Study Abroad Course Approval for GE, American Institutions, 100W, or PE

The Office of Undergraduate Education (UE) is authorized to approve study abroad courses to meet the following SJSU requirements:

General Education (GE)
American Institutions (US1, US2, US3)
Writing in the Disciplines (100W)
Physical Education (PE)

How to Request Course Approval

To begin the approval process, please email undergraduate-education@sjsu.edu and include the following:

Full Name (First [Preferred] and Last)
SJSU ID Number
Host University and Country
List of Courses You Plan to Take Abroad
- Include the course titles and specify which requirement each course should fulfill (e.g., Area D/4, US1, PE, etc.)
Course Syllabus for Each Course
- Attach a syllabus (PDF preferred) or provide a link to an official course description or syllabus.

What Happens Next

Once your request is reviewed:

UE will initiate the Academic Approval Form (AAF).
You will receive the form via DocuSign in a separate email.
Please retain the finalized form for your Study Abroad records.

Note: Courses worth fewer than 3 semester units require an additional approved course in the same area to fully satisfy the GE requirement.

Pre-Approved Courses by Continent

Sample Email to Undergraduate Education
- Subject: Study Abroad GE Approval Process
  
  Dear Undergraduate Education,
  
  My name is Sammy Spartan (000000001). I plan to study at Yonsei University, South Korea (Spring 2026)
  
  Here are the courses I am planning to take for GE credit:
  - Korean Food and Culture, IEE2084 - seeking Area 3C/C2 credit
  - Table Tennis, UCL1112 - seeking PE credit
  - Society Class and Issue of Inequality, SOC6565 -seeking Area UD3/V credit
  Course syllabus (or links) attached, or course description (in English)
  
  Subject: Study Abroad GE Approval Process
  
  Sammy (preferred Sam) Spartan, 000000001
  Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), South Korea, Spring 2026
  Understanding Asian Culture, ISSS3231
  Area UD3 (V) approval
  Course syllabus attached
Upper division GE (SJSU Studies) and 100W (GWAR) approval requirements
- 1. Must have upper-division standing
  
  Students with less than 60 (UE) units completed, need to file the "Request to enroll in SJSU Studies with Less Than 60 Units Completed" form.
  
  2. Completion of Area A3 (or second Area A2) with a grade of C- or better.

Content Requirement (by Area)

Area	Content Requirement
PE	Physical Education courses need to be activities/labs not lectures
US1	Focus on U.S. History (at least 100 years)
US2	Focus on American Politics or Government
US3	Focus on California Politics or Government and History
GE Area 1A (A1)	English Oral Communication (formerly area A1)
GE Area 1C (A2)	English writing, with special attention to the nature of writing at the university (formerly area A2)
GE Area 1B (A3)	English Language Critical Thinking and Writing (formerly area A3)
GE Area 5A (B1)	Focus on laws of thermodynamics; structure of matter; interaction of matter and energy; behavior of physical systems through time; systems of classification; and physical processes of the natural environment (formerly area B1).
GE Area 5B (B2)	Focus on structures and functions of living organisms; levels of organization of living systems, from atom to planet; strategies for survival and reproduction; patterns of evolution; principles of genetics, including the basis for variation; and interaction of organisms and their natural environment (formerly area B2).
GE Area 5C (B3)	Focus on lab; experimental methodology and hypothesis testing (formerly area B3).
GE Area 2 (B4)	Focus on Mathematical Concepts and Quantitative Reasoning (formerly area B4)
GE Area 3A (C1)	Focus on Visual Arts, Architecture, Music, Dance, Theater, and Film (formerly area C1)
GE Area 3B (C2)	Focus on philosophical, historical, literary, aesthetic, cultural importance, and language: other than English (formerly area C2)
GE Area 4 (D)	Focus in the understanding of human behavior and social interaction in the context of value systems, economic structures, political institutions, social groups, and natural environments (formerly area D)
GE Area E	Human development (infancy, childhood, adulthood) and its physiological, psychological and sociocultural contexts (discontinued after Fall 2025)
GE Area 6 (F)	NOT APPROVED TO BE TAKEN ABROAD (formerly area F)
GE Area UD 3 (V)	Focus in Cultures and Global Understanding examine multiple aspects of human expression in cultures and societies outside the U.S. and considered upper-division course
GE Area UD 4 (S)	Focus on interrelationships of individuals, racial groups, and cultural groups to understand and appreciate issues of diversity, inclusion, inequalities, and justice in the United States and considered upper-division course
GE Area UD 2/5 (R)	Focus courses on the scientific method and quantitative reasoning to explore the relationship between humans and the natural environment. An upper-division GE course
WID (100W)	Should focus on emphasis on critical thinking and be an upper division intensive writing course (formerly area Z)

Minimum Writing Requirement (by Area)
- GE Area 1A (formerly A1) has a minimum writing requirement of 6,000 words
  
  GE Area 1B (formerly A3) has a minimum writing requirement of 6,000 words
  
  GE Area 1C (formerly A2) has a minimum writing requirement of 1,500 words
  
  GE Area UD 2/5 (formerly R) require a minimum of 3,000 words
  
  GE Area UD 3 (formerly V) require a minimum of 3,000 words
  
  GE Area UD 4 (formerly S) require a minimum of 3,000 words
  
  Writing in the Disciplines (WID) (100W) requires a minimum of 8000 words

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)

What are the course numbering for Study Abroad courses?
Lower division courses are given a course number of 092 (e.g., JPN 092), upper division courses are given a course number of 192 (e.g., JPN 192), and graduate level courses are given the course number 292 (e.g. JPN 292).
Is approval for a specific SJSU GE course?
approval is NOT for a specific SJSU GE course, only for GE Area.
What happens if a course is less than 3 units?
Courses that are fewer than 3 semester units, will need additional course(s) approved to fulfill the GE area unit requirement.
The host campus does not have syllabi available, what can I send to have the course(s) reviewed?
If the syllabus is not available students must email course description(s).
My approved course is was not offered (or unable to enroll in it), can UE approved a different course?
Yes, students will need to email UE with the new course information and syllabus.