Decoding Your Sacramento State Diploma: A Comprehensive Guide

California State University, Sacramento (Sacramento State), a public university with a rich history and a forward-looking vision, awards degrees to thousands of students annually. Understanding the intricacies of your Sacramento State diploma, from degree requirements to display options, is essential for graduates and their families. This guide provides a comprehensive overview of everything you need to know about your Sacramento State diploma.

A Legacy of Education: From Sacramento State College to Sacramento State

The journey of Sacramento State began in 1947, born from a pressing need for higher education following World War II. Initially named Sacramento State College, the institution shared space with Sacramento Junior College, teaching its first semester of classes to 235 students. In 1972, the school officially became California State University, Sacramento. While the formal name remains California State University, Sacramento, the university formally adopted Sacramento State as its primary name in 2004.

Sacramento State: A Hub of Diversity and Achievement

Sacramento State enrolls approximately 30,100 students annually and has an alumni base of more than 290,000. The university is federally recognized as a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) and an Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institution (AANAPISI). Its commitment to diversity extends further, as the California Legislative Assembly recognized it as the first Black-Serving Institution (BSI) in the state.

Degree Requirements at Sacramento State: A Foundation for Success

Earning a baccalaureate degree from Sacramento State requires fulfilling specific requirements across several categories. These requirements ensure that graduates possess a well-rounded education and are prepared for future success.

General Education Requirements: Building a Holistic Foundation

All undergraduate students must complete a minimum of 43 units of General Education (GE) courses. The Sacramento State General Education Program aims to provide students with a broad understanding of various disciplines, fostering critical thinking, cultural awareness, and a lifelong love of learning. The program is designed to educate students in a holistic sense, helping them build the foundation for a life. Students should actively seek subject areas that are new and may challenge their world-views or cherished assumptions and offer new experiences, such as inquiry-based or community-based learning.

Read also: Accreditation Details

The goal of a university education is not simply the acquisition and application of knowledge, but the creation of people who firmly grasp the worth of clear thinking and know how to do it. This includes understanding and appreciating the differences between peoples and cultures as well as their similarities, having a sense of history and social forces, expressing thought clearly, possessing quantitative ability, knowing something about the arts as well as how to enjoy them, and being able to talk and think intelligently about the physical and life sciences, the humanities, and literature. Above all, graduates should have the desire and capability for learning.

GE courses are designed to help students:

Gain a significant and useful understanding of peoples from a diversity of cultures and backgrounds, including women and ethnic and other minority groups.
Develop knowledge of human cultures and the physical and natural world through study in the sciences and mathematics, social sciences, humanities, histories, languages, and the arts.
Foster understanding of and respect for those who are different from oneself and the ability to work collaboratively with those who come from diverse cultural backgrounds.

General education requirements include six areas (1-6) in which you must take courses (Area Requirements) and, a nine-unit upper division requirement. Some courses that satisfy an Area Requirement may also satisfy a Graduation Requirement or a major requirement.

Major and Minor Requirements: Specializing Your Knowledge

In addition to General Education, students must complete a specific number and pattern of courses in one or more academic departments, which is defined as a major. Major requirements vary from a minimum of 24 units to a maximum of 105 units. Majors for the Bachelor of Arts require a minimum of 12 upper division units, while majors for the Bachelor of Science require a minimum of 18 upper division units. Students may complete the requirements for two or more majors concurrently, leading to the same baccalaureate degree.

For the Bachelor of Science degree, a major requires a minimum of 36 non-overlapping units of which 18 must be upper division.

Other Graduation Requirements: Ensuring a Well-Rounded Education

Beyond GE and major requirements, several other requirements must be met to graduate from Sacramento State:

Minimum Units: A minimum of 120 semester units is required for graduation. Some majors may require additional units.
Upper Division Units: Completion of at least 39 of the total units must be in junior and senior level courses numbered 100-199 at Sacramento State. At least 30 of the total units must be taken on the Sacramento State campus. A minimum of 24 of these units must be upper division, including at least 12 upper division units in the major (except for Business, English, and Psychology which require 15 units).
American Institutions: Completion of coursework in American history, the U.S. Constitution, and California state and local government is required for graduation. Up to three units of the American Institutions Graduation Requirement may also satisfy a GE Area 4 Requirement.
Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR): All undergraduate students must satisfy the GWAR to graduate. The GWAR is satisfied by completing a designated upper division Writing Intensive (WI) course with a grade of C- or better. All WI courses have a prerequisite that can be met either by submitting a Writing Placement for Juniors Portfolio (WPJ) or by completing ENGL 109W or ENGL 109M. Students who choose Portfolio placement will be asked to submit samples of their college level writing from courses they've completed. Based on a review of that work, a pathway to a WI course, and to the GWAR, will be recommended.
Foreign Language Requirement: Undergraduate students are required to meet a foreign language requirement for the baccalaureate degree. The policy requires proficiency to be demonstrated at a level comparable to the second semester of college level language, including American Sign Language (ASL). However, some Bachelor of Science high unit majors have been given an exemption from the Foreign Language Requirement. Those programs will be so noted in their catalog section.
Race and Ethnicity in American Society: All students must complete a three-unit course designated as meeting the Race and Ethnicity in American Society requirement. Courses meeting this requirement may also be used to satisfy the University's G.E. Area 3 or 4 requirements. Transfer students may satisfy this requirement at a community college, upon completion of an appropriate course. Courses meeting this requirement taken at Sac State by G.E.-certified students may be used to satisfy portions of the G.E. residence requirement and, in the case of approved upper division courses, the G.E.

