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About the Student Education Plan (SEP)
What is an SEP?
An SEP includes all the courses required to complete a certificate program, degree program, and or transfer. It may also be referred to as a Comprehensive Student Educational Plan (CSEP).
Educational plans are created in Starfish Degree Planner and accessible to students online.
Who Needs an SEP?
All students should create an education plan that reflects their personal goals at Bakersfield College, and beyond, during their first semester of attendance. The plan can be modified when academic goals change or are solidified.
Why is an SEP Important?
- Saves students time and money by providing a clear and direct path to completion.
- Allows a student to qualify for priority registration.
- Guides students in their semester registration.
- Clarifies all the requirements for the program and goal of the student.
- Helps students stay focused on completing their goals.
- A plan is required for students receiving federal or state financial aid.
Choosing a Major
A major is a specific area of study in which a student chooses to specialize. It can also be referred to as a Program of Study.
If your goal includes transferring to a university after completing courses at Bakersfield College, it is best to declare a major at Bakersfield College that aligns with the major you plan to declare at the university. You can prepare to transfer into virtually any major at any university. To narrow down the options, students often begin to select their major by one of the following techniques:
You have an idea of a career field you want to enter:
You can find majors that are related to, or can prepare you for, the career field you want to enter. Majors and career fields are not always “perfectly matched”. For example, to go to law school or medical school, any major may be selected. Yet, someone who wants to be a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), should major in Business Administration or Business economics to ensure they take the correct courses required for their license. Knowing your intended career field can help narrow your options.
Research possible career pathways:
Visit the Virtual BC Career Center, Career Cafe, or take Student Development (STDV) B2, a career decision making course at BC.
You know what university you want to attend:
You can select from the list of majors at the university you wish to attend. Use the CSU Degree Search to explore the 23 California State University campuses and the UC Degree Search to explore the 9 University of California campuses. Los Medanos College also has an excellent Transfer Major Explorer to search available majors.
You're unsure about a particular major of interest:
Try taking a general education class in the major and see how you like it. Students often select their major based simply on the courses that are the most interesting to them.
Descriptions of the most popular majors in California
Read descriptions of the most popular majors in the Western US states.
Creating an Educational Plan
You're Unsure of Major/Educational Goal
If you are unsure of your major or education goal, register for Student Development B2 (STDV B2), a 2-unit career development and education planning course. You can attend major and career workshops or visit the BC Virtual Career Center and/or the Career Café to take part in free career decision-making assessments.
You've Declared Your Major
You can create your education plan by doing one of the following:
Register for a Student Development course.
- STDV B1 – Educational Planning (1unit)
- STDV B2 – Lifelong Learning and Career Planning (2 units)
- STDV B6 – Tools for College Success (3 units)
Schedule a counseling appointment to complete your Comprehensive Student Education Plan (CSEP).
Step 1: Select the general education pattern you intend to follow.
- BC general education (BCGE) for an Associate degree only. BCGE cannot be used with an Associate Degree for Transfer (AA-T or AS-T)
- CSU general education breadth for CSU transfer.
- IGETC for UC, CSU, private, or out-of-state transfer.
- Certificate programs do not require completion of general education courses.
Step 2: Review general education courses required and highlight those you have already taken or in which you are currently enrolled. Read the course descriptions in the Bakersfield College catalog and choose the general education courses you still need to take.
Step 3: Review the courses needed for your majort.
Certificate and degree programs can be found in the Bakersfield College catalog.
If you plan to transfer to a CSU or UC, visit Assist to find the desirable major courses for transfer to the specific university you desire.
For private or out-of-state colleges and universities, visit the institution website to gather information on the school and programs available.
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