Undergraduate Graduation Requirements

The following sections include important graduation requirements for undergraduate studies

Entry Level Mathematics Examination (ELM)

The ELM and EPT tests must be taken before the first semester of matriculated attendance at SF State.

The California State University (CSU) 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 courses in high school (Algebra I, Algebra II, and Geometry). The CSU ELM examination must be completed by all entering undergraduates, with the exception of those who present proof of one or more of the ELM exemptions listed below. Students who do not have an acceptable ELM exemption are required to take the ELM examination before their first semester of matriculated attendance at SF State.

Questions about ELM exemptions should be referred to the Testing Center.

Acceptable ELM Exemptions	Score/Grade
Augmented Mathematics California Standards Test, i.e., the CSU Early Assessment Program (EAP), taken in grade 11.	Exempt
Augmented CST, i.e., the CSU Early Assessment Program (EAP) plus successful completion of a Senior Year Mathematics Experience (SYME)	Conditionally Exempt
College Board SAT I mathematics section or College Board SAT Subject Tests Mathematics Tests Level I, IC (calculator), II, or IIC (calculator)	550 or above
ACT Mathematics Test	23 or above
College Board Advanced Placement Calculus Examination (AB or BC) or 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 C or better

Consult the Academic Calendar on the web for ELM examination times and dates.

Note: Since March 22, 2002, ELM is scored on a scale of 00-80. A score of 50 or above represents demonstrated entry-level mathematics proficiency. Students who score 50 or above on the ELM examination are eligible to enroll in a GE Quantitative Reasoning course. Students who score below 50 must complete appropriate remedial mathematics courses before enrolling in a GE Quantitative Reasoning course (see remedial courses below).

Since March 22, 2002, ELM scores have the following implications:

ELM Score	Implications
50 or higher	Students may enroll in a GE Quantitative Reasoning course. Consult an adviser for placement in an appropriate level course.
48 - 42	Students must take and complete MATH 70, Algebra II (3 units), with a grade of C- or better during their first semester of enrollment. Fall 2012 first time freshmen must participate in the Early Start Program during Summer 2012. Go to www.sfsu.edu/~advising/esp/home.html for more information.
40 and below	Students must take and complete MATH 60, Algebra I (3 units), with a grade of C or better during their first semester of enrollment, and take and complete MATH 70 with a grade of C- or better during their second semester of enrollment. Fall 2012 first time freshmen must participate in the Early Start Program during Summer 2012. Go to www.sfsu.edu/~advising/esp/home.html for more information.

Grades and units earned in MATH 60 and 70 are not applied toward the student’s GPA or the number of units required for graduation. However, they do count for financial aid purposes.

Students who took the ELM examination prior to March 22, 2002, should contact the Testing Center, HSS 206, for equivalent ELM scores and appropriate remedial courses. Students may also consult the following web sites for new and/or additional ELM information: www.sfsu.edu/~advising or www.sfsu.edu/~testing.

Newly admitted undergraduate students who score below 50 on the ELM examination must begin remediation of their mathematics deficiencies no later than the first semester of matriculated attendance at SF State. All required remedial course work must be completed within one year from the time of admission to SF State. Students who do NOT complete their remedial mathematics course work within one year from the time of enrollment are subject to disenrollment from the University. They may return after successfully completing an equivalent intermediate algebra course elsewhere. For further information, contact the Advising Center, ADM 212.

Students who register for a GE Quantitative Reasoning course at SF State must: (1) have passed the ELM examination with a total score of 50 or above; or (2) have obtained one of the approved ELM exemptions listed above; or (3) after taking and failing the ELM, have passed MATH 70, Algebra II, at SF State, or an equivalent course elsewhere with a grade of credit (CR) or C- or better. Please note, there are additional prerequisites for entry into MATH 226 Calculus I.

English Placement Test (EPT)

The CSU English Placement Test (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 writing courses or remedial writing 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 matriculated attendance at SF State.

Students admitted to SF State Fall 2011 and later who score 147 or above on the EPT may enroll in ENG 114.

Students admitted to SF State in Fall 2012 who score between 138 - 146 on the EPT may enroll in ENG 104 - 105 “Stretch”.

Students admitted to SF State in Fall 2012 who score less than 138 on the EPT must participate in the Early Start Program during Summer 2012. Go to www.sfsu.edu/~advising/esp/home.html for more information.

Test Exemptions: Students who present proof of one of the following qualify for an EPT exemption and may enroll in ENG 114.

