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California State University General Education Certification
General Education Certification Course Pattern:
  • Students who plan to transfer to a CSU campus may complete their lower division General Education requirements for graduation at College of the Desert.
  • Students may follow the CSU General Education Certification pattern, which is accepted by all CSU campuses in most majors to fulfill these requirements.
  • To be fully certified, students must complete a minimum of 9 units each in Areas A, B, C, and D, and three units in Area E.
  • At least 30 of these units must be completed with a grade of "C" or better, including the 9 units in Area A: Communication in the English Language; and 3 units in Area B-3: Mathematics.
  • These requirements are effective Fall 2012.
  • General Education Certification is not automatic and must be requested by the student at the same time their transcripts are requested to be sent to the California State University following the posting of final grades.

 CSU General Education Course Pattern

Note: A single course, even though listed in more than one area, can only be used to satisfy one requirement.

A. COMMUNICATION in the ENGLISH LANGUAGE and CRITICAL THINKING
Nine (9) units minimum; select 1 course from each of the 3 groups.
(C or better required in all courses)
Dept. No. Title Units
A-1. ORAL COMMUNICATION
SP 1 Intro Human Communication 3
SP 4 Public Speaking 3
SP 5 Group Discussion Process 3
SP 15 Intercultural Comm 3
A-2. WRITTEN COMMUNICATION
ENG 1A Composition 4
A-3. CRITICAL THINKING
PHIL 10 General Logic 3
SOC 4 Soc Anal/Crit Thinking 3
SP 7 Decision Making/Advocacy 3
B. PHYSICAL UNIVERSE and ITS LIFE FORMS
Nine (9) units minimum; select one course from each group.
One course must include laboratory.
Dept.
No.
Title
Units
B-1. PHYSICAL SCIENCES
A 1 Descriptive Astronomy 3
A 1L Desc Astronomy Lab 1
CH 1A, 1B General Chemistry 5, 5
CH 3 Intro Gen Chemistry 4
CH 4 Fund of Chemistry 4
CH 5 Bio-Organic Chemistry 4
CH 10A, 10B Organic Chemistry 5, 5
G 1 Physical Geology 4
G 5 Environmental Geology 4
G 10 The Earth Sciences 4
G 17 Intro to Oceanography 3
GEOG 1 Physical Geography 3
GEOG 1L Physical Geography Lab 1
PH 1 Introductory Physics 4
PH 2A, 2B College Physics 4, 4
PH 4A, 4B, 4C Engineering Physics 5, 5,5
PH 17 Introduction to Meteorology 3
B-2. LIFE SCIENCES
AGEH 1 Horticulture 3
AGEH 1L Hoticulture Lab 1
AGPS 2 Entomology-Gen/App 4
AGPS 5 Plant Science 3
AGPS 5L Plant Science Lab 1
ANTH 1 Intro/Physical Anthropology 3
BI 4 Elements of Biology 4
BI 5 Molecular & Cell Bio 5
BI 6 Biology of Organisms 5
BI 13 Human Anatomy & Physiology I 4
BI 14 Human Anatomy & Physiology II 5
BI 15 General Microbiology 5
NR 1 Cons Natural Resources 3
NR 1L Cons Natr Resourc Lab 1
B-3. LABORATORY ACTIVITY (Must complete a lab course in eiter B-1 or B-2)
B-4. MATHEMATICS (C or better required)
MATH 1A,1B Calculus 5, 5
MATH 2A Multivariate Calculus 5
MATH 2B Linear Algebra 4
MATH 2C Ord. Diff. Equations 4
MATH 5 Trigonometry 5
MATH 10 College Algebra 4
MATH 12 Pre-calculus 5
MATH 13 Liberal Arts Math 4
MATH 14 Statistical Methods 4
SOC 3 Fundamentals of Statistics 3
C. ARTS, LITERATURE, PHILOSOPHY, FOREIGN LANGUAGE
Nine (9) units minimum; one course must be in the ARTS and one in the HUMANITIES
Dept.
No.
Title
Units
C-1. ARTS (Art, Dance, Music, Theatre)
ARCH 14 History of Architecture 3
ART 2A,B History of Art 3,3
ART 2C Hist of Modern Art 3
ART 3A Basic Design /Color 3
ART 10 Intro to Art 3
ART 33 History of Photography 3
DANC
 10 Intro to Choreography 2
DANC 15 History of Dance 3
MUS 5 History of Rock 'n' Roll 3
MUS 6 History of Film Music 3
MUS 7 History of Musical Theatre
MUS 10 Intro to Music 3
MUS 12 Fundamentals of Music 3
PE 15 Into to Choreography 2
TA 1 Intro to Theatre 3
TA 2 Acting I 3
C-2. HUMANITIES (Literature, Philosophy, Foreign Language)
ASL 1 Elem Amer Sign Lang 5
ASL 2 Elem Amer Sign Lang 5
ASL 1A,B Elem Amer Sign Lang 3, 3
ASL 3, 4 Intermediate American Sign Language 4, 4
ENG 1B Composition & Literature 3
ENG 10A,B American Literature 3, 3
ENG 11A,B Surv of English Lit 3, 3
ENG 12A World Literature I 3
ENG 12B World Literature II 3
ENG 14 Shakespeare 3
ENG 15 The Short Story 3
ENG 16 Literature of the Desert 3
