General Education Program

At Cal Maritime, General Education (GE) is more than a CSU requirement; it’s the foundation of our campus’s approach to leadership, learning, and lifelong growth. Regardless of your major, at Cal Maritime students work to develop a set of habits and dispositions that prepare to thrive in unpredictable environments. That means learning how to adapt when conditions change, how to make decisions with incomplete information, how to reflect under pressure, and how to take responsibility - for yourself, your work, and your shipmates.

While every CSU campus provides a well-rounded education, Cal Maritime delivers something different. Here, General Education is hands-on, and interdisciplinary. Whether you’re majoring in Engineering, Marine Transportation, Oceanography, Business, or International Strategy and Security, you’ll engage with classmates from different majors in GE coursework that challenges you to:

Communicate Clearly Across Contexts: At Cal Maritime, you’ll learn to communicate clearly, effectively, and professionally, whether you’re conducting research, delivering a persuasive presentation, managing a team, or responding in an emergency scenario. From essays to oral presentations to technical documentation, GE courses in written and oral communication help students develop the confidence and clarity to adapt their communication style to diverse audiences and real-world situations.
Think Critically: Throughout the GE program, you’ll practice how to break down complex problems, weigh competing perspectives, and evaluate evidence, whether analyzing a case study, interpreting data, or making a decision under pressure. In EGL 220 - Critical Thinking - you’ll engage with transformative texts that challenge you to reflect on your assumptions, explore big human questions, identifying flawed reasoning, and defending your position with clarity and integrity. Across the curriculum, you’ll have opportunities to develop greater self-awareness by examining your values and tracking your growth as a learner and leader, building the intellectual discipline and adaptability that critical thinking demands.
Solve Problems (with Quantitative Reasoning): GE courses in math and science help you build the skills to interpret data, assess risk, and solve real-world problems. Whether you’re analyzing lab results, calculating fuel efficiency, or planning a complex operation, you’ll learn to apply quantitative tools with accuracy, clarity, and purpose.
Find, Evaluate, and Use Information Responsibly: In an age of misinformation and information overload, knowing how to find reliable sources (and what to do with them) is essential. In GE courses you’ll learn how to research effectively, assess credibility, and integrate evidence into your work across a variety of fields.
Lead and Collaborate Effectively: At Cal Maritime, leadership begins with knowing how to work well with others. In GE courses, you’ll practice the habits that build strong teams: clear communication, active listening, shared responsibility, and respect across differences. Whether you’re rotating leadership roles in a group project, resolving conflict in a classroom discussion, or reflecting on what it means to be a good shipmate, you’ll gain hands-on experience in the interpersonal skills that real leadership demands, not just authority, but accountability, empathy, and integrity.
Cultivate Global Cultural Awareness: At Cal Maritime, you’re preparing for a career that will connect you to people, systems, and environments around the world, where success depends on working effectively with people from many different backgrounds. GE courses help you develop the perspective, professionalism, and communication skills needed to navigate cultural differences with respect and integrity. You’ll study how global systems - including trade, conflict, climate, and cultural exchange - shape the environments you’ll operate in, and reflect on how history and perspective influence decision-making in diverse settings.

General Education Learning Outcomes

Currently, Cal Maritime's General Education assessment targets five core outcomes, all of which align with our own Institution-Wide Learning Outcomes and emphasis on leadership development:

Communication
Critical Thinking
Informational Fluency
Leadership and Teamwork
Global Awareness

These outcomes reflect skills that are transferable across all majors, essential in maritime and non-maritime careers alike, and foundational to effective leadership in any context.