Catalog Rights: Protecting Your Academic Path

Undergraduate students maintaining attendance in any combination of California community colleges and campuses of the California State University receive “catalog rights” in the election of regulations determining graduation requirements. Attendance is defined as enrollment in at least one semester or two quarters in each calendar year. While catalog rights hold degree requirements, they do not shield students from changes in prerequisites required in a given course. Prerequisite requirements, which all students must follow, are those stated in course descriptions in the current catalog. The only exceptions to this are in cases in which the addition of course prerequisites also increases the number of units required in the major and minor.

Postbaccalaureate Credit: Applying Excess Units to a Master's Degree

The University will allow Sacramento State undergraduate students to petition to receive postbaccalaureate credit for courses in excess of all undergraduate degree requirements (major, minor, general education, total units, residence) if they are taken in the semester of graduation and students have a cumulative GPA of 2.75 or better. No more than six units can be applied towards a master’s degree. If approved, credit will be designated as “graduate credit” toward a master’s degree or credential and is discounted from undergraduate statistics and honors calculations. Sacramento State students seeking approval to use excess units toward a master’s degree must submit a “Petition for Exception” to the Office of Graduate Studies during the last semester of undergraduate enrollment.

Applying for Graduation: A Step-by-Step Process

Students must apply for graduation to receive their Sacramento State diploma. Students are eligible to file a bachelor’s degree application one semester prior to graduation once they have completed a minimum of 85 units. After grades become available for the semester of requested graduation, the Graduation and Degree Advising Office will review the Graduation Evaluation for completion of all degree requirements. Those completing all requirements will have their degree major/minor and date of completion posted to their official academic transcript of record. Students attending graduation ceremonies do so as candidates for the degree. The degree is conferred only after all degree requirements have been completed, and the diploma and transcript of record reflect that semester’s graduation date. A student may not register for the semester following his/her intended graduation unless the intended degree date is canceled or changed, or the student has applied for and has been admitted to Sacramento State as a graduate student. Participation in the commencement ceremony does not constitute graduation.

Students who have fulfilled the degree residence requirements may be permitted to complete final requirements at other regionally accredited colleges or universities by petitioning to graduate “in-absentia.” Approval to graduate in absentia must be requested in advance. Major or minor course substitutions are to be approved by the appropriate academic departments, and general education courses must be approved through the Degree Evaluations Office.

Read also: Join Sacramento State

Second Bachelor's Degree: Expanding Your Horizons

Students who hold a bachelor’s degree from regionally accredited institutions of higher education may be admitted to a second bachelor's degree program. Potential applicants should be aware that CSU policy restricts admission of applicants to second and subsequent baccalaureate degrees to critical need areas such as nursing, science, engineering, mathematics, or integrated teacher education programs (ITEP).

Requirements for a second bachelor's degree include:

Complete the content requirements for the second degree as specified by the academic program.
Complete a minimum of 30 units in residence at Sacramento State beyond the first bachelor’s degree. Of the 30 units, 24 must be upper division in the major.
Submit a graduation application with approval from the department chair of the major in which they seek the degree.

Second bachelor’s degree candidates are expected to achieve a minimum Sacramento State and overall cumulative grade point average of 2.5 each semester to maintain good academic standing, the same as unclassified graduate students. Students are subject to academic probation the first term the student's term and overall grade point average is below 2.5. While on academic probation, if the student's subsequent term and overall grade point remain below a 2.5, the student will be academically disqualified. Students who meet grade point average requirements stated above will be placed on Academic Warning if they earn a "NC", No Credit, grade in a semester.

Displaying Your Achievement: Diploma Frames and More

After walking at your commencement ceremony and making lasting memories, don't forget to showcase your major achievement in a California State University Sacramento Diploma Frame. Each Sacramento State degree frame is built by a team of expert craftsmen.

Choosing the Right Frame: Protecting and Showcasing Your Diploma

When you order a California State Sacramento gift, you're investing in a custom frame that'll showcase your achievement while keeping it safe. If you don't know your California State University Sacramento diploma size, choose your graduation year at checkout so the frame can be crafted to perfectly fit your document.

Customization Options: Creating a Unique Display

Choose your Sacramento State degree frame from a store or customize a one-of-a-kind frame with Create-A-Frame ® tools. Your California State University Sacramento diploma deserves an eye-catching display that keeps it well-preserved.

Graduation Gifts: Celebrating Success

California State University Sacramento frames make the perfect gift for a commencement ceremony and new alumni.

Frequently Asked Questions by California State Sacramento Alumni

Do you sell frames to highlight my master's from California State University Sacramento? Yes! The frames are designed to draw attention to your master's degree while keeping it safe and well-displayed for years to come.
What can I do with my graduation tassel after commencement? Preserve your memorabilia alongside your valuable degree in a California State Sacramento diploma frame with tassel. With a shadow box section built into your frame, you can display your school pride alongside your document.
What should I do with my California State Sacramento stole from commencement? Preserve it in a shadow box frame! Symbols of your big day and significant accomplishments should hang on the wall where graduates can reminisce and remind themselves of their hard work. Shadow box frames from Church Hill Classics are the perfect way to frame regalia!
What if I can't find exactly what I want on the gift shop page for California State University Sacramento? Each and every one of the frames are custom-made as soon as the order is received. Everything is made by hand, which means anything can be customized!
What kind of glass does my California State Sacramento diploma frame come with? Each frame comes with clear standard glass. However, customers can upgrade to conservation UV-protective glass, or a combination of conservation and reflection control glass. These high-quality glass options prevent yellowing, reduce glare, and make sure that dust, dirt, and insects are blocked from reaching your precious degree.
Do you offer any California State University Sacramento diploma frames with expedited shipping? Yes! Select Fast-Ship diploma frames for California State University Sacramento graduates are ready to ship within 2-3 business days of your order. Featuring most popular frame styles, fast-ship options are perfect for a last-minute college graduation gift.

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