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California General Education Transfer Curriculum 2025-2026 (Updated April 2025)

Completion of Cal-GETC permits a student to transfer from Merced College to a campus in either the California State University or the University of California system without the need after transfer to take additional, lower division, general education courses to satisfy the campus GE requirements. Consult with your counselor. Students may also fulfill the general education requirements by completing the specific lower division breadth and general education requirements of the school or college of the campus to which the student intends to transfer.

Completion of the Cal-GETC may not satisfy the American Institutions requirement. Courses used to satisfy the American Institutions requirement may be counted to satisfy either a Humanities or a Social and Behavioral Science requirement.

Area 1 - english communication - (9 Units Total)

(1A) English Composition [AP accepted] - (3 units)

  • ENGL-C1000 (formerly ENGL-01A)

(1B) Critical Thinking and Composition - (3 units)

  • ENGL-01C, ENGL-C1001 (formerly ENGL-13), ENGL-C1001H (formerly ENGL-13H)

(1C) Oral Communication - (3 units)

  • COMM-C1000 (formerly COMM-01), COMM-C1000H (formerly COMM-01H)

Area 2 - Mathematical Concepts and Quantitative reasoning - (3 units total)

Select one course.

(2) Mathematical Concepts and Quantitative Reasoning [AP accepted] - (3 units)

  • MATH-02, 02H, 02S, 03, 03S, 04A, 04AS, 11, 15, 15S, 22, 24, 24S, 26, 26S, 27

  • PSYC-05

  • STAT-C1000 (formerly MATH-10), STAT-C1000E (formerly MATH-10S)

Area 3 - ARTS and HUMANITIES - (6 units total)

A minimum of two courses (6 semester units) are required with one course from each 3A and 3B subject area.

(3A) Arts [AP & IB accepted] - (3 units)

  • ART-01, 02, 03, 06, 10, 15

  • ARTD-07, 08, 40A

  • ENGL-14

  • ETHN-11

  • HUM-21

  • MUSG-12, 13, 14, 15

  • PHOT-33

  • THTR-01

(3B) Humanities [AP & IB accepted] - (3 units)

  • ANTH-12

  • ENGL-01B, 04A, 04B, 05, 06A, 06B, 07, 08, 10, 11, 18, 19*

  • ETHN-15*, 18, 19*

  • FREN-02, 03, 04

  • GERN-02, 03, 04

  • HIST-03A*, 03B*, 04A, 04B, 05*, 09A*, 09B, 17A*, 17AH*, 17B*, 17BH*, 19*, 29*

  • HUM-01, 01H, 02, 02H, 15*

  • PHIL-01, 01H, 02*, 03, 04, 05, 15

  • SPAN-02, 03, 04, 10, 11

Area 4 - SOCIAL & Behavioral SCIENCES - (6 units total)

A minimum of two courses (6 semester units) is required from two disciplines.

(4) Social & Behavioral Sciences [AP & IB accepted] - (6 units)

  • AGAB-05

  • ANTH-02, 10

  • CLDV-01, 02

  • COMM-30

  • ECON-01, 02

  • ETHN-01*, 05*, 07, 12*, 15*, 20*, 22, 23*

  • GEOG-02, 12

  • HIST-03A*, 03B*, 05*, 07, 09A*, 10, 17A*, 17AH*, 17B*, 17BH*, 19*, 20*, 22, 23*, 29*

  • HUM-15*

  • PHIL-02

  • POLS-C1000 (formerly POSC-01), POLS-C1000H (formerly POSC-01H)

  • POSC-02, 03, 04, 05, 07

  • PSYC- 15*, 23, 25, 36, PSYC-C1000 (formerly PSYC- 01A), PSYC-C1000H (formerly PSYC- 01AH)

  • SOC-01, 02, 03, 04, 05*, 06

Area 5 - Physical & biological sciences - (7 units total)

A minimum of two courses (7 semester units) is required with at least one course from 5A and 5B. At least one course must be a lab course listed in “5C Laboratory”.

(5A) Physical Science [AP & IB accepted] - (3 units)

  • AGPS-05

  • ARCH-01

  • ASTR-01

  • CHEM-02A, 04A

  • GEOG-01, 15

  • GEOL-01, 02, 03

  • PHSC-01, 02

  • PHYS-02A, 04A, 10

(5B) Biological Science [AP & IB accepted] - (3 units)

  • AGPS-01

  • ANTH-01

  • BIOL-01, 02, 04A, 06, 09, 16, 18, 20, 32

  • PSYC-15*

(5C) Laboratory [AP & IB accepted] - (1 unit)

  • AGPS-01, 05

  • ANTH-01

  • ASTR-01L

  • BIOL-01, 02, 04A, 16, 18, 20, 32L

  • BIOL-01, 02, 04A, 16, 18, 20, 32L

  • CHEM-02A, 04A

  • GEOG-01L

  • GEOL-01, 02, 03

  • PHSC-01L, 02L

  • PHYS-02A, 04A

Area 6- Ethnic studies - (3 units total)

A minimum of 3 units are required from the following:

(6) Ethnic Studies - (3 units)

  • ENGL-19*

  • ETHN-01*, 05*, 12*, 15*, 19*, 20*, 23*

  • HIST-20*, 23*

  • HUM-15*

  • SOC-05*

Minimum Total Cal-GETC Certification - (34 Units Total)

CSU United States History, Constitution and American Ideals

The American Institutions Requirement (AIR) (U.S. History, Constitution, California State and Local Government) as well as requirements for Political and Economic Institutions may be met by completion of one of the following sequences:

  • Sequence A:

    HIST-17A or HIST-17AH (both meet US-1 and US-2) AND

    HIST-17B or HIST-17BH (both meet US-1 and US-3)

  • Sequence B:

    HIST-17A or HIST-17AH or HIST-17B or HIST-17BH or HIST-22 (US-1) AND

    POLS-C1000 (formerly POSC-01) or POLS-C1000H (formerly POSC-01H) (US-2 AND US-3)

Students satisfy this CSU graduation requirement through coursework in three areas:
US-1: Historical development of American institutions and ideals
US-2: U.S. Constitution and government
US-3: California state and local government Conditions:
● This requirement may be met before or after transfer to the CSU.
● Students who want to fulfill this requirement with courses taken before Fall, 2004 should consult their college catalogs.
● If a course is approved for more than one US Area above, a student may use the course to satisfy all areas listed.
● US-1 may be completed with a score of 3 or higher on Advanced Placement US History.
● US-2 (but not US-3) may be completed with a score of 3 or higher on Advanced Placement US Government & Politics.
● At the discretion of the CSU Campus granting the degree, courses meeting this requirement may also be counted toward certification in general education (Cal-GETC).
Check with your counselor for details.

*Courses listed in multiple areas shall not be certified in more than one area, except CSU History Constitution, and American Ideals Graduation Requirement.

Reference: ASSIST and Cal-GETC Standards