Staff Resources

Fall Class Options available now!

Non-Metro specific sections:

For students who have chosen not to register in a support section: Statistics/Non-STEM Area 2/B4 stand-alone sections

For students who have chosen to register in a support section: Statistics/Non-STEM Area 2/B4 with support paired sections

Executive Order 1110 addressed some of the historic inequities related college preparation by removing remedial math and English courses that didn’t count for credit and replaced them with a system of college-level math and English courses with support.  Student placement into these courses, instead of relying on a single, high-stakes test, are now determined by multiple measures (test scores, grades, high school course work, and supplemental advising exercises), giving students multiple ways to demonstrate their current skills and choose the best courses for their success. All courses now count toward the 120 units required to graduate.

Area 2/B4 Advising Cheat Sheet FA26

Highlights:

• MATH 124 sections 40-49 REQUIRE concurrent enrollment in MATH 123 no matter the student's pathway.
  • This is hardcoded into the system.

Standard overview: 

• Students are encouraged to complete the First-Year Math Advising (FYMA/DSP) exercise at mathadvising.sfs.edu to help them decide which version of the 2/B4 is best for them.
  • Although advisors should communicate that students are expected to complete the DSP exercise, you are not responsible for enforcing compliance.
  • Continuing students are also eligible to take the DSP.
  • If a student chooses not to complete the DSP exercise, they should follow their pathway when choosing their Area 2/B4 course:
    • Pathway 1: No Area 2/B4 course needed (certain majors may require further math classes)
    • Pathway 2: Single semester stand-alone Area 2/B4 course appropriate for their major
    • Pathway 3: Either single stand-alone Area 2/B4 course or a supported version   appropriate for their major.
    • Pathway 4: Recommended Stretch course if on Calculus track, support section if on Statistics track depending on their major.
• It is strongly encouraged for a student to complete their Area 2/B4 by the end of their first year. If they are unable to complete the requirement in fall or spring, some Area 2/B4 courses are offered during the summer
• Only students on pathways 3 or 4 are eligible to take the stretch versions of the Calculus courses (107/108 or 197/198)
• MATH 123 is a 1 unit (CR/NC) support course that can be paired with MATH 124, ISED 160, and PSY 171.
  • MATH 124 sections 40-49 REQUIRE concurrent enrollment in MATH 123

Patterns: 

STEM Area 2/B4 Offered

• MATH 197 – pathway 3 or 4 only
  • MATH 198 (2/B4)
• MATH 199 (2/B4)
• MATH 226 (2/B4) (Instructors may ask students to see their high school transcripts if they use high school coursework to fulfill prereqs)
  • Prerequisite: One of the following: MATH 198 or MATH 199 or equivalent with a grade of C or better; or MATH 226 or equivalent with a grade of C- or lower; or high school pre-calculus with B or better; or high school calculus with a grade of C or better.

Business Area 2/B4 Offered

• MATH 107 – pathway 3 or 4 only
  • MATH 108 (2/B4)
• MATH 110 (2/B4)
• DS 110 (2/B4)

Other Area 2/B4 Offered**

• MATH 124
  • Some MATH 124 sections REQUIRE concurrent enrollment in MATH 123 (check class notes)
• MATH 124 with MATH 123 (ANY MATH 124 can be paired with ANY MATH 123)
• ISED 160
• ISED 160 with MATH 123 (ANY section of ISED 160 can go with any MATH 123)
• PSY 171
• PSY 171 with MATH 123 (ANY section of PSY 171 can go with any MATH 123)
• PHIL 111 (No support course available)
• HIST/IR/PHIL/PLSI 112 (No support course available)
• MATH 112 (No support course available)

Not offered this Fall:

• GEOG 203
• CSC 110

**Metro students who are NOT STEM and NOT Business will take ETHS 116 (supported) or ETHS 117 (stand-alone) as per their Ed plan.

