Degree Requirements

Briefly summarized, the college-wide requirements to obtain a baccalaureate degree include all of the following:

1. Completion of a minimum of 120-semester units of credit. 
2. Completion of a minimum of 40 upper division units.
3. Completion of General Education (43-semester units, Area 1-6) with a GPA of 2.0 or better. 
4. Satisfaction of statutory requirements in U.S. History, Constitution, and American Ideals by completing courses HIS 101 or examination and POL 101 or examination.
5. Satisfaction of the Upper-Division Writing Requirement (GWAR).
6. Completion of a major.
7. Completion of elective courses (beyond the requirements above) to reach the total of a minimum of 120-semester units of credit.
8. Resident requirements, upper division unit requirements, and grade point average requirements must be satisfied.

Majors and Minors

All students must complete a major as one of the university requirements for graduation. Departments that offer single field majors do not require a minor; however, those majors not designated as single field may require completion of a minor as part of their major requirements. In each major or minor field, a grade point average of 2.0 (C) or better is required.

No course may count in both the major and minor unless it is a prerequisite for both. If upper division course requirements overlap, additional courses may need to be taken to fulfill unit requirements of both the major and minor. A student should see his/her advisor to make substitutions.

Double Major or Minor

A student may complete an additional minor or second major. Units used to satisfy the requirements for an additional major or minor cannot have been used in the first major or minor. The student shall declare the second major or minor at the time the Application for Graduation is filed and have the appropriate advisement form submitted. Whenever a double major is used to satisfy graduation requirements, the upper division courses must not overlap. The completion of an additional major or minor will be noted on the official transcript. A student who completes requirements for two majors under a single degree, BA or BS, may have both majors recorded on the diploma. A student who completes two majors leading to different degrees, for example, philosophy (BA) and public administration (BS), must declare one major as the degree major, in order to determine the appropriate degree to be awarded and notation for the diploma. A student will not be granted two diplomas and two degrees, as distinguished from two majors, at the same time. Note: The residency requirement for a second major is the same as for the primary major: 12 upper division units at CSU Dominguez Hills.

Double Concentration

A student may complete a double concentration but only the primary concentration will be printed on the transcript and diploma.

Same Field Major and Minor

Students may major and minor in the same field as long as a minimum of 12 units is unique to the minor and not double counted in the major. Course substitutions may be allowed for any course that is in both the major and the minor with appropriate departmental approval.  

Special Major

The University offers a special major at both the undergraduate and graduate level. A student seeking this degree has the opportunity to engage in individualized courses of study when appropriate academic and professional goals are not accommodated by standard campus degree programs. For further information, see "Special Major" in the "Academic Programs" section of this catalog.

Substitutions and Waivers of Course Requirements

Any requests for substitutions or waivers of major/minor course requirements should be directed to the department chair or program coordinator. 

Grade Point Average Requirements

A minimum grade point average of 2.0 is required for:

1. all units attempted at CSU Dominguez Hills;
2. all units attempted (combination of CSU Dominguez Hills units and transfer units);
3. all units attempted for the major;
4. all units attempted for the minor or thematic project;
5. all units attempted for the major in a single field;
6. all units attempted for the double major;
7. all courses in General Education Area A must be passed with a grade of "C" or higher. In all other areas, a grade point average of 2.0 for all courses used in General Education, calculated at graduation, is required.

General Education

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 your college's Student Success Center for further information.

The General Education¹ program is a total of 43 semester units and is divided into the following areas:  

Area 1 - English Communication  (9 units)
all courses in this area require a grade of "C-" or higher

Area 2 - Mathematical Concepts and Quantitative Reasoning (3 units)
math courses in this area require a grade of “C-” or higher

Area 3 - Arts and Humanities (9 units)

Area 4 - Social and Behavioral Sciences (9 units)

Area 5 - Physical and Biological Sciences (10 units)

Area 6 - Ethnic Studies (3 units)

A list of courses that satisfy General Education can be found here.

¹

Students must take nine units of G.E. courses in residence in the CSU.

Graduation Requirement in Writing Proficiency (GWAR) 

The California State University requires that all undergraduate students demonstrate competency in writing skills at the upper division level as a requirement for graduation.

Undergraduate students must first complete their lower division English composition courses in Area 1A of the General Education program, before attempting to complete this upper-division requirement. Fulfillment of GWAR should not be undertaken prior to the beginning of the junior year (or 60 units) and can be met by completing an upper-division GWAR-certifying course in the major or a closely related 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. 

