General Education Patterns

Overview

General Education Patterns
GE Certification & Educational Plans

GE Certification is not an admissions requirement to the university. However, getting your GE certified can save you from taking several more GE courses at the university. GE certification means that LBCC tells your university that you do not need to take any more lower-division general education courses at their university. You may still transfer without your certification. However, you cannot graduate from your university after you transfer without the completion of lower-division general education courses. In some cases, the university may not allow you to come back to LBCC to get certified after you have started coursework at their university.

Students normally apply for certification during their last semester at Long Beach City College. Students who want Plan C (IGETC) certification must meet with a counselor and must process the paperwork prior to transferring to the university. Students who have taken any GE courses at other schools must meet with an LBCC counselor for certification.

NEW BEGINNING/Effective Fall 2025: LBCC-GE 

The Long Beach City College General Education is designed for students planning to obtain an Associate Degree. The general education requirements are only one component of the Associate Degree. Use this document in conjunction with the curriculum guide for your choice of major, and in consultation with a counselor.  New LBCC-GE pattern pending approval.

Note:  The LBCC-GE and Plan A are not similar and students who began at LBCC or any other CA community college will be required to follow the new local general education pattern offered at each community college.  The new GE pattern has been mandated to all CA community colleges per Title 5 guidelines beginning Fall of 2025. 

NEW BEGINNING/Effective Fall 2025: Cal-GETC
California General Education Transfer Curriculum

Completion of the California General Education Transfer Curriculum (Cal-GETC) pattern will permit the transfer to a campus in either the University of California or California State University system without requiring additional lower-division coursework to be completed after transfer. Meeting with a counselor prior to requesting transcripts and prior to transfer is required to obtain Cal-GETC Certification. New Cal-GETC pattern pending approval.

Note: Cal-GETC and IGETC may look very similar but THEY ARE NOT.  Cal-GETC officially replaces CSUGE-B (Plan B) and IGETC (Plan C) effective/beginning Fall of 2025. 

NOTE: PLANS A, B, C will no longer be updated and will be archived for reference only and for students who meet the criteria required to complete any of the patterns. Only Cal-GETC and LBCC-GE will be updated annually beginning Fall of 2025.   

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DISCONTINUED/NO LONGER AVAILABLE TO STUDENTS STARTING/BEGINNING AT LBCC FALL 2025: Plan A Course Patterns
LBCC General Education

ONLY STUDENTS WHO HAVE MAINTAINED CONTINOUS ENROLLMENT MAY CONTINUE TO FOLLOW PLAN A. CONSULT AN ACADEMIC COUNSELOR FOR CONTINOUS ENROLLMENT CRITERIA. 

The LBCC General Education Plan is designed for students planning to obtain an Associate Degree. The general education requirements are only one component of the Associate Degree. Use this document in conjunction with the curriculum guide for your choice of major, and in consultation with a counselor.

NOTE: PLAN A will no longer be updated and will be archived for reference only and for students who meet the continuous enrollment criteria.

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DISCONTINUED/NO LONGER AVAILABLE TO STUDENTS STARTING/BEGINNING AT LBCC FALL 2025: Plan B Course Patterns
GE Certification

ONLY STUDENTS WHO HAVE MAINTAINED CONTINOUS ENROLLMENT MAY CONTINUE TO FOLLOW PLAN B. CONSULT AN ACADEMIC COUNSELOR FOR CONTINOUS ENROLLMENT CRITERIA.

Completion of the General Education Certification (GE Certification) will allow a student to transfer to the California State University (CSU) system without requiring any additional lower-division GE courses after transfer. As long as the student only attended LBCC, meeting with a counselor is not required. If you have taken GE courses at other schools, you must make an appointment with a counselor to complete your CSU Certification. If you have not taken GE courses at other schools, you do not need to see a counselor for CSU Certification. In this case, the blue form attached to the LBCC transcript request form will need to be completed and submitted for the GE Certification to be processed.
NOTE: PLAN B will no longer be updated and will be archived for reference only and for students who meet the continuous enrollment criteria.

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DISCONTINUED/NO LONGER AVAILABLE TO STUDENTS STARTING/BEGINNING AT LBCC FALL 2025: Plan C Course Patterns
IGETC Certification

ONLY STUDENTS WHO HAVE ATTENDED A CA COMMUNITY COLLEGE PRIOR TO FALL OF 2025 AND PLAN TO TRANSFER TO A UC MAY CONTINUE TO GET IGETC CERTIFICATION.  CONTINOUS ENROLLMENT IS NOT REQUIRED FOR IGETC BUT IS IS REQUIRED FOR IGETC FOR CSU. CONSULT AN ACADEMIC COUNSELOR FOR CONTINOUS ENROLLMENT CRITERIA.

Completion of the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) will permit the transfer to a campus in either the University of California or California State University system without requiring additional lower-division coursework to be completed after transfer. Meeting with a counselor prior to requesting transcripts and prior to transfer is required to obtain IGETC Certification
NOTE: PLAN C will no longer be updated and will be archived for reference only and for students who are eligible to continue certification for IGETC by having attended a CA community college prior to Fall 2025.​