This guide explains how curriculum requirements are organized and how units should be calculated when preparing new or modified curriculum proposals. It is intended to help faculty identify the major core, concentration, prerequisites, electives, and other curriculum components before submitting a proposal.
Unit totals entered in curriculum proposals should be consistent with the catalog, Degree Audit, and the proposed curriculum structure. Accurate unit calculations help prevent delays during technical and curriculum review.
Important: This guide summarizes CSU requirements and Stanislaus State curriculum review practices. It does not replace Title 5, Chancellor's Office requirements, university policy, or formal curriculum approval.
General Unit-Counting Principles
When calculating curriculum units:
- Count all courses that students are required to complete.
- Include prerequisites when the prerequisites are required for completion of the program or subprogram.
- Do not count the same course more than once within the same program unit total.
- Separate requirements completed by all students in the major from requirements completed only by students in a concentration or other subprogram.
- Confirm that the unit totals in the proposal match the proposed catalog curriculum and Degree Audit structure.
Using Degree Audit
Degree Audit organizes curriculum requirements into separate requirement areas. These areas may include the major core, concentration, electives, prerequisites, support courses, General Education, and other graduation requirements.
Before submitting a proposal, review Degree Audit to confirm:
- which courses are required of all students in the major;
- which courses are specific to a concentration or other subprogram;
- whether required prerequisites are included in the unit total;
- how elective requirements are displayed; and
- whether the Degree Audit structure matches the catalog requirements.
If Degree Audit, the catalog, and the proposed curriculum do not match, contact Academic Programs before submitting the proposal.
Undergraduate Degree Programs
Total Degree Units
Total degree units include all units required to earn the degree, including the major, General Education, university requirements, and any additional units needed to reach the minimum number of units required for the degree.
Major Units
Major units include all coursework required for completion of the major. Depending on the program structure, major units may include:
- major core courses;
- required prerequisites;
- support courses;
- required electives;
- restricted electives; and
- concentration requirements.
Major Core
The major core consists of the courses and requirements completed by all students in the major, regardless of concentration or area of emphasis.
Courses required only for a specific concentration should not be included in the major core.
Prerequisites and Support Courses
Required prerequisites and support courses must be included when calculating program or subprogram units if students must complete them to satisfy the curriculum requirements.
A prerequisite should not be excluded from the unit total simply because it appears outside the primary list of required courses.
Required and Restricted Electives
Include the number of elective units students must complete, not the total number of courses available on the elective list.
For example, if students must complete 6 units from a list containing 18 units of available courses, count 6 required units.
Concentrations
What Is a Concentration?
A concentration is an organized curriculum within a major that provides focused study in a particular area. Concentration requirements are completed by students who select that concentration and are separate from the major core completed by all students in the major.
Counting Concentration Units
When calculating concentration units:
- Count only courses and requirements that are specific to the concentration.
- Include prerequisites required for completion of the concentration.
- Do not include courses already required in the major core.
- Do not count the same requirement in both the major core and the concentration.
- Confirm that the concentration does not comprise more than 50 percent of the major core units.
Concentration unit limit: A concentration may not exceed 50 percent of the major core units.
Concentration Example
| Curriculum Component | Units |
|---|---|
| Major Core | 30 |
| Maximum Allowable Concentration Units | 15 |
| Proposed Concentration | 15 |
| Total Major Units | 45 |
In this example, the concentration is allowable because its 15 units are separate from the 30-unit major core and do not exceed 50 percent of the major core.
Example That Does Not Meet the Requirement
| Curriculum Component | Units |
|---|---|
| Major Core | 25 |
| Proposed Concentration | 30 |
This structure does not meet the requirement because the 30-unit concentration exceeds 50 percent of the 25-unit major core.
Incorrect Double Counting
A course required of every student in the major belongs in the major core. It cannot also be counted as a concentration unit. Including major core courses in the concentration total overstates the number of units specific to the concentration.
Minors
Minor units include all coursework required to complete the minor, including required prerequisites and required electives.
When calculating minor units:
- count all required courses;
- include required prerequisites;
- count only the number of elective units students must complete, not every course available on an elective list; and
- confirm that the unit total matches the proposed catalog requirements.
Any limits on overlap between a minor and a student's major should be addressed through the applicable university and program requirements.
Certificates
Certificate units include all coursework required to complete the certificate, including required prerequisites and required electives.
When calculating certificate units:
- count all required coursework;
- include prerequisites required for certificate completion;
- identify whether the certificate is undergraduate, postbaccalaureate, or graduate; and
- confirm whether additional state or federal reporting requirements apply.
Certificates that are not linked to a degree may be subject to additional federal reporting, disclosure, and financial aid requirements.
Credentials
Credential units should reflect all coursework required to complete the credential program, including required prerequisites, professional preparation courses, and other required components.
Because credential structures may include requirements established by external agencies, proposal originators should confirm that the curriculum unit total matches both university requirements and applicable credentialing standards.
Program Modifications
Unit totals must be reviewed whenever a program modification adds, removes, or reorganizes curriculum requirements.
For a program modification, confirm:
- the current approved unit total;
- the proposed unit total;
- the net change in units;
- whether changes affect the major core, concentration, prerequisites, electives, or total degree units; and
- whether the catalog and Degree Audit will require corresponding updates.
Moving a course from one curriculum area to another may affect the major core, concentration total, and Degree Audit structure even when the total number of program units does not change.
Blended Bachelor's and Master's Programs
Stanislaus State does not currently have an established campus proposal process for blended bachelor's and master's degree programs.
Guidance for blended program proposals will be published after a campus process has been established. Departments interested in exploring a blended program should contact Academic Programs before developing a proposal.
Common Unit-Counting Errors
- Excluding required prerequisites from the program unit total.
- Counting major core courses again as concentration requirements.
- Counting every course on an elective list instead of the number of elective units required.
- Reporting a concentration that exceeds 50 percent of the major core.
- Entering unit totals that do not match the catalog or Degree Audit.
- Changing curriculum requirements without updating all affected curriculum sections.
Degree Audit Spreadsheet
Use the following worksheet before submitting a new program or program modification proposal.
Please note, Stan State Faculty and Staff must be logged into OneDrive to access the file.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are prerequisites included in the unit total?
Yes. Include prerequisites when students are required to complete them as part of the program or subprogram.
Can a major core course also count as a concentration course?
No. The major core consists of requirements completed by all students in the major. Concentration units consist of requirements specific to students in that concentration.
How do I count an elective list?
Count the number of elective units students are required to complete. Do not count the total number of units available on the list.
What if the catalog and Degree Audit show different unit totals?
Contact Academic Programs before submitting the proposal. The discrepancy should be reviewed to determine the approved curriculum structure and whether a correction or curriculum proposal is required.
What if I am unsure where a course belongs?
Determine whether the course is completed by all students in the major or only by students in a particular concentration or subprogram. Contact Academic Programs if the curriculum structure is unclear.
Questions
Contact Academic Programs at AcademicPrograms@csustan.edu for assistance with curriculum structure, unit calculations, or proposal requirements.
Updated: July 23, 2026