Graduation Requirements

Baccalaureate Degree Requirements

All baccalaureate degrees require completion of the requirements listed below. Degree requirements fall into three categories: general education requirements, major/minor requirements, and other University graduation requirements.

General Education

All students must complete General Education (GE) requirements. GE requirements can be found in the GE section  of the catalog. A minimum of nine units of Upper Division General Education (UDGE), one each in Areas B, C, and D, must be completed in-residence at CSU Channel Islands (CI). Students transferring to CI who have completed the entire CSU GE pattern will not be held to additional lower-division coursework. 

Students pursuing second baccalaureate degrees who earned a baccalaureate or higher degree from a regionally-accredited instiution are exempt from additional GE requirements. For more information, see Article 2.2.5.c of EO 1100 Revised (GE Breadth Requirements) and/or 3.2 of EO 1084 (Systemwide Nursing Policy). 

Major/Minor Requirements

Major

Completion of a specific number and pattern of courses in one or more academic departments is defined as a major and is required for graduation. For the Bachelor of Arts degree, the major must contain a minimum of 24 units with at least 12 upper-division units. For the Bachelor of Science degree, the major must contain a minimum of 36 units with at least 18 upper-division units.

(SP 15-07) 

1. A grade point average of at least 2.0 overall is required to complete the major program (including transfer courses).
2. Programs may impose additional grade requirements (e.g. a program may require a minimum grade of “C” in all courses applied to the major).

Minor

A minor is a coherent program of study completed by an undergraduate student in addition to the major program of study. A minor must contain a minimum of 15 units with at least six upper division units.

1. A grade point average of at least 2.0 overall is required across all courses taken to complete the minor program (including transfer courses).
2. Programs may impose additional grade requirements (e.g. a program may require a minimum grade of “C” in all courses applied to the minor).

(SP 12-01)

No undergraduate students shall be required to complete a minor as a requirement for the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, or other undergraduate degree. Students may declare any minor offered by the university, with the following restrictions: 

1. In order to declare a minor, a student must have a declared major.
2. Students may not receive a minor in a discipline in which they are majoring. 
3. Students may major in one discipline and minor in a different discicipline, even if both discipines are offered by the same program (Academic unit responsible for admistrating one or more disciplines). Programs may specify in the catalog when this is allowed by indicating the permissible major and minor combinations.

(SP 15-06)

University Graduation Requirements

American Institutions Requirement (Graduation Requirements in United States History, Constitution and American Ideals)

Students are required to demonstrate competencies in U.S. History, U.S. Constitution, and California State and local government for graduation*. Competencies may be demonstrated by enrollment in six units as follows:

1. Complete one from the following: 

• HIST 270 - The United States To 1877 (3) 
• HIST 271 - The United States Since 1877  (3)
• HIST 272 - Constitutional History of the U.S.  (3)
• HIST 275 - The United States To 1900  (3)
• HIST 350 - Chicana/O History And Culture (Cross-listed as CHS 350)  (3)  

2. Complete one from the following:

• POLS 150 - American Political Institutions  (3)

Students who have Advanced Placement (AP) credit for American Government, or who have taken American Government without coverage of California government, may complete one from the following:
 

• POLS 140 - California Government and Politics  (1)
• POLS 316 - State and Local Politics and Policy  (3)

*Students pursuing second baccalaureate degrees who earned a baccalaureate degree from a regionally-accredited institution are exempt from these requirements. The Chancellor may grant exceptions to these requirements for some California Community College transfer students. For more information, see Title 5, section 40404 and EO 1061 (Graduation Requirements in United States History, Constitution, and American Ideals) or contact Records and Registration for more details.

Grade Point Average (GPA)

An overall GPA of 2.0 is required in:

1. Total courses attempted
2. CI courses attempted
3. Major courses attempted 
4. Minor courses attempted (if applicable)

Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR)

The GWAR requirement has been waived for catalog years 2018-2019 and 2019-2020.

