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Undergraduate Admissions

Undergraduate application procedures, returning students, steps in the application process, freshman requirements, special categories, reservation, transfer student preparation, acceptance of transfer courses, articulation agreements, undergraduate transfer admission requirements, local area for admission.

• Special Admission Categories1

Evaluation of Transfer Credit

Placement measures for first-year ge written communication and mathematics/quantitative reasoning courses, additional course placement examination requirements, application information and forms.

Office of Admissions and Outreach Lassen Hall - Room 1102 Office of Admissions and Outreach Website

Requirements for admission to California State University, Sacramento are in accordance with Title 5, Chapter 1, Subchapter 3, of the California Code of Regulations. Complete information is available on the California State University (CSU) website.

The Office of Admissions and Outreach provides prospective students with information about academic programs, admission requirements, and the application process.

All CSU applications must be submitted online  on the Cal State Apply website. An acknowledgement will be sent to the applicant when the online application has been submitted.

Students who want to enroll for residence credit in either a fall or spring semester must file an application for admission. A student who has been in attendance at Sacramento State in either of the two preceding semesters is considered a continuing student and does not need to reapply or pay the $70 application fee. The application and fee are necessary when reentering California State University, Sacramento after an absence of two or more semesters, but are not required for students desiring to enroll only in Open University or intersession.

Sacramento State Affirmative Action and Non-Discrimination Policy

Sacramento State seeks the participation in all its programs and activities, including admission and access, by all individuals without regard to race, color, religion, origin, age, sex, gender, gender identity/expression, sexual orientation, genetic information, medical condition, marital status, veteran status, or disability. Discrimination based on these factors is prohibited by University policy. Sacramento State has established nondiscrimination and affirmative action programs that conform to applicable federal statutes, as well as pertinent laws, regulations, and directives of the State of California. These statutes prohibit discrimination and harassment (including sexual harassment) against applicants, students and employees. Sacramento State is committed to provide equal opportunities to all its students in all campus programs, including intercollegiate athletics. William "Skip" Bishop, the Director of Equal Opportunity, has been designated to coordinate the efforts of Sacramento State to comply with all applicable federal and state laws prohibiting discrimination and harassment on these bases.

For further information, or should you feel that you have been discriminated against in any one of the areas mentioned, including Title IX, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended, contact the Office for Equal Opportunity at (916) 278-5770, email , or visit our website .

Use of Social Security Number

Applicants are required to include their correct social security numbers in designated places on applications for admission pursuant to the authority contained in Section 41201, Title 5, California Code of Regulations, and Section 6109 of the Internal Revenue Code (26 U.S.C. 6109). The university uses the social security number to identify students and their records including identification for purposes of financial aid eligibility and disbursement and the repayment of financial aid and other debts payable to the institution. Also, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) requires the university to file information returns that include the student's social security number and other information such as the amount paid for qualified tuition, related expenses and interest on educational loans. This information is used by the IRS to help determine whether a student, or a person claiming a student as a dependent, may take a credit or deduction to reduce federal income taxes. The Financial Aid Office will also use it to report Federal Work Study earnings to the Federal Department of Education.

The student's social security number is not used as the individual identifier in all student records which may include:

• application and admissions records,
• registration records,
• enrollment/transcript records,
• financial aid records,
• alumni records, and
• records maintained by other University operated programs.

A student is assigned a unique Sacramento State ID upon submission of an application for admission to the University, which is used as the student identifier in all student records.

Such personally identifiable records are not shared or distributed to private individuals or agencies unless such sharing or distribution is authorized by the student or unless otherwise lawfully available. (See Appendix D).

Prospective students applying for part-time or full-time undergraduate programs of study must submit a completed undergraduate application. The $70 nonrefundable application fee should be paid online at the time of application via credit card or PayPal and may not be transferred or used to apply to another term. An alternate major may be requested on the application if desired by the university. The applications of persons denied admission to an impacted university may be redirected to another university at no cost, but only if the applicant is CSU eligible.

Importance of Filing Complete, Accurate, and Authentic Application Documents

Sacramento State advises prospective students that they must supply complete and accurate information on the application for admission, residency questionnaire, and financial aid forms. Further, applicants must, when requested , submit authentic and official transcripts of all previous academic work attempted. Failure to file complete, accurate, and authentic application documents may result in denial of admission, cancellation of registration or academic credit, suspension, or expulsion (Section 41301, Article 1.1, Title 5, California Code of Regulations).

Impacted Programs

The CSU designates programs as impacted when more applications from regularly eligible applicants are received in the initial filing period (October and November for fall terms, June for winter terms, August for spring terms, February for summer terms) than can be accommodated. Some programs are impacted at every university which they are offered; others are impacted only at a few universities.

Candidates for admission must meet all of the university's specified supplementary admission criteria if applying to an impacted program or university.

The CSU will announce during the fall filing period those CSUs or programs that are impacted. Detailed information on university and program impaction is available on the Impaction at the CSU website.

Campuses will communicate supplementary admission criteria for all impacted programs to high schools and community colleges in their application service area and will disseminate this information to the public through appropriate media. This information will also be published on the Sacramento State website and made available online .

Applicants must file applications for admission to an impacted program during the initial filing period. Applicants who wish to be considered for impacted programs at more than one CSU should file an application at each university for which they seek admission consideration.

Supplementary Admission Criteria

Each university with impacted programs or class-level admission categories uses supplementary admission criteria in screening applicants. Supplementary criteria may include rank-ordering of freshman applicants based on the combination of student's "A-G" GPA and supplemental factors or rank-ordering of transfer applicants based on verification of the Associate in Arts for Transfer (AA-T) or Associate in Science Transfer (AS-T) degrees, the overall transfer grade point average (GPA), completion of specified prerequisite courses and a combination of campus-developed criteria. Applicants for freshman admission to impacted universities or programs may need to have a higher "a-g" GPA . In no case will standardized test scores be utilized in making freshman admission decisions.    The supplementary admission criteria used by individual CSUs to screen applicants are made available by the universities to all applicants seeking admission to an impacted program.

Sacramento State Designated Impacted Programs

All undergraduate programs in Business have been officially designated as impacted programs on the Sacramento State campus. Check with the Undergraduate Business Advising Center to confirm current criteria at (916) 278-BIZZ (2499).

See Academic Programs/ Business .

The upper division Prelicensure Clinical Nursing Program has been officially designated as an impacted program on the Sacramento State campus. Check with the School of Nursing to confirm current criteria at (916) 278-4106.

See Academic Programs/ Nursing .

The upper division Graphic Design program has officially designated as an impacted program on the Sacramento State campus. Check with the Department of Design, (916) 278-3962, to confirm current criteria.

See Academic Programs/ Graphic Design .

All undergraduate programs in Criminal Justice have been officially designated as impacted programs on the Sacramento State campus. Check with the Department of Criminal Justice to confirm current criteria at (916) 278-6487.

See Academic Programs/ Criminal Justice .

All undergraduate programs in Psychology have been officially designated as impacted programs on the Sacramento State campus. Check with the Department of Psychology to confirm current criteria at (916) 278-6254.

See Academic Programs/ Psychology .

All undergraduate programs in Public Health have been officially designated as impacted programs on the Sacramento State Campus. Check with the Department of Public Health to confirm current criteria at (916) 278-6441.

See Academic Programs/ Public Health

In addition to the Business, Clinical Nursing, Criminal Justice, Graphic Design, Health Science Psychology and Public Health programs, it is possible that any class level or program categories may be impacted if more applications are received in the initial application filing period than can be accommodated by the University. Preapproved criteria are announced prior to the beginning of each application cycle. Admission criteria are subject to revision.

English Language Requirement

All undergraduate applicants whose native language is not English and who have not attended schools at the secondary level or above for at least three years full-time where English is the principal language of instruction must demonstrate English language proficiency through one of the following acceptable tests.

Some majors and some CSUs may require a higher score. A few CSUs may also use alternative methods of assessing English fluency: Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic), the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) and the International Test of English Proficiency (ITEP). Each university will post the tests it accepts on its website and will notify students after they apply about the tests it accepts and when to submit scores. CSU minimum TOEFL standards are:

Undergraduate              61 - INTERNET, 500- PAPER Graduate                       80 - INTERNET, 550 – PAPER

At the graduate level, a TOEFL score of 550 (or 80 internet based test) is required for admission for all students, with the following exceptions:

• Communication Studies,
• International Affairs,
• Speech Pathology and Audiology,
• Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) require higher scores.

Note: Sacramento State interprets “where English was the principal language of instruction” to mean that a school is located in a country where English is the official language (the daily medium of communication of the majority of residents is English), and that the students receive academic instruction in all subjects (except foreign language courses) at all levels of education in English.

Sacramento State students are granted an automatic leave of absence for one semester. This leave maintains the continuous attendance status of the student with eligibility to register in the following semesters and holds the catalog that determines degree requirements.

Former Sacramento State students who have been absent for two or more semesters must apply for readmission. An application fee is charged. Following a mandatory interruption of one or more semesters, students who have left in a negative academic standing 1 may not be eligible to return until they complete additional coursework. Students who have been academically disqualified or dismissed must file an appeal for reinstatement/readmission. 2

Visit https://www.csus.edu/student-affairs/centers-programs/student-services-center/reinstatement.html for more information

 See Academic Policies/Readmission of Academically Dismissed Student

The University reserves the right to select its students and deny admission to the University or any of its programs as the University, in its sole discretion, determines appropriate based on an applicant’s suitability and the best interests of the University.

