General Education and Major Advising for Transfer Students

General Education Overview for Transfer Students

• Total Upper Division Requirement: Transfer students at Cal State Fullerton must complete a minimum of $9\,units$ of upper division general education (GE) courses at the institution.
• Lower Division vs. Upper Division Distinction:
      * Lower Division Courses: Courses taken at a community college are classified as lower division and typically fall within the $100$ to $200$ level range.
      * Upper Division Courses: These are $300$ to $400$ level courses. They cannot be completed at a community college, as only four-year institutions offer upper division coursework.
• First Semester Advising Restriction: Students are advised not to take any lower division general education courses during their first semester at Cal State Fullerton. This is because the Titan degree audit is considered incomplete during this initial period.
• Titan Degree Audit (TDA) Follow-up: A more comprehensive discussion regarding graduation requirements will occur once the Titan degree audit is completed after the student's first semester.

Specific Upper Division GE Area Requirements

• GE Area 2U/5U:
      * System Requirement: This requirement must be completed within the California State University (CSU) system.
      * Major Integration (Business Administration/Economics): Students in these majors can fulfill this requirement by taking ISDS 310 as part of their major coursework.
      * International Business Majors: These students are not required to take ISDS 310. They may select any course listed under Area 2U/5U, provided they satisfy all designated prerequisites and co-requisites.
• GE Area 3U:
      * This is a required component of the upper division general education curriculum.
• GE Area Z (Overlaying Requirements):
      * Definition of Overlaying: Overlaying refers to finding a single course that satisfies two different category requirements simultaneously.
      * Example of Overlay: AMST 324 is a specific course that fulfills both GE area 3U and GE area Z.
      * Strategic Advantage: Many business students utilize overlaying to fulfill two requirements with one course, effectively "knocking out" multiple credits at once.
• GE Area 4U (Double Counting with Major):
      * Business Majors: These students can double count Area 4U with the global business requirement by taking one course in the range of Econ 332 to Econ 336.
      * International Business Majors: These students double count Area 4U by completing the upper division course Econ 335.
      * Economics Majors: These students may double count Area 4U by taking a course in the range of Econ 330 to Econ 336 to fulfill an Econ elective requirement.

Business Advising Center Resources

• Website Importance: The Business Advising Center website is cited as a critical resource for students to review for essential information.
• Website Content and Features:
      * Next Steps: Guidance for newly admitted students.
      * Major Requirements: Detailed lists of what is required for each degree.
      * Advising Services: Information on how to contact advisors and the different communication methods available once the semester begins.
      * Appointments: Information on how to schedule advising appointments during the first semester.
      * Announcements: Real-time updates and important notices.
• Major Requirements and Roadmaps: This section provides specific guidance for three majors: Business Administration, Economics, and International Business.
      * Requirement Sheets: Described as a "more digestible" version of the major requirements for student review.
      * Roadmaps: These documents outline the exact classes a student should take each semester to ensure a timely graduation.

Academic Status and Future Steps

• Pre-Major Status: Currently, incoming transfer students are classified as "pre-major."
• Official Program Declaration: Eligibility to declare an official major or specific concentration will be discussed in subsequent portions of the orientation tutorial.
• Further Detail: A more in-depth discussion regarding the specific major requirements will be covered in the "major over video."