Baccalaureate & Program Requirements

Note: For detailed information regarding General Education (GE) Requirements see General Education Program below:

Baccalaureate Degree Requirements

There 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:

1. the Breadth requirements (including general education) for basic skills and breadth,
2. the major for depth in one field, and
3. 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:

1. Complete a 48 semester-unit program of General Education requirements including a minimum of 9 upper-division (300 - 499) units in GE Areas upper division B, upper division C, upper division D (see the General Education Program ).
2. 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 ).
3. Complete one of the majors described in this catalog.
4. Complete the U.S. history, U.S. Constitution, and California state and local government requirement through coursework or exams (see American Institutions Requirements below).
5. Satisfy the University Writing Skills Requirement (UWSR) (see Graduation Requirements in Writing Proficiency below).
6. 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.)
7. 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).
8. 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.

Additional Undergraduate Requirements

Residence 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.

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 the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR) and the University Writing Skills Requirement (UWSR) may be obtained from the Office of Academic Programs and Services.

Cal State East Bay has temporarily suspended the University Writing Skills Requirement (UWSR) through Academic Year 2021-22.  Students with rights to the 2021-22 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 Cal State East Bay 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 Cal State East Bay 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:

• ECON 101 US Economic History and Institutions  
• ​ES 120 The People’s History I  
• HIST 110 The United States to 1877  
• HIST 111 The United States Since 1877  
• POSC 101 American Political Institutions   

US-2:

• ECON 101 US Economic History and Institutions  
• ​ES 120 The People’s History I  
• ES 121 The People’s History II  
• HIST 110 The United States to 1877   
• HIST 200 Writing California Political Histories   
• POSC 101 American Political Institutions  
• POSC 102 Public Policy/California Politics   
• POSC 316 Politics of California     

US-3:​ 

• ES 121 The People’s History II  
• HIST 111 The United States Since 1877  
• HIST 200 Writing California Political Histories     
• HIST 382 California and the World  
• POSC 102 Public Policy/California Politics  
• POSC 316 Politics of California     

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.   

Undergraduate English Language Requirement

All 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 Programs

Undergraduate 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 Policies  chapter.

Music Auditions & Proficiency Exam Requirements

Students 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.