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Note: For detailed information regarding General Education (GE) Requirements see the chapter: General Education Program
Requirements
Baccalaureate Degree RequirementsThere are three major parts of a baccalaureate degree and eight basic requirements defined in the California Code of Regulations.
Most courses will fall into one of the three parts of the degree:
- the General Education (GE)/Breadth requirements for basic skills and breadth,
- the major for depth in one field, and
- electives, which can shape students’ education in directions they choose.
NOTE: Each of these will be described in other sections of this chapter.
These are the eight basic requirements for the baccalaureate degree defined in the California Code of Regulations:
- Complete a 48 semester-unit program of General Education requirements including a minimum of 9 upper-division (300 or higher) units in GE Areas B6, C4, D4 (see the General Education Program ).
- Complete the local breadth requirements, including a Second Composition course, 3 units of Diversity Overlay, 3 units of Social Justice Overlay, and 3 units of Sustainability Overlay (see the General Education Program ).
- Complete one of the majors described in this catalog.
- Complete the U.S. history, U.S. Constitution, and California state and local government requirement through coursework or exams (see American Institutions Requirements below).
- Satisfy the University Writing Skills Requirement (UWSR) (see Graduation Requirements in Writing Proficiency below).
- Complete a minimum of 30 semester units in residence enrolled as an admitted student at Cal State East Bay. Up to 24 units taken through Open University and Extension may be counted for residence. Units in residence must include at least 24 upper division units, 12 units in the major, and 9 units of GE. (Units earned at other institutions and units earned through Credit-by-Examination are not residence units.)
- Complete at least 120 semester units for a B.A. degree, 130 semester units for a B.F.A. degree, or 120 semester units for a B.S. degree. At least 40 of these units must be in upper division courses (courses numbered 300-499). No more than 40 units can be graded in the Credit/No Credit pattern (CR/NC or A/B/C/NC). No more than 24 units can be in Continuing Education or Open University, and no more than 30 units can be earned credit-by-examination (excepting Advanced Placement).
- Attain a grade point average of at least 2.00 on a 4.00 scale in all major and university-earned coursework for the degree.
Graduation Requirement in Writing Proficiency (GWAR/UWSR)All students must demonstrate competency in writing skills as a requirement for graduation. Information on currently available ways to meet this graduation requirement may be obtained from the Office of Academic Programs and Services.
Cal State East Bay has temporarily suspended the University Writing Skills Requirement (UWSR) until Academic Year 2021-22. Students with rights to the 2020-21 Catalog for graduation requirements are considered to have satisfied this requirement.
Please see Errata Non-curricular for updated information.
American Institutions Requirement CSU graduates are expected to have knowledge of: significant events in U.S. history; the role of major ethnic and social groups in these events; the political, economic, social, and geographic context of these events; the U.S. Constitution, U.S. political institutions and processes; the rights and obligations of U.S. citizens; the California Constitution; federal-state relations; and California state and local government, and political processes.
Students demonstrate their competence in these fields by either:
(a) Passing the CLEP exam in History of the United States I or II, CLEP exam in American Government, and the California State and Local Government exam administered by the CSUEB Testing Office.
(b) Passing the Advanced Placement United States History with a score of 3 or above, the Advanced Placement United States Government and Politics with a score of 3 or above, and the California State and Local Government exam administered by the CSUEB Testing Office.
(c) Passing two courses which cover all three topics (while some courses cover all 3 topics, students are required to take two courses):
US-1:
US-2:
US-3:
Note: Be aware that receiving credit for any courses applicable to this requirement through a national test such as Advanced Placement, CLEP, or at an out-of-state institution will not satisfy the California state and local government (US-3) part of this requirement. Please contact the History or Political Science Departments for further information. Students who have completed part of the Code Requirement at a California Community College should also consult the corresponding departments to avoid duplicating coursework.
