American River College to UC Berkeley
Political Science Transfer Plan
ARC has a match for 3 of UC Berkeley's 4 Political Science prep courses. POL SCI 3 has no ARC match, so plan for it before you apply.
From
American River College
To
UC Berkeley
Political ScienceMajor Requirements
Political Science Major Preparation
Courses at American River College that satisfy UC Berkeley's Political Science major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at American River College | Satisfies at UC Berkeley | Units |
|---|---|---|
| POLS C1000 or POLS C1000H — American Government and Politics | POL SCI 1 — Introduction to American Politics (choose 2) | 3 |
| POLS 302 — Comparative Politics | POL SCI 2 — Introduction to Comparative Politics (choose 2) | 3 |
| POLS 320 — Introduction to Political Theory | POL SCI 4 — Introduction to Political Theory (choose 2) | 3 |
| POLS 310 — Introduction to International Relations | POL SCI 5 — Introduction to International Relations (choose 2) | 3 |
| No ARC match | POL SCI 3 — Introduction to Empirical Analysis and Quantitative Methods | — |
| HIST 300 or HIST 480 — History of Europe and the Mediterranean to 1500 | HISTORY 4A — The Ancient Mediterranean World (choose 1) | 3 |
| HIST 300 or HIST 480 — History of Europe and the Mediterranean to 1500 | HISTORY 4B — Medieval Europe (choose 1) | 3 |
| HIST 302 or HIST 481 — History of Europe Since 1500 | HISTORY 5 — European Civilization From the Renaissance to the Present (choose 1) | 3 |
| HIST 364 or HIST 365 — Asian Civilization | HISTORY 6A — History of China: Origins to the Mongol Conquest (choose 1) | 3 |
| HIST 310 or HIST 483 — History of the United States (to 1877) | HISTORY 7A — The United States from Settlement to Civil War (choose 1) | 3 |
| HIST 311 or HIST 484 — History of the United States (1865 - Present) | HISTORY 7B — The United States from Civil War to Present (choose 1) | 3 |
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
Complete these five courses at American River College to start your UC Berkeley GE pattern. Finishing full IGETC/Cal-GETC at the CC is ideal — these five give you the broadest head start, and CCN-tagged courses stay portable if you switch community colleges.
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 |
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
POL SCI 3 has no ARC match
ARC lists no course for POL SCI 3. Check UC Berkeley's Political Science page for whether it has to be done before you transfer, and plan where you'll cover it.
Start with POLS C1000 and HIST 300
POLS C1000 and HIST 300 sit at the start of their sequences for this route, so they fit your first semester, next to ENGL C1000 for English composition.
ARC gives you options here
For UC Berkeley POL SCI 1, ARC accepts POLS C1000 or POLS C1000H. You need only one of them, so pick whichever fits your schedule.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What classes should I take at ARC for UC Berkeley Political Science?
POLS C1000 or POLS C1000H, POLS 302, POLS 320, POLS 310, HIST 300 or HIST 480, HIST 302 or HIST 481 and HIST 364 or HIST 365, plus the rest in the table above. Together they match 3 of the 4 prep courses UC Berkeley lists for Political Science.
What doesn't ARC cover for UC Berkeley Political Science?
POL SCI 3. ARC lists no course for it, so check UC Berkeley's Political Science page for whether it has to be finished before you transfer.
Does ARC POLS 302 transfer to UC Berkeley?
Yes, for Political Science. ARC POLS 302 (Comparative Politics) is the match for UC Berkeley POL SCI 2 (Introduction to Comparative Politics) in the transfer agreement.
What is UC Berkeley's transfer admit rate for Political Science?
31% of all transfer applicants to UC Berkeley Political Science were admitted in 2025. That figure covers applicants from every college, so it isn't specific to ARC.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
American River College students transferring to UC Berkeley for Political Science can match 3 of 4 lower-division prep courses at ARC, including POLS C1000 or POLS C1000H and POLS 302. POL SCI 3 has no American River College equivalent in the 2025-2026 agreement. POLS C1000 and HIST 300 are good first-semester picks. On Transfermatic, put in American River College and UC Berkeley, and you get the classes you need for Political Science, semester by semester.
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