G.E. Requirements for UC Transfer

General education (GE) requirements are designed to give UC undergraduates a broad background in all major academic disciplines — natural sciences, physical sciences, social sciences, humanities and fine arts. The GE requirement — also called the breadth requirement — identifies the specific courses and units students must complete in each discipline.

Requirements vary. Each school and college at every UC campus has its own GE requirement for its bachelor's degrees. With careful planning, students can meet all or many of the lower-division GE requirements at any UC campus prior to transfer to the UC.

At DAC, there are two pathways that may fulfill the GE requirements for UC transfer:

  • Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC)
  • UC Campus-Specific General Education-Breadth

  • IGETC

    IGETC is a pattern of lower-division GE requirements that is accepted at all UC campuses. Completion of IGETC is not required for transfer. With a few exceptions, students are encouraged to complete the IGETC pattern prior to transfer.

    See a counselor/academic advisor about UC majors, colleges, and professional schools, which do not accept IGETC, and for other transfer requirements.

    For a full IGETC certification, students must complete specified courses in the following subject areas:

    • Area 1:  English Communication (10-14 quarter units)
    • Area 2:  Mathematical Concepts and Quantitative Reasoning (4-5 quarter units)
    • Area 3:  Arts and Humanities (12-15 quarter units)
    • Area 4:  Social and Behavioral Sciences (12-15 quarter units)
    • Area 5:  Physical and Biological Sciences (9-12 quarter units)
    • Area 6:  Language Other Than English Proficiency (UC Requirement Only)
    • Area 7:  Ethnic Studies (4 quarter units)

    Area 6:  Language Other Than English - LOTE (UC Requirement Only)

    Transfer students that intend to fully certify IGETC are required to demonstrate proficiency in a language other than English equal to two years of high school study. Students at DAC may choose one of several methods to demonstrate proficiency for the purposes of fulfilling the LOTE requirement on IGETC.

    Area 7:  Ethnic Studies
    Students with Fall 2023 or later catalog rights are required to complete Area 7 for full certification. Those with catalog rights prior to Fall 2023 are not required to complete Area 7, but 12-15 units in Area 4 (from at least 2 disciplines) are required if Area 7 is not complete.

    Completion of IGETC is not a minimum transfer admission requirement and does not guarantee admission to a UC major or UC campus. Keep in mind that some UC majors, campuses, and colleges/schools require additional coursework beyond completion of IGETC to satisfy their GE requirements. Additionally, completion of IGETC may not be considered an acceptable means of satisfying all lower-division GE-Breadth requirements by some colleges or schools within a UC campus. Consult with a UC admissions counselor or DAC counselor or academic adviser for more information.

    In general, IGETC is not the best GE option for students who plan to transfer into high unit majors (e.g. engineering or the the physical, and natural sciences) because these majors require extensive lower-division major preparation to be considered for admission. It is often more advantageous for such students to complete the many prerequisites for the major that the university screens for to determine eligibility for admission rather than complete IGETC.

    Students who decide to follow IGETC are advised to complete all areas on IGETC prior to transfer and to obtain full IGETC certification from DAC. However, if this is not possible, a partial certification of IGETC may be issued by DAC. Students are responsible for determining the appropriateness of a partial certification of IGETC. Partial certification is defined as completing all but one (1) or two (2) courses on IGETC. Once partially certified, it is the student’s responsibility to work with an advisor at the university to determine how they may complete IGETC requirements. The UC is responsible for verifying that any missing IGETC coursework has been completed; students should not request full certification of IGETC from DAC after transfer.

    A university or specific major department may specify that full IGETC certification is required for admission (e.g. UC Berkeley's College of Letters & Science requires full IGETC certification as part of their selection criterion). Students should check on the conditions for admission outlined by the university or major department.

  • UC Campus-Specific GE

    The UC campus GE/Breadth patterns for transfer students are the same as those for students who enroll at the UC as freshmen. Students who choose to follow UC campus-specific GE-Breadth requirements must complete courses that are listed on the GE/Breadth articulation agreements (available by UC campus) on ASSIST.org.

    When deciding which GE pattern to follow students should consider factors such as their intended major, the GE-Breadth requirements for the specific school or college within the UC campus, and any prior college coursework completed. As a transfer applicant, completion of lower-division GE requirements prior to transfer will often improve the chances for admission to a competitive campus or major.

    Students who plan to fulfill the GE/Breadth requirements for a specific UC campus should confirm that the courses taken at DAC are listed on the GE/Breadth articulation agreements (available by UC campus) on ASSIST.org. 

Reminder about GE Certification

Students must request that GE certification (either CSUGE or IGETC) be sent directly to the four-year transfer institution that they will be attending.  Upon enrolling in final required courses and receiving conditional admissions to the university, students may submit the General Education Certification Request Form to the DAC Admissions and Records Office.

For students planning to use AP, CLEP, and IB exam credit to satisfy CSUGE or IGETC requirements, all necessary documentation (i.e. transcripts, AP, CLEP, and IB scores) must be received and evaluated by DAC prior to a request for GE certification. The certification process may be delayed if transcripts/exams have not been previously and officially evaluated.

AP and IB Credit on IGETC

Only credit for Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) exams may be used to satisfy IGETC subject area requirements. Credit for College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) cannot be used on IGETC.

For students who do not have IGETC certified by De Anza College, each UC campus will determine how to apply credit from external exams toward major preparation or its local degree and GE/Breadth requirements. Consult the UC college catalog or UC campus website(s) to determine credit for AP and IB exams.

NOTE:  All AP or IB exam reports must be received and officially evaluated by De Anza College prior to a request for GE certification (see processes below).  The certification process may be delayed if exam reports have not been previously evaluated.

Advanced Placement (AP) - Official reports must be sent to the DAC Admissions and Records Office directly from The College Board in order to apply.

International Baccalaureate (IB) – Official reports must be sent to the DAC Admissions and Records Office directly from the International Baccalaureate Organization in order to apply.

DISCLAIMER: The final responsibility for successful transfer rests with the student.  The information posted on this website is designed to assist students in obtaining the most accurate transfer-related information possible.  However, this information is subject to change without notice, which may subsequently impact admission to a transfer college or university.

Students are encouraged to meet as early as possible in their academic careers and periodically with a DAC counselor or academic adviser to develop a Student Education Plan and with a transfer college or university admissions representative to confirm their choice of classes.

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