Application Filing Periods

(Not all campuses/programs are open for admission to every term.)

Sacramento State uses a semester-based academic calendar. The initial filing periods for applications are the previous October through November for fall semester and the previous August for spring semester. All applications received during the initial filing period will be given equal consideration within established enrollment categories and quotas.

Additional selection criteria may be used to select applicants if more applications are received during the initial filing period than can be accommodated in specific enrollment categories. If the campus is designated an “impacted campus,” supplemental criteria may be used to select applicants.

If any enrollment categories are not filled during the initial filing period, the University will continue to accept applications during an extended filing period until capacity is reached. Enrollment priorities within the extended period will be in chronological order of receipt of applications.

Filing Period Duration

Each non-impacted campus accepts applications until capacities are reached. Many campuses limit undergraduate admission in an enrollment category due to overall enrollment limits. If applying after the initial filing period, consult the campus admissions office for current information.

Application Acknowledgment

On-time applicants may expect to receive an e-mail acknowledgement from the universities to which they have applied within two to four weeks of filing the application.  The notice may include a request that applicants submit additional records necessary to evaluate academic qualifications. Applicants may be assured of admission if the evaluation of relevant qualifications indicates that applicants meet CSU admission requirements, and in the case of admission impaction, supplemental criteria for admission to an impacted program. Unless specific written approval/confirmation is received, an offer of admission is not transferable to another term or to another university.

Transcript and Test Score Requirements (Note: For Fall 2021 and Fall 2022 admission, test score requirements have been suspended)

Undergraduate students are required to comply with the following transcript and test score requirements as part of the application procedures for admission. Applicants project their class level as of the date of intended initial enrollment.

• Applicants with No College Units : Transcripts: One from high school showing final senior grades and date of graduation. Tests: Either ACT or SAT score.
• Applicants with Fewer Than 60 Semester Units : Transcripts: One official copy of final record from each college attended; one showing work-in-progress if currently enrolled.
• Applicants with 60 or More Transferable Semester Units : Transcripts: One official copy of final record from each college attended; one showing work-in-progress if currently enrolled.
• Returning Students : Transcripts: One official copy of final record from each college attended since last enrollment at Sacramento State; one showing work in progress if currently enrolled.

All transcripts become the property of the University and will not be released or copied. Processing of applications cannot be guaranteed unless all required documents and test scores are received during the appropriate application period. Individuals who do not file an application for admission are advised that transcripts are retained for one year only. Failure to disclose enrollment in each college or university attended constitutes grounds for denial of admission or dismissal from the University for unethical conduct. The University reserves the right to determine whether or not a record can be accepted as official.

Notification of Admission

Applicants will receive confirmation of their admission or a statement of ineligibility beginning in March for fall semesters and September for spring semesters, if they filed during the first month of the filing periods and all necessary documents have been received. If the campus has been designated an “impacted campus,” notification of admission status may be delayed while supplemental criteria are applied to applications received after the initial filing period.

Information about registration, placement testing, advising, and orientation will be e-mailed to all admitted students before registration when possible. Late applicants will be considered on a space-available basis.

Hardship Petitions

The university has established procedures for consideration of qualified applicants who would be faced with extreme hardship if not admitted. Petitioners should write to the university Admission Offices regarding specific policies governing hardship admission.

Appeal of Admission Decision

Section 89030.7 of the California Education Code requires that the CSU establishes specific requirements for appeal procedures for a denial of admission. Each CSU university must publish appeal procedures for applicants denied admission to the University. The procedure is limited to addressing university decisions to deny an applicant admission to the University.

Admissions appeal procedures must address the basis for appeals, provide 15 business days for an applicant to submit an appeal, stipulate a maximum of one appeal per academic term, provide specific contact information for the individual or office to which the appeal should be submitted, and indicate a time estimate for when the university expects to rSPFYPond respond to an appeal. The appeal procedures must be included in all denial of admission notifications to students, and must also be published on the university website.

Visit the "Admission Appeals" link at the Office of Admissions and Outreach website  for more information.

Office of Admissions and Outreach Lassen Hall Lobby - Room 1102 Office of Admissions and Outreach Website

Generally, applicants will qualify for consideration for first-time freshman admission if they meet the following requirements:

• Have  graduated  from high school, have earned a Certificate of General Education Development (GED) or have passed the California High School Proficiency Examination (CHSPE);
• Complete the 15-unit comprehensive "a-g" pattern of college preparatory courses;
• The CSU will accept "Credit" or "Pass" grades to satisfy "a-g" requirements completed during Winter, Spring, Summer or Fall 2020 terms and during Winter, Spring or Summer 2021 terms. The CSU expects and assumes that high school Pass (Credit) grades will represent work completed at the C- or higher level. As of Fall 2021 and forward, grades are expected for courses.
• California residents and graduates of California high schools will be eligible for admission by earning a 2.50 or greater "a-g" GPA.
• Any California high school graduate or resident of California earning a GPA between 2.00 and 2.49 may be evaluated for admission based upon supplemental factors such as number of courses exceeding minimum "a-g" requirements, household income, extracurricular involvement, and other available information that would inform the university admission decision.
• Non-California residents may be eligible for admission to the CSU by earning a 3.00 or greater "a-g" GPA along with other supplemental factors utilized by the individual university, including those outlined by impacted universities and programs.
• Any Non-California resident earning a GPA between 2.47 and 2.99 may be evaluated for admission based upon supplemental factors such as number of courses exceeding minimum "a-g" requirements, household income, extracurricular involvement, and other available information that would inform the university admission decision.
• Each CSU will determine the supplemental factors used with GPA to determine eligibility in these cases and communicate these criteria publicly for prospective students.

The California State University (CSU) has permanently discontinued the use of ACT/SAT examinations in determining admission eligibility Submitted test scores by admitted students would be considered  only  for purposes of student placement in Math or English courses.

The use of the admission eligibility index has been suspended for Fall 2021 and Fall 2022 admission. See 

https://www.csus.edu/apply/admissions/application-process/freshman-process.html

Honors Courses

Up to eight semesters of approved honors courses taken in the last two years of high school including up to two approved courses taken in the tenth grade, can be accepted toward students' high school GPA (see "Eligibility Index"). Each unit (one year) of grade “A” in an honors course will receive 5 points; grade “B,” 4 points; and grade “C,” 3 points.

Subject Requirements

The CSU requires that first-time freshman applicants complete, with grades of “C-” or better, a comprehensive pattern of college preparatory study totaling 15 units (a “unit” is one year of study in high school).

•  2 years of social science, including 1 year of U.S. history, or U.S. history and government
•  4 years of English
•  3 years of math (algebra, geometry, and intermediate algebra; four years recommended)
•  2 years of laboratory science (1 biological and 1 physical, both must have laboratory instruction)
•  2 years in the same foreign language (subject to waiver for applicants demonstrating equivalent competence)
•  1 year of visual and performing arts: art, dance, drama/theater, or music
•  1 year of electives: selected from English, advanced mathematics, social science, history, laboratory science, foreign language, visual and performing arts or other courses approved and included on the UC/CSU "a-g" list.

Note: All admission requirements (i.e., grade point average, test scores, and subjects) must be completed by the end of the spring term for a fall enrollment and the end of summer for a spring enrollment.

Advanced Placement (AP) Exams and Advanced Standing Credit

Sacramento State grants credit toward its undergraduate degrees for successful completion of examinations of the Advanced Placement Program of the College Board.

• Students may be granted up to 6 units for each Advanced Placement (AP) examination for which a score of 3, 4, or 5 is earned.
• Transferable college courses completed as a high school student will be evaluated for possible college credit upon receipt of an official college transcript. For the Official Transfer Evaluations click here .

Foreign Language Subject Requirements

The foreign language subject requirement may be satisfied by applicants who demonstrate competence in a language other than English equivalent to or higher than expected of students who complete two years of foreign language study. Consult with a school counselor or any CSU admissions office for information.

International Baccalaureate (IB)

Sacramento State recognizes completion of the International Baccalaureate (IB) program as satisfying the college preparatory subject requirements for admission. 1 The applicant’s high school GPA and score on the ACT or SAT will also be used in determining eligibility for admission.

See Academic Policies/Credit by Examination/Sacramento State Equivalencies for IB Exams .

Eligibility Index 1

Eligibility Index – The eligibility index is the combination of the high school GPA and scores on either the ACT or the SAT. GPA is based on grades earned in courses taken during the final three years of high school. Included in the calculation of GPA are grades earned in all college preparatory “a-g” subject requirements and bonus points for approved honors courses. Up to eight semesters of honors courses taken in the last three years of high school, including up to two approved courses taken in the tenth grade can be accepted. Each unit of A in an honors course will receive a total of 5 points; B, 4 points; and C, 3 points.

 A CSU eligibility index can be calculated by multiplying a GPA by 800 and adding the total score on the SAT exam ( mathematics and Evidence-Based Reading and Writing) . For students who took the ACT, multiply the GPA by 200 and add 10 times the ACT composite score. Persons who are California high school graduates (or residents of California for tuition purposes) need a minimum index of 2950 or 694 using the ACT. The Eligibility Index Table illustrates several combinations of required test scores and averages. The university has no current plans to include the writing scores from either of the admissions tests in the computation of the CSU eligibility index.

