General Education

General Education

Cal Poly Pomona offers students two curriculum patterns to satisfy GE requirements. Students should consult with their major department for advisement regarding selection of a GE pattern.

In the University General Education pattern, which is open to all undergraduates, students select courses in five areas: Communication and Critical Thinking, Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Humanities, Social Sciences, and Lifelong Understanding and Self-development. The University General Education pattern gives students an introduction to a wide variety of disciplines and teaching modes.

The General Education Program at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona is organized into the following distribution areas.

Area A. Communication and Critical Thinking (12 units)

One course from each sub-area:

1. Oral Communication
2. Written Communication
3. Critical Thinking

Area B. Mathematics and Natural Sciences (16 units)

At least one course from each sub-area, including at least one lab course from sub-area 1 or 2.

1. Physical Science
2. Biological Science
3. Laboratory Activity
4. Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning
5. Science and Technology Synthesis (upper division)

Area C. Humanities (16 units)

At least one course from each sub-area.

1. Visual and Performing Arts
2. Philosophy and Civilization
3. Literature and Foreign Language
4. Humanities Synthesis (upper division)

Area D. Social Sciences (20 units)

Two courses in sub-area 1, and at least one course from each of subareas 2, 3, and 4.

1. U.S. History, Constitution, American Ideals
2. History, Economics, and Political Science
3. Sociology, Anthropology, Ethnic, and Gender Studies
4. Social Science Synthesis (upper division)

Area E. Lifelong Understanding and Self-Development (4 units)

Interdisciplinary General Education

First-time freshmen exempt from, or with a score of 147 or greater on, the EPT may choose the Interdisciplinary General Education Program (IGE), an integrated sequence of eight courses that satisfies 32 units of the University GE requirements. The IGE curriculum explores human experience from the multiple perspectives of different disciplines and cultures.

Many courses are team-taught by faculty from complementary fields, providing students with an introduction to the complexities of different academic disciplines as well as exposure to a variety of teaching styles.

The IGE Arts Package offers a set of theater, music, and other experiences that augment the curriculum and build the community.

Interdisciplinary Synthesis Courses

An interdisciplinary synthesis course integrates two or more of the Areas B, C, and D. Prior to taking one of these courses, students must complete all lower-division courses in Area A and at least two sub-areas from the areas being integrated by an interdisciplinary synthesis course.

Each interdisciplinary synthesis course can be used to satisfy the requirement in any one of the areas integrated. For example, a B4/D4 course satisfies either B4 or D4 (not both areas). Students must fulfill all three synthesis areas (mathematics/natural science, humanities, and social sciences).

General Education-Approved Coursework

Courses are approved by the Campus Academic Senate by area to meet the university general education program requirements. Coursework in General Education should not be taken without a specific curricular goal. Many degree programs recommend specific GE courses which also meet their degree requirements. Such departments will list these courses in their degree curriculum layouts and in their catalog section. Special Topics courses (those numbered 499) are not eligible for GE credit. Students should consult with advisors in their major department. Undeclared students should consult with the staff of the Student Support and Equity Programs office, Building 94, Room 121.

Courses listed as a sequence should be taken in order. For example, in the sequence MAT 114 -MAT 115 , MAT 114  should be completed before taking MAT 115 . Each course in the sequence counts as one course toward meeting general education requirements.

Transfer and Change of Major Students and GE Certification

Community college transfer students and Cal Poly Pomona students who change their major should be aware that many courses on the Cal Poly Pomona General Education list are also major department entrance or prerequisite requirements and will still have to be taken to meet degree requirements. Therefore, even if they may be certified by their community colleges as having met all (or most) CSU lower division general education requirements, or have met GE requirements prior to change of major, they may need to take additional courses to satisfy prerequisites for the major. For example, students may have met the quantitative reasoning requirement by taking a trigonometry course at the community college, or at Cal Poly Pomona, and be so certified. This will not meet the calculus requirement for engineering, which also meets the Cal Poly Pomona GE quantitative reasoning requirement. Calculus will still have to be taken. Such “excess” coursework will be given as “elective credit.” Some transfer students without a complete GE certification may be partially certified by their community colleges as having met the CSU General Education quantitative reasoning requirement with coursework which does not meet the Cal Poly Pomona Mathematics proficiency requirement. Such students will also have to take coursework to meet this graduation requirement.

• General Education-Course Lists 
• Interdisciplinary General Education (IGE) 
• American Cultural Perspectives Requirement