TRANSFER CENTER FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Which IVC courses transfer?
How many units do I need to transfer?
Is there a maximum number of units I can transfer?
What if I take more units than that?
What is the minimum GPA for transfer?
What is a competitive GPA for transfer?
What is GE?
What is IGETC?
What is certification and why is it important for transferring students?
How can I meet with a college representative?
What is the differences between an associate degree and a bachelor's degree?
How many units do I need for an associate degree?
What is the difference between lower division and upper division courses?
What is Articulation?
What is the California Articulation Number (CAN)?
What is a Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) agreement?
Where do I go to get transcripts sent to another college?
What is a major?
What is a minor?
Where can I find out what classes to take for my major?
Do I need to declare a major before I transfer?
What is an impacted major?
How do I find out about transfer requirements for my school?
What is the difference between a CSU and a UC?
What is the difference between a quarter and a semester?
What is meant by priority filing dates for the CSU and UC?
Which IVC courses transfer?
At Imperial Valley College transferable courses to the California State University system and/or University of California system are indicated by (CSU, UC) following the catalog course description. Students are advised to contact their counselor to determine which specific courses are applicable to their educational objective.
How many units do I need to transfer?
Students are advised to complete 60 transferable units in order to be eligible for full junior status at the transfer school.
It is possible to transfer to the CSU with 56 transferable units; however, 60 is now strongly recommended and required by specific institutions. Many private universities and out-of-state colleges will accept transfer students with fewer units. Please check the catalog for the specific college you are interested in for transfer requirements.
Is there a maximum number of units I can transfer?
As a general rule, the maximum number of units accepted for transfer from a California community college will be 70 semester units.
What if I take more units than that?
Most colleges and universities will accept 70 semester units towards the total number of units needed to complete your bachelor's degree; however, if you have taken more units than that, the content of the courses will be used to satisfy needed requirements.
What is the minimum GPA for transfer?
The minimum GPA needed to transfer to a California State University (CSU) is 2.0.
The minimum GPA needed to transfer to the University of California (UC) is 2.4.
The GPA needed for transfer to private colleges varies so please check the college catalog.
Some majors and some colleges are impacted and will require higher GPA's for admission.
What is a competitive GPA for transfer?
To be accepted to an impacted program or a very popular campus, the GPA for admission will need to be considerably higher than the minimum required. A GPA of 3.0 or higher may be required to be competitive for transfer admission. The GPA will vary each year according to the specific applicant pool at that time.
What is GE?
GE or General Education is a program of courses in the arts and sciences that provides a broad educational experience. Courses are usually introductory in nature provide students with fundamental skills and knowledge in English, arts, humanities, mathematics, social sciences, physical and biological sciences.
Students who transfer to the CSU can complete the lower division GE requirements at IVC prior to transfer. There is an upper division GE requirement of 9 units which must be completed after transfer at the CSU from which the bachelor's degree is granted.
It is NOT POSSIBLE to complete all of the GE needed to graduate from a CSU at the community college.
What is IGETC?
IGETC or the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum is a general education program which community college students can use to satisfy lower division general education requirements at any CSU or UC campus.
Completion of IGETC is one option for students to use when preparing for transfer. It is not the only option and for some majors, such as engineering and science, it may not be recommended.
Students who are planning to transfer to a CSU may want to complete the CSU GE pattern. If you have questions about which GE to complete, please talk to a counselor.
What is certification and why is it important for transferring students?
Certification of CSU GE or IGETC is an important step in the transfer process. The certification of GE is the official notice verifying that a transfer student has completed courses satisfying lower division general education requirements.
The certification will be either on the transcript or on a separate certification form. The request for certification of CSU GE or IGETC is done at the time you request transcripts be sent to the transfer school.
To be certified, all courses on IGETC must be completed with a grade of C or better.
The CSU GE pattern can be certified by completing a specific area or by completing the entire 39 units pattern.
How can I meet with a college representative?
Representatives from many colleges visit the Transfer Center in the Counseling Office on a regular basis each semester. To make an appointment to meet with them, stop by or call the Transfer Center at (760) 355-6274.
What are the differences between an associate degree and a bachelor's degree?
An associate degree is a two-year degree granted by a community college to students who complete a specified program of study, usually totaling 60 units.
A bachelor degree or baccalaureate is a four-year degree granted upon completion of at least 124 semester units or 180 quarter units. Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science Degrees are offered by the California State Universities, the University of California and many private four-year colleges and universities.
