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.
Bulletin rights for General Education and other university graduation requirements. If the 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.
Bulletin rights for major requirements. Students admitted after Fall, 1986, 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 was 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 tests for entry level mathematics skills acquired through three years of rigorous college preparatory mathematics course work (normally Algebra I, Algebra II, and Geometry). All undergraduate students must take the test or be exempted from it prior to placement in appropriate university mathematics coursework.
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.
Students who have questions about ELM exemptions should contact the Testing Center.
San Francisco State University offers several remedial mathematics courses. Students who score lower than 550 on the ELM examination must enroll in one of these courses during their first semester of enrollment at SFSU. Students who score 370 or below on the ELM must enroll in MATH 59 before attempting MATH 70 in preparation for Quantitative Reasoning. Contact the Intensive Learning Program, HSS 228, for assistance.
Remediation must begin during the first semester of enrollment at SFSU.
| 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 |
ELM Test Exemptions: Students who have one or more of the scores listed below qualify for an ELM exemption.
| ELM TEST EXEMPTIONS | EXEMPTION SCORE |
| College Board Advanced Placement Mathematics Examination (AB or BC) | 3 or above |
| College Board Advanced Placement Statistics Examination | 3 or above |
| College Board SAT—Mathematics [taken prior to March 1994] | 560 or above |
| College Board Mathematics Achievement Test: Level I or Level II [taken prior to March 1994]* | 560 or above |
| College Board SAT I Reasoning (Math) Test or College Board SAT II Mathematics Tests Level I, II, or IIC [taken on or after March 1, 1994]* | 560 or above |
| American College Testing (ACT)—Math [taken prior to October 1989] | 24 or above |
| Enhanced American College Testing (ACT)—Math [taken on or after October 1989] | 25 or above |
* NOTE: The College Board SAT and Achievement Tests were replaced by SAT I and SAT II, respectively, beginning March 1994. Beginning April 1, 1995, the SAT I and SAT II exams are scored on a new scale; however, the SAT scores qualifying for exemption from the ELM remain the same.
ELM Course Exemption: Transfer students are exempt from ELM if they completed and transferred to the CSU a course in college mathematics above the level of Algebra II with a grade of C or better that was certified by the transferring institution as meeting the General Education Breadth Requirement or the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum requirement in Quantitative Reasoning.
The EPT measures the reading and writing ability of entering SFSU students. The results of EPT will be used to place students in English courses appropriate to their needs.
The EPT must be taken prior to placement in appropriate university English course work.
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 have one of the scores that follow qualify for an EPT exemption.
| EPT TEST EXEMPTIONS | EXEMPTION SCORE |
| Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT-Verbal) [taken prior to March 1994] | 470 or above |
| College Board SAT I Reasoning Test [taken March 1994-March 1995]* | 470 or above |
| College Board SAT I Reasoning Test [taken on or after April 1, 1995]* | 550 or above |
| American College Testing (ACT) English Usage Test [taken prior to October 1989] | 22 or above |
| Enhanced American College Testing (ACT) English Test [taken on or after October 1989] | 25 or above |
| College Board Achievement Test—English Composition with Essay [taken prior to January 1994]* | 600 or above |
| College Board SAT II—Writing Test [taken January 1994-March 1995]* | 600 or above |
| College Board SAT II—Writing Test [taken on or after April 1, 1995]* | 660 or above |
| College Board Advanced Placement—Composition and Literature or Language and Composition | 3 or above |
| CSU English Equivalency Examination [taken prior to July 1993] | "Pass for Credit" (6 units) or "Exemption" |
* NOTE: The College Board SAT and Achievement Tests were replaced by SAT I and SAT II, respectively, beginning March 1994. Beginning April 1, 1995, the SAT I and SAT II exams have been scored on a new scale.
EPT Course Exemptions: Transfer students are exempt from EPT if they completed and transferred an acceptable college course that satisfies the General Education-Breadth Requirement or the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum requirement in English composition of four quarter or three semester units with a grade of 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.
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 these remedial courses are not applied toward GPA or the number of units required to graduate. Successful completion of ENG 49 and/or 50 by students needing them is a prerequisite for enrollment in ENG 114.
Remediation must begin during the first semester of enrollment at SFSU.
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 has specified that students must 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.
The requirement is generally satisfied by taking two three-unit courses. The government component of the requirement includes two parts—U.S. government and California state and local government. Public colleges and universities in California typically cover both parts in one course. Schools outside of California do not. Some students may need to take a third course to satisfy the entire U.S. history and government requirement.
Students with equivalency requests should direct their questions to:
Courses that fulfill the U.S. History and Government requirement, as well as the California state and local government component, are indicated below.
| U.S. History Requirement Courses (3 units) | |
| 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 United States |
| HIST 120 | History of the United States to 1865 |
| HIST 121 | History of the United States since 1865 |
| HIST 130 | Survey of United States History for Foreign Students |
| HIST 418 | Society and Politics in American History |
| LARA 376 | History of La Raza in the United States |
| SS 200 | Development of American Institutions, Values, and Ideals |
| WOMS 150 | Women in American History and Society |
| U.S. Government Requirement Courses (3 units) 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 |
| LARA 276 | La Raza, Government, Ideals, and Constitution |
| PLSI 200 | American Politics |
| SS 201 | Governance in Urban-Industrial America |
| WOMS 160 | Women, Politics, and Citizenship |
| California State and Local Government Requirement (3
units, if required) Students who have met all of the requirement (either by units completed at another institution or by examination) except for the California state and local government component may meet that part of the requirement by examination or by completing one of the following three-unit courses: |
|
| HIST 450 | History of California |
| PLSI 473 | California Government and Politics |
The U.S. History and Government requirement may be met by achieving a passing score on three 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.
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 Library Requirement is designed to assure that all undergraduate students can utilize basic library resources and methods as preparation for future course work.
The Library Requirement can be met by completing the Library Research Guide or comparable library instruction or experience.
Undergraduate students entering SFSU should complete the Library Requirement during their first semester of attendance, and must complete it before graduation.
For award of the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), students are required to complete a minimum of 124 semester units. For award of the Bachelor of Science (B.S.), students must complete a minimum of 124-132 semester units depending on the specific requirements of the individual B.S. degrees.
Thirty (30) units must be earned in residence at SFSU. Twenty-four (24) units must be upper division courses and twelve (12) units (upper division or lower division) must be in the major. Nine (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 40 upper division units (courses numbered 300-699 at SFSU). Twenty-four (24) of these units must be completed at SFSU, nine (9) 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 64 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, Summer, 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 credit towards meeting the university's General Education requirements through the Credit by Evaluation for Experiential Learning (CEEL) Program. This program is designed to meet the needs of students who have university-level prior learning experiences that can be evaluated for credit. Credit is offered only after a comprehensive and searching evaluation by a faculty member in the area for which credit is sought. A maximum of six units of residence CEEL credit may be earned towards the baccalaureate degree at SFSU for any combination of the following courses: CEEL 300, CHS 350, and BSS 250. For further information, contact the Advising Center, ADM 212.
A maximum of thirty (30) semester units of credit for prior learning, knowledge, or skills-based experience may be earned toward award of the baccalaureate degree including any units for experiential learning which may be accepted as a result of California State University policy from other institutions. The faculty in any academic program may set additional limits on the number of experiential learning units accepted, or required, for majors or minors in that program.
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. Students may enroll in up to nineteen (19) units in one semester 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 only 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.
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: