General Education and Baccalaureate Degree Requirements
In order to comply with Executive Orders 1100 and 1110, several changes were made to English and Math/Quantitative Reasoning (QR) assessment and placement, to English and Math/QR courses, and to the overall structure of the General Education program. Much of this was approved late in spring semester, with some implementation components developed in early summer. This email is intended to help ensure that advisors are aware of key changes that have occurred, and how these may influence advising during New Student Orientation and beyond.
The Student Request to Change Catalog Year or General Education Substitution petition should be used by students who have a catalog year PRIOR to Fall 2018. Also, please note, approval has been given to waive the fee for this form only, and students requesting to change their catalog year, or to substitute their current GE for the 2018 GE requirements should use this form to facilitate the process. This petition requires signature from the following:
- Student
- Academic Advisor or Major Department Chairperson
- Academic Success Center Director/Designee (the form will be forwarded from ASC to Enrollment Services)
View Student Request to Change Catalog Year or General Education Substitution.pdf
The Stanislaus State California Promise 2-Year Graduation Pledge is a program designed to guarantee graduation within 2 years for California resident students with an Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT), as created by 10AS17UEPC, Campus Implementation of SB 412. Transfer students who are committed to graduating in 2 years by way of the Stanislaus State California Promise 2-Year Graduation Pledge program will be provided 1). An assigned California Promise major advisor who will assist in developing an enrollment plan, will meet at least once per semester to monitor academic progress, and who will help to modify the plan as appropriate; and 2). Priority registration in the second pass, by student classification, for each enrollment period.
Eligible Associate Degree for Transfer students recently received an email inviting them to participate in the California Promise program. Please find resources for advising California Promise students on the Faculty Advising Resource website under California Promise Advising. For questions, please contact Gaby Nuño (Associate Director of Enrollment Services) or Betsy Eudey (Faculty Director for Advising and Learning Cohorts).
The Basics
Executive Order 1110 indicates that freshmen should enroll in their GE English (A2) and Mathematics / Quantitative Reasoning (B4) courses during the first academic year. Advisors should emphasize this requirement, and assist students in understanding which courses are most appropriate for them based on their major and their course placement.
The lists of first year students attending orientation will indicate their Math/QR placement and English directed self-placement. This informs the courses they should take in fall. If you are interested, read over the Multiple Measures section. STEM majors may also need to take an assessment test, as indicated in the PDF flow-chart.
Effective fall 2018, there are changes to the structure of nearly all areas in the General Education program and to the Baccalaureate Degree Requirements.
On the General Education website and linked here, you’ll find Advising Sheets for Baccalaureate Degree Requirements, including GE requirements, as well as a side-by-side comparison of the new (2018-19) and old (thru 2017-18) requirements.
The 2018-19 advising sheet is included in the Student Planner that all new students will receive at orientation, and is posted in the online Academic Catalog with the requirements for each academic major, and on the GE and Baccalaureate Degree Requirements pages.
A detailed summary of the Revised GE program and Baccalaureate Degree Requirements is included in Academic Senate Resolution 14/AS/18/UEPC/GE.
Incoming first-time freshmen will complete a directed self-placement survey, helping them to decide which course or pair of courses is most appropriate. Information about Directed Self-Placement is online.
The Mathematics Department made the following TWO changes:
- Effective Fall 2018, incoming students are assigned a Math Placement Category of I, II, III, or IV. The following is what each category represents:
- Category I: GE Math completed (via AP or transfer course)
- Category II: Place into GE Math (student does not require support and can take original courses)
- Category III or IV: Place into supported GE Math (must go through a supported course)
If a student is not assessed as prepared to take the GE-level (B4) course, they will now enroll in credit-bearing supported courses. The following chart indicates the supported courses that are associated with each B4 course – if students receive a math placement category of III or IV, they should be advised to enroll in the new course(s) that match the Math/QR course(s) recommended in your major. Sequenced courses are designed to run over two to three consecutive semesters. See the PDF Chart for original and equivalent supported courses.
- More information about the GE Area B4 courses with or without support may be found at:
- Additionally, the Math Department has implemented an Assessment Test affecting STEM students. Information on the Assessment Test, including a flow chart to help decide if a student requires the Assessment Test and the Time/Dates may be found on the linked website.
Note: Students subject to the assessment test that enroll in a math class without results will be dropped from the class.
STAN Planner is a tool students can use to forecast and plan course-taking from the current term thru graduation. During Orientation students will be introduced to STAN Planner, as this tool may help them to understand which courses to take in which order, and how many units to enroll in each term, in order to complete their degree on their desired timeline. Advisors are encouraged to reinforce the possible benefits of utilizing the STAN Planner tool as they prepare for future advising sessions and course enrollment.