General Education Requirements (Spring 2025)

Every baccalaureate candidate who has not completed either the IGETC or UC-campus pathway shall complete the CSU General Education Breadth requirements totaling a minimum of 48 semester units.
A grade of C- or better is required of each CSU or transfer student completing courses in written communication in the English language, oral communication in the English language, critical thinking, and mathematics or quantitative reasoning.
At least nine of these semester units must be upper-division level, taken no sooner than the term in which upper-division status (completion of 60 semester units) is attained.
At least nine of the 48 semester units must be earned at Cal Maritime.
Through a process of campus-wide curriculum review and approval, Cal Maritime permits the "double counting" of courses for General Education Breadth with major requirements and prerequisites only after giving consideration to the impact of such actions on general education programs.
Cal Maritime permits up to six semester units taken to meet the United States History, Constitution, and American Ideals Requirement to be credited toward also satisfying General Education Breadth Requirements.
If you are a transfer student, you may have different requirements. See "INFORMATION ABOUT GE REQUIREMENTS FOR TRANSFER STUDENTS"

CSU General Education Subject Area Distribution (Spring 2025)

The California State University Maritime Academy follows the principles of general education for the California State University as outlined in the California State University Executive Order 1100: "CSU General Education Breadth requirements have been designed to complement the major program and electives completed by each baccalaureate candidate, to assure that graduates have made noteworthy progress toward becoming truly educated persons." The required unit loads and Area descriptions below are drawn from Executive Order 1100. Whenever possible, Cal Maritime subscribes to the breadth and depth requirements, but given the number of high-unit professional and licensure major degree programs, some exceptions may apply. Specific information on exceptions and curricular paths can be found in those catalog sections devoted to specific majors. Designated courses which satisfy each of the General Education Areas, and a list of courses offered each semester is these Areas, are available through the Registrar's Office.

Instruction approved to fulfill the following subject-area distribution requirements should recognize the contributions to knowledge and civilization that have been made by members of diverse cultural groups and by women as well as men.

Area A: English Language Communication and Critical Thinking

9 semester units (12 quarter units)

One course in each Subarea.

A1 Oral Communication (3 semester units)

A2 Written Communication (3 semester units)

A3 Critical Thinking (3 semester units)

Area A requires 9 semester units in oral communication in the English language (A1), written communication in the English language (A2), and critical thinking (A3). Students taking courses in fulfillment of Subareas A1 and A2 will develop knowledge and understanding of the form, content, context and effectiveness of communication. Students will develop proficiency in oral and written communication in English, examining communication from the rhetorical perspective and practicing reasoning and advocacy, organization, and accuracy. Students will enhance their skills and abilities in the discovery, critical evaluation, and reporting of information, as well as reading, writing, and listening effectively. Coursework must include active participation and practice in both written communication and oral communication in English.

In critical thinking (Subarea A3) courses, students will understand logic and its relation to language; elementary inductive and deductive processes, including an understanding of the formal and informal fallacies of language and thought; and the ability to distinguish matters of fact from issues of judgment or opinion. In A3 courses, students will develop the abilities to analyze, criticize, and advocate ideas; to reason inductively and deductively; and to reach well-supported factual or judgmental conclusions.

AREA A LEARNING OUTCOMES

GELO 1: Demonstrate proficiency in oral communication in English, examining communication from the rhetorical perspective and practicing reasoning and advocacy, organization, and accuracy.
GELO 2: Demonstrate proficiency in written communication in English, examining communication from the rhetorical perspective and practicing reasoning and advocacy, organization, and accuracy.
GELO 3: Demonstrate ability to analyze, criticize, and advocate ideas; to reason inductively and deductively; and to reach well-supported conclusions.

Area B: Scientific Inquiry and Quantitative Reasoning

12 semester units, with 3 semester units taken at the upper-division level

One course each in Subareas B1, B2, and B4, plus laboratory activity (B3) related to one of the completed science courses, and 3 additional semester units (4 quarter units) at the upper-division in one of the following Subareas.

B1 Physical Science (3 semester units)

B2 Life Science (3 semester units)

B3 Laboratory Activity A laboratory course of not more than 1 semester unit value, associated with B1 or B2, may be required.

B4 Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning (3 semester units)

Area B requires 12 semester units to include inquiry into the physical universe and its life forms, with participation in a related laboratory activity that may be embedded in a lecture course or taught as a separate 1 semester (2 quarter) unit course, and into mathematical concepts and quantitative reasoning and their applications.

In Subareas B1-B3, students develop knowledge of scientific theories, concepts, and data about both living and non-living systems. Students will achieve an understanding and appreciation of scientific principles and the scientific method, as well as the potential limits of scientific endeavors and the value systems and ethics associated with human inquiry. The nature and extent of laboratory experience is to be determined by each campus through its established curricular procedures.

