We are excited for you to start your educational journey with us! In your first semester, connect with faculty and classmates, explore the opportunities San Francisco State has to offer and learn all you can about your degree requirements so you can stay on track for graduation. We know that more than a third of SF State first-time freshmen are the first in their families to attend college and we are ready to support you.
New First-Year Quick Links
First-Year Academics
If your goal is to graduate in four years, plan to reach the minimum 120 units to graduate by completing 30 units per year (including Advanced Placement/International Baccalaureate credit).
Example 1
15 units (Fall) + 15 units (Spring) = 30 units
Example 2
12 units (Fall) + 12 units (Spring) + 6 units (Summer) = 30 units
First-Year Academics
Learn more about academic preparation and placement for English/Written Composition courses and Math/Quantitative Reasoning courses.
Pathways appear on your student center as alerts and do not affect your ability to register for a semester. Learn more below!
Learn about First-Year English General Education requirement and how to choose the best course to satisfy the college-writing requirement.
Learn more via the buttons below!
Upon entry, all students who have not completed a college-level math course or a qualifying score on AP/IB will be placed into a college level math course or a college level math course with additional support. (Some majors will require additional math even if students bring in college-level Math or AP/IB scores).
Learn more via the buttons below!