Summer School Options

Taking Courses At Another Four-year Institution Or At An Out-of-State Institution

To satisfy a General Education area or a major/support course at Cal Poly by taking a course at an out-of-state institution or at another four-year institution, you will need to get it approved prior to taking the course. We highly encourage you to read the brief overviews below and then contact the Mustang Success Center or your college advising center for clarification on the process.

For a General Education course

Identify the Cal Poly General Education area you would like to satisfy and become familiar with the courses offered within this area.

• GE Website
• Look for a course that has a very similar course description of the courses that satisfy the desired GE area at Cal Poly at the school you planning on attending.
• Once you have found an appropriate course description of a course that is being offered during the term you would like to take it, email evaluations@calpoly.edu to see if it will transfer.
  • Send the email from your CP email and please include the Cal Poly General Education area are you are trying to satisfy as well as the URL link to the course description of the course you identified at the other institution.
  • Cal Poly’s Evaluations Office will inform you as to whether or not the course will count, or if they need more information on the course/institution to provide an answer.

  For a Major or Support course

  1. Identify the course you would like to satisfy at Cal Poly.
  2. Read the course’s description at catalog.calpoly.edu under the “Courses A-Z” tab.
  3. Look for a course that has very similar course description at the desired institution.
     • The description should address nearly all of the same concepts as the course at Cal Poly.
  4. Once you have found the course and see that it is being offered at that school during the desired term, you will need to fill out a “Major/Support Substitution Form.”
     • Form for Major/Support substitution found at registrar.calpoly.edu/registrar_forms
     • Fill out the form, obtain the necessary signatures, and attach the course description. You will then wait to hear of approval. Please allow at least 2-3 weeks for this process.