Those students whose major department does not offer an upper-division GWAR-certifying course may elect to take one of the following after consulting with their major department and the department offering the course: 

• ANT 388 Anthro Theories Of Behav
• BIO 490 Senior Project
• BPH 340 Experimental Biophysics
• BUS 445 International Business
• CDV 320 Mthd & Analysis in Child Study
• CHE 360 Writing in Chemical Sciences 
• CHS 300 Critical Issues in Chicana/Chicano Studies
• CJA 339 Research Methods and Communication in Criminal Justice Administration
• CLS 307 Clinical Hematology
• CSC 492 Senior Design
• ENG 317 Black English Language and Culture
• ENG 350 Advanced Composition: The English Department regularly offers this GWAR-certifying course.  Students must earn a grade of C or higher to satisfy the GWAR requirement.
• ENG 490 Seminar in Literature
• HEA 479 Research Methods in Health Sciences
• HIS 400 Proseminar in History
• HUS 310 Helping and Professional Relationships
• IDS 345 Writing Adjunct 
• IDS 490 Interdisciplinary Studies Senior Seminar
• ITC 492 Senior Design
• KIN 330 Sport and Exercise Psychology
• LBS 370 Multicultural Studies
• MUS 486 Music History III: 1880 to Contemporary
• POL 300 Research Design in Political Science
• PUB 306 Research Methods in Public Administration
• RIS 340 Research Methods in Radiologic and Imaging Sciences
• SOC 309 Writing Skills in Sociology
• WMS 490 Senior Capstone

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, attaching a copy of the certifying test score or copy of an official transcript and the catalog description of the pertinent coursework.

Statutory Requirements: United States History, Constitution and American Ideals

To qualify for graduation, each student shall demonstrate knowledge of the Constitution of the United States and American history, including the study of American institutions and ideals, and the principles of state and local government established under the Constitution of the state of California.

These statutory requirements may be satisfied by completion of POL 101 American Institutions and HIS 101 History Of United States, or by passing comprehensive examinations in each of these fields. Students who have fulfilled the American History and the United States Constitution and government section of the state requirements may fulfill the California state and local government section by successfully completing POL 312 State and Local Government: Organization and Problems or by passing a comprehensive examination. (Contact the Political Science Department, (310) 243-3434 for further information.) Students transferring from other colleges who have not already met one or more of these requirements may take examinations in those parts not met. Students transferring from other accredited institutions of collegiate grade, who have been certified by such institutions as meeting these requirements, shall not be required to take further courses or examinations therein.

Statutory Requirement (6 units)

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

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
HIS 101	History Of United States (or articulated course at a California Community College or examination)	3
POL 101	American Institutions	3
Total Hours		6

Unit Requirements

A minimum of 120 semester units is required for the bachelor's degree.

Upper Division Units

A minimum of 40 semester units of upper division credit must be completed.

Residence Units

A minimum of 30 semester units must be completed in residence at CSU Dominguez Hills, of which 24 shall be earned in upper division courses and 12 upper division units shall be in the major. When a minor is declared, at least one-half of all upper division units earned for the minor must be completed in residence at CSU Dominguez Hills.

Credit by examination may not be used to fulfill the minimum residence requirement.

Up to 24 units of coursework taken in non-matriculated status through Open University may be used to fulfill the minimum residency requirement.

Credit received in summer session or January session at CSU Dominguez Hills may be counted as residence credit.

At least nine units of General Education must be completed at CSU Dominguez Hills.

Electives

In addition to the General Education course requirements and the major-minor course requirements, additional courses as elective units may be required to complete the minimum 120 unit requirement for graduation.

Electives chosen by the student to complete the minimum requirements for graduation may be selected to broaden general education and vocational interests.

Second Baccalaureates

• Students may elect a regular major or a single field major.
• No minor is required.
• Students must satisfy all requirements for the degree.
• Students must meet all statutory requirements.
• Students who are undertaking a second baccalaureate degree will be deemed to have met the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR) if their first baccalaureate degree is from an institution of higher education accredited by a U. S. regional accreditor. All other candidates must satisfy the GWAR requirement as outlined in the Undergraduate Degree section of this catalog.
• Students are not eligible for honors.
• Courses taken as part of a second baccalaureate degree cannot apply to graduate work except as allowed for in the "Enrollment in Graduate Courses by Seniors" policy explained elsewhere in this catalog.

In addition, students must:

• complete requirements in a discipline other than that in which a previous degree was earned; units from the first degree may not be counted; specific courses may be waived and other courses substituted;
• receive program approval; requirements must be agreed upon in writing by the department chairperson and kept on file in the department office before 14 units are completed;
• complete a minimum of 30 units in residence, including 24 units in upper-division courses, which include 12 units in the major;
• maintain at least a 2.50 grade point average in all courses taken for the degree to remain in good academic standing.