General Education Requirements

Overview

The General Education program at Cal State LA enriches the lives of students as they acquire knowledge, learn to think critically, and use methodologies of the various disciplines. Students also learn to prepare for participation in a democracy, to appreciate a sense of shared cultural heritage, and to understand the environment. Students experience self-discovery and personal growth and recognize them as lifelong processes.

Each baccalaureate student who entered Cal State LA Fall 2016 or later and who is subject to requirements in the 2016-17 or any later catalog shall complete the general education program described below, in consultation with an advisor. The requirements include a minimum of 39 lower division units and 9 upper division units, selected from the three areas (Natural Sciences and Quantitative Reasoning; Arts and Humanities; and Social Sciences) for a total of 48 semester units. In addition, at least 9 of the total units must be earned at Cal State LA. Students must complete two diversity (d) courses (at least one of which meets the (re) requirements) which may be completed at either the lower or upper division level of the General Education program. Students are urged to consult an academic advisor in their major department/division/school or the advisement center at the College of Natural and Social Sciences in selecting general education courses. Please consult the current Schedule of Classes for specific information about distribution requirements, unit requirements, and current general education courses.

General Education and University Requirements