Persons who neither graduated from a California high school nor are a resident of California for tuition purposes need a minimum index of 3570 or 842 using the ACT. Graduates of secondary schools in foreign countries must be judged to have academic preparation and abilities equivalent to applicants eligible under this section. An applicant with a grade point average of 3.00 or above (3.61 for nonresidents) is not required to submit test scores. However, all applicants for admission are urged to take the SAT or ACT and provide the scores of such tests to each CSU campus to which they seek admission . Campuses use these test results for advising and placement purposes and may require them for admission to impacted majors or programs. Impacted CSU campuses require SAT or ACT scores of all applicants for freshman admission.

Registration forms and the dates for either test may be obtained from school or college counselors or from a campus Testing Office. Testing information is also available at the Sacramento State Testing website , or by writing to:

College Board (SAT) Registration Unit, Box 6200 Princeton, New Jersey 08541-6200 (609) 771-7600 College Board Website

American College Testing Program (ACT) Registration Unit, P.O. Box 414 Iowa City, Iowa 52243 (319) 337-1270 ACT Website

Applicants will qualify for regular (non-provisional) admission when the University verifies that they have graduated and received a diploma from high school, have a qualifiable minimum eligibility index, have completed the comprehensive pattern of college preparatory “a-g” subjects, and, if applying to an impacted program or campus, have met all supplementary criteria.

Graduates of secondary schools in foreign countries will be judged to have academic preparation and abilities equivalent to applicants eligible under this section.

Refer to Application to Sacramento State/Undergraduate/Impacted Programs .

Eligibility Index Table for California High School Graduates or Residents of California

A GPA of 3.00 and above qualifies for any score in ACT or SAT. 1

For admission purposes, the CSU uses only the new SAT scores for mathematics and evidence based on reading and writing.

Eligibility Index Table for Non-resident or Non-graduates of California

A GPA of 3.61 and above qualifies for any score in ACT or SAT. 1

Subject Requirements Substitution for Students with Disabilities

Applicants with disabilities are strongly encouraged to complete college preparatory course requirements if at all possible. If an applicant is determined to be unable to fulfill a specific admissions requirement because of disability, alternate college preparatory courses may be substituted for specific subject requirements.

Students should be aware that course substitutions might limit enrollment in certain majors, particularly those involving mathematics. For further information, contact the Office of Admissions at the nearest CSU campus.

Provisional Admission

Sacramento State may provisionally admit first-time freshman applicants based on their academic preparation through the junior year of high school and planned coursework for the senior year. The university will monitor the final terms of study to ensure that admitted students complete their secondary school studies satisfactorily, including the required college preparatory subjects, and graduate from high school. Students are required to submit an official transcript after graduation to certify that all coursework has been satisfactorily completed. Official high school transcripts must be received prior to the deadline set by the university. In no case may documentation of high school graduation be received any later than the census date for a student's first term of CSU enrollment. A CSU may rescind admission decisions, cancel financial aid awards, withdraw housing contracts and cancel any university registration for students who are found to be ineligible after the final transcript has been evaluated.

Applicants will qualify for regular (non-provisional) admission when the university verifies that they have graduated and received a high school diploma, have completed the comprehensive pattern of college preparatory "a-g" subjects and, if applying to an impacted program or university, have met all supplementary criteria.

Educational Opportunity Program

EOP, a special admission and support program for students who possess the potential and motivation to succeed, is designed to improve access and retention of low-income and educationally disadvantaged students among California residents who wish to pursue a college education. 1

See Centers for Academic Support/EOP .

See the Veterans Success Center website .

High School Students

Office of Admissions and Outreach Lassen Hall 1102

High school students may be considered for enrollment in certain special programs if recommended by the principal and the appropriate university department chair and if preparation is equivalent to that required of eligible California high school graduates. Such admission is only for a given specific program and does not constitute a right to continued enrollment.

These programs include:

• Accelerated College Entrance (ACE) for talented students who can benefit from accelerated academic studies, available by phone at (916) 278-7032;
• Capitol Center MESA for underrepresented students in CSU mathematics, engineering, and science programs, available by phone at (916) 278-6699.

Students accepted into these programs qualify for reduced fees.

High school students other than those accepted into the above programs may also enroll concurrently in college courses without fee reduction upon approval of parents, high school principal, and appropriate Sacramento State academic department chairs.

Applicants Not Regularly Eligible

Applicants not admissible under one of the above provisions should enroll at a community college or another appropriate institution in preparatory courses to meet eligibility requirements. Only under the most unusual circumstances and only by special action will such applicants be admitted to Sacramento State.

Admissions Appeal - Section 89030.7 of the California Education Code requires that the California State University establishes specific requirements for appeal procedures for a denial of admission. Each CSU campus must publish appeal procedures for applicants denied admission to the University. The procedure is limited to addressing campus decisions to deny an applicant admission to the University. 

Admissions appeal procedures must address the basis for appeals, provide 15 business days for an applicant to submit an appeal, stipulate a maximum of one appeal per academic term, provide specific contact information for the individual or office to which the appeal should be submitted, and indicate a time estimate for when the campus expects to respond to an appeal. The appeal procedures must be included in all denial of admission notifications to students, and must also be published on the campus website. Visit the "After Admission decisions are made link at the Admissions and Outreach website  for more information.

Prospective transfer students may obtain general information on Sacramento State educational opportunities and matriculation procedures from Sacramento State admission and outreach representatives at California community college transfer day and regional college night programs. Representatives are also available at selected transfer centers on a regular basis to provide specific information on CSU matriculation procedures, eligibility for admission, and evaluation of credit. Prospective students who don’t have access to a transfer center can schedule an appointment with an admission counselor for a pre-admission advising session. Applicants should bring unofficial transcripts to these sessions. Contact the Office of Admissions & Outreach for admission counseling hours and availability.

To make an appointment with academic department faculty to discuss academic program requirements and career alternatives, prospective students should call the relevant department office.

Hour-long student-led weekday campus tours are scheduled one week in advance for small and large groups. To schedule a tour on line visit the Campus Tours website . 

Sacramento State annually enrolls more than 5,000 new transfer students from more than 300 different colleges and universities, mostly California community colleges.

Frequently, course titles and numbers differ from campus to campus, making it difficult for transfer students to know in advance which courses will be accepted for transfer to another college. In order to provide students with the assurance that courses taken at their campus prior to transfer will meet Sacramento State lower-division requirements for either General Education or a specific major , three methods of prior approval exist.

General Education Courses

The CSU system has authorized California community colleges and other approved colleges to designate “transferable” courses planned for use in a four-year baccalaureate program. In addition, they have jointly designated courses that may be used to certify a portion of the CSU General Education objectives to a maximum of 39 semester units. Sacramento State will apply courses completed at a California community college toward the CSU General Education objectives as listed on the community college certification form.

Students may have their lower division General Education courses certified by a California community college as meeting either the CSU GE Breadth Requirements or the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Core Curriculum (IGETC) in partial completion of the General Education requirements for the baccalaureate degree. 1

Upon matriculation, the Degree Evaluations Office will review courses completed at non-CSU colleges and universities; credit will be granted toward the Sacramento State General Education requirements in compliance with applicable CSU system, Sacramento State, and academic department policies.

See General Education Policies/Transfer Students .

Lower Division Major Prerequisites

Sacramento State also has developed an extensive program of major preparation agreements called “Articulation” or “Transfer Credit Agreements.” These are official documents prepared by Sacramento State faculty who carefully review coursework at other institutions and identify courses at those campuses that would be acceptable in lieu of Sacramento State courses. Students who take these courses can be assured they will receive credit toward their academic major at Sacramento State.

Sacramento State has thousands of Articulation Agreements with community colleges and four-year institutions throughout the state. These Articulation Agreements are widely distributed and should be readily available to students at their home campus Counseling Centers or online at www.assist.org .

Transfer Centers

University representatives staffing Transfer Centers on community college campuses advise community college students on transfer issues, providing an excellent resource for prospective transfer students.

Transfer Student Assistance

Students may receive assistance in transferring to Sacramento State through the Transfer Centers at the following campuses:

American River College (916) 484-8685 Cosumnes River College (916) 691-7456 Folsom Lake College (916) 608-6510 Napa Valley College (707) 253-3115 Sacramento City College (916) 558-2181 San Joaquin Delta College (209) 954-5634 Santa Rosa Junior College (707) 527-4874 Sierra College (916) 660-7441 Solano College (707) 864-7158 Yuba College (530) 741-6790

Transfer Policies of California State University

Most commonly, college-level credits earned from an institution of higher education accredited by a regional/national accrediting agency are accepted for transfer to member universities of the CSU; However, authority for decisions regarding the transfer of undergraduate credits is delegated to each university.

California Community Colleges and other authorized certifying institutions can certify up to 39 semester (58.5 quarter) units of General Education-Breadth (GE-Breadth) or 37 semester (55.5 quarter) units of the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) for transfer students to fulfill lower- division general education requirements for any CSU prior to transfer.

"Certification" is the official notification from a California Community College or authorized institution that a transfer student has completed courses fulfilling lower-division general education requirements. The CSU GE-Breadth and the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) certification course lists for particular community colleges can be accessed on the official transfer and articulation system for California's public colleges and universities website, assist.org .