Through courses in Subarea B4 students shall demonstrate the abilities to reason quantitatively, practice computational skills, and explain and apply mathematical or quantitative reasoning concepts to solve problems. Courses in this Subarea shall include a prerequisite reflective only of skills and knowledge required in the course.

Satisfaction of CSU GE Area B4 Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning fulfill CSU graduation requirements for mathematics/quantitative reasoning, exclusive of mathematics/quantitative reasoning courses necessary for satisfaction of major requirements

AREA B LEARNING OUTCOMES

GELO 4: Apply scientific principles and the scientific method to data about both living and non-living systems.
GELO 5: Demonstrate ability to reason quantitatively.
GELO 6: Explain and apply mathematical or quantitative reasoning concepts to solve problems.

Area C: Arts and Humanities

12 semester units with 3 semester units taken at the upper-division level

One lower-division course completed in each of these 2 Subareas, plus one lower-division course completed in either subarea based on student choice, and 3 additional semester units at the upper-division in one of the following Subareas.

C1 Arts: (e.g., Arts, Cinema, Dance, Music, Theater)

C2 Humanities: (e.g., Literature, Philosophy, Languages Other than English)

Area C requires 12 semester units among the arts, literature, philosophy and foreign languages.

Across the disciplines in Area C coursework, students will cultivate intellect, imagination, sensibility and sensitivity. Students will respond subjectively as well as objectively to aesthetic experiences and will develop an understanding of the integrity of both emotional and intellectual responses. Students will cultivate and refine their affective, cognitive, and physical faculties through studying works of the human imagination. Activities may include participation in individual aesthetic, creative experiences; however, Area C excludes courses that exclusively emphasize skills development.

In their intellectual and subjective considerations, students will develop a better understanding of the interrelationship between the self and the creative arts and of the humanities in a variety of cultures.

AREA C LEARNING OUTCOMES

GELO 7: Evaluate aesthetic experiences subjectively as well as objectively.
GELO 8: Demonstrate awareness of the relation between the arts [C1] and their cultural contexts.
GELO 9: Demonstrate awareness of the relation between literary and philosophical texts [C2] and their cultural contexts.

Area D: Social Sciences

9 semester units, with 3 semester units taken at the upper-division

Six semester lower-division units and 3 additional semester units at the upper-division. Courses shall be completed in at least 2 different disciplines among the 9 required semester units.

Area D requires 9 semester units with human social, political and economic institutions and behavior, and their historical background. Courses shall be completed from at least two different disciplines among the 9 required semester units. One upper-division Area D course is required.

Students learn from courses in multiple Area D disciplines that human social, political and economic institutions and behavior are inextricably interwoven. Through fulfillment of the Area D requirement, students will develop an understanding of problems and issues from the respective disciplinary perspectives and will examine issues in their contemporary as well as historical settings and in a variety of cultural contexts. Students will explore the principles, methodologies, value systems and ethics employed in social scientific inquiry. Courses that emphasize skills development and professional preparation are excluded from Area D.

AREA D LEARNING OUTCOMES

GELO 10: Identify and explain the links between human social, political and economic institutions and behavior.
GELO 11: Analyze social problems and issues in their contemporary as well as historical settings and in a variety of cultural contexts.
GELO 12: Explore the principles, methodologies, value systems and ethics employed in social scientific inquiry.

Area E: Lifelong Learning and Self-Development

3 semester units

Area E requires 3 semester units of study at the lower-division, and campuses shall not exceed this unit requirement.

This requirement is designed to equip learners for lifelong understanding and development of themselves as integrated physiological, social, and psychological beings. Physical activity may be included, if it is an integral part of the study elements described herein.

Content may include topics such as student success strategies, human behavior, sexuality, nutrition, physical and mental health, stress management, information literacy, social relationships and relationships with the environment, as well as implications of death and dying or avenues for lifelong learning. Courses in this area shall focus on the development of skills, abilities and dispositions

AREA E LEARNING OUTCOMES

GELO 13: Demonstrates ability to pursue knowledge and solve problems independently.
GELO 14: Applies knowledge and skills from one context to another.
GELO 15: Identify, access, and evaluate appropriate sources of information.