ENG 17 Women in Literature 3
ENG 21 Intro Latin American/Chicano Literature 3
ENG 22 Intro African-American Literature 3
ENG 23 Intro to Autobiography 3
ENG 24 Native American Literature 3
ENG 25 Intro to the Novel 3
ENG 31 Bible as Literature O.T. 3
ENG 32 Bible as Literature N.T. 3
ENG 35 Myth and Legend 3
ENG 36 Children's Literature 3
PHIL 6 Intro to Philosophy 3
PHIL 7 Ideas/Great Philosophers 3
PHIL 12 Religions of the World 3
PHIL 13 Perspect Death/Dying 3
PHIL 14 Intro to Ethics 3
PHIL 17 Philosophy of Religion 3
PHIL 18 Philosophy of Science 3
FR 1, 2 Elementary French 5, 5
FR 1A, 1B Elementary French 3, 3
FR 2A, 2B Elementary French 3, 3
FR 3,4 Intermediate French 4, 4
GER 1,2 Elementary German 5, 5
GER 1A,B Elementary German 3, 3
GER 2A,B Elementary German 3, 3
HIST 21 California History 3
ITAL 1,2 Elementary Italian 5, 5
ITAL 1A,B Elementary Italian 3, 3
ITAL 2A,B Elementary Italian 3, 3
ITAL 3, 4 Intermed. Italian 4, 4
JPN 1,2 Elementary Japanese 5,5
JPN 1A,B Elementary Japanese 3, 3
JPN 2A,B Elementary Japanese 3, 3
SPAN 1, 2 Elementary Spanish 5, 5
SPAN 1A,B Elementary Spanish 3, 3
SPAN 2A,B Elementary Spanish 3, 3
SPAN 3, 4 Intermed. Spanish 4, 4
TA 69A,B Dramatic Literature 3, 3
D. SOCIAL, POLITICAL, and ECONOMIC INSTITUTIONS & BEHAVIOR; HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
Nine (9) units minimum, with courses taken in at least two disciplines.
Note: The "American Institutions" requirement may be satisfied by taking either HIST 17 or 18, plus PS 1 (Intro Government).
Dept.
No.
Title
Units
D-0. SOCIOLOGY & CRIMINOLOGY
AJ 1 Intro Admin of Justice 3
SOC 1 Intro to Sociology 3
SOC 2 Social Problems 3
SOC 14 Minority Grps in Amer 3
SOC 15 Mexican American Culture 3
D-1. ANTHROPOLOGY & ARCHAEOLOGY
ANTH 2 Cultural Anthropology 3
ANTH 3 Archaeology, Intro to Prehistory 3
D-2. ECONOMICS
ECON 1 Prin of Macroeconomics 3
ECON 2 Prin of Microeconomics 3
ECON 11 International Economic Relations 3
ECON 12 Understanding Economic Principles & Applications 3
D-3. ETHNIC STUDIES
SOC 14 Minority Groups in Americas 3
SOC 15 Mexican American Culture 3
D-4. GENDER STUDIES
PSY 10 Psychological Aspects Marriage/Family 3
PSY 23 Psychology of Women 3
D-5. GEOGRAPHY
GEOG 2 Cultural Geography 3
GEOG 7 Regional Geography 3
GEOG 10 Geography of California 3
D-6. HISTORY
HIST 3 Hist World Civilization I 3
HIST 4 Hist World Civilization II 3
HIST 17* U.S. History 3
HIST 18* U.S. History 3
HIST 21 California History 3
D-7. INTERDISCIPLINARY SOCIAL OR BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE
MC 1 Mass Media in American Culture 3
SP 15 Intercultural Communication 3
PSY 12 Human Sexuality 3
D-8. POLITICAL SCIENCE, GOVERNMENT, & LEGAL INSTITUTIONS
PS 1* Intro to Government 3
PS 2 Intro Comparative Government 3
PS 4 Intro International Relations 3
D-9. PSYCHOLOGY
PSY 1 General Psychology 3
PSY 3 Developmental Psych 3
PSY 20 Adolescent Psychology 3
PSY 23 Psychology of Women 3
PSY 27 Biological Psychology 3
PSY 29 Abnormal Psychology 3
PSY 33 Personal/Soc Adjustment 3
E. LIFELONG UNDERSTANDING & SELF
DEVELOPMENT: Three (3) units minimum.
Dept.
No.
Title
Units
BI 10 Women's Health 3
BI 12 Biology of Cancer 3
HE 1 Personal/Comm Health 3
HS 13 General Nutrition 3
PHIL 13 Perspectives Death/Dying 3
PSY 3 Developmental Psych 3
PSY 10 Psy Aspects Marr Family 3
PSY 12 Human Sexuality 3
PSY 20 Adolescent Psychology 3
PSY 23 Psychology of Women 3
PSY 33 Personal and Social Adjustment 3
STDV 12 Career and Life Planning 3
 
COLLEGE OF THE DESERT PHYSICAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS
Although not required for transfer to CSU, two courses from physical education(PE), health education (HE), recreation (RE), or varsity sports (VSM, VSW) are required to earn a degree from COD. Note: If HE 001 is used to fulfill section E, it may not be used to fulfill this requirement. Exceptions are the AAT/AST degrees.
 
COLLEGE OF THE DESERT COMPETENCY REQUIREMENTS
Also required for a degree at COD are the Reading, Writing and Mathematics competency, as outlined in the college catalog. Please refer to page 58 in the college catalog for exceptions to the AAT/AST degrees.
 
* These courses are accepted as satisfying the CSU Baccalaureate Requirement for US History, Constitution, and American Ideals.