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Frequently Asked Questions - CI Advising Center

Table of Contents

Transferable Credit/Classes

Can I take classes over the summer at a community college?
Yes, visit to find transferable and articulated courses from a California community college to CI, for your major, GE, graduation requirements, or elective units.

Does the class have to be equivalent to a CI course for it to transfer and count for a requirement?

Yes and No.

  • If you are taking a course for a GE or American Institutions requirement, as long as it meets that requirement at the community college, CI will accept it.
  • If you are taking a course for a free elective (not major elective), as long as it is CSU transferable, and you have not taken an equivalent class at CI, the course will transfer.
  • If you are taking a course to meet a major course requirement, and there is no articulation, the class will not transfer to CI as equivalent to your major course.

What if my transfer course appears to be equivalent to a course in my major, but is not listed as equivalent in Assist?

  • If the class is lower division, it will not be considered equivalent to an upper division (300+) course. There are rare exceptions, which are noted in .
  • If you are trying to substitute a lower division major class from a community college that does not have articulation, meet with your major advisor or chair to petition to substitute the class.
  • If you took the class at another university, you will need to meet with the major advisor or chair to get approval to substitute the class.

What if a class didn’t transfer for a GE I think it should count for?
You can fill out a GE/Graduation Substitution Request  located on the Registrar’s Office website.

  • You need to attach a course description and/or syllabus to the form.
  • An Academic Advisor can help you with the petition process during a scheduled advising appointment.

What are the maximum units that I can transfer from a community college?
You can transfer a maximum of 70 units from the community college.

  • If you have already transferred 70 units, you can still take classes to satisfy requirements; the grade points will transfer, and you will receive content credit, but the units will not apply towards the 120 units needed to graduate.
    • Check your Transfer Credit Report in CI Records to confirm total units transferred.
  • You will need a minimum of 50 university units – non-community college.
    • Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), and military credit count towards university units.
  • If your remaining units to graduate, exceed the 120 units, you can continue to take classes at a community college without it affecting your progress towards graduation.
    • Talk to an academic advisor to confirm remaining units.

Where do I find out information about Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), or College Level Exam Program (CLEP) Exams?
You can refer to the University Catalog or the Academic Advising Transfer Credit Page for information. Remember to check for the year you completed the exam/s.

What does GE or IGETC certified mean?
If you are a transfer student and complete the CSU General Education or Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) transfer pattern, you can get certification from the community college in GE areas A-E, A-F, or 1-6.

  • Your lower division GE will be done at CI.
  • You can be partially certified in one or more GE areas.
  • You are still held to graduation requirements (i.e. language, multicultural perspectives, and the American Institutions requirement).

Can an Advisor assist me with questions regarding transferring to another school?
Contact the Admissions Office at the school you wish to attend. CI Advisors may be able to advise on general requirements for transferring but cannot assist you with specific questions related to transferring to a specific school.

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Academic Notice

Where can I get FAQs specifically about the probation process?
You can review the Academic Notice FAQ about the probation process.

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Academic Disqualification

Where can I get FAQs specifically about disqualification?
You can review the Disqualification FAQ about the disqualification process.

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Commencement/Graduation

When should I apply for graduation?
Deadlines are posted on the Registrar’s Office website. Applications are due one semester in advance of the term you want to graduate. Apply online through your Student Center in CI Records. Use the How To Guide: Apply for Graduation for step-by-step instructions. 

How do I get information about Commencement?
Please refer to the Commencement website for details.

Can I receive honors at graduation?
Yes, you can receive honors at graduation if you complete a minimum of 30 units at CI and earn a grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.5 or above in all classes taken at CI.

  • Cum Laude, you need a 3.50-3.74 cumulative GPA.
  • Magna Cum Laude, you need a 3.75-3.89 cumulative GPA.
  • Summa Cum Laude, you need a 3.90-4.0 cumulative GPA.

Do I get a graduation check before I graduate?
There are no formal graduation checks performed, but Academic Advising offers Graduation Check appointments to assist students. Refer to the Registrar’s Office website for full information regarding graduation.