CSUs may enter into course-to-course or program-to-program articulation agreements with other CSUs, any or all of the California community colleges and other regionally accredited institutions. Established CSU and CCC articulations may be found on assist.org . Students may be permitted to transfer no more than 70 semester (105 quarter) units to a CSU from an institution which does not offer bachelor's degrees or their equivalents, for example, community colleges. Given the university's 30-semester (45-quarter) unit residency requirement, no more than a total of 90 semester (135 quarter) units may be transferred into the university from all sources.

Transfer Requirements

Applicants who have completed fewer than 60 transferable semester college units (fewer than 90 quarter units) are considered lower-division transfer students. Applicants who have completed 60 or more transferable semester college units (90 or more quarter units) are considered upper-division transfer students. Applicants who complete college units during high school or through the summer immediately following high school graduation are considered first-time freshmen and must meet the CSU minimum eligibility requirements for first-time freshman admission. Transferable courses are those designated for baccalaureate credit by the college or university offering the courses and accepted as such by the university to which the applicant seeks admission.

Lower Division Transfers Requirements

Due to increased enrollment demands, some CSUs do not admit lower-division transfer applicants. Students are advised to check the respective university they are interested in to see if lower division transfer applications are accepted.

An applicant who completes fewer than 60 semester (90 quarter) units of college credit is considered a lower-division transfer student. Due to enrollment pressures, some CSUs do not admit lower- division transfers so that more upper-division transfers can be accommodated.

Having fewer than 60 semester (90 quarter) units at the point of transfer may affect eligibility for registration priority at a CSU and may affect the student's financial aid status.

California resident transfer applicants with fewer than 60 semester or 90 quarter units must:

• Have a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 (C) or better in all transferable units attempted;
• Have completed, with a grade of C- or better, a course in written communication and a course in mathematics or quantitative reasoning at a level satisfying CSU General Education Breadth Area A2 and B4 requirements, respectively;
• Be in good standing at the last institution attended; and
• Meet any one of the following eligibility standards.

Transfer Based on Current Admission Criteria

The applicant meets the freshman admission requirements in effect for the term for which the application is filed; - OR -

Transfer Based on High School Eligibility

The applicant was eligible as a freshman at the time of high school graduation and has been in continuous attendance in an accredited college since high school graduation; - OR -

Transfer Based on Making Up Missing Subjects

The applicant had a qualifiable eligibility index at the time of high school graduation (combination of GPA and test scores if needed), has made up any missing college preparatory subject requirements with a grade of C- or better, and has been in continuous attendance in an accredited college since high school graduation. One baccalaureate-level course of at least 3 semester (4 quarter) units is usually considered equivalent to one year of high school study.

(Note: Some CSUs may require lower-division transfer students to complete specific college coursework, for example the four basic skill courses, as part of their admission criteria.)

Upper Division Transfers Requirements

Generally, applicants will qualify for consideration for upper-division transfer admission if they meet all of the following requirements:

• Cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0 in all transferable units attempted;
• In good standing at the last college or university attended; and
• Completed at least sixty (60) transferable semester (90 quarter) units of college level coursework with a grade point average of 2.0 or higher and a grade of C- or better in each course used to meet the CSU general education requirements in written communication, oral communication, critical thinking, and quantitative reasoning, e.g. mathematics.

The 60 units must include at least 30 units of courses that meet CSU general education requirements, including all of the general education requirements in communication in the English language (both oral and written) and critical thinking and the requirement in mathematics/quantitative reasoning (usually 3 semester units) OR the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) requirements in English communication and mathematical concepts and quantitative reasoning.

Associate Degrees for Transfer (AA-T or AS-T)

The Associate in Arts for Transfer (AA-T) and the Associate in Science for Transfer (AS-T) degrees offered at the California Community Colleges (CCC) are designed to provide a California community college student the optimum transfer preparation and a clear admission pathway to the CSU degree majors.

CCC students who earn an Associate Degree for Transfer (AA-T or AS-T) are guaranteed admission with junior standing to a CSU and given priority admission consideration over other transfer applicants when applying to a local CSU or non-impacted CSU program. AA-T or AS- T admission applicants are given limited priority consideration based on their eligibility ranking to an impacted university/program or to CSUs/programs that have been deemed similar to the degree completed at the community college. Students who have completed an AA-T/AS-T in a program deemed similar to a CSU major are able to complete remaining requirements for graduation within 60 semester (90 quarter) units. It is the responsibility of the student who has earned an AA-T/AS-T to provide documentation of the degree to the CSU. For the admissions process, students are responsible for working with their community college counselors to complete verification of AA-T or AS-T degree progress through the e-verify process within the established university deadlines.

Sacramento State may provisionally or conditionally admit transfer applicants based on their academic preparation and courses planned for completion. The university will monitor the final terms to ensure that those admitted complete all required courses satisfactorily. All accepted applicants are required to submit an official transcript of all college-level work completed. CSUs may rescind admission for any student who is found to be ineligible after the final transcript has been evaluated. In no case may such documents be received and validated by the university any later than a student's registration for their second term of CSU enrollment.

First-year freshmen applicants who graduate from high school in one of the following counties are considered in Sacramento State's local admission area: Sacramento, El Dorado, Nevada, Placer, San Joaquin, Solano or Yolo.

Transfer applicants transferring with the majority of units from one of the following community colleges are considered in Sacramento State's local admission area: American River, Cosumnes River, Folsom Lake, Lake Tahoe, Sacramento City, Sierra, San Joaquin Delta, Solano, Woodland or Yuba.

Applicants from the local admission area who meet minimum admission eligibility requirements will be offered admission to the university. However, they may not be admitted to the major of their choice due to impaction.

For application terms for which the number of eligible applicants for admission exceeds enrollment capacity, a waitlist will be established. Students who accept the offer to remain on the admission waitlist will be notified of an admission decision as space becomes available.

Special Admission Categories 1

Refer to Admission to Sacramento State /Special Categories. Veterans also refer to Application to Sacramento State/CSU Impacted Programs/Supplemental Criteria.

Admission of Auditors for Undergraduate Courses

Admission as auditor may be restricted during periods of over-enrollment. Applicants may check with the Office of Admissions and Outreach or the Office of the University Registrar.

To obtain the most current information on impacted programs and supplemental criteria, refer to https://www.csus.edu/apply/admissions/application-process/impaction.html .  

Catalog Rights for Degree Requirements

Transfer students may choose Sacramento State requirements in effect

• at the time they began their college study at a California community college or a CSU,
• at the time they entered Sacramento State, or
• at the time they graduate from Sacramento State, provided they maintain attendance in college. 1

See Degree Requirements /Catalog Rights.

The University reserves the right to select its students and deny admission to the University or any of its programs as the University, in its sole discretion, determines appropriate based on an applicant's suitability and the best interests of the University.

Allowance of Transfer Credit from Accredited Colleges and Universities

Generally, students will be granted credit for baccalaureate level courses successfully completed at regionally accredited two or four-year colleges.

All courses, except remedial, are accepted for degree credit from institutions awarding four-year degrees. Credit is reviewed by the Degree Evaluations Office and is granted in compliance with applicable national, state, Title 5, CSU system, and University policies and procedures. Such credit may be applied toward fulfillment of major, minor, or general education requirements when applicable; other courses may count as elective credit toward the baccalaureate degree. This credit will be listed in summary form on the Sacramento State transcript of academic record.

Transfer credit generally is not posted to the Sacramento State transcript of post-baccalaureate students, including those seeking a Second Bachelor’s degree. Check with the Office of Graduate Studies ((916) 278-6470) for exceptions.

Advanced Placement Examinations

Sacramento State grants credit toward its undergraduate degrees for successful completion of examinations of the Advanced Placement Program of the College Board. Students who present scores of three or better will be granted up to six semester units of college credit.

Use of Advanced Placement Credit

If student passes more than one AP Calculus or Computer Science exam, only one examination may be applied to the baccalaureate degree. A score of 3 or above is required.

 AP exam in Government does not fulfill CA Government requirement.

AP exam in US History does not fulfill Race & Ethnicity requirement.

If a student passes more than one AP Physics exam, only 6 units of credit may be applied to the Baccalaureate degree and only 4 units applied to GE certification.

Credit For Instruction in Non-Collegiate Instruction

Office of the Registrar Degree Evaluations Lassen Hall 2000 (916) 278-4862

Sacramento State grants undergraduate degree credit for successful completion of non-collegiate instruction, either military or civilian, appropriate to the baccalaureate degree, which has been recommended by the Commission on Educational Credit and Credentials of the American Council on Education. The numbers of units allowed are those recommended in the Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experience in the Armed Services and the National Guide to Educational Credit for Training Programs.

Credit For Prior Learning

College of Social Sciences and Interdisciplinary Studies Amador Hall 255 (916) 278-6504

Sacramento State grants up to six units of credit for learning, knowledge, or skills-based experience that has been documented and evaluated according to campus policy. Students should be aware, however, that policies for earning credit for prior learning vary from campus to campus in the CSU.

Transfer Credit From Overseas Institutions

Credit is granted from recognized overseas institutions. Awarding of advanced standing varies depending on the educational system of the country. Certified copies of transcripts and degrees must be submitted in English translation. Sacramento State students who plan to study abroad through independent programs, CSU International Programs or through Sacramento State partnerships should contact International Programs and Global Engagement for information.

