Transfer FAQs
From SRJC-Revised for Counselor Use
Below are 24 of the most common
questions asked about transfer. Click on a question to find an
answer.
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What does transfer mean?
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What is the relationship between community
colleges and the university?
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What is articulation?
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What is the difference between the
California State University and the University of California?
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What is the difference between a semester
and a quarter?
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Which community college courses transfer
to a university?
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How many units does the student need to
transfer?
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If the student earns an Associate degree,
will the student be prepared to transfer?
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Is
there a maximum number of units that the student can transfer?
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What if the student takes more than 70
transferable units?
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What is the minimum grade point average
(GPA) required for transfer admission?
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What is a competitive GPA for transfer?
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What is General Education (GE)?
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What is CSU-GE?
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What is IGETC?
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What is GE certification and why is it
important?
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What is a major?
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What is an impacted or selective major?
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When does the student have to think about
a major?
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How does the student choose a major?
-
How does the student find out what classes
to take to prepare for my major?
-
What is a minor?
-
When does the student have to think about
a minor?
-
How does the student find out about the
transfer requirements of any particular school?
1. What does
transfer mean?
The term "transfer" describes a students academic advancement from a
community college to a university. Transfer means that the student
begins his or her bachelor's degree at a community college and
complete it at a university.
2. What is the
relationship between community colleges and the university?
Universities offer both lower division (freshman and sophomore) and
upper division (junior and senior) coursework. Community colleges
offer lower division courses only. The university accepts certain
community college courses as comparable to courses that are required
for freshman and sophomore students at the university through a
process called articulation. In that way, community college courses
become transferable and are counted toward the requirements to
graduate from the university with a bachelor's degree.
3. What is articulation?
Articulation is the process of evaluating courses to determine
whether coursework completed at one institution (e.g. a community
college) will meet the requirements at another institution (e.g. a
university) for the purposes of admission, transferable units,
general education or major preparation. It is this process that
ensures that the classes the student takes at a community college
will be credited toward the student's bachelor's degree requirements
when the student enters a university. Articulation agreements are
formal documents that describe which coursework is accepted. Some
articulation agreements are "course-to-course agreements", meaning
that they show a specific course from one institution and the
comparable specific course from another. Other articulation
agreements are "major agreements", meaning that they show a set of
courses that are acceptable to fulfill an entire requirement for
major preparation. All segments of the public higher education
system in California---the California Community Colleges, the
California State University, and the University of California--have
agreed to have a single repository for articulation agreements
between the community colleges and the universities. That repository
is the ASSIST web site, which the student will find on our main
navigation bar.
4. What is the
difference between the California State University and the
University of California?
The California State University (CSU) began as a system of teacher's
colleges and evolved into a broader system of higher education. It
is one of the three segments of California public higher education,
the others being the University of California (UC) and the
California Community Colleges. The CSU grants bachelor's and
master's degrees that have a practical, career orientation. The
assumption is that most CSU graduates will want to enter work based
on their bachelor's degree training. There are now 23 CSU campuses.
The UC was established as the focal point for academic and
scientific research within the higher education system. In addition
to bachelor's and master's degrees, the UC grants doctorates and
professional degrees. The emphasis at the bachelor's level is on
theoretical learning, the assumption being that most UC graduates
will pursue a higher degree before entering their career. There are
nine UC campuses (though one is a professional school only).
5. What is the difference
between a semester and a quarter?
Each academic institution operates according to an academic
calendar, with terms marking the beginning and end of each session
of classes. A semester is a calendar that divides the academic year
into 15 - 17 week terms. There are generally two semesters per
academic year: Fall (beginning in August or September) and Spring
(beginning in January). Some semester-based schools also offer a
Summer session that is shorter than a regular semester and is not a
part of the regular academic year. A quarter is the other most
common type of academic term. Each quarter is 10 weeks in length and
there are usually three quarters in an academic year: Fall
(beginning in September), Winter (beginning in January), and Spring
(beginning in March). A few quarter-based schools offer a forth
Summer Quarter, but it is not considered an official term in the
academic year. Most Community Colleges are on the semester calendar.
6. Which Butte courses transfer
to a university?
The University of California will accept transferable Community
College courses and most Athletics and Physical Education courses,
regardless of the course number, up to a limit of 4 units of "PE
activity" courses. Students should refer to the Community college's
UC- Intersegmental General Education Transferable Course list for
all courses accepted by the UC as transferable. The California State
University also accepts transferable Community College courses and
PE units. Independent and out-of-state universities may not
have specific agreements with a Community College. Generally, it is
advisable to take UC-transferable coursework. However, if the
student is interested in transferring outside the California public
university system, the student should make early contact with the
campus of the student's choice. A transfer counselor can assist the
student in that communication.
7. How many units does the student need
to transfer?
