American River College to UC Berkeley
Mechanical Engineering Transfer Plan
ARC has a match for every one of UC Berkeley's 10 Mechanical Engineering prep courses, so you can finish all of the listed prep at ARC. Start with MATH 370 and ENGL C1000.
From
American River College
To
UC Berkeley
Mechanical EngineeringMajor Requirements
Mechanical Engineering Major Preparation
Courses at American River College that satisfy UC Berkeley's Mechanical Engineering major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at American River College | Satisfies at UC Berkeley | Units |
|---|---|---|
| CHEM 400 — General Chemistry I | CHEM 1A, CHEM 1AL | 5 |
| MATH 400 — Calculus I | MATH 51 — Calculus I | 5 |
| MATH 420 + MATH 401 — Differential Equations + Calculus II | MATH 52 — Calculus II | 9 |
| MATH 402 — Calculus III | MATH 53 — Multivariable Calculus | 5 |
| MATH 420 + MATH 410 — Differential Equations + Introduction to Linear Algebra | MATH 54 — Linear Algebra and Differential Equations | 7 |
| PHYS 410 — Mechanics of Solids and Fluids | PHYSICS 7A — Physics for Scientists and Engineers | 5 |
| PHYS 431 + PHYS 421 — Heat, Waves, Light and Modern Physics + Electricity and Magnetism | PHYSICS 7B — Physics for Scientists and Engineers | 8 |
| ENGL C1000 or ENGL C1000H — Academic Reading and Writing | Courses that satisfy Reading & Composition A | 3 |
| ENGWR 301 (or another listed option) — College Composition and Literature | Courses that satisfy Reading & Composition B | 3 |
| BIOL 410 (or another listed option) — Principles of Botany | BIOLOGY 1A, BIOLOGY 1AL (choose 1) | 5 |
| (BIOL 400 and BIOL 410) or (BIOL 415 and BIOL 400) — Principles of Biology | BIOLOGY 1B — General Biology (Plant Form & Function, Ecology, Evolution) (choose 1) | 5 |
| CHEM 401 — General Chemistry II | CHEM 1B — General Chemistry (choose 1) | 5 |
| CHEM 420 — Organic Chemistry I | CHEM 3A, CHEM 3AL (choose 1) | 5 |
| CHEM 421 — Organic Chemistry II | CHEM 3B, CHEM 3BL (choose 1) | 5 |
| PHYS 421 + PHYS 431 — Electricity and Magnetism + Heat, Waves, Light and Modern Physics | PHYSICS 7C — Physics for Scientists and Engineers (choose 1) | 8 |
| No ARC match | ENGIN 7 — Introduction to Computer Programming for Scientists and Engineers (MATLAB) (recommended) | — |
| No ARC match | ENGIN 26 — Three-Dimensional Modeling for Design (recommended) | — |
| No ARC match | ENGIN 29 — Manufacturing and Design Communication (recommended) | — |
| No ARC match | MEC ENG 40 — Thermodynamics (recommended) | — |
| No ARC match | MEC ENG C85 — Introduction to Solid Mechanics (recommended) | — |
Courses with no equivalent must be taken at UC Berkeley after transfer. Factor this into your first-year course plan.
General Education
Foundation GE at American River College
UC Berkeley's Mechanical Engineering program uses its own GE pattern (see note below), but these five American River College courses cover foundation requirements every UC accepts. Start here.
BIOL 300
The Foundations of Biology
CHEM 305
Introduction to Chemistry
HIST 300
History of Europe and the Mediterranean to 1500
ENGL C1000
Academic Reading and Writing
ENGL C1001
Critical Thinking and Writing
| Area | Course at American River College | Units |
|---|---|---|
Life Science | BIOL 300 — The Foundations of Biology | 3 |
Physical Science | CHEM 305 — Introduction to Chemistry | 5 |
Humanities | HIST 300 — History of Europe and the Mediterranean to 1500 | 3 |
English CompositionCCN | ENGL C1000 — Academic Reading and Writing | 3 |
Critical ThinkingCCN | ENGL C1001 — Critical Thinking and Writing | 3 |
UC Berkeley Mechanical Engineering: full GE notes
Skip IGETC and Cal-GETC for this major: Berkeley Engineering won't accept them, though De Anza's two composition courses are still required.
4 semesters minimum for MATH 370 onward
MATH 370 through MATH 420: 4 courses, each needing the one before, so 4 semesters minimum. Start MATH 370 in your first semester. Placing higher shortens it.
Preview
Your First Semester
A preview of what Transfermatic generates — exact courses, in the right order, every semester.
Watch Out
Common Mistakes for This Transfer Path
ARC covers all 10 listed courses
Every UC Berkeley Mechanical Engineering prep course in the transfer agreement has a ARC match, so none of the listed prep has to wait. Take them all before you apply.
Start with MATH 370 and ENGL C1000
MATH 370 and ENGL C1000 sit at the start of their sequences for this route, so they fit your first semester.
What UC Berkeley looks for
Admitted engineering transfers cannot change majors within the college.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What classes should I take at ARC for UC Berkeley Mechanical Engineering?
CHEM 400, MATH 400, MATH 420, MATH 401, MATH 402, MATH 410 and PHYS 410, plus the rest in the table above. Together they match 10 of the 10 prep courses UC Berkeley lists for Mechanical Engineering.
What doesn't ARC cover for UC Berkeley Mechanical Engineering?
Nothing in the transfer agreement. Every UC Berkeley Mechanical Engineering prep course listed has a ARC match.
Does ARC MATH 400 transfer to UC Berkeley?
Yes, for Mechanical Engineering. ARC MATH 400 (Calculus I) is the match for UC Berkeley MATH 51 (Calculus I) in the transfer agreement.
What should I take first at ARC for UC Berkeley Mechanical Engineering?
MATH 370 and ENGL C1000. They sit at the start of their sequences.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
American River College students transferring to UC Berkeley for Mechanical Engineering can match 10 of 10 lower-division prep courses at ARC, including CHEM 400 and MATH 400. Every listed course has a American River College equivalent in the 2025-2026 agreement. MATH 370 and ENGL C1000 are good first-semester picks. On Transfermatic, put in American River College and UC Berkeley, and you get the classes you need for Mechanical Engineering, semester by semester.
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