Acceptable EPT Exemptions	Score/Grade
Augmented English California Standards Test (CSU EAP—Early Assessment Program ) [taken in grade 11]	Exempt
College Board SAT (critical reading)	500 or above
Enhanced ACT English Test	22 or above
College Board SAT II: Writing Test [taken May 1998 or later]	680 or above
SAT Reasoning Test (writing portion)	660
College Board Advanced Placement—Language and Composition or Composition and Literature Examination	3, 4 or 5
Completion and transfer of a course that satisfies the CSU General Education Breadth or the CSU Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) written communication requirement	Grade of C or better

Early Start Program

Beginning with the class of 2012, entering resident freshmen who are not proficient in math or “at risk” in English will need to start the remediation process before their first term. By 2014, all new freshmen students who have not demonstrated college-readiness in mathematics and English will need to begin work on becoming ready for college-level English before the start of their first term.

The goals of Early Start Program are to:

Better prepare students in math and English, before the fall semester of freshman year;
Add an important and timely assessment tool in preparing students for college; and
Improve students’ chances of successful completion of a college degree.

For 2012, resident students would be required to participate in the Early Start Program if their ELM score is less than 50 and/or their EPT score is less than 138. Newly admitted freshman students who are required to complete Early Start will be notified of the requirement and options for completing the program as part of campus communications to newly admitted students.

Composition for Multilingual Speakers Placement Test (CMSPT)

In addition to the CSU English Placement Test (EPT), all non-native speakers of English (see Written English Requirements below) must take the SF State Composition for Multilingual Speakers Placement Test (CMSPT) before they can enroll in Composition for Multilingual Students (CMS) courses. Placement in CMS courses is determined by the CMS coordinator solely on the basis of CMSPT scores and not on any course work or tests taken at other institutions.

Written English Proficiency Requirements

All students must demonstrate competency in writing skills as a requirement for graduation. The following information lists the ways available to meet this graduation requirement.

Summary of Written English Proficiency Requirements

Note: Non-native speakers of English may follow a different course sequence to fulfill their Written English Proficiency Requirements, which are described below in the section titled “Written English Proficiency Requirements for Multilingual Students”.

English Placement Test (EPT): All newly-admitted undergraduate students must take the California State University English Placement Test (CSU - EPT) prior to their first semester of matriculated attendance at SF State, except those with an approved EPT test or course exemptions listed in the University Bulletin. Non-native speakers of English must also take the Composition for Multilingual Speakers Placement Test (CMSPT) prior to enrollment. First-time freshmen who were not able to show English proficiency at entry shall attain such proficiency during their initial college year of study at San Francisco State University.
First Year Composition: Two equivalent pathways satisfy the First Year Composition Requirement: 1) ENG 104 - 105 ”Stretch” or 2) ENG 114. See the Undergraduate Graduation Requirements section of this Bulletin for specific course requirements and prerequisites.
Second Year Composition: Prerequisite is grade of Credit (CR) or C- or better in ENG 104 - 105 or ENG 114, or equivalent course. ENG 214, or an equivalent course, fulfills the GE Segment I, Written Communications requirement.
GWAR: Undergraduate students must complete the CSU Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR).

Written English Proficiency Requirements for Native Speakers of English

First Year Composition for Native Speakers

All newly-admitted undergraduate students must take the California State University English Placement TEST (CSU-EPT) prior to their first semester of matriculated attendance at SF State, except those with an approved EPT test or course exemptions listed in the University Bulletin.

Two equivalent pathways satisfy the First-Year Composition Requirement for native speakers of English: ENG 104 - 105 “Stretch” or ENG 114.

Grading in all composition courses will be either ABC/No Credit or Credit/No Credit (CR/NC). A grade of CR or C- or better in ENG 104 - 105 or in ENG 114 satisfies the First-Year Composition Requirement. Students who receive credit for these courses will proceed to ENG 214.

Students who receive a grade of NC for ENG 105 must enroll in ENG 114.

First-time freshmen who were not able to show English proficiency at entry shall attain such proficiency during their initial college year of study at San Francisco State University.

Only those students who can demonstrate one of the following are not required to take First Year Composition at SF State:

A score of 3, 4, or 5 on either the Language and Composition or Composition and Literature examinations of the College Board Advanced Placement Program;
Completion of an equivalent college-level course elsewhere of 3 semester- or 4 quarter-units with a grade of credit (CR) or C- or better

Second Year Composition for Native Speakers

ENG 214, or an approved alternative, should be taken prior to completion of 60 semester units by all students who have not received credit for an equivalent test or course.