Additional Undergraduate RequirementsResidence Requirements
Complete a minimum of 30 semester units in residence enrolled as an admitted student at Cal State East Bay. Up to 24 units taken through Open University and Continuing Education may be counted for residence. Units in residence must include at least 24 upper division units, 12 units in the major, and 9 units of GE (Units earned at other institutions, and units earned through Credit-by-Examination are not residence units, with the exception of upper division GE units earned at another CSU.)
Unit Requirements
Complete at least 120 semester units for a B.A. degree, 130 semester units for the B.F.A. degree, or 120-125 semester units for the B.S. degree. At least 40 of these units must be in upper division courses (courses numbered 300 and above). No more than 40 units can be graded in the Credit/No Credit pattern (CR/NC or A/B/C/NC). No more than 24 units can be in Continuing Education, Open University, or correspondence credit, and no more than 30 units can be earned credit-by-examination (excepting Advanced Placement).
Grade Point Average
Attain a grade point average of at least 2.00 on a 4.00 scale in all units attempted at Cal State East Bay, all the units attempted including transfer units, and all units attempted in the major regardless of the department in which they are taught.
Progress to Degree
Students must complete their GE A1, A2, A3, and B4 requirements before reaching junior status. Students must take steps to satisfy the UWSR during their junior year.
Undergraduate English Language RequirementAll undergraduate applicants whose native language is not English, and who have not attended schools at the secondary level or above for at least three years full time where English is the principal language of instruction, must present a Cal State East Bay minimum score or above on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS.) Some majors may require a score higher than the campus minimum. Cal State East Bay interprets “where English was the principal language of instruction” to mean that a school is located in a country where English is the native language (the daily medium of communication of the majority of residents is English), and that the students receive academic instruction in all subjects (except foreign language courses) at all levels of education in English.
Cal State East Bay minimum English proficiency test standards for undergraduate students are:
- TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) score of 61 Internet-based or 525 Paper-based or above.
- An overall IELTS (International English Language Testing System) score of 6.0 or above.
TOEFL or IELTS can be waived for applicants who meet at least one of these two requisites:
- Transferred from a U.S. college with 60 or more semester units with a minimum grade point average of 2.4, and have completed a transfer course in each of the following general education areas with a grade of 2.0 or better: English composition, speech, critical thinking, and mathematics.
- Attended a secondary school or higher for three or more years in one or more of the following countries: Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize (formerly British Honduras), Bermuda, Botswana, Canada (except Quebec), Cayman Islands, Commonwealth Caribbean, Dominica, England, Fiji, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana (aka British Guiana), Ireland (Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland), Jamaica, Kiribati, Lesotho, Liberia, Micronesia, Montserrat, Namibia, New Zealand, Saint Helena, Saint Lucia (Caribbean Commonwealth), Scotland, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Trinidad & Tobago, United Kingdom, United States, Virgin Islands (US and British), Wales, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Note: All test scores must be sent directly from the testing institution. Cal State East Bay’s International Admission Office contacts are located at: http://www.csueastbay.edu/prospective/how-to-apply/international-student-admission.
Undergraduate Certificate ProgramsUndergraduate Certificate Program
A certificate program is a coherent set of academic courses, considerably narrower in scope and objectives than a degree or major, for which students can receive a certificate upon its successful completion. Most certificate programs are oriented toward occupations and/or career skills. A certificate program must contain at least 12 units of courses numbered 300 or above and a minimum of 15 total units. Each certificate program must contain a required core of at least three courses and 9 units. With faculty advice, special certificate programs may be available.
Students must receive a grade of “C” or better in each course applied to the program. Only one course may be taken “CR/NC” in a certificate program not counting courses for which that is the only grading pattern for the course. At least 75% of the units must be taken at Cal State East Bay. (For certificate programs, Cal State East Bay courses may be taken through University Extension or as a regularly admitted and enrolled student.) Students who have already received a major, option, or minor with the same title are not eligible for the certificate. No student is required to complete a certificate program. Completion of a certificate program is recognized by the awarding of a certificate. There is no notation about the program on either a diploma or permanent record. (The courses will be on the student’s transcript.) Students may pursue a certificate program before, during, or after their baccalaureate degree. Unlike a minor, a certificate is not part of a degree.