Can I walk in commencement if I’m graduating in the fall semester?
If you are graduating in the fall, you can come back for the spring commencement ceremony. For example, students who graduate in the Fall 2025, Spring 2026, and Summer 2026 are eligible to participate in the Spring 2026 Commencement ceremony. Refer to the Commencement website for details.

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General Education/Graduation Requirements

Why do some students have different General Education (GE) requirements than me?
General Education requirements sometimes change. Students on a different catalog year than you may have different requirements. Please refer to our Graduation and General Education website for details and also review your Channel Islands Academic Requirement Report (CARR), to see what GE catalog year you are on.

I signed up for a class to meet a GE requirement, because my catalog year showed it met that requirement, but I didn’t get credit for it. Why?
When taking classes for a GE or graduation requirement, you must look at the current catalog year. Courses sometimes change and no longer meet requirements. However, there is a one-year grace period, when courses change.

  • If you took a class within a year after the change occurred, you can still get credit for the GE or graduation requirement. This will not happen automatically.
    • You can either meet with an advisor to request course credit or email the Registrar’s Office at registrar@csuci.edu to request credit.

What is the Upper Division General Education requirement (UDGE)?
You need three UDGE courses (one course in each Area - UDGE-3, UDGE-4, and UDGE-5 or UDGE-2) to graduate. To find classes in each area, visit the of the University Catalog.

  • Note: If your catalog years are between Fall 2018 and Spring 2025, you have UDGE-B, UDGE-C, and UDGE-D requirements, and if you started CSUCI before Fall 2018, you have UDIGE (Upper Division Interdisciplinary General Education) courses instead of UDGEs.

What is the GWAR requirement?
The Graduate Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR) will be satisfied by completing a designated writing intensive course in the major with a “C-“ or better. 

Do I need elective units to graduate?
You need a minimum of 120 units to graduate. If your total units after completing all major, general education and graduation requirements do not add up to 120, you will need elective units to make up the difference.

How many total upper division units do I need to graduate?
You are required to complete a minimum of 24 upper-division units (courses numbered 300-499) for a Bachelor of Arts degree and 27 units for a Bachelor of Science.

I transferred in as a senior, what are the residency requirements?

  • 30 units taken at CSUCI
    • 12 must be in the major
    • 24 units must be upper division

What are the requirements that require a “C-“ or better?

  • General Education (GE) Areas: A1 or 1C Oral Communication, 1A, or A2 English Composition, 1B or A3 Critical Thinking, and 2 or B4 Mathematical Concepts and Quantitative Reasoning.
  • Graduation requirements: language and the GWAR course.
  • Students who started CI in Spring 2018 or prior are required to complete Upper Division Interdisciplinary General Education (UDIGE) courses, which have a grade requirement of “C” or better.
  • Some majors have grade and/or GPA requirements. Check the  or your Channel Islands Academic Requirements Report (CARR) in CI Records to verify.

How do I know if I am on track to graduate?
You can review your Channel Islands Academic Requirements Report (CARR) to check your progress towards graduation in fulfilling requirements and unit completion.

  • If you are planning to graduate within four years, you need to average 30 units per year. It is recommended that you take 15 units per semester to graduate on time.
    • If you are unable to take 15 units, you can take classes over summer at a community college to stay on track. You can meet with an academic advisor to confirm transferable courses, and/or refer to .

What is the CARR?
The Channel Islands Academic Requirements Report (CARR) is the official electronic report of your record, which outlines every degree requirement: General Education, Graduation, Major, Minor requirements, and total units towards graduation. It is found in your Student Center in CI Records. Please refer to the Registrar’s website for further information.

My CARR shows 3 sections to meet the American Institutions Requirement? Do I need to complete 3 classes?
Not necessarily; while this requirement covers three areas, it can be met with two classes. Refer to the Graduation Requirements in the or your Channel Islands Academic Requirements Report (CARR) in CI Records for course options.

Can I take another language besides Spanish, American Sign Language, Arabic, Chinese, French, or Mixtec?

Yes, you can take another language at a community college or another university.

  • If you take a language course at a community college, make sure the language course is a general education 3B or C2 Humanities course as conversational courses do not meet the foreign language requirement.
  • If you take a language course at another university, you may need to fill out a GE/Graduation Substitution Request to receive credit.
  • You may have already met the language requirement at another institution if you a