Upper-Division Transfer + Degree Pathway
Upper-Division Transfer is a popular transfer pathway that allows students to complete the first half of their undergraduate studies (60 units) at their local community college and transfer with junior standing to a four-year university to complete the second half of their studies (60 to about 120 units) and earn a bachelor’s degree.
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Many students who want to transfer to a four-year university choose an Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) or a AA/AS degree at a community college and transfer their units to a university. Earning a degree is not required for transfer, but we highly recommend it, as it can give your resume and career a boost that other students at a four-year university may not receive after completing the first two years of their bachelor’s degree.
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Requirements
All Upper-Division Transfers require 60 transferable units.
The 60 transferable units are made up of the following:​
General Education Courses
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Major Education Courses
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Other Courses Required for University Admissions (Assist)
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60 Transferable Units​
60
Transferable Units
60 transferable units are the minimum accepted by most four-year universities for Upper-Division Transfer, but CSUs and UCs accept up to 70 transferable units. Private colleges and universities tend to have more flexible admission requirements, often allowing more than 70 transferable units.​​​​​​​
Understanding the ADT
The Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) is a two-year degree, meaning it can be completed by taking 30 semester units each year for two years. Similar to the associate degree above, this degree requires both general education and major-related courses designed to transfer to a university. The ADT is a popular option for students who plan to transfer to a four-year university after completing their degree. ADTs are designed to guarantee admission to the California State University (CSU) system. When applying to a CSU, your ADT will automatically give students a .1 GPA bump and guarantee admission to a CSU (often a university with available enrollment spots, usually CSUCI or CSUDH). Learn more about the ADT in our Beyond the Textbook: ADT workshop.
Who Accepts the ADT?
The ADT is accepted by all public universities in California, many California private colleges and universities, and some HBCUs. For those who are interested in transferring to a California private college/university or an HBCU with an ADT, please explore the directories below.
Don’t see your transfer university on the lists above? Curious to see if your university accepts the ADT or just Cal-GETC? Check out our ADT/Cal-GETC Sample Email for guidance on how to approach a university representative with these transfer question.
Understanding Cal-GETC
The California General Education Transfer Curriculum (Cal-GETC) is the standard curriculum used by all California Community Colleges for Upper-Division Transfer Pathways. Cal-GETC is accepted by all CA public universities and many private institutions in California and across the country. If you are pursuing an ADT or any type of upper-division transfer, check out our easy-to-understand Cal-GETC. Keep in mind that the titles of the sections you see below will be the same at every California Community College, but the course titles in each area will change depending on the college you choose.
Area 1: English Communication
Area 1A: English Composition
Courses typically found in this area: English Composition
Take 1 course in this area
(3 semester or 4 quarter units)
Area 1B: Critical Thinking and Composition
Courses typically found in this area: ​Critical Thinking and Writing,
Communication, Philosophy & Others
Take 1 course in this area
(3 semester or 4 quarter units)
Area 1C: Oral Communication
Courses typically found in this area: Communication Studies (Public Speaking, Group, or Interpersonal) & Others
Take 1 course in this area
(3 semester or 4 quarter units)
Area 2: Mathematical Concepts & Quantitative Reasoning
Courses typically found in this area: College Algebra, Pre-calculus, (Calculus I, II, III), Statistics, Social Science Statistics & Others
Take 1 course in this area
(3 semester or 4 quarter units)
Area 3: Arts and Humanities
Area 3A: Arts
Courses typically found in this area: Sculpture, Graphic Design, Contemporary Arts, Music, Cinema, Dance, Theater & Others
Take 1 course in this area
(3 semester or 4 quarter units)
Area 3B: Humanities
Courses typically found in this area: Foreing Languages, ASL, History Studies, Philosophy Studies, Political Science, Humanities & Others
Take 1 course in this area
(3 semester or 4 quarter units)
Area 4: Social and Behavioral Sciences
Courses typically found in this area: Anthropology, Economics, Geography, History, Political Science, Sociology, Psychology & Others
Take 2 courses in this area from
2 different academic disciplines
(6 semester or 8 quarter units)
Area 5: Physical and Biological Sciences
Area 5A: Physical Science
Courses typically found in this area: Astronomy, Chemistry, Earth Science, Geology, Geography, Physics, Marine Science & Others
Take 1 course in this area
(3 semester or 4 quarter units)
Area 5B: Biological Science
Courses typically found in this area: Anthropology, Biology, Eviromental Studies, Zoology, Physiology, Biotechnology & Others
Area 5C: Laboratory
Courses typically found in this area: Chemistry Lab, Geography Lab, Physics Lab, Anthropology Lab, Biology Lab & Others
Take 1 Course in this Area
(3 semester or 4 quarter units)
Take 1 course in this area
(1 semester or 1 quarter unit)
For more details
Area 6: Ethnic Studies
Courses typically found in this area: Intro to Ethnic Studies, Native American Studies, African American Studies, Latine Studies & Others
Take 1 course in this area
(3 semester or 4 quarter units)
This is the end of the Cal-GETC requirements, but only the beginning of your ADT education plan. See below for more details.
