American River College to UC Davis
Mechanical Engineering Transfer Plan
ARC has a match for 16 of UC Davis's 18 Mechanical Engineering prep courses. ENG 006 and EME 050 have no ARC match, so plan for them before you apply.
From
American River College
To
UC Davis
Mechanical EngineeringUC Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG)
UC Davis offers TAG for Mechanical Engineering for fall 2027 applicants, with a minimum 3.5 GPA. File during the TAG window the fall before you transfer, and check UC Davis's TAG page, since its list of eligible majors changes.
Major Requirements
Mechanical Engineering Major Preparation
Courses at American River College that satisfy UC Davis's Mechanical Engineering major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at American River College | Satisfies at UC Davis | Units |
|---|---|---|
| CHEM 400 + CHEM 401 — General Chemistry I + General Chemistry II | CHE 002A, CHE 002B, CHE 002C | 10 |
| ENGR 312 — Engineering Graphics | ENG 004 — Engineering Graphics in Design | 3 |
| No ARC match | ENG 006 — Engineering Problem Solving | — |
| ENGR 401 — Introduction to Electrical Circuits and Devices | ENG 017 — Circuits I | 4 |
| ENGR 420 — Statics | ENG 035 — Statics | 3 |
| MATH 400 — Calculus I | MAT 021A — Calculus | 5 |
| MATH 401 — Calculus II | MAT 021B — Calculus | 5 |
| MATH 401 + MATH 402 — Calculus II + Calculus III | MAT 021C — Calculus | 10 |
| MATH 402 — Calculus III | MAT 021D — Vector Analysis | 5 |
| MATH 410 — Introduction to Linear Algebra | MAT 022A — Linear Algebra | 3 |
| MATH 420 — Differential Equations | MAT 022B — Differential Equations | 4 |
| PHYS 410 — Mechanics of Solids and Fluids | PHY 009A — Classical Physics | 5 |
| PHYS 431 — Heat, Waves, Light and Modern Physics | PHY 009B — Classical Physics | 4 |
| PHYS 421 — Electricity and Magnetism | PHY 009C — Classical Physics | 4 |
| ENGLT 340 — World Literature I | COM 001 — Major Works of the Ancient World (choose 1) | 3 |
| ENGLT 341 + ENGLT 340 — World Literature II + World Literature I | COM 002 — Major Works of the Medieval & Early Modern World (choose 1) | 6 |
| ENGLT 341 — World Literature II | COM 003 — Major Works of the Modern World (choose 1) | 3 |
| ENGWR 301 or ENGWR 303 or ENGWR 481 — College Composition and Literature | ENL 003 — Introduction to Literature (choose 1) | 3 |
| ENGLT 338 — Native American Literature | NAS 005 — Introduction to Native American Literature (choose 1) | 3 |
| ENGL C1000 or ENGL C1000H — Academic Reading and Writing | UWP 001 — Introduction to Academic Literacies (choose 1) | 3 |
| COMM C1000 — Introduction to Public Speaking | CMN 001 — Introduction to Public Speaking (choose 1) | 3 |
| ENGR 412 — Properties of Materials | ENG 045 — Properties of Materials | 4 |
| No ARC match | EME 050 — Manufacturing Processes | — |
Courses with no equivalent must be taken at UC Davis 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 Davis 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 |
5 semesters minimum for MATH 370 onward
MATH 370 through ENGR 401: 5 courses, each needing the one before, so 5 semesters minimum, more than four fall and spring terms. Start MATH 370 first or plan on summer. Placing higher shortens it.
ARC semesters, UC Davis quarters
ARC runs on semesters and UC Davis on quarters. Your units convert when you transfer, one semester unit to 1.5 quarter units, and anything left runs on UC Davis's quicker quarter schedule.
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
2 UC Davis requirements have no ARC match
ARC lists no course for ENG 006 and EME 050. Check UC Davis's Mechanical Engineering page for whether they have to be done before you transfer, and plan where you'll cover them.
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.
More than one way to cover ENL 003
For UC Davis ENL 003, ARC accepts ENGWR 301 or ENGWR 303 or ENGWR 481. 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 Davis Mechanical Engineering?
CHEM 400, CHEM 401, ENGR 312, ENGR 401, ENGR 420, MATH 400 and MATH 401, plus the rest in the table above. Together they match 16 of the 18 prep courses UC Davis lists for Mechanical Engineering.
What doesn't ARC cover for UC Davis Mechanical Engineering?
ENG 006 and EME 050. ARC lists no course for them, so check UC Davis's Mechanical Engineering page for whether they have to be finished before you transfer.
Does ARC ENGR 312 transfer to UC Davis?
Yes, for Mechanical Engineering. ARC ENGR 312 (Engineering Graphics) is the match for UC Davis ENG 004 (Engineering Graphics in Design) in the transfer agreement.
What is UC Davis's transfer admit rate for Mechanical Engineering?
43% of all transfer applicants to UC Davis Mechanical Engineering 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 Davis for Mechanical Engineering can match 16 of 18 lower-division prep courses at ARC, including CHEM 400 and CHEM 401. ENG 006 and EME 050 have no 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 Davis, and you get the classes you need for Mechanical Engineering, semester by semester.
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