University Graduation Requirements Petitions

Go to: GE |  WID 100W | Intensive Science | Intensive Music |  US123 |

Note: DocuSign template forms require an active one.SJSU account. If you do not have an active account, please contact us at undergraduate-education@sjsu.edu for an electronic copy of the petition.

General Education (GE) Equivalency Petition

Regardless of major the General Education is required for all undergraduate degrees. 

Eligibility Requirements:

  1. Must be an undergraduate student who has matriculated (admitted and enrolled) at SJSU for one full semester.
  2. Courses must have been declared at the time of Admissions (or taken concurrently with SJSU coursework) and posted on your unofficial SJSU transcript before submitting this petition.
  3. Coursework must address the GE Area's Learning Outcomes not a specific course.
  4. Equivalencies for Basic Skill (1A, 1B, 1C or 2) will not be granted unless passed with a grade of "C- or better".
  5. Upper division courses required a minimum writing requirement of 3000 words

Required Attachments and form:

1. Personal statement explaining the reasoning for submitting the request.

2. Supporting evidence/documentation:

  • minimally a catalog description from the year when the course was taken, ideally a syllabus as well
  • Writing samples will be required for Area 1A and 1B.
  • Transcripts - from the institution where the coursework was taken (unofficial transcripts acceptable).

3. Complete the GE Area Equivalent Petition Form [DocuSign]

What can be petitioned with this form?

A) Course was approved for GE one semester after the course was taken;

B) Course was discontinued as a GE the semester the course was taken; 

C) Took two or more courses in the same area, would like to cover a different area (rarely approved); 

D) Course(s) are upper-division GE at another CSU and are not showing as SJSU Studies Areas; 

E) Upper division GE course is less than 3 semester units; policy requires 9 semester units (rarely approved); 

F) Request a non-GE course from SJSU to fulfill GE credit (rarely approved); 

G) Request a non-GE course to fulfill GE credit (rarely approved). 

What can not be petition?

A) Lower division course (community college courses are considered lower division) for upper division GE area. 

B) Study Abroad courses, students need to submit the Academic Approval Form (AAF) for GE equivalency. 

C) Any course that has not bee declared to SJSU.

D) Courses that have been rejected for credit. 

What are some common reasons request are denied?

1) Lower division course (community college courses are considered lower division) petition  for upper division GE credit. 

2) Required attachments are missing,

3) Transcript has not been submitted to SJSU, or

4) Course was not declared upon admissions, 

4) Required attachments are missing

Intensive Science Plan Sequence Petition

(This form will no longer be available as of Spring 2027)

Students, who have completed in-depth coursework in science that is not certified for GE, may request an alternative package to satisfy Core Physical Science (5A), Life Science (5B), and/or Laboratory Science (5C) that have not already been met by approved GE Courses. Must have one semester of matriculated (admitted and enrolled) at SJSU.

The assigned area reviewer is the Associate Dean, College of Science

What can be petitioned with this form?

A) grades below "C-" (very rarely approved);

B) Two or more physical science courses (if they are 5A/5B/5C) and a CHEM 1A;

C) CHEM 1A, CHEM 1B and a physics course;

D) Intensive Science Physics/Chemistry/Biology courses not articulated to SJSU;

E) Three courses from BIOL 30, BIOL 33, BIOL 65, BIOL 65O, BIOL 66, MICRO 20;

F) Other Intensive Science courses not listed on the approved Intensive Science list.

Required Attachments 

1) Personal statement explaining the reason for submitting request.

2) Catalog description from the year when the course was taken or course syllabus (in English).

3) Attach approved College of Science equivalency petition.

4) Transcripts - from the institution where the course work was taken (unofficial transcripts acceptable). 