Nontraditional Credits

Sacramento State allows the following degree credit, based on evaluation of nontraditional academic experiences and/or examinations to apply toward the baccalaureate degree:

• Baccalaureate-level course credit certified by the Defense Activities in Nontraditional Education Support (DANTES). The amount of credit is limited to 24 semester units, the limit on the number of extension/correspondence course units that can be applied toward the degree.
• Standardized examinations designated for system-wide credit by the Chancellor of the California State University. The names of these examinations, the passing scores required, and the number of semester units to be awarded is listed under system wide Credit by Examination. 1 The total amount of examination credit applied to the baccalaureate degree cannot exceed 30 semester units.
• The Advanced Placement Examinations of the College Entrance Examination Board on which the student receives a score of 3, 4, or 5. Up to six semester units may be awarded for each Advanced Placement Examination passed.
• Credit for basic training and commissions in the military service. The American Council on Education’s Commission on Education Credit and Credentials recommends the number of units allowed for each branch.
• Commissions held while in the military service: 12 upper division units.
• Civilian and military courses and schools recommended for credit by the American Council on Education’s Commission on Education Credit and Credentials.

See Academic Policies /system wide Credit by Examination.

Additional Degree Credits Allowed

• Credit for selected vocational/technical courses applicable to Construction Management and/or Mechanical Engineering Technology programs.
• Transfer credit from provisionally accredited colleges may be granted upon completion of 24 residence units with a “C” grade point average at Sacramento State. Credits granted would normally be in course areas commonly taught in four-year baccalaureate degree programs. Credit is granted only for courses in which at least “C” grades are earned. No credit will be granted for courses in religion, education, psychology, or philosophy if completed at a sectarian college. Credit may be restricted when the institution is specialized, e.g., offering only one or a small number of related programs. Credit to be used toward the student’s major or minor must receive the recommendation of the appropriate department. Students who have attended institutions that are listed as business schools only may receive credit through challenge examination

Limitations on the Transfer of Credit

Unit limitations apply to specific categories of credit that may be used to meet baccalaureate degree requirements:

• A maximum of 70 hours transferred from two-year or community Colleges.
• A maximum of 30 hours of examination credit.
• A maximum of 24 hours in extension and correspondence (transfer, Sacramento State or in combination).
• A maximum of 30 hours of any combination of correspondence, extension, and military service credit.
• A maximum of 24 units in Special Sessions

Transfer Grade Policies

Sacramento State utilizes the following policies in evaluating grades earned in courses accepted for transfer:

• reflecting academic forgiveness actions;
• reflecting acceptance of grade point remediation for repeated courses; and
• regarding “incomplete” grades (e.g., “I”, “IS”, and “IU”).
• All transfer courses graded Pass/No Pass or Credit/No Credit are computed at neutral value, except in those cases where the specific grading symbol is identified by the source institution as equivalent to a grade less than “C” in which case it will be taken at face value.
• All transfer course grades or symbols used to designate unsatisfactory, failing, or non-passing work at time of withdrawal such as “UW”, “WU”, or “WF” are evaluated as failing grades “F” unless otherwise defined by the source institution.

Official Transfer Evaluations

Office of the University Registrar Lassen Hall 1000 (916) 278-1000

The Office of the University Registrar will prepare an official transfer credit evaluation summarizing prior college credit and indicating Sacramento State General Education requirements met. Students may access their Transfer Credit Evaluation through their MySacState account.

Questions about the evaluation can be discussed with the Student Services Center, Lassen 1000 or by calling the Help Line at (916) 278-1000.

Freshman skills assessment and placement for general education written communication and mathematics/quantitative reasoning shall be based on systemwide skills assessment standards that include the Early Assessment Program/ Smarter Balanced Achievement Levels, ACT scores and/or SAT scores, high school coursework, high school GPA and math GPA.

Skills assessments are not a condition for admission to the CSU; they are a condition of enrollment.

These skills assessments are designed to inform entering freshmen of placement in appropriate baccalaureate-level courses based on their skills and needs.

First-time freshmen in need of support as determined by the skills assessment will be placed in supported instruction. Supported instruction is designed to assist students in credit bearing courses. Students may also be required to participate in the Supportive Pathways for First-Year Students Program. 

The Supportive Pathways for First-Year Students Programs offers pathways and academic and social support that align with each incoming student's needs. The programs' goal is to ensure that first time students successfully complete the General Education (GE) written communication (A2) and math/ quantitative reasoning (B4) requirements within their first year. 

Assessments and Placement for GE Written Communications Has Fulfilled the GE Subarea A2 English Requirement

The student has met the requirement via completion of one of the following:

Advanced Placement (AP) Test

• 3 or above on AP English Language and Composition
• 3 or above on AP English Literature and Composition

College Transfer Coursework

• Completed approved college course that satisfies CSU GE Area A2 (written communication) with a grade of C- or better

Placement in a GE Subarea A2 English Course

The student has met examination standards and/or multiple measures- informed standards via one of the criteria below:

English CAASPP/EAP Test:

• Standard Exceeded
• Standard Met and completed 12th grade approved year-long English course (CSU ERWC, AP, Weighted Honors English) with grade of C- or better

SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing Test:

• 550 or above
• 510 – 540 and completed 12th grade approved year-long English course (CSU ERWC, AP, Weighted Honors English) with grade of C- or better English
• 22 or higher
• 19-21 and completed 12th grade approved year-long English course (CSU ERWC, AP, Weighted Honors English) with grade of C- or better

High School Courses and GPA:

• Weighted GPA 3.3 or above
• GPA 3.0 or above and completed approved 12 grade year-long English course (AP, CSU ERWC, Weighted Honors English)
• GPA 3.0 or above and completed Honors English
• GPA 3.0 or above and 5 or more years of high school English

Placement in a Supported GE Subarea A2 English Course

• 510 – 540 and 4 or more years of high school English
• 19-21 and 4 or more years of high school English
• Weighted GPA 3.0 or above and 4 or more years of high school English

Placement in a Supported GE Subarea A2 English Course and Participation in the Supportive Pathways for First-Year Students Program

Based on multiple measures evaluation, student needs additional academic support including participation in the Supportive Pathways for First-Year Students Program.  Visit csustudentsuccess.org to learn about this program.

Assessments and Placement for GE Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning: Non-Math Intensive Majors (Algebra and Statistics Disciplines, Non-STEM and Undecided Majors) Has Fulfilled the GE Subarea B4 Math/Quantitative Reasoning Requirement

Advanced Placement (AP) Test:

• 3 or above on AP Calculus AB
• 3 or above on AP Calculus BC
• 3 or above on AP Statistics
• 3 or above on AP Computer Science Principles

International Baccalaureate (IB) Test:

• 4 or above on Math Higher Level (HL)

College Level Examination Program (CLEP):

• 50 or above on: Calculus, College Algebra, College Algebra-Trigonometry, Pre-Calculus or Trigonometry

College Transfer Coursework:

• Completed math/quantitative reasoning college course with a C- or better that satisfies CSU GE Area B4

Placement in a GE Subarea B4 Math/Quantitative Reasoning Requirement

The student has met examination standards and/or multiple measures-informed standards via one of the following criteria:

CAASPP/EAP Math Exam:

• Standard Met and completed 12th grade approved year-long math course beyond Algebra 2 with a C- or better
• Standard Met and 4 or more years of high school math or quantitative reasoning

SAT Math Test:

• 570 or above
• 520 – 560 and completed 12th grade approved year-long math course beyond Algebra 2 with a C- or better

ACT Math Test:

• 23 or above
• 20-22 and completed 12th grade approved year-long math course beyond Algebra 2 with a C- or better
• Weighted math GPA 3.0 or above and completed 12th grade approved year-long math course beyond Algebra 2 with a C- or better
• Weighted math GPA 3.0 or above and 5 or more years of high school math or quantitative reasoning
• Weighted high school GPA 3.7 or above
• Weighted high school GPA 3.5 or above and 4 or more years of high school math or quantitative reasoning

Placement in a Supported GE Subarea B4 Math/ Quantitative Reasoning Requirement

High School GPA:

• Weighted math GPA 3.3 or above
• Weighted high school GPA 3.0 or above

Placement in a Supported GE Subarea B4 Math/ Quantitative Reasoning Requirement and Participation in the Supported Pathways Program Required

Assessments and placement for ge mathematics/quantitative reasoning: pre-stem/stem and other math- intensive majors, has fulfilled the ge subarea b4 math/quantitative reasoning requirement.

• 3 or above on AP Calculus AB 
• Weighted math GPA 3.5 or above and completed 12th grade approved year-long math course beyond Algebra 2 with a grade of C- or better
• Weighted math GPA 3.5 or above and 5 or more years of high school math or quantitative reasoning

The student has met examination standards and/or multiple measures- informed standards via the criteria below:

High School Math GPA:

Placement in a Supported GE Subarea B4 Math/ Quantitative Reasoning Requirement and Participation in the Supportive Pathways for First-Year Students Program Required

Based on multiple measures evaluation, student needs additional academic support including participation in the Supportive Pathways for First Year Students Program.  Visit csustudentsuccess.org   to learn about this program.

