General Education (GE) is a foundational set of lower-division courses required for earning an associate’s and most undergraduate degrees, aiming to provide a broad base of knowledge across various disciplines. There are many options of GE patterns that students can follow at PCC based on their goals and catalog rights. The list below includes the advising sheets for all of the GE patterns PCC offers. 

Please consult with an Academic Counselor to determine which GE pattern is best suited to your goals. 

PCC Local GE

New and returning students as of Fall 2024 are eligible to follow the current version of the PCC Local GE. Continuing students may also opt to follow this pattern. 

PCC Local GE can be used to earn the following degrees at PCC:

  • Associate of Art Degree
  • Associate of Science Degree

PCC Local GE

PCC Local GE (prior to Fall 2024)

Students who began college prior to Fall 2024 and maintained PCC catalog rights may be eligible to follow the former PCC Local General Education pattern. Please consult with an Academic Counselor to confirm catalog rights.

PCC Local GE can be used to earn the following degrees at PCC:

  • Associate of Art Degree
  • Associate of Science Degree

PCC Local GE (prior to Fall 2024)

Cal-GETC

The California General Education Transfer Curriculum (Cal-GETC) is the singular transfer GE pattern for UC and CSU-bound students as of Fall 2025. Many private and out-of-state institutions also accept this GE pattern. Students planning to apply to both CSUs and UCs for transfer may follow this pattern.

CSU or UC-bound students eligible to follow Cal-GETC are those who began at a CCC in Fall 2025 or later, including CSU-bound students who returned in Fall 2025 after a break in enrollment. However, any student with rights to one of the former GE patterns can opt to follow Cal-GETC. 

Cal-GETC can be used to earn the following degrees at PCC:

  • Associate of Art Degree
  • Associate of Science Degree
  • Associate of Art for Transfer Degree
  • Associate of Science for Transfer Degree

Cal-GETC

IGETC

The Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) is a GE pattern accepted by CSU and UC campuses, and many private or out-of-state institutions. Students planning to apply to both CSUs and UCs for transfer may follow this pattern. 

IGETC (Fall 2023 through Summer 2025)

CSU-bound students eligible to follow this version of IGETC are those who began or returned to a CCC or CSU between Fall 2023 and Summer 2025, and have maintained continuous enrollment, which means enrolling in at least one regular semester (fall or spring) during an academic year. Skipping two consecutive semesters is a break in enrollment and you’d lose rights to this pattern. 

UC-bound students eligible to follow this version of IGETC are those who began at a CCC Fall 2023 through Summer 2025.

IGETC certification can be used to earn the following degrees at PCC:

  • Associate of Art Degree
  • Associate of Science Degree
  • Associate of Art for Transfer Degree (requires IGETC Area 1C)
  • Associate of Science for Transfer Degree (requires IGETC Area 1C)

IGETC (Fall 2023 through Summer 2025

IGETC (prior to Fall 2023)

CSU-bound students eligible to follow this version of IGETC are those who began or returned to a CCC or CSU Summer 2023 or earlier and have maintained continuous enrollment, which means enrolling in at least one regular semester (fall or spring) during an academic year. Skipping two consecutive semesters is a break in enrollment, and you’d lose rights to this pattern. 

UC-bound students eligible to follow this version of IGETC are those who began at a CCC Summer 2023 or earlier. 

IGETC certification can be used to earn the following degrees at PCC:

  • Associate of Art Degree
  • Associate of Science Degree
  • Associate of Art for Transfer Degree (requires IGETC Area 1C)
  • Associate of Science for Transfer Degree (requires IGETC Area 1C)

IGETC (prior to Fall 2023)

CSU GE

The California State University General Education Breadth (CSU GE) is a GE pattern only accepted by CSU campuses, and some private or out-of-state institutions. Students planning to apply only to CSUs for transfer may follow this pattern. This pattern is not accepted by the UC.

CSU GE (Fall 2021 through Summer 2025)

Students eligible to follow this version of the CSU GE are those who began or returned to a CCC or CSU between Fall 2021 and Summer 2025, and have maintained continuous enrollment, which means enrolling in at least one regular semester (fall or spring) during an academic year. Skipping two consecutive semesters is a break in enrollment, and you’d lose rights to this pattern. 

CSU GE certification can be used to earn the following degrees at PCC:

  • Associate of Art Degree
  • Associate of Science Degree
  • Associate of Art for Transfer Degree
  • Associate of Science for Transfer Degree

CSU GE (Fall 2021 through Summer 2025)

CSU GE (prior to Fall 2021)

Students eligible to follow this version of CSU GE are those who began at a CCC or CSU Summer 2021 or earlier and have maintained continuous enrollment, which means enrolling in at least one regular semester (fall or spring) during an academic year. Skipping two consecutive semesters constitutes a break in enrollment, resulting in the loss of rights to this pattern. 

CSU GE certification can be used to earn the following degrees at PCC:

  • Associate of Art Degree
  • Associate of Science Degree
  • Associate of Art for Transfer Degree
  • Associate of Science for Transfer Degree

CSU GE (prior to Fall 2021)