5) Complete the Intensive Science Petition Form [DocuSign] 

  • all courses that are being use for Intensive Science Plan must be entered on the petition

Intensive Music Plan Sequence Petition

(This form will no longer be available as of Spring 2027)

Students who have completed in-depth coursework in music that is not certified for GE may request an alternative package to satisfy CORE Area 3. Students who have completed the Intensive Music courses with a “C-" or better, will be allowed to use these courses to fulfill the requirements in 3A or 3B. The assigned area reviewer is the Associate Dean, Humanities & the Arts.

  • MUSC 4A, MUSC 4B, and MUSC 12
What can be petitioned with this form?

A) Grades below "C-" (very rarely approved).

B) Other Intensive Music courses are not on the list of approved intensive music courses. 

C) Intensive Music courses currently not articulated to SJSU.

Required Attachments and Petition Form

1) Personal statement explaining the reasoning for submitting the request.

2) Supporting documentation - minimally a catalog description from the year when the course was taken and a course syllabus.

3) Transcripts - from the institution where the course work was taken (unofficial transcripts acceptable). Note: official transcript showing the courses you are petitioning must have been submitted at the time of admission, or before submitting this petition if taken concurrently with SJSU coursework, ideally the course is showing on your MySJSU account.

4) Enter all courses that are part of the Intensive Music Course Plan sequence.

5) Complete the Intensive Music Plan Form [DocuSign]

 

Writing in the Disciplines (WID) Petition

Area Reviewer: Dr. Thomas Moriarty, Director of Writing Across the Curriculum, English Department.

1. Required Attachments

Before submitting the petition, please check with your major department to ensure that 100W is not needed in the major.

Category 1:

The Written Skill Test (WST) is no longer offered at SJSU (effective Fall 2019). The WST Directed Self Placement (WST-DSP) exercise is NOT eligible for a 100W waiver.

Category 2:

Demonstrate exceptional writing ability (rarely approved). Coursework already given credit in GE Area A2 (e.g., ENGL 1A) or second-semester composition (e.g., ENGL 1B or ENGL 2) or lower division writing course may not be used as a basis for this petition.

  1. Personal statement explaining the reasoning for submitting the request.
  2. Attach writing samples or publish works (please work with the Undergraduate Education Office).

Category 3:

Completed the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR) at another CSU.  Please wait for the course to be posted to MySJSU, as credit is usually given automatically. 

  1. Personal statement explaining the reasoning for submitting the request.
  2. Attached information from institution showing writing course fulfills a Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR) or documentation showing that GWAR is done.  
  3. Attach school transcript(s) (unofficial acceptable). An official transcript showing the course must have been submitted at the time of admissions before submitting this petition.

Category 4:

Completed an upper-division composition course (Intensive Writing Course)

  1. Personal statement explaining the reasoning for submitting the request.
  2. Courses must have a minimum of 8000 words.
  3. Attach catalog course description from year course was taken and course syllabus.
  4. Attach school transcript(s) (unofficial acceptable). An official transcript showing the course must have been submitted at the time of admissions before submitting this petition.

2. Petition Form:

 

American Institutions (US1, US2, US3) Petition

US 1: American History - Courses should fulfill at least 100 years or both pre- and post-Civil War time. Area Reviewer, 

US 2: American Government/Politics - Courses should be able to describe (1) how political decisions are made, (2) describe the links between the people and government, and (3) the U.S. Constitutions. 

US 3: California Government/Politics - Courses should (1) The relationship between state and local government in California, (2) the basic issues of California politics, and (3) changes on the history and politics of the state. 

Required Attachments and Form:

  1. Personal statement explaining the reasoning for submitting the request.
  2. Supporting evidence/ documentation - (minimally a catalog description from the year when the course was taken, ideally a syllabus as well).
  3. Transcripts - from the institution where the coursework was taken with the relevant course(s) highlighted (unofficial transcripts acceptable).
  4. Form: the American Institutions Petition (Areas US123) [DocuSign]

Please visit the FAQ page for additional information or email your question to undergraduate-education@sjsu.edu.