The California State University (CSU) system has 22 campuses across the state. The CSU offers students the choice of more than 4,100 bachelor's, master's and doctoral degree programs in 240 subject areas. These campuses and the majors they offer are described on the California State University Apply website.

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 from MiraCosta or any California Community College towards the unit total for graduation. 

Minimum Transfer Requirements

To check if a CSU accepts an ADT that is offered by MiraCosta, please refer to the CSU website Associate Degree for Transfer Major and Campus Search. 

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

• 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 the ASSIST website, a MiraCosta College counselor, or a representative at their intended transfer campus to receive updated information about impacted majors.

Transfer Planning

As soon as possible after applying to MiraCosta College, students whose educational goal includes transferring to a CSU campus should meet with a MiraCosta College academic counselor to develop an appropriate educational plan. A comprehensive student education plan (CSEP) outlines the three components - general education pattern, major preparation courses, and transferable electives courses needed to prepare for transfer. 

MiraCosta College's academic counselors will provide guidance on CSU admission requirements, application deadlines, and other transfer planning considerations that may vary by campus and program. 

Students are encouraged to meet with a counselor regularly to review and update their education plan as their goals and transfer plans evolve.

General Education Requirements: Cal-GETC Courses

All students obtaining a bachelor's degree from a CSU campus must satisfy general education (GE) requirements. A minimum of 43 semester units of GE is required: 34 units of lower-division and 9 units of upper-division courses. All of the lower-division GE courses may be completed at MiraCosta before students transfer to a CSU campus. To satisfy the GE requirements, students must take specified courses from the California General Education Transfer Curriculum (Cal-GETC) pattern in the following subject areas:

• Area 1 — English Communication
• Area 2 — Mathematical Concepts and Quantitative Reasoning
• Area 3 — Arts and Humanities
• Area 4 — Social and Behavioral Sciences
• Area 5 — Physical and Biological Sciences
• Area 6 — Ethnic Studies

Major Preparation

Students need to identify a major and complete the required courses for that major. MiraCosta College has articulation agreements with most CSU campuses. These agreements, which can be viewed at on the ASSIST website, inform students which courses at MiraCosta can satisfy a major requirement at a CSU campus.

The Associate Degree for Transfer will also specify coursework that will be acceptable as major preparation at participating CSU campuses and may be used in lieu of published articulation agreements.

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's 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 coursework 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.

History, Constitution, and American Ideals

All CSU campuses have a graduation requirement known as History, Constitution, and American Ideals. Students may be certified as completing this requirement either by completing one course from Group I and one course from Group II or by completing the course in Group III. A course used to meet this requirement may also be used to satisfy a Cal-GETC subject area requirement.

Group I

HIST C1001	United States History to 1877	3
HIST C1001H	United States History to 1877 - Honors	3
HIST 116	History of the Americas to 1830	3
HIST 141	Mexican American History Through 1877	3
HIST 145	African American History to 1877	3

Group II

HIST C1002	United States History since 1865	3
HIST C1002H	United States History since 1865 - Honors	3
HIST 117	History of the Americas Since 1830	3
HIST 142	Mexican American History Since 1877	3
HIST 146	African American History Since 1877	3
HIST 165	California History	3

Group III

POLS C1000

American Government and Politics

4

Cal-GETC Certification

MiraCosta College is authorized to certify a minimum of 34 lower-division general education units. Certification means the CSU will accept the courses approved to meet the Cal-GETC subject areas. Students should request certification of coursework that meets Cal-GETC requirements because certification ensures students will not be required to complete additional lower-division GE courses after they transfer.

Students may apply for 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 Cal-GETC Certification are as follows:

• All courses 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. Acceptable courses from non-California community colleges may be completed with a minimum grade of "C-" in these areas.

• 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 an institution accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education 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 Cal-GETC certification.

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

Certificate of Achievement in Cal-GETC

Students who complete the entire Cal-GETC pattern of courses are eligible to receive a Certificate of Achievement in California General Education Transfer Curriculum (Cal-GETC).