• The goal of the Supportive Pathways for First-Year Students Program (SPFY) is to ensure that first-time students successfully complete the General Education (GE) written communication (A2) and math/quantitative reasoning (B4) requirements within their first year.
• Better prepare students in written composition and mathematics/quantitative reasoning before the fall term of freshman year, improving students' chances of successful completion of a baccalaureate degree.
•  For general information about Supportive Pathways for First-Year Students Program (SPFYP), visit csustudentsuccess.org/supportive-pathways . Students are encouraged to visit the university website for SPFYP information once admitted.
• Eligible financial aid applicants with an Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) of $6,000 or less will be eligible for waiver of the per unit SPFY fee. For more information on assessments, placements and the Supportive Pathways for First Year Students Program, please visit csustudentsuccess.org .

Directed Self Placement (DSP)

All first time freshmen must participate in Directed Self-Placement (DSP).  For additional information about DSP, please visit the DSP website . 

First-year Composition Course Options: By engaging in the Directed-Self Placement activities prior to coming to orientation and before enrolling in courses, students will receive a recommendation to help them choose from the options below:

The Semester-Long Program—English 5 or 5M 1 : Accelerated Academic Literacies . Intensive, semester-long course to help students use reading, writing, discussion, and research for discovery, intellectual curiosity, and personal academic growth—students will work in collaborative groups to share, critique, and revise their reading and writing.  Students will engage in reading and writing as communal and diverse processes; read and write effectively in and beyond the university; develop a metacognitive understanding of their reading, writing, and thinking processes; and understand that everyone develops and uses multiple discourses. 3 units.

The Year-Long “Stretch” Program—English 10/11 or 10M/11M 1 Academic Literacies I & II . Year-long course to help students use reading, writing, discussion, and research for discovery, intellectual curiosity, and personal academic growth—students will work in collaborative groups to share, critique, and revise their reading and writing.  Students will engage in reading and writing as communal and diverse processes; read and write effectively in and beyond the university; develop a metacognitive understanding of their reading, writing, and thinking processes; and understand that everyone develops and uses multiple discourses. 6 units.

One-Unit Small Group Tutorial – ENGL 1X: Composition Tutorial. Taken in conjunction with one of the courses above, this composition tutorial offers supplemental instruction in elements of composition and assists students in mastering the writing process with special emphasis on planning and revising essays. Instruction takes place both in traditional classroom setting and in small group and individual tutorials. Students enrolled in this tutorial must also be co-enrolled in a first-year composition course as the focus will be drafting and revising the work done in the primary writing course. 1 unit +5/5M or 10/10M, 11/11M.

“M” course instructors are specifically trained to help students with different language backgrounds develop the skills necessary for success in their university reading and writing. “M” courses focus on the experiences and languages that multilingual students bring to the classroom—using them as a resource for learning and refining students’ academic reading and writing.

Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement

The Undergraduate GWAR is a CSU-wide requirement that should be completed by undergraduate and second bachelor’s students in their junior year.

All undergraduate students must satisfy the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR) in order to graduate. The GWAR is satisfied by completing a designated upper division Writing Intensive (WI) course with a grade of C- or better. All WI courses have a prerequisite that can be met either by submitting a Writing Placement for Juniors Portfolio (WPJ) or by completing ENGL 109W or ENGL 109M. Students who choose Portfolio placement will be asked to submit samples of their college level writing from courses they've completed. Based on a review of that work, a pathway to a WI course, and to the GWAR, will be recommended. WI courses may also count toward General Education and/or major requirements.

Students having satisfied the Graduation Writing Requirement Assessment at other CSU campuses are considered to have satisfied the requirement at Sacramento State.

Sequoia Hall 156 (916) 278-6684

Foreign Language

Mariposa Hall 2051 (916) 278-6333

Sacramento State students who continue their study of a foreign language begun elsewhere must enroll in a course that does not duplicate previous college credits received. A placement test will be given prior to registration or at the first class meeting. If given prior to registration, it will be listed in the Class Schedule. Adjustment of registration, if necessary, will be made in accordance with the results of the placement exam.

Students who have begun the study of any foreign language in high school and who will enroll before taking the placement test may use the following as a guide for their first enrollment:

1A - if the student has less than one year of satisfactory high school study

1B - if the student has one year but less than two years of high school study

1C - if students have completed up to two years of high school study or one year of college French or German or Spanish with failing or unsatisfactory achievement or evaluation; and if students have had an extended interruption of beginning or intermediate formal language study

2A - if the student has two but less than three years of high school study

2B - if the student has three years of high school study

Students who have acquired knowledge of a foreign language without having received high school or college credit should consult with an advisor for placement.

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California State University, Sacramento: A Comprehensive Guide

Discover the exciting life at Sac State, from unique campus events to outdoor adventures and cultural enrichment in Sacramento.

August 29, 2023

California State University, Sacramento, commonly known as Sac State, is situated in California’s capital city of Sacramento . The campus sprawls over a lush 300-acre area that is home to a wide variety of trees, earning it the nickname "Tree Campus USA." With a diverse student body of nearly 31,000 students as of 2021, the institution boasts an inclusive environment that encourages growth, innovation, and community involvement. The university has come a long way since its inception in 1947 and is now one of the major public universities in California, offering a broad range of undergraduate, master's, and doctoral degrees across seven academic colleges.

Founded in 1947 as Sacramento State College, the institution started with a modest enrollment of just 235 students. It wasn't until the 1950s and '60s that it began to grow significantly, both in terms of student population and infrastructure. In 1972, it was officially renamed California State University, Sacramento, reflecting its integration into the broader California State University system . Over the years, the university has evolved into a hub for higher education, gaining a reputation for academic excellence, robust research programs, and significant contributions to the local community.

What Sac State is Known For

Sac State is renowned for its programs in Business, Engineering, Nursing, and Criminal Justice. The institution has received several accolades for its commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, fostering a vibrant community of students from varied backgrounds. One of its distinct features is the well-regarded "Hornet Family," a network of alumni, staff, and students aimed at supporting one another in educational and career goals.

Life at Sac State

Transportation options.

Sac State is well-connected in terms of transportation, ensuring ease of commute for students. There are several ways to get to and around the campus:

Public Transit: The Sacramento Regional Transit District (SacRT) provides extensive bus and light rail services, with stops conveniently located near the campus.

Shuttle Services: Sac State operates a shuttle service that circulates around campus and connects to nearby residential areas.

Cycling: Given the city's bike-friendly nature, many students choose to cycle to campus, aided by ample bike parking spaces and repair stations.

Parking: For those who prefer to drive, the university offers multiple parking structures and surface lots, though spots can fill up quickly during peak hours.

Food and Dining

The university has various food options to cater to diverse tastes and dietary requirements. From fast food to more health-conscious offerings, students have a myriad of choices. The Dining Commons provides a buffet-style meal service, and there are numerous cafes and food trucks scattered across campus. Additionally, the nearby neighborhoods offer a plethora of restaurants, ranging from American to international cuisines.

Local Attractions

Sacramento, being the state capital, offers a rich cultural experience and numerous attractions :

Old Sacramento Waterfront: A historic area filled with unique shops, dining options, and scenic views of the Sacramento River.

State Capitol: A must-visit for those interested in California history and politics.

American River Parkway: Perfect for outdoor enthusiasts, offering biking, hiking, and kayaking options.

Art and Culture: From theaters to art galleries, the city offers a vibrant arts scene that students can take advantage of.

Living in Sacramento gives students the opportunity to balance academic life with cultural enrichment and recreational activities, making Sac State an ideal choice for those looking to make the most out of their college experience.

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Top 5 Things to Do at and Near Sac State

If you’re a current or prospective student at Sac State, you won’t be short of activities to keep you entertained and engaged. Whether you’re into arts and culture, outdoor adventures, or unique campus events, here’s a list of the top 5 things to do at and around the university:

1. Attend Festival of the Arts

Every spring, Sac State's campus comes alive with the Festival of the Arts—a week-long celebration that showcases the creative talents of students and faculty. From music performances to theater productions, and art exhibitions, the festival offers a little something for everyone. Don't miss this annual event to engage with the vibrant creative community at Sac State.

2. Kayaking at the Aquatic Center

Located on the shores of Lake Natoma , just a short distance from the campus, the Sacramento State Aquatic Center offers a variety of water sports activities. Kayaking is one of the most popular choices, providing an excellent way to relax and take in the stunning natural surroundings.

3. Enjoy a Movie Night at the University Union

The University Union often screens movies, some of which are pre-release specials that haven't yet hit the broader market. These movie nights are usually free or come at a nominal charge for students, making it a great budget-friendly entertainment option.

4. Visit the Hornet Bookstore

While it may sound conventional, the Hornet Bookstore is more than just a place to buy textbooks. With an array of Sac State merchandise, tech gadgets, and even a Starbucks within, it serves as a hub for students to socialize and relax between classes. Plus, you can pick up some Hornet gear to show off your school spirit!

5. Explore the Nearby Midtown Area

Only a short drive or light rail trip away, Midtown Sacramento offers a variety of boutiques, cafes, and nightlife. From sampling local cuisine to finding unique treasures in thrift shops, the area is perfect for weekend adventures.

The experiences that Sac State and the surrounding Sacramento area offer go far beyond the classroom. From unique campus events like the Festival of the Arts to outdoor adventures at Lake Natoma, life at Sac State is filled with opportunities for enrichment, entertainment, and personal growth. Whether you’re an art aficionado, a water sports enthusiast, or someone who enjoys the simple pleasures of a good movie or a day of shopping, Sac State provides an environment where every student can find their niche.

