CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY AND UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA REQUIREMENTS

To satisfy this requirement, students must complete the high school courses listed. This sequence of courses is also known as the “a-g” requirements. Students must take 15 units of high school courses to fulfill the Subject Requirement, and at least seven of the 15 units must be taken in the last two years of high school. (A unit is equal to an academic year, or two semesters, of study).

A) History/Social Science: 2 years required

  • Two years of History/Social Science, including one year of U.S. History or one-half year of U.S. History and one-half year of Civics or American Government; and one year of World History, Cultures and Geography.

B) English: 4 years required

  • Four years of college preparatory English that include frequent and regular writing and reading of classic and modern literature. Not more than two semesters of ninth-grade English can be used to meet this requirement.

C) Mathematics: 3 years required, 4 recommended

  • Three years of college preparatory mathematics that include the topics covered in elementary and Advanced Algebra and two- and three-dimensional Geometry. Approved integrated Math courses may be used to fulfill part or this entire requirement, as may Math courses taken in the seventh and eighth grades that the high school accepts as equivalent to its own Math courses.

D) Laboratory Science: 2 years required, 3 recommended

  • Two years of laboratory science providing fundamental knowledge in at least two of these three disciplines: Biology (which includes Anatomy, Physiology, Marine Biology, Aquatic Biology, etc.), Chemistry and Physics. The latter two years of an approved three-year integrated science program may be used to fulfill this requirement. Not more than one year of ninth-grade laboratory science can be used to meet this requirement.

E) Language Other than English: 2 years required, 3 recommended

  • Two years of the same language other than English. Courses should emphasize speaking and understanding, and include instruction in grammar, vocabulary, reading and composition. Courses in language other than English taken in the seventh and eighth grade may be used to fulfill part of this requirement if the high school accepts them as equivalent to its own courses.

F) Visual and Performing Arts (VPA): 1 year required

  • One year of visual and performing arts chosen from the following: dance, drama/theater, music or visual art.

G) College Preparatory Electives: 1 year required

  • One year (two semesters), in addition to those required in “a-f” above, chosen from the following areas: Visual and Performing Arts (non-introductory level courses), History, Social Science, English, Advanced Mathematics, Laboratory Science and Language other than English (a third year in the language used for the “e” requirement or two years of another language) and Journalism.