Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC)

Note: The below policy applies to the Tier One and Tier Two General Education curriculum only. Students who matriculated in Spring 2022 or beyond should consult the General Education Transfer Credit policy. 

The California public community colleges and state universities have agreed upon a common structure for a general education core curriculum. This common structure is called the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) or the California State General Education Pattern (CSUGE). The IGETC and the CSUGE are composed of a minimum of 35 - 40 semester units of lower-division general education course work that prepares the student for transfer.* All transferable course work must be completed with a grade of -C- or better.

Students transferring to the University of Arizona from California with an IGETC certified by a California community college will have completed the majority of the University's lower-division General Education requirements. The IGETC will fulfill the following lower-division General Education requirements at the University:  freshman composition, mathematics-General Strand, Tier One and Tier Two-with the exception of the Natural Sciences and the Diversity Emphasis course. To complete the Natural Sciences, the student's college/major advisor will need to validate completion of two laboratory science courses at the transfer institution or at the University. To satisfy the Diversity Emphasis requirement, the student's advisor will need to verify completion of a course that focuses on gender, race, class, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or non-western studies.

The University reserves the right to verify that an IGETC certified by a community college conforms to California-approved policy before the IGETC is applied toward a University of Arizona degree. Additionally, students with an IGETC are required to fulfill (1) the Second Language Requirement, (2) prerequisites for advanced standing in the college and/or major/minor areas of study, and (3) all specific upper-division degree program requirements.

In the absence of a certified IGETC, transfer students from California colleges and universities may meet the University of Arizona General Education requirements with a combination of IGETC-approved courses taken before their initial enrollment at the University, along with subsequent University of Arizona General Education course work.

*Note:  For purposes of this transfer policy, the IGETC is identified; but completion of the CSUGE is equally acceptable in the same ways.