Successful completion of ENG 104 - 105 or ENG 114 is a prerequisite to ENG 214 or one of the approved ENG 214 alternatives.

ENG 114 and 214 may not be taken concurrently. ABC/NC grading is used in both courses.

Consult the online Class Schedule for the complete list of approved ENG 214 alternate courses. They are listed in the section entitled, “English Composition Requirement, Second Year.”

Students who have received scores of 3, 4, or 5 on the College Board Advanced Placement Examination in English will receive six units of college credit and satisfy the ENG 114 and ENG 214 course requirements.

Upper Division Written English Proficiency Requirements for Native Speakers

Undergraduate students must complete the CSU Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR). After passing courses in first and second year composition with a grade of Credit or C- or higher, students then are eligible to fulfill GWAR. There are several ways to satisfy this requirement:

Most majors require a GWAR-designated course or offer one as an elective in the major. For an updated list of approved GWAR courses, go to http://wac.sfsu.edu/content/approved-gwar-courses. Consult with your major department if you are uncertain how your department’s GWAR designated course might be used in your major program. Adoption of GWAR courses is on-going. For further information, consult your major department. All majors will offer a GWAR course no later than Fall 2013.
If your major department does not offer a GWAR-designated course by the time you are a junior, take and pass the Junior English Proficiency Essay Test (JEPET) before completing 80 semester units. If you do not pass JEPET, you must pass ENG 414 or a GWAR-designated course. Students with multilingual 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 CMSPT scores or receive permission from the CMS coordinator. Consult the Testing Center Examination Calendar for JEPET and CMSPT examination times and dates.

Written English Proficiency Requirements for Multilingual Students

Non-native speakers of English must take the English Placement Test (the CSU EPT) during their first semester of matriculated attendance at SF State.
Non-native speakers of English must also take the SF State Composition for Multilingual Speakers Placement Test (CMSPT) before they can enroll in any Composition for Multilingual Students (CMS) courses.

The CMSPT is an SF State requirement for placement in all CMS English courses. Placement in CMS courses is determined by the CMS coordinator solely on the basis of CMSPT scores, not on the basis of any course work or examinations taken at other colleges or universities. Consult the Testing Center Examination Calendar for CMSPT and EPT examination times and dates.

Non-native speakers of English who are eligible to take Composition for Multilingual Students (CMS) courses must complete the sequence of CMS courses listed below as substitutes for the English 114, 214, and JEPET requirements. In order to enroll in an CMS course, students must first take the SF State Composition for Multilingual Speakers Placement Test (CMSPT) and receive a qualifying score for that course. A student who satisfactorily completes an CMS course may proceed to the next level CMS course without retaking the CMSPT. Non-native speakers of English may complete the GE Oral Communication requirement by taking ENG 210, Oral Communication-Multilingual, if they qualify for this course on the basis of their CMSPT scores.

Students on foreign visas and permanent residents may substitute the following courses for the ENG 114, ENG 214, and JEPET requirements.

ENG 209 for ENG 114
ENG 310 for ENG 214
GWAR-designated course in major (see previous page); if none, ENG 411 or ENG 410 for the Junior English Proficiency Essay Test (JEPET). In order to use ENG 410 or ENG 411 to meet the JEPET requirement, students must take ENG 410 or ENG 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 CMSPT scores or receive permission from the CMS coordinator.

Note: by Fall 2013, all majors will offer GWAR courses.

Basic Information Competence Requirement

The faculty at San Francisco State University has long recognized the value of good research skills. Students are expected to be able to find and use information sources effectively. With the fast-paced changes in information technology and the expanding numbers of more powerful, but complex information sources, it is increasingly important for students to be able to effectively navigate in this information environment.

The Basic Information Competence Requirement is a graduation requirement for all SF State undergraduates. The intent of this requirement is to ensure that SF State students have a solid foundation of information competence skills early in their academic careers. 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). First-time freshmen are expected to complete the requirement by the end of their second semester and new transfer students by the end of their first semester at SF State.

For more information about the Basic Information Competence Requirement, the OASIS tutorial, and links to CSU and SF State policies about information competence, please visit the library's web site and select the link to “Information Competence/Library Requirement.”

U.S. History and Government Requirement

The California State University (CSU) system requires that all graduates demonstrate an 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's state and local governments. Because this is a competency requirement, it may be satisfied by passing examinations, or by taking courses, or by a combination of examinations and courses. In unusual circumstances, students may be able to demonstrate competency in other ways as well.

