Counseling
General Education Requirements
Associate's Degrees and Bachelor's Degrees consist of two main components:
- General Education (GE) classes
- Major classes
GE courses include courses in English, Mathematics, Arts and Humanities, Social Sciences and Physical and Biological Sciences.
It is recommended that you review the following GE plans and select the appropriate one to follow.
Associate Degree GE Pattern
This is the pattern followed by students planning to earn an A.A. or A.S. degree from Foothill College.
GE Options for Transfer
CSUGE PatternThe CSU pattern is recommended for community college students who plan to transfer to a CSU system and want to complete lower division coursework for general education. This pattern is recommended for students earning the AA-T or AS-T. New CSU Area F- Ethnic Studies RequirementBeginning Fall 2021, the California State University system added a new requirement to CSUGE Breadth, Area F- Ethnic Studies. Any new students beginning at Foothill College in Fall 2021 or after will be required to complete one course in Ethnic Studies as part of general education. Important Notes About CSUGE Pattern YearFor NEW STUDENTS or RETURNING STUDENTS who have lost catalog rights: If you are planning to follow the CSUGE Breadth beginning Fall 2022, you must use the 2023-2024 CSUGE pattern. For CONTINUING STUDENTS who have maintained your catalog rights: You may choose to follow the 2020-21, 2021-22, or 2022-23 CSUGE pattern. |
IGETC PatternBy successfully completing this pattern, community college students satisfy the general education requirements at both the University of California (UC) and the California State University (CSU). New IGETC Area 7- Ethnic Studies RequirementBeginning Fall 2023, IGETC has added a new requirement, Area 7- Ethnic Studies. Any new students beginning at Foothill College in Fall 2023 or after will be required to complete one course in Ethnic Studies as part of general education. Important Notes About CSUGE Pattern YearFor NEW STUDENTS or RETURNING STUDENTS who have lost catalog rights: If you are planning to follow the IGETC beginning Fall 2023, you must use the 2023-2024 IGETC pattern. For CONTINUING STUDENTS who have maintained your catalog rights: You may choose to follow the 2020-21, 2021-22, or 2022-23 IGETC pattern.
Note: Some majors, such as engineering, physical and natural sciences require extensive major preparation requirements in which case, IGETC is not recommended for these majors. |
GE Transfer Guide 2022-2023
For a more detailed overview, download our GE Transfer Guide.
For assistance with which GE pattern is best for you, meet with a counselor.
Apply for Your Degree or CertifcateFollow Steps to Petition for Graduation To refer to your degree or certificate requirements by catalog year, view them here: |
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