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California State University-Sacramento

General Information

2023-2024 tuition, student housing, enrollment statistics, undergraduate student gender, undergraduate race / ethnicity, undergraduate admissions, admission considerations, admission test scores, sports and athletics, men's sports.

• Men's Baseball
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Women's Sports

• Women's Basketball
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• Women's Crew
• Women's Soccer
• Women's Softball
• Women's Tennis
• Women's Track & Field
• Women's Volleyball

Majors/Degrees Conferred

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California State University, Sacramento

4 year • Sacramento, CA

California State University, Sacramento is a public institution that was founded in 1947. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 28,389 (fall 2022), its setting is urban, and the campus size is 305 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. California State University, Sacramento's ranking in the 2024 edition of Best Colleges is Regional Universities West, #18. Its in-state tuition and fees are $7,602; out-of-state tuition and fees are $19,482.

Students at California State University, Sacramento can choose from about 60 undergraduate degrees and about 40 master’s programs, including business and health . The university, better known as Sacramento State or Sac State, offers many opportunities for students to have fun outside of the classroom. They can check out the school’s many events, such as concerts, comedy acts, and movie nights, which are usually free. Students can also join the roughly 20 green and gold Sacramento State Hornets varsity sports teams, which compete in the NCAA Division I Big Sky Conference. Sac State students can support the university and the athletic teams off the field by joining the Green Army spirit group that cheers on the Hornets.

Sacramento State also offers more than 300 student clubs and organizations to join, including more than 20 fraternities and sororities. For a break from studies and extracurricular activities, students play pool, browse the art gallery, and grab a bite to eat at the Riverfront Center and University Union building. Notable Sacramento State alumni include actor Tom Hanks, who won Academy Awards for his roles in the movies Forrest Gump and Philadelphia .  

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State Supreme Court Ruling Allows Housing Plan To Move Forward At People's Park

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Here are the morning’s top stories on Friday, June 7, 2024… 

• The California Supreme Court has ruled that UC Berkeley can start construction on student and supportive housing in People’s Park — and also gave the green light to a much larger campus expansion project. Opponents have argued the university should have studied alternative sites for construction and considered the amount of noise that students living in that new housing would generate.  
• Sacramento County’s homeless population dropped 29% compared with two years ago. That’s according to the 2024 Point In Time Count . It’s one of the largest reductions in homelessness statewide.
• California has funded over 4 million tax-free savings accounts for students to pay for college, but many families don’t seem to know the money’s there. The California Kids Investment and Development Savings Program launched in 2022, but as of early May, families have claimed just over 313,000 of the accounts.

UC Berkeley Can Start Building On People’s Park, California Supreme Court Rules

Capping a decades-long battle over the fate of People’s Park , the California Supreme Court ruled Thursday that UC Berkeley can start constructing a student dormitory and supportive housing facility on the property.

The case stemmed from a 2021 lawsuit against UC Berkeley’s Long Range Development Plan , which aims to add nearly 12,000 new student beds and 8 million square feet of new classrooms, research labs, libraries and other amenities.

Neighborhood groups, Make UC A Good Neighbor and the People’s Park Historic District Advocacy Group, brought the initial lawsuit, arguing that the park should be protected as a historic landmark.

The groups also sought to make a novel case under state environmental law, arguing that noise generated by the future student residents would be a form of pollution, requiring UC Berkeley to study the impacts on neighbors. Although noise is considered pollution under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), it had previously been used exclusively in arguments against concert venues or industrial sites.

Sacramento County’s Unhoused Population Drops 29%, Bucking Recent Trends

Rows of RVs, tent encampments and other make-shift homes still line Sacramento County’s streets and sidewalks, as they have for years. But progress on the region’s homelessness crisis is underway, according to a closely-watched report released on Wednesday.

The county’s unhoused population dropped 29% over the past two years — to an estimated 6,615 people, breaking a trend of surging homelessness numbers, according to the  2024 Point In Time Count .

It’s one of the largest reductions in homelessness statewide after Sacramento County made headlines two years ago for one of the biggest increases,  a 67% spike compared with its 2019 survey .

Raising Kids In California? They May Have College Savings Accounts You Don’t Know About

Nearly 3.7 million students and 667,000 newborns in California have money invested in a savings account to help pay for college. But most families don’t know the money is there. 

Under CalKIDS, all babies born in California receive a sum. Babies born between July 1, 2022 and June 30, 2023 received $25 deposits, and all babies born after July 1, 2023 receive $100 deposits. 

As part of the program, all low-income first grade students receive a one-time deposit of $500. First-graders who are in foster care receive an extra $500  and homeless first-graders receive $500 more, totalling $1500 for some students. All the accounts are tax-free, and the money is invested whether or not families claim their accounts. 

Yet, of the 4.3 million student accounts created, only 313,445 accounts have been claimed by families, meaning they have registered online and seen the amount in their accounts.

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Meet your professor: henriette cornet.

by  Evan Elliot, USF News

The adjunct professor of engineering talks about sustainable development, autonomous vehicles, the future of cities, and the importance of fun.

Which courses do you teach? This fall I’ll be teaching sustainable development in energy systems. It will cover energy systems in a wide sense — renewable energy technologies, energy standards for new construction, transportation, life-cycle assessments, environmental impact, energy policy. What brings you to USF? Professor Billy Riggs brought me to USF. He invited me to be the co-director of the Autonomous Vehicles and the City initiative at USF. It was easy to say yes. I love sustainable development, love autonomous vehicles, and love teaching. I think it’s important to keep in touch with students and hear their thoughts and concerns about the future and about sustainability. Also I love San Francisco. I’ve always wanted to live here and work here.

What do you bring to USF? More than 10 years of experience in sustainable development, autonomous vehicles, material engineering, and user engagement. I’m an urban mobility consultant to companies and to public entities, improving transportation systems in Europe, in Asia, in the U.S. That’s my day job. I bring my work into the classroom. I also bring a European perspective. [Cornet is from France.]

What is that European perspective? There is a huge car dependency in much of the U.S. In rural areas of Europe we also have car dependency, but in cities in Europe we’ve worked for many years to remove cars, and that is a perspective I’d like to bring more and more — how to improve the quality of life in cities with less car dependency.

What is ULTIMO? ULTIMO is a consortium of academia, industry partners, and nonprofit entities in Europe working to advance autonomous transportation for public transit. I’m proud to be a part of their advisory board. At ULTIMO we aim to create the world’s first economically viable large-scale, on-demand, automated vehicle public transportation system. Imagine autonomous vehicles, like what Waymo is doing in San Francisco with the robot taxi, but fully integrated into cities as a part of a public transit system of buses, light rail, subways, trains — all coordinated, accessible, inclusive, and sustainable. What would you like students to know about the engineering major at USF? The engineering major gives you an engineering mindset: Whatever work you do, you know that your actions have an impact.

Your advice to incoming first-year students? I think it’s important to have a good balance of classes — hard skills like physics and math and so on, but don’t forget to work on soft skills and have a good balance of sciences, languages, social sciences. And make sure you enjoy every day with your friends, because I think also university is about having fun and connecting with other students. And follow your passion. That’s what I did with the topic of environmental sciences as an undergraduate. Once I found that topic, everything in school became easier because I could just follow that passion, so I wish for students at USF to find something they really care about and put their heart into it, and the rest will follow.

Your favorite place in San Francisco? I really like the area around Glen Park and Noe Valley. It’s a place where nature is so nicely integrated within the city, but still with good access to public transit. So that for me is a dream place to live.

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The magical California state park that doesn't allow visitors

by Jessica Garrison, Los Angeles Times

About 60 miles north of Sacramento, the Sutter Buttes rise starkly from the floor of the Central Valley, the remnants of a volcano active more than 1.4 million years ago. Their cathedral-like spires twist upward, some reaching more than 2,000 feet into the sky—an imposing circular formation, 10 miles in diameter, that's been called "the smallest mountain range in the world."

Sheltered within these lava domes is an oasis of rolling hills, rich with wildflowers and Native American artifacts, and watched over by hawks and countless other species of birds.

Bitter debates over the lack of public access to the Sutter Buttes have roiled for years. But most everyone on both sides agrees on this: They encompass some of the most magical and otherworldly terrain in California. Long sacred to Native American tribes, the formation is now home mainly to cattle that chomp grass behind stone walls built by Chinese laborers more than a century ago, oblivious to the fact that some people want to throw open the gates and some want to keep them locked forever.

For the last two decades, the Sutter Buttes have also been home to a California state park that almost no one is allowed to visit.

In 2003, the state of California spent about $3 million to buy 1,800 acres on the north side of the buttes, including an idyllic stretch of emerald called "Peace Valley." The government has eyed a park in this ruggedly beautiful landscape since the inception of the state parks system in the 1920s.

Frederick Law Olmsted Jr., the famed landscape architect who helped establish the National Park Service and also surveyed potential parkland for California in those early years, put it on a state park wish list, along with such gems as Point Lobos on the Monterey County coast and Donner Lake in Northern California.

In 2005, the state finally achieved its goal—sort of. The State Park and Recreation Commission officially declared its 1,785 acres a park. The property has its own state-sponsored webpage and a budget for conservation and maintenance.

What it does not have is any way for the public to get in.

"Please note: There is currently no public access point to enter this park," reads a notice in big red letters at the top of the webpage.