University Extension also offers professional and career development Certificate Programs which may be taken for academic credit or Continuing Education Units (CEUs). For information about the certificate programs offered by University Extension please visit https://www.ce.csueastbay.edu/.
Graduate Certificate Programs
For information concerning graduate certificate programs see the Graduate Degree Requirements & Policies chapter.
Music Auditions & Proficiency Exam RequirementsStudents who declare a major in music must complete examinations and auditions to determine:
- theory placement,
- level of applied study,
- piano proficiency, and
- major performance ensemble.
These examinations are not a substitute for the Advanced Placement Test in Music and should not be confused with the Advanced Placement Program. Auditions and examinations are scheduled prior to the first week of each semester. For additional information and specific appointment times, contact the Department of Music, MB 2571, or telephone (510) 885-3135.
Credit by Examination
Challenging Courses by ExaminationsThe University recognizes that exceptional students, by reason of special studies or experiences, may already have achieved the objectives of certain courses in the basic program; therefore, students with this background may petition to receive credit in selected courses by special examination. Such an examination is normally from three to six hours in length and may be oral as well as written. Each course may be challenged only once.
Students who wish to receive credit under this plan must obtain a petition for credit by examination from the office of the department offering the course, and obtain the permission of the department chair or designee. No instructor or department is obliged to offer credit by examination for a course. To be eligible to challenge a course, students must be adequately prepared for the course, as determined by the department, including, but not limited to, having satisfied all prerequisites for the course as specified in the University Catalog.
Credit by examination is not allowed for a course that is a prerequisite for a course which the student has already completed or in which the student is currently enrolled. Challenge exams shall not be permitted as a means of earning a higher grade in a course. Once a student has enrolled in and earned a grade in a course, the only way to earn a higher grade is to repeat the course and pay normal course units fees.
The examination must be administered during the first two weeks of the semester. The department is responsible for notifying the student of the results of the examination, and submitting the results to the Registrar’s Office by the fifth week of the semester. The department need not inform the Office of the Registrar of failed exams. If the exam is passed with a grade of “C-” or higher, the student will receive units recorded as test credit that will count as units toward graduation, but will not count as resident credit or be included in GPA calculations.
No more than 24 semester units of credit obtained by challenging courses may be applied toward the baccalaureate degree. No credit earned by examination may be used to satisfy the requirement of 30 semester units in residence at Cal State East Bay.
Credit for External ExaminationsCal State East Bay grants credit for successfully passing any University-approved examination, subject to the following conditions:
- Credit shall not be awarded for successful passage of any examination if the student previously took that examination during the past semester.
- Credit shall not be awarded when equivalent degree credit has been granted for regular coursework, credit-by evaluation, or other instructional processes such as correspondence.
- Credit shall not be awarded when credit has been granted at a level represented by the examination in question.
- Duplicate credit shall not be awarded where there are overlapping tests, university level work, or both. Where there is partial overlap, the amount of examination credit shall be reduced accordingly.
- The total amount of credit earned on the basis of externally developed tests that may be applied to a baccalaureate degree shall not exceed 30 semester units. Note: Advanced Placement credit is excluded from this limit.
College Level Examination Program (CLEP)
This program was created by the College Board to allow students to demonstrate college-level achievement through a series of exams in undergraduate college courses. There are 2900 colleges that grant credit and/or advanced standing for CLEP exams.
California State University East Bay is an open test center and we welcome military personnel. All of the computer-based exams are administered by the Testing Office.
Note: Please see the list of CLEP exams and the Cal State East Bay credit awarded.
Advanced Placement (AP) Exam CreditCal State East Bay grants credit toward its undergraduate degrees for successful completion of examinations of the Advanced Placement Program of the College Board. Students who present scores of three or better will be granted up to six semester units (nine quarter units) of college credit. Students need to request that the official score be sent to the Office of Admission.
The AP exams are prepared and offered by the College Board. Unit credit will be granted to those passing the exams, but no letter grade will be assigned or computed in a student’s grade point average.
