University Requirements

Students must satisfy all of the major and Undergraduate University Graduation Requirements , which includes unit, GPA, and residency requirements as well as the below identified General Education , American Institutions, Graduation Writing Assessment, and Physical Education requirements. Courses that meet Undergraduate University Graduation Requirements are noted with an area designation (see Course Abbreviations ).

Core Lower Division General Education (18 units)

Of the 39 units required by the university, 21 units may be satisfied by coursework outlined below. Courses that meet GE Areas A1, A2, A3, B4, or F must be passed with a “C-” or better to meet the requirement. Consult with a major advisor for details.

Upper Division General Education (3 units)

Of the 9 units required by the university, 6 units may be satisfied by coursework outlined below. Consult with major advisor for details.

American Institutions (6 units)

Complete one 6-unit sequence of American Institutions (US123) courses, which also satisfies GE Area D. Students may also satisfy the American Institutions Requirement  with other courses, but these may not satisfy other GE areas.

The American Studies sequence (AMS 1A /AMS 1B ; 12 units) or Humanities Honors course (HUM 2B ; 6 units) satisfies the American Institutions Requirement and additional GE Areas (see course descriptions for details).

Consult with a major advisor to select the appropriate sequence.

Physical Education (2 units)

All SJSU undergraduate students, regardless of major, have an opportunity to expand their knowledge and skills in physical activities. To accommodate students’ needs and interests, the university offers a diverse selection of activity courses .

Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement

At SJSU, students must pass a Writing in the Disciplines (100W) course with a  grade of C or better (C- not accepted) to meet graduation requirements. For this major, the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR)  is satisfied by a course in the major.

Major Preparation (33 units)

• BIOL 30 - Principles of Biology I 4 unit(s) (B2+B3)
• BIOL 31 - Principles of Biology II 4 unit(s) (B2+B3)
• BIOL 115 - General Genetics 4 unit(s)
• ENGL 1B - Argument and Analysis 3 unit(s) (C2) (or equivalent.)
• MATH 30 - Calculus I 3 unit(s) (B4)
• MATH 31 - Calculus II 4 unit(s) (B4)
• PHIL 133 - Ethics in Science 3 unit(s) (V)
• PHYS 2A - Fundamentals of Physics 4 unit(s) (B1+B3)
• PHYS 2B - Fundamentals of Physics 4 unit(s) (B1+B3)

Major Requirements (58 units)

Total Units Required (120 units)