Area F: Ethnic Studies

3 semester units

This lower-division, 3 semester unit requirement fulfills Education Code Section 89032. The requirement to take a 3 semester unit course in Area F shall not be waived or substituted.

Course outcomes and competencies are as follows:

1. Analyze and articulate concepts such as race and racism, racialization, ethnicity, equity, ethno-centrism, eurocentrism, white supremacy, self-determination, liberation, decolonization, sovereignty, imperialism, settler colonialism, and anti-racism as analyzed in any one or more of the following: Native American Studies, African American Studies, Asian American Studies, and Latina and Latino American Studies.

2. Apply theory and knowledge produced by Native American, African American, Asian American, and/or Latina and Latino American communities to describe the critical events, histories, cultures, intellectual traditions, contributions, lived-experiences and social struggles of those groups with a particular emphasis on agency and group-affirmation.

3. Critically analyze the intersection of race and racism as they relate to class, gender, sexuality, religion, spirituality, national origin, immigration status, ability, tribal citizenship, sovereignty, language, and/or age in Native American, African American, Asian American, and/or Latina and Latino American communities.

4. Critically review how struggle, resistance, racial and social justice, solidarity, and liberation, as experienced and enacted by Native Americans, African Americans, Asian Americans and/or Latina and Latino Americans are relevant to current and structural issues such as communal, national, international, and transnational politics as, for example, in immigration, reparations, settler-colonialism, multiculturalism, language policies.

5. Describe and actively engage with anti-racist and anti-colonial issues and the practices and movements in Native American, African American, Asian American and/or Latina and Latino communities and a just and equitable society.

Graduation Requirement in Writing Proficiency

The Graduate Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR)

The Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR) requires that all CSU students “demonstrate competence in writing skills at the upper division level as a requirement for the baccalaureate degree." With the start of the fall term 2023, “students shall meet the GWAR requirement via a 3-semester unit, upper-division course as determined by the campus.” Students who are subject to the degree requirements of the 2023-24 or subsequent general catalogs and “who are undertaking a second baccalaureate degree will be deemed to have met the requirement if their first baccalaureate degree is from an institution of higher education accredited by a U.S. regional accreditor.”(CSU EO 0665 as revised 4/6/2023).

At Cal Maritime, all students who have satisfactorily completed both EGL 100 - English Composition, and EGL 220 – Critical Thinking and at least 60 units of academic coursework (“Junior” standing) may satisfy the requirement through either EGL 300 - Advanced Writing or EGL 302 – Nonfiction Writing. Oceanography students fulfill this requirement via a major-specific course called EGL 301 - Project-Based Writing for Science. Students in any GWAR-certifying course must pass with a C- or above to receive credit.

Please note that students should be matriculated at the CSU campus where they satisfy the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR), although “certification of graduation writing competence shall be transferable from one CSU campus to another” (EO 0665 as revised). Unless a student has previously met this requirement at another CSU campus before transferring to Cal Maritime, they must satisfy the GWAR at Cal Maritime.

All GWAR certifying courses are offered through the Department of Culture and Communication. Questions about these courses or GWAR certification may be addressed to the chair, Dr. Colin Dewey (cdewey@csum.edu).

🌊 What is the Proteus Program?

In the summer of 2024, Cal Maritime Professor Amy Parsons and Associate Professor Sarah Senk were awarded a grant from the Teagle Foundation to fund the implementation of a new General Education program, “Proteus,” designed to integrate humanities-based inquiry within the technical and professional curriculum at Cal Maritime.

Proteus is an intentional pathway through your General Education (GE) courses at Cal Maritime. It lets you focus your GE classes around one of three areas: Maritime Culture, Environment & Sustainability, and Leadership and Global Citizenship - all while fulfilling graduation requirements you already have to take.

It takes no extra time and no extra classes; you’re just choosing to complete your GE requirements more intentionally, with a sense of purpose and direction.

List of Cal Maritime General Education Courses