The California Articulation Number (CAN) System is a cross-reference course numbering system designed to identify courses of comparable content, maintain standards of academic rigor for those courses, and insure their transfer between and among participating institutions. The System streamlines the articulation process by eliminating the need for every campus in the State to articulate their courses with every other campus in order to provide needed transfer and articulation information to prospective transfer students.
The System assures students that CAN courses on one participating campus will be accepted "in lieu of" the comparable CAN course on another participating campus. San José State University has qualified to use California Articulation Numbers (CANs) on the courses listed below.
All courses included in the number system are lower division, transferable courses commonly offered on most college campuses. Upper division and non-baccalaureate-level courses are not included in the System.
| CAN Number | San José State University Course |
| CAN AJ 2 | JS 10, Administration of Justice |
| CAN AJ 4 | JS 14, Concepts of Criminal Law |
| CAN AJ 8 | JS 20, Principles of Investigation |
| CAN ANTH 2 | Anth 12, Human Nature and Destiny I |
| CAN ANTH 4 | Anth 11, Cultural Anthropology |
| CAN ANTH 6 | Anth 13, Archaeology |
| CAN ART 2 | ArtH 70A, Prehistoric to Medieval |
| CAN ART 4 | ArtH 70B, Renaissance to Modern |
| CAN ART 6 | Art 46, Introduction to Ceramics |
| CAN ART 8 | Art 24, Beginning Drawing |
| CAN ART 10 | Art 61, Beginning Painting |
| CAN ART 12 | Art 68, Beginning Sculpture |
| CAN ART 16 | Art 13, Three-Dimensional Design Concepts |
| CAN ART 18 | Phot 40, Beginning Photography |
| CAN ART 26 | Art 47, Introduction to Metalsmithing |
| CAN BIOL SEQ-A | Biol 1+2+3, General Biology |
| CAN BIOL 4 | Biol 2, General Zoology |
| CAN BIOL 6 | Biol 1, General Botany |
| CAN BUS 2 | Bus 20, Financial Accounting |
| CAN BUS 4 | Bus 21, Managerial Accounting |
| CAN BUS 12 | Bus 80, Legal Environment of Business |
| CAN CHEM 12 | Chem 55, Quantitative Analysis |
| CAN CHEM SEQ-A | Chem 1A-B, General Chemistry |
| CAN DRAM 6 | TA 15, Voice and Diction |
| CAN DRAM 14 | TA 64, Makeup for Stage, Television and Film |
| CAN DRAM 18 | TA 10, Theatre Appreciation |
| CAN ECON 2 | Econ 1A, Principles of Economics: Macroeconomics |
| CAN ECON 4 | Econ 1B, Principles of Economics: Microeconomics |
| CAN ENGL 2 | Engl 1A, Composition |
| CAN ENGL 6 | Engl 71, Creative Writing |
| CAN ENGL 8 | Engl 56A, English Literature |
| CAN ENGL 10 | Engl 56B, English Literature |
| CAN ENGL 14 | Engl 68A, American Literature |
| CAN ENGL 16 | Engl 68B, American Literature |
| CAN ENGR 8 | CE 99, Statics |
| CAN ENGR 10 | CE 8, Plane Surveying |
| CAN ENGR 12 | EE 98, Introduction to Circuit Analysis |
| CAN FREN 2 | Fren 1A, Elementary French |
| CAN FREN 4 | Fren 1B, Elementary French |
| CAN GEOG 2 | Geog 1, Physical Geography |
| CAN GEOG 4 | Geog 10, Cultural Geography |
| CAN GERM 2 | Germ 1A, Elementary German |
| CAN GERM 4 | Germ 1B, Elementary German |
| CAN GERM SEQ-B | Germ 25A+25B Intermediate German |
| CAN GOVT 2 | PolS 1, American Government |
| CAN HIST 2 | Hist 10A, Western Civilization |
| CAN HIST 4 | Hist 10B, Western Civilization |
| CAN HIST 8 | Hist 20A, History of the American People |
| CAN HIST 10 | Hist 20B, History of the American People |
| CAN ITAL 2 | Ital 1A, Elementary Italian |
| CAN ITAL 4 | Ital 1B, Elementary Italian |
| CAN JAPN 2 | Japn 1A, Elementary Japanese |
| CAN JAPN 4 | Japn 1B, Elementary Japanese |
| CAN JOUR 2 | Jour 61, Writing for Print, Electronic and Online Media |
| CAN MATH 12 | Math 70, Finite Mathematics |
| CAN MATH 18 | Math 30, Calculus I |
| CAN MATH 20 | Math 31, Calculus II |
| CAN MATH 22 | Math 32, Calculus III |
| CAN PHIL 2 | Phil 10, Introduction to Philosophy |
| CAN PHIL 4 | Phil 61, Moral Issues |
| CAN PHIL 6 | Phil 57, Logic and Critical Reasoning |
| CAN PHIL 8 | Phil 70A, History of Ancient/Medieval |
| CAN PHIL 10 | Phil 70B, History of Renaissance/Modern |
| CAN PHYS SEQ-A | Phys 2A-B, Fundamentals of Physics |
| CAN PHYS SEQ-B | Phys 50,51,52, General Physics Series |
| CAN STAT 2 | STAT 95, Elementary Statistics |
| CAN REC 2 | Rec 90, Foundations of Leisure and Recreation |
| CAN RUSS SEQ-A | Russ 1A,1B Elementary Russian |
| CAN SOC 2 | Soc 1, Introduction to Sociology |
| CAN SOC 4 | Soc 80, Social Problems |
| CAN SPAN 2 | Span 1A, Elementary Spanish |
| CAN SPAN 4 | Span 1B, Elementary Spanish |
| CAN SPAN SEQ-B | Span 25A,25B Intermediate Spanish |
| CAN SPCH 4 | Comm 20, Public Speaking |
| CAN SPCH 6 | Comm 40, Argumentation and Advocacy |
