CSU Transfer

The California State University (CSU) system has 23 campuses across the state. The CSU offers students the choice of more than 1,800 bachelor's and master's degree programs in 240 subject areas.

To obtain a bachelor's degree from a CSU campus, students must complete a minimum of 120 semester units (180 quarter units). A maximum of 70 units of transferable credit will be accepted for courses completed at MiraCosta or any California community college. Information about which courses transfer to the CSU is included in the catalog course descriptions (see How to Read Course Descriptions). This information can also be found at www.assist.org.

Admission Requirements

The CSU will consider a student a transfer applicant if he or she enrolled in a regular session at a college or university, except while in high school or summer session, immediately following high school. The vast majority of transfer students enter the CSU as upper-division students. Students must fulfull the following criteria to be eligible for admission to a CSU campus as an upper-division transfer student:

• Complete a minimum of 60 transferable units with an overall minimum 2.0 grade-point average (GPA). This GPA is calculated using all transferable units. (Note: Many CSU campuses require a higher GPA for admission.)

• Complete a minimum of 30 units of general education courses with a grade of "C" or better. The 30 semester units must include courses in the areas of written communication, oral communication, critical thinking, and mathematics.

A student may be eligible for lower-division transfer (completion of fewer than 60 units) if he or she has completed all admission requirements for a first-time freshman. Some campuses may also require completion of general education classes in math and English with a grade of "C" or better. For more information, students should check with a MiraCosta counselor or visit www.csumentor.edu.

Note: Most CSU campuses will not accept lower-division transfer students.

Associate in Arts for Transfer (A.A.-T) or Associate in Science for Transfer (A.S.-T) to the California State University

The Student Transfer Achievement Reform Act (Senate Bill 1440) guarantees admission to a California State University (CSU) campus for any community college student who completes an "associate degree for transfer." The benefit for students completing an associate degree for transfer is that the CSU is required by California Education Code (CEC) section 66747 to "guarantee admission with junior status to any community college student who meets all of the requirements."

The Associate in Arts for Transfer (A.A.-T) or Associate in Science for Transfer (A.S.-T) is intended for students who plan to complete a bachelor's degree in a similar major at a CSU campus. Each CSU campus makes the determination of whether or not a degree is similar to the A.A.-T or A.S.-T. Students completing an A.A.-T or A.S.-T are guaranteed admission to the CSU system but not to a particular campus or major. However, students are guaranteed priority admission to their local CSU campus, which for MiraCosta students is currently designated as California State University San Marcos.

Students transferring to a CSU campus with an A.A.-T or A.S.-T will be required to complete no more than 60 units after transfer to earn a bachelor's degree. To earn this type of degree, students must complete the following:

• The CSU-GE (Plan B) or IGETC (Plan C) general education pattern
• A minimum of 60 CSU transferable units
• A minimum CSU transferable GPA of 2.0.

This degree may not be the best option for students intending to transfer to a particular CSU campus or to a university or college that is not part of the CSU system. At the time of this catalog's publication, a student may earn an A.A.-T in Communication Studies and an A.S.-T in Mathematics. Additional degrees are being developed. Students should consult with a counselor for further information regarding degrees designated A.A.-T or A.S.-T.

Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, and College Level Examination Program Credit

Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), and College Level Examination Program (CLEP) credit can be used to satisfy the required 60 transferable units. The Advanced Placement Guide, International Baccalaureate Guide, and College Level Examination Program Guide identify which exams can be used for general education credit and CSU admission units.

Impacted Programs

An undergraduate major, program, or campus is designated as impacted when there are more eligible applicants than there are available spaces. Impacted majors, programs, or campuses are authorized to use supplementary admissions criteria to screen applicants, such as the following:

• Completing specific courses
• Accumulating a specific number of college units
• Earning a specific grade point average
• Meeting advance application deadlines
• Participating in interviews or special evaluations

The list of impacted programs may vary from year to year, as majors are added and deleted frequently. Also, a major impacted at one campus may be open at another; therefore, students should consult www.assist.org, a MiraCosta counselor, or a representative at their intended transfer campus to receive updated information about impacted majors.

