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Transferring to a Four-Year College/University

San José City College provides students with the freshman and sophomore years of a four-year college or university program. Students planning to transfer to a four-year college or university may complete their lower-division general education and major preparatory requirements at San José City College. Careful planning will permit transfer with junior (upper-division) standing, and help avoid taking courses that do not meet needed requirements.

Students are advised to meet early and regularly with a counselor to ensure a smooth transition to the transfer institution. Counselors work with students to develop Student Educational Plans (SEPs) that map out the courses needed for successful transfer.

Transfer Preparation

Main Components of a Typical Transfer Plan

  1. General Education Requirements
    Bachelor degree programs from the University of California (UC) and California State University (CSU) require a program of general education. The CSU pattern is called the General Education Breadth Requirement (CSU GE-Breadth). The Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) is a pattern valid for the UC and CSU systems. Some high unit majors and certain UC campuses may have different requirements, so please consult a counselor.

  2. Lower-Division Major Preparation Requirements
    ​    ​Major preparatory courses are the specific lower-division courses required for a student's chosen major. Impacted or Selective Majors (major with competitive admissions) may require all or most major preparatory courses to be completed prior to transfer.  The lower-division major requirements may differ depending on the institution; therefore it is important for students to review the major requirements at www.ASSIST.org as well as consult with a counselor.

  3. Electives
    Electives are additional transferable courses earned to meet the total number of required transfer units.

Transferability of Courses

Students may transfer a maximum of 70 community college semester units to most public four-year colleges and universities. Courses in excess of 70 units may still be used to meet transfer requirements.  Many baccalaureate level courses at San José City College have been articulated with the UC and CSU as general education, major preparatory and/or elective courses. Articulation agreements between San José City College and the UC and CSU institutions can be found at www.ASSIST.org.   

ASSIST and College Catalogs

ASSIST (www.ASSIST.org) is the official repository of transfer articulation information and agreements between the California Community Colleges and the UC and CSU systems. ASSIST provides reports on how California Community College courses may be applied toward UC and CSU general education and major preparatory requirements. Students are advised to meet with a counselor to learn how to use the information posted on ASSIST.