Graduation requirements are determined by the Bulletin year assigned to the student. Once assigned a Bulletin year, a student has Bulletin rights that can be maintained even though there may be changes in university graduation requirements.
If a student maintains continuous attendance in regular sessions at campuses of the California community colleges or the California State University or a combination of the two, the student may elect to meet the graduation requirements for San Francisco State University in effect: (1) at the time the student began his/her studies, (2) at the time the student entered SFSU, or (3) at the time the student graduates from SFSU. In other words, if a student maintains continuous attendance according to this policy, he/she has a choice of Bulletins.
Continuous attendance for purposes of Bulletin requirements is defined as matriculated attendance in at least one semester or two quarters each calendar year.
Students who change the major after being admitted to SFSU or who declare a major after being admitted with an undeclared major, must meet the major requirements in effect at the time the major is changed or declared. Bulletin rights do not apply to course requirements concerning specific prerequisites; consult the department for applicability of course prerequisites.
The ELM and EPT tests must be taken before the first semester of enrollment at SFSU.
Information bulletins and registration materials for the ELM and EPT will be mailed to all students subject to the requirements. The materials may also be obtained from the Registrar's Office or the Testing Center.
The ELM examination is designed to assess the skill levels of entering CSU students in the areas of mathematics typically covered in three years of rigorous college preparatory mathematics courses in high school (Algebra I, Algebra II, and Geometry).
The CSU ELM must be completed by all entering undergraduates, with the exception of those who present proof of exemption (listed below). Students who do not have an ELM exemption are required to take the ELM examination before their first semester at SFSU.
Students who register for a GE Quantitative Reasoning course at SFSU must: (1) have passed the ELM examination with a total score of 550 or above; or (2) have obtained one of the approved ELM exemptions listed below; or (3) after taking the ELM, have passed Algebra II at SFSU (MATH 70) or an equivalent course elsewhere with a grade of credit (CR) or C- or better.
Students who fail ELM may elect to: (1) take appropriate remedial mathematics courses at SFSU (see below); or (2) retake it, if they scored between 480 and 540; or (3) take appropriate remedial course work at a California community college, or (4) take and pass a course that is certified by a California community college as meeting the CSU Quantitative Reasoning requirement.
San Francisco State University offers several remedial mathematics courses. Students who score lower than 550 on the ELM examination must enroll in a remedial course during their first semester of enrollment at SFSU. Depending on the score on the ELM, a student may be required to complete one or two courses (see below) before attempting MATH 70 in preparation for Quantitative Reasoning. Grades and units earned in MATH 59, 60, and 70 are not applied toward GPA or the number of units required to graduate. Contact the Intensive Learning Program for assistance.
Remediation must begin during the first semester of enrollment at SFSU. All required remedial courses must be completed within one year from the time of admission to SFSU. For further information, contact the Advising Center.
| MATH 59 | Algebra I with Pre-algebra (ELM score 370 or below) | 4 |
| MATH 60 | Algebra I (ELM score 380-470) | 3 |
| MATH 70 | Algebra II (ELM score 480-540) | 3 |
Students who have questions about ELM exemptions should contact the Testing Center.
| ELM EXEMPTIONS | SCORE/GRADE |
| College Board SAT I Reasoning Test (math section) or College Board SAT II Mathematics Tests Level I, IC (calculator), II, or IIC (calculator) | 550 or above |
| American College Testing Mathematics Test | 23 or above |
| College Board Advanced Placement Mathematics Examination (AB or BC) | 3 or above |
| College Board Advanced Placement Statistics Examination | 3 or above |
| Completion and transfer of a course that satisfies the General Education Breadth or Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) quantitative reasoning requirement | Grade of CR or C or better |
The EPT is designed to assess the level of reading and writing skills of entering undergraduate students so that they can be placed in appropriate baccalaureate-level courses. The CSU EPT must be completed by all entering undergraduates, with the exception of those who present proof of one of the exemptions listed below.
Students who do not have an EPT exemption are required to take the EPT before their FIRST semester of attendance at SFSU.