The student will achieve full junior standing when the student has
completed 60 transferable semester units. If the student wishes to
transfer as a lower division student, the university will consider
the student's high school record in determining whether to admit the
student. The University of California requires 60 UC-transferable
semester units for upper division transfer. Some UC campuses
infrequently accept students as lower division transfers. The
California State University currently grants junior standing at 60
semester units (but not for financial aid or scholarship purposes).
Some CSU campuses are open to lower division transfers, but grant
them lower priority for admission. Independent and out-of-state
universities often accept students with fewer than 60 semester units
and will require out-of-state tuition. Please check the printed or
online catalog for the specific university to which the student
wants to transfer for their requirements. An transfer counselor can
assist the student with that.
8. If the student earns an
Associate degree, will the student be prepared to transfer?
Generally, meeting the requirements for an Associate degree will not
prepare the student for transfer admissions. Not all courses that
are counted toward an Associate degree are accepted for transfer and
General Education requirements differ, as well. (See question 13,"What
is General Education (GE)" below.) However, it is
possible for the student to earn an Associate degree by completing
60 Associate degree units and fulfilling all of the GE requirements
for transfer. See a transfer counselor for more information about
earning an Associate degree as part of the student's transfer
process.
9. Is there a maximum number of
units that the student can transfer?
California public universities will count a maximum of 70 community
college units toward the total number of units the student needs to
complete for a bachelor's degree. Independent and out-of-state
institutions vary in their limits and the student should check their
catalog or web site for information. Different limits may apply if
the student has already attended a "four-year" institution and the
student should meet with a counselor right away.
10. What if the student take more than
70 transferable units?
The 70-unit limit applies only to the number of units that will be
counted toward graduation and does not apply to courses. The
university will grant subject credit for course content needed to
satisfy requirements for general education or major preparation,
even if they do not count the units for all of the student's courses
toward graduation.
11. What is the minimum grade
point average (GPA) required for transfer admission?
The minimum GPA accepted for transfer to the CSU is 2.0 for
California residents, 2.4 for non-residents. The CSU has designated
some highly popular majors or campuses as impacted or high demand,
for which higher GPAs and/or minimum course completion are required.
The minimum GPA accepted for transfer to the UC is 2.4 for
California residents, 2.8 for non-residents. UC campuses have
designated some highly popular majors as selective, for which
students have to meet competitive selection criteria (higher GPAs
and minimum course completion requirements) to be admitted. Grade
point averages necessary for transfer to independent and
out-of-state universities vary. Consult the institution's printed or
online catalog.
12. What is a competitive
GPA for transfer?
Grade point averages necessary to compete for admission to impacted
or selective programs vary from year to year, depending on the pool
of applicants for any given academic year. Generally, a GPA of 3.0
is considered competitive, though even higher GPAs may be required
to gain admission to majors and campuses for which the most students
apply. A transfer counselor can tell the student whether that is the
case for the major or campus of the student's choice.
13. What is General Education (GE)?
General Education is a set of courses through which the student will
become broadly educated by taking classes that cover a wide range of
disciplines. GE courses are usually introductory in nature and
provide the student with fundamental knowledge in English,
mathematics, the arts and humanities, social sciences, and physical
and biological sciences. The student will complete the majority of
GE coursework needed to receive a bachelor's degree while the
student is a lower division (freshman/sophomore) student at a
community college. After transfer to the upper division
(junior/senior) at a university, the student will be required to
take only a few GE courses, so the student can focus on his or her
major. For example, the student will be required to complete at
least 48 units of GE to graduate from a CSU, 39 of which are
completed at the lower division. The GE unit requirements of
independent and out-of-state institutions vary, but the ration of
lower division to upper division is similar. GE courses are divided
into subject areas and GE patterns describe the number of courses
that the student must take in each subject area to meet total GE
requirements. Each institution has its own GE (sometimes called
breadth or core) pattern. There are also GE patterns that are
accepted by the entire CSU and/or UC systems for transfer to any
campus in that system. Butte, like all community colleges, has
adopted a pattern of GE requirements for the granting of an
Associate degree.
14. What is CSU-GE?
The CSU-GE is the pattern of coursework accepted to meet the GE
requirements for a bachelor's degree at any CSU campus. An advising
guide that shows the subject areas and the Community College courses
that count to fulfill area requirements is available from a transfer
counselor, CSU-GE is one way for the student to complete the lower
division GE requirements for a bachelor's degree from the CSU at a
Community College prior to transfer. Completing the entire CSU-GE
pattern is not a requirement for admission. However, the CSU
requires that students complete most of their lower division GE
before transfer. There is an upper division GE requirement of at
least 9 units to graduate from a CSU. It is not possible to complete
all of the GE needed to receive a bachelor's degree from a CSU at a
community college.
