CSU General Education (GE)

GE programs in the CSU are designed to provide essential knowledge, perspectives and skills across multiple disciplines, empowering students to be informed and engaged citizens in a diverse global community.

Every undergraduate student in the CSU follows a degree program composed mainly of major courses and GE courses. While the specific GE requirements (or GE “pattern") have evolved over time in the CSU, the overarching goals of GE are timeless and include:

• The ability to think logically, critically evaluate information, communicate effectively both orally and in writing, and perform quantitative analyses;
• The acquisition of substantial knowledge about physical and mental well-being, the development and functioning of human societies, the physical and biological world, and the cultural achievements and legacies of civilizations;
• The understanding and appreciation of the principles, methodologies, value systems, and thought processes involved in human inquiry.

CSU GE Requirements

Beginning in Fall 2025, the GE requirements in the CSU will change from the GE pattern that has existed since Fall 2021. The revised CSU GE Requirements was approved by the CSU Board of Trustees in March 2024 to provide an equitable experience for all CSU students. This goal stemmed from the passage of California Assembly Bill 928 (AB 928), the Student Transfer Achievement Reform (STAR) Act of 2021, which mandates a singular lower-division GE pattern, known as the California General Education Transfer Curriculum (Cal-GETC), for students transferring from the California Community Colleges to the CSU or the University of California. Effective Fall 2025, Cal-GETC will become the only GE transfer pattern offered by the California Community Colleges.

Click on the button below to download a GE Overview trifold which includes a comparison of GE patterns, including CSU GE Breadth (effective Fall 2021 – Summer 2025), CSU GE Requirements (effective from Fall 2025 and beyond), and Cal-GETC for transfer students (effective from Fall 2025 and beyond).

GE Overview Trifold

AB 928 also addresses several details about the Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) in the California Community Colleges. A California Community College (CCC) graduate who has earned an ADT is guaranteed admission to the CSU system, though not necessarily to a particular campus or major. CCC students who indicate their goal is to transfer to the CSU or UC will follow an ADT pathway and the Cal-GETC pattern.

CSU GE Resources

GE Resources for Students

Current and prospective CSU students should contact the academic advising center or consult the GE program website of the campus(es) of interest. Use the drop-down menus below to find the academic advising center or GE program website of each CSU campus.

GE Resources for Faculty, Staff and Administrators

CSU faculty, staff and administrators can find resources and updates on GE, including Frequently Asked Questions, guidance documents, and more, which are accessible with a CSU login on the Academic Program Planning, Development and Submission page on the CSYou website.