EPT Test Exemption: Students who present proof of one of the following qualify for an EPT exemption.
| EPT EXEMPTIONS | SCORE/GRADE |
| College Board SAT I Reasoning Test—Verbal [taken April 1995 or later] | 550 or above |
| Enhanced ACT English Test [taken October 1989 or later] | 24 or above |
| College Board SAT II—Writing Test [taken May 1998 or later] | 680 or above |
| College Board Scholastic Advanced Placement Program—Language and Composition or Composition and Literature examination | 3, 4, or 5 |
| Completion and transfer of a course that satisfies the General Education Breadth or Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) written communication requirement | Grade of CR or C or better |
In addition to the CSU English Placement Test (EPT), all non-native speakers of English (see Written English Requirements below) must take the SFSU English as a Second Language Placement Test (ESLPT) before they can enroll in ESL courses. Placement in ESL courses is determined by the ESL coordinator solely on the basis of ESLPT scores and not on any course work or tests taken at other institutions.
Students who score between 150 and 142 on the English Placement Test (EPT) will be required to take ENG 50, Writing Skills Workshop, and ENG 115, Effective College Reading.
Students who score 141 or below on the English Placement Test will be required to take both ENG 49 and 50, a special two-semester sequence of composition instruction, along with ENG 115.
Grades and units earned in ENG 49 and/or 50 are not applied toward GPA or the number of units required to graduate. Units earned in ENG 115 do apply toward GPA and the number of units required for graduation. Successful completion of ENG 49 and/or 50 by students needing them is a prerequisite for enrollment in ENG 114.
Students must begin remediation during the first semester of enrollment. All required remedial courses must be completed within one year from the time of admission to SFSU. For further information, contact the Advising Center.
Consult the current Class Schedule for approved ENG 214 alternatives.
Students who have passed for credit the CSU English Equivalency Examination or who have received scores of 3, 4, or 5 on the College Board Advanced Placement Examination will receive six units of credit and are exempted from the ENG 114 and 214 requirements.
Undergraduate students must complete the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement by taking the Junior English Proficiency Essay Test (JEPET) after completing 48-semester units, and before completing 80-semester units.
Consult the Examination Calendar in the Class Schedule for JEPET examination dates.
Students who transfer to this university with 80 or more semester units and an equivalent to ENG 214 completed should take the JEPET examination during their first semester of enrollment at San Francisco State. Students who have taken and passed an upper division expository writing course at another institution may apply for a waiver of the JEPET/ENG 414 requirement.
The ESLPT is an SFSU requirement for placement in any ESL English course. Placement in ESL courses is determined by the ESL coordinator solely on the basis of ESLPT scores, not on the basis of any course work or examinations taken at other campuses. Please consult the Testing Center Examination Calendar in the Class Schedule for ESLPT and EPT examination times and dates.
Non-native speakers of English who are eligible to take English as a Second Language (ESL) courses must complete the sequence of ESL courses listed below as substitutes for the English 114, 214, and JEPET requirements. In order to enroll in an ESL course, students must first take the English as a Second Language Placement Test (ESLPT) and receive a qualifying score for that course. A student who satisfactorily completes an ESL course may proceed to the next level ESL course without retaking the ESLPT.
Students on foreign visas and permanent residents who have been in the United States less than six years may substitute the following courses for the ENG 114, ENG 214, and JEPET requirements.
In order to use ENG 410 or 411 to meet the JEPET requirement, students must take ENG 410 or 411 after they have completed 48 semester units and before completing 80 semester units.
Students with bilingual backgrounds who have completed all or most of their previous education in the United States may substitute ENG 410 for ENG 414 only if they qualify for ENG 410 on the basis of their ESLPT scores.
Non-native speakers of English may complete the Oral Communication GE requirement by taking ENG 210 if they qualify for this course on the basis of their ESLPT scores.
The California State University system requires that students develop an informed understanding of the historical development of American institutions and ideals, the Constitution of the United States, the operation of representative democratic government under that Constitution, and the processes of California state and local government.
Taking two three-unit courses at SFSU satisfies this requirement. Students select one course from List A: U.S. History Requirement Courses and one course from List B: U.S. Government Requirement Courses.
The U.S. Government Requirement consists of both U.S. government and California state and local government. Courses in List B fulfill both the U.S. government and the California state and local government components.
Transfer students from other California institutions may have completed the History and Government Requirement prior to transfer. Public colleges and universities in California typically cover the entire requirement (usually called American Institutions) in two courses in the same way as SFSU.
However, transfer students from private schools and schools outside of California often do not have a California government class and will therefore need to take a third course (List C) to complete the California state and local government requirement.
Check the ASE or DARS for verification of completion of the entire requirement.
