University of California

The Subject Requirement, more commonly referred to as the "a-g" subject requirements, is one of three requirements needed to enter UC as a freshman. Specifically, students must complete a pattern of 15 college-preparatory courses drawn from the areas of history/social science, English, math, lab science, a language other than English, the visual and performing arts and the college-preparatory elective. We label each subject area or requirement with a letter to easily identify the different course requirements.

All courses are reviewed by one of our subject area analysts to verify that the content meets the University’s standards for college-preparatory coursework. Course approval is based on our overall "a-g" course criteria and the subject area’s course requirements established by UC faculty. Our intent is to ensure students have attained both general academic knowledge and essential analytical skills in order to succeed at the University of California.

Of course. Here at the University of California, we are dedicated to helping high school teachers and administrators through the development, preparation and submission of courses for "a-g" approval. A wide array of tools and resources are available from sample courses and evaluation rubrics to workshops, webinars and technical support. We hope you will find the assistance and support you need. If not, feel free to contact us.

UC and CSU admissions evaluators refer to each California high school’s "a-g" course lists when reviewing student applications for admission. In addition to verifying the accuracy of the academic information a student provides in the application, admissions evaluators use the course list to understand how the applicant has taken advantage of the courses that are offered at the student’s high school. This provides a fairer review of the applicant’s achievements "in context" to their learning environment.

Online courses and programs offer students new and unique learning opportunities. As such, the University aims to ensure that students have greater access to a broad range of high-quality online courses. UC requires all online courses, schools and programs to meet national standards in content, instructional design, student assessment, technology and course evaluation and support.

Absolutely. UC has already approved over 10,000 CTE courses within all seven of the "a-g" subject areas. We continue to support California educators in developing CTE courses for “a-g" approval. Professional development opportunities, sample courses and other resources are available to assist those designing courses that integrate academics with CTE. The University of California is committed to Career Technical Education and its ability to better engage, challenge and prepare students for success in college and careers.