General Education or GE is a program of courses in the arts and sciences that provides a broad educational experience. Courses are usually introductory in nature and provide students with fundamental skills and knowledge in English, arts, humanities, mathematics, social sciences, physical and biological sciences.

Both Associate and Bachelor degrees require some amount of General Education. Each institution has its own requirement for GE. For transfer students who are undecided about a major and undecided about a transfer school, the IGETC or the CSU General Education pattern may be a good pattern with which to start.

The General Education requirement for the Associate Degree can be satisfied by completion of any of the three GE options listed below.

IGETC - The Intersegmental General Education Transfer curriculum (IGETC) is a general education plan which community college transfer students can use to fulfill lower-division general education requirements to either the CSU or UC system. IGETC is intended for students who are undecided as to where they will transfer and want to keep their options open. It is not advisable for all majors (especially those with extensive lower-division major preparation, i.e. engineering).

CSU GE Pattern - A general education plan which community college transfer students can use to fulfill lower-division general education requirements to the CSU campuses (but not the UC campuses). Santa Rosa Junior College can certify that a student has completed 39 units of lower-division general education by completing this pattern of courses.

Associate Degree General Education - A general education plan that is similar to, but less extensive than the CSU or IGETC plans. Every community college has its own general education requirements. This pattern does not satisfy GE requirements for transfer.