Major Courses + Electives
Courses typically found in this area: Business Administration, Psychology, Nursing, Digital Arts, Acting, Dance, Nutrition & Others
Major + elective courses can count towards many areas above.
60 semester units are required for an associate degree or transfer.
CSU Graduation Requirement
Area 3
Area 4
U.S. History, Constitution and American Ideals
Courses typically found in this area: History Studies, Political Science & Others
Course requirements here may satisfy areas 3 & 4 above
UC Graduation Requirement
Courses typically found in this area: ASL, Spanish, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese & Others
Language Other Than English
Course requirements here may satisfy other areas depending on CCC. For more details.
Researching Admissions Requirements
CA Public Universities & Some Private CA Universities
Assist is the place to go for researching transfer admissions requirements at all public CA universities and some select private institutions. Check out the Transfer Resources section and find Assist. Assist pulls a list of transferable courses students can take at their community college to satisfy admissions requirements for the CSUs or UCs. For help navigating Assist, check out our workshop, Beyond the Textbook: Assist.
Most Private CA Universities, Out-of-State Institutions, and Some HBCUs
Many private universities and out-of-state institutions will not upload their transfer requirements on Assist. When your university does not list transfer admissions information on Assist, the responsibility falls to you, the student, to research the most up-to-date transfer information. Here is how to start your research:
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Visit the Transfer Admissions page of your selected institution; check out our directory for easy navigation.
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Transferology has transfer coursework for hundreds of universities, and while it is not a guarantee that your university will have its transfer requirements listed on Transferology, it’s a pretty good place to start your search.
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In the event that your university does not have accessible transfer admissions requirements listed online, and nothing is available on Transferology, check out our Transferring Community College Course Credit Sample Email for a guide on how to approach a university admissions representative about the university's transfer admissions requirements.
Transfer Resources
Explore
Assist gives students easy-to-understand articulation agreements between California Community Colleges, CSUs, UCs, and some California private universities. An articulation agreement lists the transferable courses a California university wants students to take at their California Community College. For help using this tool, check out our Beyond the Textbook: Assist workshop.
Transferology provides students with information on how their coursework will transfer to hundreds of private and public colleges and universities across the country. For help using this tool, check out our Beyond the Textbook: Transferology workshop.
ADT Major & Campus Search is for students pursuing an Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) and want to confirm how a major will transfer from a California Community College to the CSUs. For help using this tool, check out our Beyond the Textbook: ADT Major & Campus Search workshop.
The CSU Transfer Planner is a tool for students who are transferring from a California Community College to a CSU campus. Students can enter their community college coursework in the planner, and the planner will provide an overview of how CSU admissions requirements are being met. For help using this tool, check out our Beyond the Textbook: CSU Transfer Planner workshop.
The UC Transfer Admission Planner is a tool for students who are transferring from a California Community College to a UC campus. Students can enter their community college coursework in the planner, and the planner will provide an overview of how UC admissions requirements are being met. For help using this tool, check out our Beyond the Textbook: UC TAP workshop.
As the name suggests, the Transfer Admissions Guarantee offers a guaranteed transfer pathway for California Community College students to a UC campus. Students must complete the TAG application and TAG one participating UC campus. There are only 6 UCs that participate in the TAG program. For help using this tool, check out our Beyond the Textbook: TAG workshop.
The Center for Community College Partnerships at UCLA provides support and mentorship to California Community College students who are considering transferring to UCLA. CCCP offers a wide range of support, including workshops, events, and immersive experiences, to help students learn more about the campus. For help using this resource, check out our Beyond the Textbook: CCCP workshop.
Apply
To apply for transfer to a California State University, apply through Cal State Apply. For help navigating Cal State Apply, check out our Beyond the Textbook: Cal State Apply workshop.
To apply for transfer to a University of California, apply through the UC application. For help navigating the UC Application, check out our Beyond the Textbook: UC Apply workshop.
To apply for transfer to many private, out-of-state, and HBCUs through The Common App. The Common App is used to apply to many HBUC and private universities. For help navigating the Common App, check out our Beyond the Textbook: Common App workshop.
The Common Black College Application is your premier application site to assist you with your HBCU admissions application. With over 50 HBCUs, the Common Black College Application streamlines your application process for a smooth, easy, and successful experience at an affordable and accessible price. For help navigating the Common Black College Application, check out our Beyond the Textbook: Common Black College Application workshop.
University Exploration & Transfer Admissions
Dive deep into your university exploration and discover what higher education looks like across a wide range of universities in California and out of state. Learn about degree offerings, majors, student support programs, and more.
Explore the unique Bachelor's Degree offerings at the California Community Colleges
Transfer Pathways
Not sure if this pathway is right for you? Continue exploring other transfer pathways.