List A: U.S. History Requirement Courses (select one three-unit course)
| AIS 460 | Power and Politics in American Indian History |
| AAS 200 | History of Asian Americans |
| BLS 304 | Black People and the American Experience |
| ECON 400 | Economic and Social History of the U.S. |
| HIST 120 | History of the U.S. to 1865 |
| HIST 121 | History of the U.S. since 1865 |
| HIST 130 | Survey of U.S. History for Foreign Students |
| HIST 418 | Society and Politics in American History |
| RAZA 376 | History of La Raza in the U.S. |
| S S 200 | Development of American Institutions, Values, and Ideals |
| WOMS 150 | Women in American History and Society |
List B: U.S. Government Requirement Courses (select one three-unit course)
Note: In addition to fulfilling the U.S. Government requirement, the courses listed below also satisfy the California State and Local Government requirement.
| AIS 205 | American Indians and U.S. Laws |
| A AS 205 | Asian Americans and American Ideals and Institutions |
| BLS 376 | Government, the Constitution, and Black Citizen |
| PLSI 200 | American Politics |
| RAZA 276 | La Raza, Government, Ideals, and Constitution |
| S S 201 | Governance in Urban-Industrial America |
| WOMS 160 | Women, Politics, and Citizenship |
List C: California State and Local Government Requirement (select three units, only if required)
These courses satisfy the California State and Local Government component only. Students whose ASE or DARS indicates that they have not met this component should take one of the following courses to fulfill the requirement.
| HIST 450 | History of California |
| PLSI 473 | California Government and Politics |
Units taken to meet this requirement at SFSU cannot be used to fulfill the university's General Education requirements. Engineering majors should consult the Engineering GE adviser for GE program exceptions.
The U.S. History and Government requirement may be met by achieving a passing score on three SFSU examinations. These examinations may be taken only once. For information about these examinations and the challenge procedures, contact the Testing Center, ADM 152. Units of academic credit are not awarded for successful completion of this requirement by examination.
A passing score on the CLEP in U.S. History will satisfy the U.S. History component. A passing score on the CLEP in American Government will satisfy the U.S. Government component. A high school Advanced Placement Exam (AP) on American History with a score of 3 or higher will satisfy both the U.S. History and U.S. Government components. A high school Advanced Placement Exam (AP) on American Government and Politics with a score of 3 or higher will satisfy the U.S. Government component. Note that none of the CLEP or AP exams listed above will satisfy the California State and Local Government component.
Students with other equivalency requests should direct their questions to:
The Basic Information Competence Requirement (Academic Senate Policy S99-207) replaces the Library Requirement. First-time freshmen need to complete the requirement by the end of their second semester, and all new transfer students by the end of their first semester, in order to maintain Touch Tone registration priority. All undergraduates must complete the requirement by graduation.
Faculty have long recognized the value of good research skills, and they expect students to be able to find and use information sources effectively. With fast-paced changes in information technology and expanding numbers of more powerful but complex information sources, it becomes increasingly important for students to be able to effectively navigate in this information environment.
Most students will fulfill the Basic Information Competence Requirement by completing OASIS (On-line Advancement of Student Information Skills), a self-paced tutorial on the web (http://oasis.sfsu.edu). Students register on-line and can complete the program anywhere they have access to a web browser, on- or off-campus. Currently registered students must first establish a library PIN number. For information on how to set up a PIN, go to www.library.sfsu.edu/ServColl/Circulation.html#Pin.
For more information about the Basic Information Competence Requirement, the OASIS tutorial, and links to CSU and SFSU policies about information competence, please visit the OASIS site and select the link to "Information, FAQs, and Help."
For award of the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), students are required to complete a minimum of 120 semester units. For award of the Bachelor of Science (B.S.), students must complete a minimum of 120-132 semester units depending on the specific requirements of the individual B.S. degrees.
30 units must be earned in residence at SFSU. 24 residence units must be upper division courses and 12 residence units (upper division or lower division) must be in the major. 9 of these residence units must be earned in General Education Segment III. Units earned in courses awarding extension credit or through credit by examination or evaluation do not carry residence credit.
For award of the baccalaureate degree, all students are required to complete a minimum of forty upper division units (courses numbered 300-699 at SFSU). Twenty-four of these upper division units must be completed at SFSU, and nine of these upper division units must be completed in General Education Segment III.
Students who complete 60 or more semester units in one discipline (e.g., Chemistry) or, if transfer work, in the same subject area (e.g., Biochemistry) must complete a minimum of 60 semester units outside that discipline in order to earn a B.A. or B.S. degree.
The university will accept a maximum of 70 semester units for work completed at a community college.
