A student's General Education requirements are determined by the requirements in effect at the time of the student's matriculation to San Diego State University (SDSU) However, a student has the right to the General Education requirements in effect (1) at the time he or she began attendance at any California State University or California Community College, or (2) at the time of graduation. If a student wishes to graduate under these General Education requirements, rather than those in effect when they entered SDSU, he or she must make a formal request to this effect to Admissions and Records.

A student's major requirements are determined by the requirements in effect at the time the student declares that major. This can be at the time of admission to SDSU, in which case the student's General Education and major requirements fall under the same catalog year, or at a later time, in which case the student's General Education and major requirements would fall under different catalog years. However, a student has the right to the major requirements in effect (1) at the time he or she declared this major at any California State University or California Community College, or (2) at the time of graduation. If a student wishes to graduate under these major requirements, he or she must make a formal request to this effect to Admissions and Records.

Catalog rights are in effect as long as the student maintains continuous enrollment.

Continuous enrollment is defined as attendance in at least one semester or two quarters during a calendar year. A student who has been disqualified from the university will lose all catalog rights unless he or she enrolls immediately in a California Community College, SDSU Open University, or another California State University campus, in which case only General Education catalog rights are maintained. A disqualified student will lose catalog rights to his or her major.