Beneath that are breathtaking photos: sunlight glinting off a placid lake; a dirt road leading up a verdant hill; a haunting photo of the buttes at sunset—from a distance.

That last image—the one from a distance—is the only way most people can view the park.

The issue, according to current and former parks officials, is that all the roads leading into the Sutter Buttes are privately owned. And none of the landowners—some of whom have had title to the land since before California entered the union—will give the state permission to use those roads for park visitors . Nor has the state found anyone willing to sell them property near a public road that could be used to access the park.

With the impasse in its 20th year, state officials instead allow a few people into the park on occasion for carefully guided visits.

State parks officials were not available for an interview to discuss the situation, but said in a statement that the department "continues to look for opportunities to either secure land or easements to provide access." So far, nothing has come up.

Many locals say the current status—an empty state park—suits them just fine. The Sutter Buttes are a precious ecosystem, they say, filled with delicate tribal artifacts and threatened species. It isn't the same, they argue, as a state park in the immense Sierra Nevada or vast inland deserts or along the glittering coast.

"This little blob in the middle of the Sacramento Valley is so sensitive to encroachment," said Marty Steidlmayer, 59, whose family has owned land in the Sutter Buttes since the 1930s. A state park, he said, would "let people in, free and unattended," which could lead to vandalism, fires and degradation. "It's not a good idea," he said.

Sutter County Supervisor Mat Conant agreed. "It is more important to protect those land rights," he said, noting that "some families have held that land for close to 200 years."

Francis Coats is one of the few local landowners who think the state needs to find a way to let in the public.

"It's absolutely beyond me why it's not open," said Coats, whose family has been in the area since the 19th century. Coats said he owns a small interest in 160 acres on the north side of South Butte, and so strong is the antipathy toward access that he faced death threats when he first tried to visit his own parcel.

The Sutter Buttes, though little heralded in modern-day California, have played an outsize role in the state's history.

The Maidu people took refuge there for thousands of years during periods when the Sacramento Valley flooded. They believed it was a resting point for spirits on their journey to the afterlife.

In the 1840s, Kit Carson and Gen. John C. Fremont, fresh from their savage massacres of Native Americans in the north state, hid out in the buttes and plotted to seize California from Mexico. Then they headed to Sonoma County to lend support to the Bear Flag Revolt of 1846. Their Republic of California was short-lived, but helped stoke the Mexican-American War, which paved the way for California to join the United States.

When state officials first proposed a park in the Sutter Buttes in the 1920s, local newspapers took the opportunity to celebrate this history.

"These rugged hills hold a prized place in the hearts of Californians," the Sacramento Union wrote in 1931. "They are indelibly linked with the romance of the state's secession from Mexican rule."

The park didn't come to fruition then, and the Depression and World War II created other priorities.

The state tried again in the 1970s, putting money in a parks bond to fund the purchase of tens of thousands of acres in the Sutter Buttes. Local landowners were horrified, and the county Board of Supervisors voted in opposition. "We'll fight them, right down the line," Supervisor J.A. Bagley told the local newspaper.

The state backed down. But within the parks department, some never dropped the dream.

The department's chief of land acquisition , Warren Westrup, knew how to play a long game. Westrup, who worked for the state for 37 years, figured out how to put together parcels of land, piece by piece, until a vision came to fruition.

He did it in the Santa Monica Mountains, where state officials devised ways to purchase land for a trail that connects communities from Los Angeles to Malibu; and in Chino Hills, buying one canyon after another until eventually a whole park came to fruition.

In 2003, Westrup heard through an intermediary that someone with land in the buttes was looking to sell. He arranged for its purchase, even though he was aware the property was surrounded by private land blocked by private gates and accessible only via a private road.

Parks officials moved forward to establish the park with the notion that they eventually could persuade someone else to sell them land adjacent to a public road, where they could build a parking lot, bathrooms and maybe a few tents for people to camp.

The problem: No one would sell.

Most of the land in the buttes is held by a small number of legacy families who primarily use the fields for grazing cattle and sheep. No one lives in the interior, although there are a few homes on the outside.

After the state pushed for a park in the 1970s, some landowners feared the government might take their property. To stave that off, they began providing guided tours that granted limited access to the public and also to researchers. Local schoolchildren were also invited in.

They hired a manager, who moved into a cabin for the job, along with his wife, their golden retriever and their cat. They fell in love with the quiet grandeur of the area—all except for the cat, who was snatched by an eagle and never seen again.

"Some places just attract us more powerfully than others," Walt Anderson, the manager, explained in a 2006 oral history. "I mean, everybody loves the profile of the buttes when they pass it, but once they get inside, I mean, they're hooked."

Steidlmayer, who owns land adjacent to the state park, said officials have told him "that the state will buy anything that we would be willing to sell. But that is the last thing my family would ever do."

Even some outdoor enthusiasts have reservations about opening the park.

Lisa Lindman, executive director of the Sutter Buttes Regional Land Trust, said she has come to view the issue as "really complicated."

She wants the public to be able to appreciate the peace and beauty of the buttes, but echoed landowners' concerns about the delicate ecosystem and centuries-old Native American artifacts that remain largely untouched.

In lieu of full public access, Middle Mountain Interpretive Hikes, a sister organization to Lindman's land trust, leads private tours for small groups of people who pay about $35 apiece for a carefully supervised hike. Reservations can be hard to come by. The Middle Mountain hikes do not enter the state parkland. Instead, they traverse private land near the park under a long-standing agreement with landowners that grew out of those early tours from the 1970s.

On a recent spring day, a tour group wound up dirt roads and through locked gates in a small caravan of cars, before parking near the center of the range. Volcanic domes rose above a green meadow. Wind rustled through the grass. A flock of snow geese passed overhead, their silver wings gleaming against a blue sky.

From atop the lava domes, it was possible to see Mt. Lassen and Mt. Shasta. The snow-capped Sierra stood to the east. After a precarious scramble down, group members traversed the grassy base of the domes and came to the edge of the state park at Peace Valley. A guide warned the tour group they did not have permission to enter.

Ruth Coleman, who was head of the Department of Parks and Recreation when the site was designated a state park, said she hopes California will keep pushing to find a way to change that, while putting measures in place to preserve the land.

"It's classified as a state park. And a state park has access," Coleman said, adding, "I've been there. ... It's magic."

2024 Los Angeles Times. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Story content, sac state geography students create maps for new american river trail guide.

By Cynthia Hubert

May 29, 2024

During the pandemic, Ashley Shult Langdon spent months exploring rambling paths, hidden trails and other wild spaces along the lower American River. She documented the locations of beaches, parking lots, benches and bathrooms. She noted places where salmon, river otters and herons gathered.

The information she gathered eventually became the basis for her new book, “Mildly Scenic,” which offers outdoor enthusiasts new ways to enjoy the lower American River and its surrounding greenbelt.

The final step was to produce detailed maps. With neither the knowledge nor the software to create them, she turned to Sacramento State’s Geography department for help – and got much more than she anticipated. Department Chair Matt Schmidtlein and Professor Anna Klimaszewski-Patterson offered to make the project the center of an upper-division course last fall.

By the time the semester ended, Klimaszewski-Patterson and her students had created 18 original maps that are prominently featured in the just-released trail guide.

“The collaboration with Sac State was a game-changer for me,” said Langdon. “Matt’s and Anna’s energy for the project matched mine. I was thrilled.”

Langdon began exploring the lower American River – the section of the river between Folsom Dam and downtown Sacramento – during the COVID-19 pandemic to keep her young children busy when schools and playgrounds were closed. Many of the trails she discovered had never been published in a guide or on a county map.

She collaborated with graphic designer Greg Traverso to produce the book, which offers “bite size adventures” such as morning trail runs, short hikes, and picnic and swimming opportunities.

The mapping project fit perfectly with Sac State’s mission to serve the community, while also providing students an opportunity to engage in real-world work.

“I really want to make sure our students understand what it’s like to work in this field, to have clients and bosses,” said Klimaszewski-Patterson. “This was a real project with a specific timeline and set of objectives. We needed to figure out how to make Ashley’s vision come to life.”

Langdon had documented her river wanderings and findings on a running, cycling and hiking app, but was unsure how to accurately place them on a map. The students and their professor converted her information into detailed maps using their cartographic skills and specialized software.

The project was daunting at first, but it ultimately empowered students, the professors said.

“They became detectives, and found data I never thought they would find,” said Klimaszewski-Patterson, including equestrian and nature trails, bridges and even trash cans.

By creating the maps, the six participating students gained confidence in their skills, said Schmidtlein. When they were finished, they presented their findings to Langdon, who was ecstatic about the results.

“One of the most exciting things to me was seeing our students solving problems and realizing they had the capacity to do it,” he said. “They walked out of that class knowing they have what it takes to do these things professionally.”

Without Sac State’s help, “Mildly Scenic” likely would have been long delayed, said Langdon. It is now available for purchase in bookstores and online, including  Langdon’s website, mildlyscenic.com .

“This was a win-win-win, and so much fun,” she said. “The students, professors, authors and designers all benefitted from the project.”

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About Cynthia Hubert

Cynthia Hubert came to Sacramento State in November 2018 after an award-winning career writing for the Sacramento Bee. Cynthia believes everyone has a good story. She lives in East Sacramento with her two cats, who enjoy bird-watching from their perch next to the living-room window.

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