Multiple Measures for Enrollment
Students meeting one of the criteria below (for English or Math) may enroll directly into general education written communication and quantitative reasoning courses.
Scores Alone
- English: Level 4 Standard Exceeded CAASPP - 2682-2795
- Math: Level 4 Standard Exceeded CAASPP - 2718-2862
With Approved Course
- English: Level 3 Standard Met CAASPP - 2583-2681 AND (ERWC, AP or IB, or Honors English with a C- or better)
- Math (Stem & Non-Stem): Level 3 Standard Met CAASPP - 2683-2717 AND 12th grade course beyond Algebra II with a C- or better
- Math (Non-Stem): Level 3 Standard Met CAASPP - 2683-2717 AND 4+ years of Math or Quantitative Reasoning
Note: EAP, CAASPP, SBAC refer to one test taken in the 11th grade (Category II)
Scores Alone
English
- ACT: 22 or above OR
- SAT: 550, Old SAT: 500 and above
Math
- ACT: 23 or above OR
- SAT: 570, Old SAT: 550 and above
With Approved Course
English
- ACT: 19-21 AND (ERWC, AP or IB, or Honors English) OR
- SAT: 510-540, Old SAT: 460-490 AND (ERWC, AP or IB, or Honors English)
Math
- ACT: 20-22 AND 12th grade course with a prerequisite of Algebra II or Integrated Math III OR
- SAT: 520-560, Old SAT: 490-540 AND 12th grade course with a prerequisite of Algebra II or Integrated Math III
(Category II)
English
- Weighted HS GPA > 3.3 OR
- Weighted HS GPA > 3.0 AND completion of approved Senior year-long course with C- or better (AP, IB, ERWC, Honors) OR
- Weighted HS GPA > 3.0 AND 5+ years of English
Math (Non-Stem) Majors
- Math GPA > 3.0 AND completion of Senior year Math course OR
- Math GPA > 3.0 AND 5+ years of Math OR
- Weighted HS GPA > 3.7 OR
- Weighted HS GPA > 3.5 AND 4+ years of Math or Quantitative Reasoning
Math (Stem) Majors
- Math GPA > 3.5 AND completion of Senior year Math course OR
- Math GPA > 3.5 AND 5+ years of Math or Quantitative Reasoning OR
- Weighted HS GPA > 3.7
Note: Major makes a difference (Category II)
AP Exams
- English: AP Language/Literature Composition > 3
- Math: AP Calculus AB OR AP Calculus CD OR AP Statistics > 3
IB Exams
- Math: Mathematics HL score > 4
CLEP Exams
- Math: CLEP Calculus OR College Algebra OR College Algebra - Trig OR Pre-Calculus OR Trig (score of 50 or higher)
College Course
- Completion and transfer of college level course in English and Math with C- or better
Note: Category I students will have met one of these criteria
Supported Instruction
Students placed in Category III and Category IV will be recommended or required to participate in the Early Start Program.
English
- Weighted HS GPA > 3.0 AND 4+ years of HS English
Math (Non-Stem)
- Math GPA > 3.3 OR
- Weighted HS GPA > 3.0
Math (Stem)
- Math GPA > 3.3
Note: Units earned in the Early Start Program at Stanislaus State will be credit bearing and count towards the student's 120 units to graduate.
Category III Reason: Based on academic work and CSU Standards, student needs additional academic support in Math and/or English. Participation in the Early Start Program is recommended and is highly advisable for STEM majors.
English & Math
Students that are placed in Category IV will be required to take an English and/or Mathematics course in the Early Start Program.
Stem & Non-Stem
Major is important when registering foe the Math, especially for STEM majors.
Note: Units earned in the Early Start Program at Stanislaus State will be credit bearing and count towards the student's 120 units to graduate.
Category IV Reason: Based on academic work and CSU Standards, student needs additional academic support in Math and/or English. Participation in the Early Start Program is required during the Summer.
Students required to participate in the Early Start Program will be required to register for those courses before the summer. Please check your student email and portal for your personal pathway.
Late April - May:
- Early Start Smart Page becomes available in student portal.
- Registration for Early Start courses begins
June - July:
- Early Start courses begin
August:
- Fall courses begin
For Advising Questions
Attend any of the information sessions, contact Betsy Eudey, Faculty Director of Advising and Learning Cohorts, or contact the Academic Success Center.
For General Questions about EO 1110
Contact Gaby Nuño, Associate Director for Enrollment Services.
For General Education Questions
Contact Stuart Wooley, Faculty Director of General Education.
Updated: March 04, 2024