Program Overview

The Certificate of Achievement in IGETC for STEM (CSU) will be awarded upon completion of the IGETC for STEM (CSU) general education requirements as outlined on the catalog year's IGETC for STEM (CSU) general education worksheet. Students must complete a minimum of 33 units, which are distributed among five areas. Per state requirements, the IGETC for STEM (CSU) general education option is available to students earning an Associate Degree for Transfer in Biology and/or Environmental Science only. This certificate recognizes the completion of lower-division general education STEM requirements for the CSU.

Note: The IGETC for STEM (CSU) allows students to defer six (6) units of general education courses from the 37-39 unit IGETC pattern. Students completing the IGETC for STEM (CSU) pattern may defer one course from Area C and one course from Area D until after transfer. Before transfer, these deferred lower-division transfer courses must be replaced with calculus and/or major science courses required by the major.

Program Requirements

AREA A: ENGLISH LANGUAGE COMMUNICATION & CRITICAL THINKING (9 units) One course each from A1 Oral Communication, A2 Written Communication, and A3 Critical Thinking. Units
Area A1 ORAL COMMUNICATION 3 units
Area A2 WRITTEN COMMUNICATION 3 units
Area A3 CRITICAL THINKING 3 units
AREA B: SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY AND QUANTITATIVE REASONING (9 units required) One course each from B1 Physical Science, B2 Life Science, and B4 Mathematics. At least one of the science courses listed in B1 or B2 must include a lab component (B3) as part of the course or as a separate lab course. Units
Area B1 PHYSICAL SCIENCE 3 units
Area B2 LIFE SCIENCE 3 units
Area B3 LABORATORY ACTIVITY
Area B4 MATHEMATICAL CONCEPTS & QUANTITATIVE REASONING 3 units
AREA C: ARTS AND HUMANITIES (6 units required) Complete one course in Area C1: Arts and one course in Area C2: Humanities. Units
Area C1 ARTS 3 units
Area C2 Humanities 3 units
AREA D: SOCIAL SCIENCES (6 units required) Complete two courses from two different disciplines in the Social Sciences. Units
Area D SOCIAL SCIENCES 6 units
AREA E: LIFELONG LEARNING & SELF DEVELOPMENT (3 units required) Complete three units from E1 or from E1 and E2 combined (Note: Maximum one unit applicable from Area E2. Must complete a minimum of two units in Area E1). Units
Area E LIFELONG LEARNING & SELF DEVELOPMENT 3 units
Total Required Units: 33