Transfer Planning

Students are strongly encouraged to meet with a MiraCosta College counselor to develop an appropriate transfer plan. A transfer plan consists of general education courses, major preparation courses, and, if additional units are required, transferable elective courses. The counselors ensure students are aware of CSU application deadlines and all necessary transfer requirements.

General Education Requirements: CSU GE (Plan B)

All students obtaining a bachelor's degree from a CSU campus must satisfy general education (GE) requirements. A minimum of 48 semester units is required for GE-Breadth: 39 units of lower-division and at least 9 units of upper-division courses. All of the lower-division courses for GE-Breadth may be completed at MiraCosta before students transfer to a CSU campus. To satisfy the GE-Breadth requirements, students must take specified courses in the following areas:

Area A — English Language Communication and Critical Thinking
Area B — Scientific Inquiry and Quantitative Reasoning
Area C — Arts and Humanities
Area D — Social Sciences
Area E — Lifelong Learning and Self-Development.

This pattern of courses, called CSU GE-Breadth, is illustrated on Plan B. Students may also choose to complete the UC/CSU IGETC pattern, illustrated on Plan C, to complete the CSU general education requirements.

Major Preparation

Students need to identify a major and complete the required admission courses for that major. MiraCosta has articulation agreements with most CSU campuses. These agreements, which can be viewed at www.assist.org, tell students which courses at MiraCosta can satisfy a major requirement at a CSU campus.

At some CSU campuses, the required GPA in these major preparation courses may be higher than the admission criteria GPA. And at some CSU campuses, completion of all major preparation courses will make an applicant much more competitive in the admission process.

Transferable Electives

If additional units are needed to meet the 60-unit admission requirement, students can complete transferable elective courses. Students may explore areas of interest through any course work at MiraCosta as long as the course is designated as CSU transferable. The course descriptions in the college catalog and schedule of classes indicate this designation where it applies.

U. S. History, Constitution, and American Ideals

All CSU campuses have a graduation requirement in U. S. History, Constitution, and American Ideals. Students may be certified as completing this requirement at MiraCosta by completing one of the five groups of classes listed on Plan B.

CSU GE-Breadth Certification

MiraCosta is authorized to certify up to 39 lower-division GE-Breadth units. Certification means that the CSU will accept the courses approved to meet the CSU GE-Breadth areas on Plan B. Students should request certification of course work that meets CSU GE-Breadth requirements because certification ensures students will not be asked to complete additional lower-division general education courses after they transfer.

MiraCosta can certify each subject area (Area A, B, C, D, or E) or the whole pattern. Students may apply for full or partial certification at the MiraCosta Admissions and Records Office at the time they request a transcript be sent to a CSU campus. The specific rules that apply for CSU GE-Breadth Certification are as follows:

• All courses taken in Area A and B4 must be completed with a grade of "C" or better. A grade of "P" (Pass) is acceptable if it is equivalent to a grade of "C" or higher at the institution where the work was completed.
• Courses taken at another California community college will be applied to the subject areas in which they are listed at the institution where the work was completed.
• A course taken at a regionally accredited institution (which does not maintain a CSU GE-Breadth certification list) may be approved for certification if that course is equivalent to a MiraCosta College course or it has been approved for general education in a comparable category at the institution where the work was completed.
• Courses completed at foreign institutions are not acceptable for CSU GE-Breadth certification.

After transfer to a CSU campus, students will need to complete the nine additional general education units that are taught at the upper-division level.

Certificate of Achievement in CSU General Education

Students who complete the CSU General Education Breadth certification pattern of courses are eligible to receive a Certificate of Achievement in CSU General Education. These courses, which satisfy lower-division general education requirements to any CSU campus, are listed on Plan B. (Note: This program may not be appropriate for some majors, so students should consult with a MiraCosta College counselor to develop an appropriate educational plan for their intended major and CSU campus.)