Advisor Cheat Sheet for Fall 2026 1A/A2 options

Changes: 

• There are now 3 non-English Department 1A/A2 options
  • HIST 103
  • I R 205
  • MLL 150/SPAN 150
• CMS has updated their website with course descriptions in multiple languages here.
  • Languages available
    • Arabic
    • Chinese
    • Hindi
    • Japanese
    • Korean
    • Spanish
    • Tagalog
    • Tamil
    • Vietnamese
• ENG 106 will definitely not be offered in FA26, but we do not know yet whether or not it will be offered for SP27.
  
   

Overview: 

• Since the First-Year Writing Advising Module (WAM) is still not available, students should choose which class seems best for their needs but should keep in mind the CSU recommendations based on their Pathway:
  • Pathway 1 - No 1A/A2 course needed
    • Pathway 2 – Choose one:
      • ENG 114
      • HIST 103
      • I R 205
      • MLL 150/SPAN 150
      • ENG 209 (multi-lingual)
    • Pathway 3 – Choose from any 1A/A2 offering
    • Pathway 4 – ENG 104/105 (Stretch) or ENG 201 & ENG 202 (multi-lingual)
• For the full stretch experience, students must start in fall
  • Students who pass the first stretch class (ENG 104 or ENG 201) but do not pass the second (ENG 105 or ENG 202) have two potential options:
    • Take ENG 114 or ENG 209 and sign up for tutoring support in the next possible semester.
    • ENG 106, if offered, is a single semester class designed to support students who prefer the stretch option but were unable to complete the first half in the fall.
• It is strongly encouraged for a student to complete their 1A/A2 by the end of their first year. If they are unable to complete the requirement in fall or spring, ENG114 is offered during the summer. 

Classes:

• ENG 104-105 (stretch)
  • If a student fails or withdraws from ENG 104, they are eligible to take the spring version of ENG 106 in the spring if it is offered.   
• ENG 114 (Stand-Alone)
• ENG 106 (Supported) – not offered in FA26
• ENG 201-202 (multi-lingual stretch)
• ENG 209 (Stand-Alone)
  • CMS info: https://english.sfsu.edu/cms
  • CMS questions: Esther Chan and Robert Kohls are available for warm handoffs for students with CMS questions.
  • International Articulation Program Partners
• HIST 103 (Stand-Alone)
• IR 205 (Stand-Alone)
• MLL 150/SPAN 150 (Stand-Alone)

The Math Department supports students taking their Area 2/B4 course for a third time here at SF State only if there is enough seats available after all first and second attempt students have registered.  If a student would like to appeal to take a specific Area 2/B4 course for a third time, they should follow this procedure:

1. Students must wait until the start of the semester - the Chair will not review appeals before the first day of classes.
2. Student start by completing the college waiver.  Please note that this form no longer requires a permission code.
3. Once the semester has begun, the student should contact the Instructor of the section they would like to add, let them know it will be a third attempt, and ask if they can join the class.
4. If the course has a matched course (such as a 4th hour for 199, 226, 227, and 228, or a required co-requisite like 123), please also write that course on the waiver form.
5. If the Instructor(s) approve, they will send the form to the Department on the students behalf.

The English Department is supportive of students taking their 1A/A2 requirement for a third time here at SF State to help with continuity and stability.  Currently, it is expected that there will be enough seats available so students should follow this procedure:

1. During registration, the student should contact the Instructor of the section they would like to add, let them know it will be a third attempt, and ask if they can join the class.
2. If the Instructor agrees, they will give them a permission code to add the class.
3. The student will then complete the college waiver and email it to engdept@sfsu.edu for approval and processing. (They will accept the forwarded email from the Instructor as the Instructors signature).  Please note that form no longer requires a permission number.

Problem solving, quantitative awareness, reading and writing are all skills that, when practiced regularly, give individuals more power by increasing their effectiveness in analyzing situations, evaluating options, and communicating through complexity to represent truth(s). More immediate, by taking math and writing courses early in your college journey, you will increase your success in all other classes, since they ask you to employ these skills.