General Education

General education requirements (sometimes called breadth, core or liberal arts requirements) are required of everyone to obtain a degree, regardless of major.  The purpose of general education is to provide students with a broad understanding of our culture and the world and to prepare them to participate fully in society.

Cypress College has three general education plans.

• Native Associate Degree Patterns. This general education plan is used with occupational degrees awarded by Cypress College.
• California State University General Education Breadth (CSU GE). This general education plan, when completed and certified by Admissions and Records, meets the lower division general education requirements at any California State University Campus when it is certified by a California Community College. It also is one of the plans that may be used in the Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) (Link to ADT page) Courses used for general education must be on the list at the time the student completed the course. If a course is taken before it is approved for inclusion on the list, it cannot be used in the certification process.  Similarly, a course which is taken after it has been removed from the list cannot be certified
• Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC). IGETC is accepted at all UC and CSU campuses in lieu of the campus specific lower division general education requirements when it is certified* by a California Community College. However, IGETC may not be recommended for certain majors or accepted by specific schools within the university. See a counselor to determine if IGETC is the right option for you major.  It also is one of the plans that may be used in the Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) (Link to ADT page) Courses used for general education must be on the list at the time the student completed the course.  If a course is taken before it is approved for inclusion on the list, it cannot be used in the certification process.  Similarly, a course which is taken after it has been removed from the list cannot be certified.
• Independent and Out-of-State Schools. Some independent and out-of-state schools may accept CSU GE or IGETC. However, most schools have their own patterns that should be published in their catalog.

Note: Cypress College is permitted to certify completion of the CSU GE Breadth and IGETC Requirements.  Certification is not automatic.  Students must apply for certification in the Admissions and Records Office.