(SP 17-05)

Language Graduation Requirement

Students will meet the Language Graduation Requirement when they do one of the following:

• Earn a “C-” or better in a language other than English course from General Education (GE) Area C2: Humanities.
  • Note: Students who are GE-certified in Area C must still meet the Language Graduation Requirement.
• Demonstrate proficiency in a language other than English by earning a grade equivalent of “C-” or better in an upper-division language course.
  • Note: While students will meet the Language Graduation Requirement, they will not earn units in GE Area C2: Humanities.
• Demonstrate proficiency through one of the following examinations: Advanced Placement (AP), College-Level Examination Program (CLEP), International Baccalaureate (IB), or the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI), or other examinations approved by the chair of the Global Languages and Cultures Program.
• Provide a high school diploma with a state-approved Seal of Biliteracy.
  • Note: While students will meet the Language Graduation Requirement, a state‑approved Seal of Biliteracy does not earn college-level credit or units.
• Study abroad and earn a grade equivalent of “C-” or better in a native language course (other than English) in their host country.
• Complete the Defense Language Institute (DLI) program in accordance with SP 10-08.
• A high school diploma or equivalent or a transcript where the language of instruction at the school was other than English. (pending approval by the chair of the Global Languages and Cultures Program)

(SP 17-06)

Language Courses 

• ARAB 101 - Elementary Arabic I *
• ARAB 102 - Elementary Arabic II *
• ASL 101 - American Sign Language I *
• ASL 102 - American Sign Language II *
• CHIN 101 - Elementary Chinese I * 
• CHIN 102 - Elementary Chinese II *
• FREN 101 - Elementary French I *
• FREN 102 - Elementary French II *
• MIXT 101 - Elementary Mixtec *
• SPAN 101 - Elementary Spanish I *
• SPAN 102 - Elementary Spanish II *
• SPAN 201 - Intermediate Spanish I *
• SPAN 202 - Intermediate Spanish II *
• SPAN 211 - Spanish for Heritage Speakers I *
• SPAN 212 - Spanish for Heritage Speakers II *
• SPAN 301 - Advanced Spanish Grammar and Composition I *
• SPAN 302 - Advanced Spanish Grammar and Composition II *
• SPAN 304 - Spanish for Careers and Professions  
• SPAN 310 - Introduction to Prose, Poetry and Drama  
• SPAN 311 - Bilingual Literary Studies/Estudios Literarios Bilingues (Cross-listed as ENGL 311)  
• SPAN 315 - Introduction to Spanish Linguistics  
• SPAN 320 - Introduction to Spanish Translation  
• SPAN 321 - Introduction to Spanish-English Interpretation  
• SPAN 334 - Spanish Language Drama and Theatre (Cross-listed as PATH 334)  
• SPAN 340 - Film of the Hispanic World (Cross-listed as ART 340)  
• SPAN 410 - Civilizations and Cultures of Spain  
• SPAN 411 - Civilizations and Cultures of Latin America  
• SPAN 415 - Spanish Language Variation & Diversity  
• SPAN 420 - Specialized Spanish Translation  
• SPAN 421 - Spanish for Educators I  
• SPAN 422 - Spanish for Educators II  
• SPAN 425 - Spanish Language Teaching and Learning  
• SPAN 429 - Social Change in Spain (Cross-listed as SOC 429)  
• SPAN 430 - Her Story: Women Writers of the Spanish-Speaking World *
• SPAN 450 - Introduction to Literary Translation  
• SPAN 451 - Introduction to Healthcare Interpreting  
• SPAN 452 - Healthcare Terminology for Interpreters  
• SPAN 460 - Masterpieces Of Spanish Literature  
• SPAN 461 - Masterpieces Of Latin American Literature  
• SPAN 462 - Modern Mexican Literature  
• SPAN 490 - Special Topics in Spanish  
• SPAN 494 - Independent Study  
• SPAN 498 - Service Learning Or Internship Capstone In Spanish  
• SPAN 499 - Capstone In Spanish  

*Courses will also meet either GE Area C2 or UDGE-C

Multicultural Perspectives (MP) Graduation Requirement

Students will meet the Multicultural Perspectives (MP) Graduation Requirement upon passing a GE Committee-approved Multicultural Perspectives (MP)  course.

(SP 17-07)

Units

In-Residence

At least 30 total units must be taken at CI, excluding Open University and Extended University units. At least 24 of these 30 units must be upper-division coursework, and 12 of the 30 units must be in the major. At least nine units of Upper Division General Education (UDGE) courses of the required 48 GE units must be completed in-residence at CI.

Total 

A minimum of 120 units is required. No more than 70 units taken at a community college or another two-year college may be applied to this total, excluding credit by examination and military credit. Except for Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) examinations, no more than 30 semester units of credit shall be applied to the baccalaureate degree on the basis of passing externally-developed examinations. Credit for Military Basic Training is excluded from this total. A quarter unit is equivalent to two-thirds of a semester unit.