How many units do I need for an associate degree?
Completion of 60 units is needed to obtain an associate degree. There are general education, math competency and other requirements needed to obtain the degree. Please refer to the IVC college catalog for specific requirements or see a counselor.
What is the difference between lower division and upper division courses?
Lower division courses are offered for freshman and sophomore level credit. All courses offered at a community college are lower division courses.
Upper division courses are offered for junior and senior level credit. These courses are not offered by community colleges.
What is articulation?
Articulation is the process of evaluating courses to determine whether coursework completed at one college will meet the requirements for admission, transfer credit, general education, or major preparation at another college.
What is the California Articulation Number (CAN)?
CAN is a course numbering system used to identify courses which are often required as lower division preparation for majors. The courses are taught at many colleges with each specific campus using their own unique number for the course.
The CAN system allows counselors and students to determine equivalent courses offered at different colleges by using the CAN number. For example: The English 1A course at IVC is CAN ENGL 2. Courses at IVC that qualify for CAN are identified in the class schedule and in the catalog. Please see a counselor for additional information
What is a Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) agreement?
A Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) agreement is a formal, written agreement that outlines the courses that must be completed before transfer, states the GPA required, and lists specific requirements for crowded majors.
The Transfer Admission Agreement will guarantee admission to the university as long as the provisions of the agreement are completed. Students with 30 transferable units completed may be eligible for a TAG.
Imperial Valley College is currently writing Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) agreements with UC, San Diego and UC, Riverside.
Where do I go to get transcripts sent to another college?
To have your transcripts sent to another college, go to the Admissions Office in the Administration Building and fill out the transcript request form.
What is a major?
A major is a program of study which leads to a degree. It is the primary area of study in which the greatest depth of knowledge will be developed.
What is a minor?
A minor is a secondary field of study, not as comprehensive as the major. A minor is not available at the community college.
Where can I find out what classes to take for my major?
Preparation for a major is an important step. Information as to which classes are required for a specific major can be obtained from the college catalog and from articulation agreements.
The Transfer Center and the Career Center, in the Counseling Office, have copies of college catalogs and the articulation agreements. In addition lower division transfer major guides have been developed to assist students in lower division major preparation.
Do I need to declare a major before I transfer?
Not all colleges require you to declare a major prior to transfer; however, many do. For a specific CSU or UC campus, refer to information in the application for admission. For other colleges, check the college catalog or call the admissions office for that information.
What is an impacted major?
An impacted major is one that is very popular and more applications for admission are received during the priority filing period than the campus can accommodate.
If you are applying to a major that is impacted, the GPA for admission may be higher and you may have to complete lower division courses for the major prior to transfer.
How do I find out about transfer requirements for my school?
There are many resources available in the Transfer Center to assist you. You will want to plan to visit the college you are interested in and also research the transfer requirements in the college catalog. If a representative for the college visits IVC, be sure to make an appointment to meet with them.
College and University Day is an event which takes place on the IVC campus each fall and is a wonderful opportunity to meet with representatives from many campuses.
What is the difference between CSU and a UC?
The California State University (CSU) is the system of higher education in California that grants the most bachelors degrees. It is sometimes called the "teacher training" institution. The CSU also grants masters degrees.
The University of California (UC) is the research system of public higher education in California. The UC grants professional and doctorate degrees, as well as bachelors and masters degrees.
The CSU has a more practical, career-oriented approach to education in contrast to the more theoretical approach offered by the UC.
What is the difference between a quarter and a semester?
Each college has an academic year with terms marking the beginning and end of classes.
A quarter is one type of term within an academic year. Each quarter is 10 weeks in length and there are usually three quarters (fall, winter and spring) in an academic year.
A semester is the other type of term within an academic year. Each semester is 15 weeks in length, and there are two semesters (fall and spring) in an academic year.
In addition some colleges offer a fourth term during the summer. For example, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo has a summer quarter. However; most colleges offer summer classes, but summer in NOT considered an official term of the academic year.
Imperial Valley College is on the semester calendar.
What is meant by priority filing dates for the CSU and UC?
There is a one month period of time when applications are first accepted for a specific term at the CSU and UC. Please refer to the Dates & Deadlines section for the Transfer Center for the priority filing dates.
Return to the Transfer Center Home Page
Return to the Imperial Valley College Home Page
Return to the Articulation Home Page
Questions or comments about the Transfer Center section of the IVC Web Pages may be sent to: Carol E. Lee, Transfer Center Director/Articulation Officer via a contact form.