If students have Advanced Placement credit, they must request to the College Board to send their test score(s) to the Office of Admission at Cal State East Bay.
Note: Please see the list of exams and credit awarded HERE .
International Baccalaureate (IB) Exam CreditCal State East Bay recognizes the International Baccalaureate (IB) as a challenging college-preparatory program. Four (4) to fifteen (15) units of college credit will be awarded for each IB Higher Level Examination passed with a score of 4, 5, 6, or 7. (No credit will be awarded for IB Subsidiary Level passes.) A copy of the official IB transcript must be supplied to the University when credit is requested. All credit is granted in terms of existing Cal State East Bay courses with equivalent subject matter determined by the department.
Note: Please see the list of IB exams and the Cal State East Bay credit awarded HERE .
Science Equivalency ExamStudents who pass the American Chemistry Society Cooperative Examination in General Chemistry at or above the 50th percentile will receive 5 units of credit. Contact the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, North Science 431, College of Science, Phone: (510) 885-3452, Office Hours: 9-5, M-F.
Language Placement ExamsPlacement exams in French and Spanish languages are offered on a continuing basis through the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures. Placement exams for other languages may also be periodically available. Students who have prior language experience but are uncertain of their level of ability (elementary, intermediate, or advanced) are encouraged to consult with a faculty advisor before enrolling in a French or Spanish language course. Placement exams are given only on the recommendation of faculty. For more information, contact the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures in Music Building (MB) 2599 or by phone at (510) 885-3211.
Testing Services
Testing Services
The Testing Office provides a wide variety of services and assistance to students, faculty, staff and the community.
Students should be aware of Cal State East Bay’s test requirements. They are:
Additional information is available on the Testing Office website.
Other tests administered by the Testing Office:
The ACT (American College Test) and the SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test), one of which is required for entering freshmen. For more information see the Application & Admissions chapter.
The MAT (Miller Analogies Test) is required by some graduate programs.
The CLEP (College Level Examination Program) was created by the College Board to allow students to demonstrate college-level achievement through a series of exams in undergraduate college courses.
The TEAS (Test of Essential Academic Skills) is required for entering in Nursing Program.
The Math Proficiency Assessment (ALEKS PPL) for students who wish to demonstrate proficiency in College Algebra and/or Pre-calculus in order to fulfill pre-requisite requirements for Math 120 or 130.
Additional tests available on the Testing Office website.
ACT - American College Testing Program
CBEST - California Basic Educational Skills Test
CLAD/BCLAD - Bilingual/Cross cultural Language and Academic Development
CLEP - College Level Examination Program
CSET - California Subject Examinations for Teachers
GMAT - Graduate Management Admission Test
GRE - Graduate Record Examinations
IELTS - International English Language Testing System
LSAT - Law School Admission Test
MAT - Miller Analogies Test
MCAT - Medical College Admission Test
PRAXIS - Praxis Test
RICA - Reading Instruction Competence Assessment
SAT - Scholastic Aptitude Tests
SSAT - California Single Subject Assessments for Teachers
TEAS - Test of Essential Academic Skills
TOEFL - Test of English as a Foreign Language
Test RequirementsFreshman and transfer applicants who have fewer than 60 semester or 90 quarter units of transferable college credit are strongly encouraged to submit scores, unless exempt (see “Eligibility Index”), from either the ACT or the SAT of the College Board. Persons who apply to an impacted program may be required to submit test scores and should take the test no later than November or December. Test scores also are used for advising and placement purposes. Students may contact:
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The College Board (SAT)
Registration Unit, Box 6200, Princeton, New Jersey 08541-6200
(609) 771-7588
www.collegeboard.org
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ACT Registration Unit
P.O. Box 414, Iowa City, Iowa 52240
(319) 337-1270
www.act.org
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Sending SAT Scores: School Code: 4011 (California State University, East Bay).
Sending ACT Scores: School Code: 0154 (California State University, East Bay).
Registration forms and dates for the SAT or ACT are available from school or college counselors or from a CSU campus testing office at: http://www.csueastbay.edu/testing/
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