The university will accept a maximum of 24 semester units of extension credit and correspondence courses towards award of a baccalaureate degree. Courses taken through Open University which earn extension units are included in this limitation, as are courses taken through military programs, such as MCI or Dantes. The university does not offer correspondence courses, but will accept correspondence credits transferred from another accredited institution as part of the 24 unit maximum for extension and correspondence work. Credit earned through SFSU's Winter and Special Sessions is not included in the 24-unit limitation.
Matriculated students may obtain credit by examination for specific courses as determined by each department and approved by the course instructor and department chair. Interested students should inquire with each department about its credit by examination policy.
The examination will be comprehensive and searching. A grade and appropriate grade points will be recorded on the student's permanent record, except for the U.S. History and the U.S. Government requirements, if they are completed by examination. Credit by examination may not be counted towards the residence requirement of the university. A student who registers as an auditor may not earn credit by examination in that course.
Matriculated students may also earn academic credit for graduation through the Credit by Evaluation for Experiential Learning (CEEL) Program. This program is an alternative method of gaining units by using prior university equivalent learning experiences for which no academic credit has been earned. Typical experiences include work, volunteer or internship programs. Only undergraduate credit is available, with a maximum limit of 30 units, six of which can be given for residence credit. Units are usually applied towards general education or elective areas; in some instances, units may be used to fulfill major or minor requirements. An important requirement for gaining CEEL credit is to create a portfolio documenting and describing the learning experience(s). The portfolio must be thoroughly evaluated by a faculty member in the area for which the credit is to be given. For further information, contact the Advising Center at (415) 338-2948.
No more than 30% of the units earned at SFSU, and applied towards completion of the baccalaureate degree, may be taken for credit (CR) grades. Students should consult with their major departments for further restrictions.
Fifteen units (15) is the average semester course load for full-time undergraduate students. During priority registration, students may register for a maximum of 16 units of enrolled and wait-listed courses via Touch Tone. After priority registration, undergraduate and second baccalaureate students may register for a maximum of 19 units of enrolled and wait-listed courses via Touch Tone without formal approval. Undergraduate students who enroll in 20-24 units in one semester must:
Undeclared, Liberal Studies, and Special Majors must receive the approval of the Dean of Undergraduate Studies. All other majors must receive the approval of their adviser and the dean of the college in which they are a major.
Requests to take 20 or more units will not be permitted until: approval from the appropriate dean has been received and recorded by the Undergraduate Studies Office.
Students who wish to enroll in 25 or more units in one semester must receive the written approval of their adviser and the Dean of Undergraduate Studies. Course work taken at another university or through SFSU's College of Extended Learning must be included on the Petition to Exceed the Undergraduate Maximum Unit Policy.
Nursing majors who participate in the Advanced Placement Option for Registered Nurses are required to file a Petition to Exceed the Maximum Unit Policy, if their total unit load for any given semester exceeds nineteen (19) units, including all units earned through the advanced placement credit by examination option.
A maximum of twelve (12) units used to meet General Education requirements may also be used to fulfill major requirements. In GE Segment III, students may double count no more than two courses required for fulfillment of Segment III requirements with their major program, with the exception of Liberal Studies majors who are exempt from this policy and may double count all three courses. The units are counted only once towrad the minimum number of units needed to graduate.
Cross-counting between General Education Segments, Areas, and Categories is not permitted. Students cannot use the same course to satisfy both the Segment II and Segment III requirements of the General Education Program.
For award of the baccalaureate degree, all undergraduate students must maintain at least a 2.0 grade point average in all college course work, in all SFSU course work, and in all major course work. The grade point average is calculated by dividing the total grade points earned by the total units attempted. CR and NC grades are not included in the calculation of the grade point average. Students who do not meet the 2.0 GPA requirement for SFSU course work will be subject to mandatory probation advising.
Removal of one or more semesters of undergraduate course work. Under certain circumstances, the campus may disregard up to two semesters or three quarters of previous undergraduate course work taken at any college from all consideration associated with requirements for the baccalaureate degree. These circumstances are:
If approved for Academic Renewal, the student's permanent academic record shall be annotated to indicate that no work taken during the disregarded term(s), even if satisfactory, may apply toward baccalaureate requirements. All work will remain legible on the record, however.
Repetition of an individual undergraduate course. Another special provision of Academic Renewal allows the student to repeat a course and to have the previous attempt excluded in the calculation of the grade point average. Requests should be directed to the Student Services Center. The following conditions apply: