Academic Skills & General Education (FA22)

Students should consult an advisor upon entry to the university and every semester thereafter. For information on G.E. and other University undergraduate degree requirements (GWAR, units, academic status), as well as students with declared majors and minors also need to consult the appropriate department(s).

Academic Skills Requirements for Undergraduate Students

Students Admitted to CSUDH Fall 1998 and After

New students enrolled at the University, fall 2018 and after are subject to the revisions to E.O. 665 contained in E.O. 1110 (2017). Effective with this executive order, the English Placement Test (EPT) and the Entry- Level Mathematics (ELM) Test shall not be offered, and the EPT and ELM committees are discontinued.

Freshman skills assessment and placement for general education written communication and mathematics/quantitative reasoning shall be based on systemwide skills assessment standards that include the Early Assessment Program/ Smarter Balanced Achievement Levels, ACT scores and/or SAT scores, high school coursework, high school GPA and math GPA.

Skills assessments are not a condition for admission to the CSU; they are a condition of enrollment. These skills assessments are designed to inform entering freshmen of placement in appropriate baccalaureate-level courses based on their skills and needs.

First-time freshmen in need of support as determined by the skills assessment will be placed in supported instruction. Supported instruction is designed to assist students in credit bearing courses. Students may also be required to participate in the Early Start Program. The Early Start Program gives students the opportunity to earn college credit in written communication and mathematics/ quantitative reasoning the summer before their first term.

Students are no longer subject to Academic Skills Assessment Plan (ASAP) "probation" or "disqualification.

New students enrolled at the University between fall 1998 and spring 2018, are subject to System-wide Placement Test and remedial English and mathematics class requirements (E.O. 665). Non-exempt students must take the English Placement Test (EPT) and the Entry Level Mathematics (ELM) examination before registering for classes. If test results show that remedial courses in English or mathematics are needed, students must:

• Enroll in required remedial classes the first semester of attendance and thereafter;
• Pass all remedial classes in two semesters.

After two semesters, students cannot register or continue to attend classes at CSU, Dominguez Hills if all required remedial classes (ENG 88 Developmental Reading/ENG 99 Basic Writing Workshop and MAT 3 Beginning Algebra/MAT 9 Intermediate Algebra) are not passed.

Furthermore, students are subject to Academic Skills Assessment Plan (ASAP) "probation" if they do not pass General Education level English (ENG 110 Freshman Composition Accelerated and ENG 111 Freshman Composition II) and mathematics (MAT 105 Finite Mathematics or equivalent) in four semesters.

Finally, students are subject to ASAP "disqualification" from the University if they do not pass General Education level English (ENG 110 Freshman Composition Accelerated) and mathematics (MAT 105 Finite Mathematics or equivalent) classes in six semesters.

Students should contact the University Advisement Center for additional information at (310) 243-3538, email at uac@csudh.edu, or in person at WH A-220.

Non-exempt students admitted and enrolled before fall 1998 are subject to Academic Skills Assessment Plan (ASAP) guidelines for completion of the English Placement Test (EPT), the Entry Level Mathematics (ELM) examination, required remedial English and math classes, and General Education level English and math classes.

Students are subject to ASAP "probation" if they do not take the EPT and ELM and pass all required remedial English classes (ENG 88 Developmental Reading and ENG 99 Basic Writing Workshop) and mathematics classes (MAT 3 Beginning Algebra and MAT 9 Intermediate Algebra) within two semesters.  Students may be ASAP "disqualified" from the University if they do not meet these requirements and classes in four semesters.

Additionally, students are subject to ASAP "probation" if they do not pass General Education level classes in English (ENG 110 Freshman Composition Accelerated) and mathematics (MAT 105 Finite Mathematics or equivalent) in four semesters.  Students may be ASAP "disqualified" from the University if they do not pass the General Education level classes in six semesters.

Students should contact the University Advisement Center for additional information at (310) 243-3538, email at uac@csudh.edu, or in person at WH A-220.

Completion of the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR):

California State University Executive Order 665 states that all students "must demonstrate competency in writing skills at the upper division level as a requirement for graduation."  It further states that "certification of writing competency shall be made available to students as they enter their junior year [60 units].  Students should complete the requirement before their senior year [90 units]."

Undergraduate students must first complete their lower division English composition courses in Area A, General Education, before attempting to complete this upper division requirement.  Fulfillment of GWAR should be undertaken at the beginning of the junior year (or 60 units), and satisfied by the time 72 units are completed.

The GWAR can be met through one of the following options:

Graduate Writing Examination (GWE)

Students Admitted Before Fall 2021

Students with a requirement term prior to Fall 2021 still have the right to take the GWE (the exam that used to fulfill the requirement); all students with a requirement term of Fall 21 and later, must take a GWAR certifying course.  

Students with a requirement term prior to Fall 2021 still have the right to take the GWE (the exam that used to fulfill the requirement); all students with a requirement term of Fall 21 and later, must take a GWAR certifying course.  

Students Admitted to CSUDH after Fall 2021

The GWAR suspension will be lifted in Summer 2022 and so anyone graduating then or after will be held to the requirement.

For more information, please go to https://www.csudh.edu/tltc/testing-center/gwar/

Certifying Courses

• Advanced GWAR-certifying course in the major. Many departments and programs offer GWAR-certifying courses for their majors. Students should contact their major department to determine if such a course is offered. Students must earn a grade of C or higher to satisfy the GWAR.
• Advanced Composition Course offered by the English Department.  The English Department regularly offers an advanced composition courses ENG 350Advanced Composition, 3 units, A-C/NC).  Students must earn a grade of C or higher (B or higher for graduate students) to satisfy the GWAR. 

Transfer Certification

Students who have satisfied the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR) at another CSU campus in 1984 or later, but prior to matriculation at CSU, Dominguez Hills, may petition for fulfillment of GWAR at CSUDH.  Students must complete a Petition for Fulfillment of GWAR at the Testing Center, attaching a copy of the certifying test score or copy of an official transcript and the catalog description of the pertinent coursework.  CSU, Dominguez Hills Testing Center, North Library 5705, (310) 243-3909.

General Education Requirements for Undergraduate Students

General Education Program

Students must follow the appropriate General Education (G.E.) pattern.

Students who have maintained continuous attendance at any combination of CSU, UC, or California community college under an earlier catalog may elect to complete the G.E. pattern in effect at the time of:

1. entrance into CSUDH;
2. graduation or;
3. entrance into a California community college or state university.

**Contact an advisor in the University Advisement Center for further information.

The General Education program is divided into the following areas and includes 49 total semester units:

Area A – English Language, Communication, and Critical Thinking (9 units)
**all courses in this area require a grade of "C-" or higher
Area B - Scientific Inquiry & Quantitative Reasoning (13 units)
**math courses in this area require a grade of “C-” or higher
Area C – Arts and Humanities (12 units)
Area D - Social Sciences (9 units)
Area E - Lifelong Learning and Self-Development (3 units)
Area F – Ethnic Studies (3 units)

** Students must take nine units of G.E. courses in residence at CSUDH

¹ Courses must be passed with a grade of "C-" or higher.

² Students majoring or minoring in one of the natural sciences may substitute more advanced science courses. These students should see a faculty advisor.

³ Concurrent enrollment in BIO 102 General Biology or prior life science course recommended.

⁴ Concurrent enrollment in EAR 100 Physical Geology or prior earth science course recommended.

Note**Statutory Requirement
Students must satisfy requirements in U.S. history and U.S. and California government by completing the following:

• HISTORY 101 or articulated course at a California Community
  College or examination

and

• POLITICAL SCIENCE 101 or articulated course at a California Community College or examination.

General Education Certification

Accredited community colleges and public four-year colleges may sanction (certify) that all or part of General Education requirements (post 1980), have been met. Transfer students with complete certification of California State University General Education breadth requirements or the CSU version of the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) requirements are not required to complete additional lower division courses in general education. Transfer students should request General Education certification from their community colleges. An additional nine semester units of upper division General Education courses must be completed at CSU Dominguez Hills.

Double Counting General Education Courses

Lower division General Education courses may be double-counted in either the major or the minor.  Even though students may double-count certain General Education courses, they will not receive additional unit credit towards graduation by double-counting.  For example, a double-counted course counts three units (not six) towards graduation.  Please consult the University Catalog and/or an academic advisor for more information.