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Graduation Requirements

Courses required for graduation and university admission

The California Education Code (EC) establishes minimum requirements for graduation from California high schools. These requirements should be seen as minimums and support regulations established by local school boards.

The California State University (CSU) and the University of California (UC) have established a uniform minimum set of courses required for freshman admission. The UC has created a Doorways site that provides complete information about the high school courses approved for university admission. In addition to the required courses, California public universities have other freshman admission requirements.

High School Subject Area	State Mandated Requirements* (EC 51225.3) for High School Graduation	UC Requirements for Freshman Admissions	CSU Requirements for Freshman Admissions
English	Three years	Four years of approved courses	Four years of approved courses
Mathematics	Two years, including Algebra I beginning in 2003-04. (EC 51224.5)	Three years, including algebra, geometry, and intermediate algebra. Four years recommended.	Three years, including algebra, intermediate algebra, and geometry.
Social Science	Three years of history/social science, including one year of U.S. history & geography; one year of world history, culture, and geography; and one semester each of American government and economics.	Two years of history/social science, including one year of U.S. history or one-half year of U.S. history and one-half year of civics or American government; and one year of world history, cultures, and geography.	Two years, including one year of U.S. history or U.S. history and government and one year of other approved social science.
Science	Two years, including biological and physical sciences.	Two years with lab required, chosen from biology, chemistry, and physics. Three years recommended.	Two years, including one year of biological and one year of physical science with lab.
Foreign Language	One year of either visual and performing arts or foreign language.	Two years in same language required. Three years recommended.	Two years in same language required.
Visual and Performing Arts		One year of visual and performing arts chosen from the following: dance, drama/theater, music, or visual art.	One year of visual and performing arts chosen from the following: dance, drama/theater, music, or visual art.
Physical Education	Two years
Electives		One year**	One year**
Total	13	15 (7 in the last two years)	15
A district must offer "24 course hours in grades nine to twelve inclusive" (EC Section 46201 [a] [4], apportionment statute)

* Beginning in 2005-06, all students must pass the California High School Exit Examination prior to graduation, in addition to meeting course requirements.

** Must be chosen from approved academic courses in history, English, advanced mathematics, lab science, foreign language, social science, or fine arts. See UC Doorways for approved courses at your high school.