Graduation Requirements
WEST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE | 2018 - 2020 CATALOG 60
Hebrew (Modern): 500/470
Italian: 500/520
Japanese with Listening: 500/510
Korean/Korean with Listening: not offered before
1995/500
Latin: 500/530
Spanish/Spanish with Listening: 500/520
• Achieve a score of 3, 4 or 5 on a College Board
Advanced Placement (AP) Examination in a
language other than English.
• Achieve a score of 5 or higher on an International
Baccalaureate (IB) Higher Level Examination in a
language other than English.
• Satisfactorily complete a proficiency test
administered by a community college, university or
other college in a language other than English. The
test must assess the student proficiency at a level
equivalent to at least two years of high school
language.
• Complete, with grades of C or better, two years of
formal schooling at the sixth-grade level or higher in
an institution where the language of instruction is
not English. If secondary school was completed in a
non-English-speaking country and the language of
instruction of the secondary school was not English,
language other than English proficiency can be
certified for IGETC without further evaluation. The
student must present appropriate documentation of
attendance at the secondary school.
• Earn a passing grade on the international A level or
O level exam in a language other than English.
• If an appropriate achievement test is not available
to assert a student’s proficiency in a language other
than English, a faculty member associated with a
California community college can verify
competency. The college must provide a document
on letterhead asserting that the student proficiency
in the language is equivalent to two years of high
school study.
IGETC Considerations
Students with a substantial amount of coursework from
institutions outside the United States should consult with
a West Los Angeles College counselor to determine
whether they should complete IGETC or the lower-
division breadth/general education requirements at the
campus they plan to attend.
Foreign coursework from non-US regionally accredited
institutions may not be used.
In addition, some colleges or majors prefer that transfer
students follow a more prescribed lower-division
curriculum.
Certification
Certification guarantees that no additional lower-division
general education courses can be imposed on a student
as a condition of graduation. “Certified” community
college students are deemed to have satisfied the lower-
division general education requirements of their chosen
transfer institution. “Uncertified” UC and CSU transfer
students will have their transfer coursework applied to
the graduation requirements of their new UC or CSU
campus, but will find that they must complete lower
division, general education units than are required of a
“certified” transfer. For this reason, “fully certified”
transfer is strongly recommended.
Courses completed at a California Community College
will be applied to the subject area in which they were
listed by the institution where the work was completed.
Coursework from other United States regionally
accredited institutions may be used on IGETC OR CSU
G.E. Coursework must be evaluated by a counselor.
Requirements should be completed and certified prior to
transfer. West Los Angeles College will verify that the
student has completed the IGETC requirements prior to
transfer to the UC or CSU system. It is the student’s
responsibility to request IGETC or CSU G.E certification
during the last semester of attendance.
Partial certification is defined as completing all but two
(2) courses on the IGETC pattern. The student petitions
for certification and either the complete or partial
certification is sent by the CCC to the UC or CSU. Each
UC or CSU campus will inform a student that has
submitted a partial certified IGETC of the specific
timelines and courses needed to complete the IGETC.
The UC or CSU is responsible for verifying that the
missing IGETC course(s) has been completed.
Warning: Students need Area 1 and 2 completed to meet
minimum transfer admission requirements. Therefore,
partial certification that acknowledges a deficiency in
Area 1 and/or 2 may also indicate a student
does not
meet minimum transfer requirements.
IGETC Certification
All IGETC coursework MUST be completed before a
student’s transfer to receive complete IGETC
Certification. Students may be partially certified under the
IGETC pattern if they are missing no more than two
courses from the IGETC pattern.
CSU Certification
The California State University (CSU) system will extend
Full Certification to students who have completed all
sections of the CSU General Education Pattern. Partial
Certification is awarded for completion of any of the five
general education subsections. CSU Certification should
be requested during your last semester.
