Studies
| 3
|
|
UNIT TOTALS |
39 |
|
34 |
About the Student Transfer Achievement Reform Act
Authored by Assemblymember Marc Berman and approved in 2021, Assembly Bill 928 consolidates two existing general education pathways for California Community College students into a single pathway to either the CSU or UC system. It also requires that community colleges place incoming students on an Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) pathway, if one exists for their major, on or before August 1, 2024.
Key Terms and Definitions
What is Cal-GETC?
Cal-GETC is a new GE pattern that will be implemented in fall 2025. As a result of its implementation, California Community Colleges will no longer offer the current CSU GE Breadth and Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) patterns.
What is IGETC?
The Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum, or IGETC, is designed for the community college student who wants to be eligible to transfer to either the CSU or the UC systems.
What is CSU GE Breadth?
CSU GE Breadth is the current General Education pattern for all CSU students whether they are first-time first-year students or transfer students. Following the approval of the CSU Board of Trustees on March 27, 2024, starting in fall 2025 CSU GE will mirror Cal-GETC in areas and units.
What is an ADT?
The Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) allows California Community College students who meet the CSU's minimum eligibility requirements guaranteed priority admission to the CSU, though not necessarily to a particular campus or major. Students earn a two-year associate degree (no more than 60 units) that is fully transferrable towards a CSU bachelor's degree.