Upper-Division 

At least 40 of the total required units for graduation must be from upper-division courses. At CI, upper-division courses are numbered 300-499.

Graduation

Graduation Information and Application Process for the Bachelor’s Degree

To qualify for graduation students must complete all requirements for the bachelor’s degree by the official graduation date listed in the schedule of classes. Graduation is not automatic upon the completion of requirements. Students who intend to graduate must take the initiative and should follow the steps listed below. While students are ultimately responsible for completing all degree requirements, assistance is available through faculty advisement, the Advising Center and the Office of the Registrar. It is important that students meet regularly with an advisor to avoid graduation problems and delays.

Application for Graduation

The Application for Degree and Diploma and filing fee are required for students expecting to graduate. Commencement participation does not constitute proof of the successful completion of degree requirements. The application for degree is available on the Office of the Registrar web page. Application deadlines are published in the Schedule of Classes and on the CI Web site. Failure to meet the deadline for the term in which you wish to graduate will delay your graduation.

Graduation Application Process

• Submit the completed Application for Degree and Diploma, any approved course substitutions and final transcripts from all transfer institutions to Student Business Services (Sage Hall) and pay the appropriate fees for graduation application by the published deadline for the term in which you wish to graduate. (The graduation fee covers the cost of the diploma cover, the diploma, and the annual commencement ceremony.) Student Business Services sends the Application for Degree and Diploma, and certification of payment to Graduation Evaluations in the Office of the Registrar.
• The CI Academic Requirements Report (CARR) will display your Graduation Status:
  - Applied for Graduation indicates that your Application for Degree and Diploma has been received
• Participate in the commencement ceremony held at the end of the spring semester if eligible (see policy on Commencement Participation  (SP 09-10)).
• Students not completing the requirements by expected date of graduation must submit a change of graduation term form to the Student Business Service and pay the fee.
• After Graduation Evaluators verify completion of all degree requirements, a diploma is normally available within four months of final clearance. Proof of graduation is available by requesting official transcripts from the Office of the Registrar.
• Students may visit the Office of the Registrar website for more information regarding graduation at: http://www.csuci.edu/records-registration/GradFAQ.htm.

CI Academic Requirements Report

The CI Academic Requirements Report (CARR) - contains customized degree progress information, which can assist you in planning your course of study. The CARR outlines general education, graduation, major and minor (if applicable) requirements. It is student specific and will display requirements you have met and requirements you have yet to meet using internal credit (CI courses) and external credit (transfer, military and test credit). When you have not met a requirement, the report will list course options that will meet the requirement. To ensure timely graduation, always work with your academic and faculty advisors. Review your transfer credit report for accuracy. Several tutorials and the How to View Your CI Academic Requirements Report (CARR) documents are available. These documents will guide you through the steps to access your report, as well as allow you to request updates to your CARR. For more information about the CI Academic Requirements Report visit. http://www.csuci.edu/records-registration/carr.htm.

Commencement and Honors Convocation

Commencement and Honors Convocation are held each year in the spring, bringing together local community members to celebrate the accomplishment of our students.

University Honors

To receive honors at graduation at CI, a student must:

1. Complete a minimum 30 units of courses taken at CI for a letter grade.
2. Earn a grade point average of 3.50 or above in all work taken at CI.
3. Earn the following cumulative grade point average in all undergraduate courses, including transfer work:

Summa Cum Laude - This honor is awarded to all students who earn a grade point average of 3.90 - 4.0.

Magna Cum Laude - This honor is awarded to all students who earn a grade point average of 3.75 - 3.89

Cum Laude - This honor is awarded to all students who earn a grade point average of 3.50 - 3.74.
(SP 03-24)

Commencement Participation

Commencement is held annually at the end of the spring semester. Students who have completed degree or credential requirements the previous summer or fall terms are eligible to participate in the ceremony along with those who plan to complete their work in the spring or subsequent summer ending August 31, and have filed an Application for Degree and Diploma.  Names of graduates and degree candidates who have applied for graduation by the published deadline will be published in the Commencement Program.  Students who do not wish to have their names published in the Commencement Program may opt out by filing a Request to Withhold Directory Information form with the Office of the Registrar.

 (SP 09-10)

Graduate Student Degree Requirements:

Refer to Graduate Studies  Section of the catalog for details.