15. What is IGETC?
IGETC (pronounced eye-get-see) stands for Intersegmental
General Education Transfer Curriculum. It is a course pattern that
community college students can use to satisfy lower division GE
requirements for either the CSU or the UC. Completion of IGETC is
not a requirement for admission to the CSU or UC. IGETC is one
option for students preparing to transfer. For the CSU, students can
use each campus' GE pattern or the CSU-GE pattern (see above). For
the UC, students can use each campus' GE pattern. A few independent
California universities also accept IGETC as fulfillment of their
lower division GE. If the student has questions about which GE
pattern to use, he or she should see a transfer counselor. For some
high unit majors, such as engineering or biological science, the
IGETC is not recommended. If the student is in one of these majors,
see a transfer counselor about alternative GE requirements that
apply to the student. Important: Students who choose to use the
IGETC must complete the entire pattern, in order to receive
certification from a community college that they have completed
lower division GE requirements.
16. What is GE
certification and why is it important?
GE certification is a document that is signed by a community college
and states that the student has completed lower division GE
requirements. Becoming GE certified means that the university cannot
require that the student take any additional lower division GE. (You
will probably be required to fulfill some upper division GE
requirements for graduation from the university.) The certification
is normally prepared and sent to the university to which the student
has been accepted and where the student plans to enroll at the same
time that the student's final transcripts are sent. It may appear on
the transcript itself or on a separate certification form. If the
student attends more than one community college, the student's GE
certification must be provided by the last one the student attends.
That college will do so using all the GE courses the student has
completed at all higher education institutions the student has
attended. IGETC policies require that the entire pattern be
completed in order for the student to receive any certification. The
student should see a transfer counselor, if the student has been
using IGETC as a guide and will not complete it before transfer;
they will show the student how the student can still fulfill GE
requirements to transfer and graduate from the university. CSU-GE
policies allow for partial certification. The Community College can
certify the student's fulfillment of any GE subject area that the
student has completed.
17. What is a major?
A major is a program of coursework in a subject area or discipline
that leads to a degree. The student's major is the primary area of
study in which the student will develop the greatest depth of
knowledge. The university faculty that teach in the department of
the student's major will determine the unit and subject area
requirements the student must meet to be granted the student a
degree.
18. What is an impacted or
selective major?
Impacted or selective majors are those for which the university
receives many more applications for admission than the campus can
accommodate. Impacted is also an official designation by the CSU
system that allows the department that offers a major to require a
higher GPA or specific major preparation as a way to reduce the pool
of applicants to those who are best prepared to enter the major.
Selective is a term used by the UC to describe majors for which the
same conditions exist and for which the university imposes the same
kind of selection criteria (GPA and major preparation) to screen for
the most qualified applicants.
19. When does the student have to think
about a major?
The student will declare a major when the student becomes a junior.
Some universities require that the student declares a major for
admissions purposes, all will ask the student to petition to
actually enter the student's major after the student transfers.
However, the faculty for the student's major will almost always
require that the student complete lower division major preparation
courses through which the student demonstrates interest and ability
in the student's major. Some majors require very little such
preparation, while other majors require many courses. It is
important to choose a major early and find out about the preparation
that the student will need to be admitted to the student's major.
For example, the UC requires that students complete most, if not
all, of their major preparation before transfer.
20. How does the student choose a major?
The very best way to choose a major is by participating in a career
exploration process. The student is probably becoming educated in
order to enjoy a prosperous and interesting life and the student's
work will a big part of that life. Along the way to discovering what
the student wants to do with the student's time and energy, the
student will get information about the education the student needs
to have in order to do it. That is the student's major. Some
students also use a sampling method that involves taking GE courses
in a number of disciplines to determine which one interests them
most. One disadvantage of this method is that it can take a long
time for such a process of elimination. Certainly, if the student
uses this method, it is important to learn what the student might do
with the student's major and decide whether any of the possibilities
appeal to the student.\
21. How does I find out what
classes to take to prepare for my major?
Universities must show the course requirements for each of the
degrees they offer in their catalogs. A large selection of printed
catalogs is available in Transfer Centers or the student can access
them online.
22. What is a minor?
A minor is a secondary focus of study that students may choose to
augment the student's major for career purposes, for graduate
education, or simply out of interest. The student will be required
to complete far fewer units for a minor than for a major.
23. When does the student have to
think about a minor?
A minor is completed entirely at the upper division level. There may
or may not be specific preparation requirements, though there are
often prerequisites for the courses the student needs to take to
complete a minor. So, while the student won't take any courses that
count toward the student's major until the student is at the
university, it is good to consider whether the student might pursue
a minor at the same time that the student chooses a major.
24. How does the student
find out about the transfer requirements of any particular school?
Information for transfer students is published in the catalog
(either printed or online) of any institution. Transfer Center have
an extensive library of catalogs and supplementary material that is
sent from universities all over the country. There is also a
computer lab available for the students to use to access a
particular school's web site online. Transfer Center staff are
available to assist the student in locating and using these
resources. In addition, a number of universities send
representatives to annual Transfer Day events that is held each
year. Some of those representatives also visit the Community
Colleges on a regular basis to meet with students individually.