Transfer students from other California institutions should complete the U.S. History and Government Requirement prior to transfer. Public colleges and universities in California typically cover the entire requirement, often called American Institutions, in two courses in the same way as SF State. However, transfer students from colleges and universities outside of California or from private institutions within California or students who have AP or CLEP credit in U.S. government usually have not studied California government and will therefore need either to pass the California state and local government examination (see below) or to take a course to complete the California State and Local Government component of the U.S. History and Government requirement. Consult your Advanced Standing Evaluation form (ASE) or your Degree Audit Report System form (DARS) to verify completion of the entire requirement.

Students who believe that they can demonstrate a proficient understanding of any part of this requirement based on other coursework they have taken or on their experience (e.g., in state and local government) should consult with the Advising Center, ADM 211.

Units taken to meet the U.S. History and Government requirement at SF State cannot be used to satisfy the University's General Education requirements. Engineering majors should consult the Engineering GE adviser for engineering GE program exceptions.

Satisfying the U.S. History and Government Requirement by Examination

Advanced Placement (AP) Examinations A score of 3 or higher on the Advanced Placement examination in U.S. history will satisfy the U.S. history requirement. Students who have achieved a score of 3 or higher on the Advanced Placement examination in Government and Politics: United States will satisfy the U.S. government component of the requirement. For more information, go to the College Board website. Satisfactory completion of AP examinations also carries college credit. See Advanced Placement Test Scores page. No AP examination will satisfy the requirement in California state and local government.

College Level Examination Program (CLEP) Examinations A passing score (50) on the CLEP exam in either U.S. History I or U.S. History II will satisfy the U.S. history requirement. A passing score (50) on the CLEP exam in American Government will satisfy the U.S. government component of this requirement. For more information, go to the College Board website. Satisfactory completion of CLEP examinations will also carry college credit. See College-level Examination Program Test Scores page. No CLEP examination will satisfy the requirement in California state and local government.

SF State Equivalency Examination in California State and Local Government This requirement may be met by achieving a passing score on an SF State equivalency examination. This examination may be taken only once. For information about this examination and preparation for it, contact the Political Science Department.

Students may submit any combination of examinations and courses to satisfy this requirement.

Satisfying the U.S. History and Government Requirement by Taking Courses

Taking two three-unit courses at SF State satisfies this requirement. List A presents courses that satisfy the U.S. History requirement. List B presents courses that satisfy the requirement in U.S., state, and local government. All courses in List B fulfill BOTH the U.S. government and the California state and local government components of this requirement. Courses in List C fulfill ONLY the California state and local government components of this requirement.

List A: U.S. History Requirement Courses [USH]

Select one course:

Course ID	Course Title
AIS 460	Power and Politics in American Indian History
AAS 210	History of Asians in the United States
AFRS 304	Black People and the American Experience
ECON 400	Economic and Social History of the U.S.
RRS 600/ HIST 466	History of People of Color in the U.S.
HIST 120	History of the U.S. through Reconstruction
HIST 121	History of the U.S. since Reconstruction
HIST 130	Survey of U.S. History for Foreign Students
HIST 418	Society and Politics in American History
HIST 463/ LTNS 376	History of Latinos in the U.S.
WGS 150	Women and Gender in U.S. History and Society

List B: U.S. Government Requirement Courses [USG]

Note: In addition to fulfilling the U.S. Government requirement, the courses listed below also satisfy the California State and Local Government component of this requirement.

Select one course:

Course ID	Course Title
AIS 205	American Indians and U.S. Laws
AAS 213	Asian Americans and American Ideals and Institutions
AFRS 376	Government, the Constitution, and Black Citizens
RRS 250	Race, Ethnicity, and Power in America
LTNS 276	Latina/o, U.S. Government, and Constitutional Ideals
PLSI 200	American Politics
WGS 160	Gender, Politics, and Citizenship

List C: California State and Local Government Requirement [CSLG]

These courses satisfy ONLY the California State and Local Government component of the U.S. History and Government requirement. Students whose ASE or DARS report indicates that they have not met this component of the requirement should either take the examination in state and local government (contact the Political Science Department) or take one of the following courses to fulfill the California State and Local Government component of this requirement.

Course ID	Course Title
HIST 450	History of California
PLSI 273	Essentials of California Politics (1)
PLSI 473	California Government and Politics (4)

Undergraduate Education continues in General Education Requirements.

Visit our General Education Table of Contents or review the Overview of General Education from the beginning of Undergraduate Education.