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Transfer Course Criteria for

Art and Design


Along with the general selection criteria, every major has required and recommended coursework for transfer students to have completed in order to be considered competitive during the selection process.

Required Courses

Before applying to a major, you should successfully complete or be in the process of completing the required courses to maximize (but not guarantee) your chance of selection. You must complete these units by the spring of the term before your intended fall enrollment to receive consideration during the selection process.

Desired Courses

Because Cal Poly is highly impacted and selection to all majors is very competitive, desired courses should also be successfully completed or in progress when you apply for admission.

Evaluating Your Courses

All the courses listed are Cal Poly Courses. You can use www.assist.org to identify the course equivalencies between Cal Poly and the California Community Colleges. Be sure to use the corresponding academic year in which you completed the course. If you are out-of-state or a transfer student from another four-year institution, you may have to compare your catalog course descriptions with Cal Poly’s catalog to identify the equivalent courses. Cal Poly is unable to evaluate transcripts for you prior to selection.

Course Listings

Fall 2024

Required Courses

English Language Communication and Critical Thinking

  • Oral Communication
  • Written Communication/English Composition
  • Critical Thinking


Mathematics

  • MATH 112/The Nature of Modern Mathematics
    or any CSU GE Area B4 Mathematics or Statistics course


Major Related

Select two of the following four courses:

  • ART 101/Fundamentals of Drawing
  • ART 102/Art and Design Foundation Studies I
  • ART 104/Art and Design Foundation Studies III
  • ART 212/ART History—Renaissance through Baroque Eras​​​​​


Desired Courses


Arts, Literature, Philosophy, and Foreign Languages

  • Any CSU GE Area C course

Literature/Philosophy course strongly encouraged as preparation for the analytical reading that typifies upper-division major and GE courses in the College of Liberal Arts.

Major Related 

  • ART 209/Beginning Painting
  • ART 224/Introduction to Artificial Lighting for Photography

Any major course not taken for required major courses above:

  • ART 101/Fundamentals of Drawing
  • ART 102/Art and Design Foundation Studies I
  • ART 104/Art and Design Foundation Studies III
  • ART 212/ART History—Renaissance through Baroque Eras​​​​​
Fall 2025

Required Courses

English Language Communication and Critical Thinking

  • Oral Communication
  • Written Communication/English Composition
  • Critical Thinking


Mathematics

  • MATH 112/The Nature of Modern Mathematics
    or any CSU GE Area B4 Mathematics or Statistics course


Major Related

Select two of the following four courses:

  • ART 101/Fundamentals of Drawing
  • ART 102/Art and Design Foundation Studies I
  • ART 104/Art and Design Foundation Studies III
  • ART 212/ART History—Renaissance through Baroque Eras​​​​​


Desired Courses


Arts, Literature, Philosophy, and Foreign Languages

  • Any CSU GE Area C course

Literature/Philosophy course strongly encouraged as preparation for the analytical reading that typifies upper-division major and GE courses in the College of Liberal Arts.

Major Related 

  • ART 209/Beginning Painting
  • ART 224/Introduction to Artificial Lighting for Photography

Any major course not taken for required major courses above:

  • ART 101/Fundamentals of Drawing
  • ART 102/Art and Design Foundation Studies I
  • ART 104/Art and Design Foundation Studies III
  • ART 212/ART History—Renaissance through Baroque Eras​​​​​

All information is subject to change without prior notice.