American River College to UCI
Economics Transfer Plan
ARC has a match for 6 of UCI's 9 Economics prep courses. ECON 15A, ECON 15B and a UCI choose-1 requirement have no ARC match, so plan for them before you apply.
From
American River College
To
UC Irvine
EconomicsUC Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG)
UCI offers TAG for Economics for fall 2027 applicants, with a minimum 3.4 GPA. File during the TAG window the fall before you transfer, and check UCI's TAG page, since its list of eligible majors changes.
Major Requirements
Economics Major Preparation
Courses at American River College that satisfy UC Irvine's Economics major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at American River College | Satisfies at UCI | Units |
|---|---|---|
| ECON 304 — Principles of Microeconomics | ECON 20A — Basic Economics I | 3 |
| ECON 302 — Principles of Macroeconomics | ECON 20B — Basic Economics II | 3 |
| MATH 400 — Calculus I | MATH 2A — Single-Variable Calculus | 5 |
| MATH 401 — Calculus II | MATH 2B — Single-Variable Calculus | 5 |
| No ARC match | ECON 15A — Probability and Statistics in Economics I | — |
| No ARC match | ECON 15B — Probability and Statistics in Economics II | — |
| ANTH 300 (or another listed option) — Biological Anthropology | Introductory Social Science courses in disciplines other than Economics for Economics (choose 2) | 3 |
| No ARC match for any of 2 options | I&C SCI 31 — Introduction to Programming and others (choose 1) | — |
Courses with no equivalent must be taken at UC Irvine 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 UCI 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 |
3 semesters minimum for MATH 370 onward
MATH 370, then MATH 400, then MATH 401: each needs the one before, so 3 semesters minimum. Start MATH 370 in your first semester. Placing higher shortens it.
ARC semesters, UCI quarters
ARC runs on semesters and UCI on quarters. Your units convert when you transfer, one semester unit to 1.5 quarter units, and anything left runs on UCI'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
3 UCI requirements have no ARC match
ARC lists no course for ECON 15A, ECON 15B and a UCI choose-1 requirement. Check UCI's Economics page for whether they have to be done before you transfer, and plan where you'll cover them.
Start with MATH 370 and ECON 304
MATH 370 and ECON 304 sit at the start of their sequences for this route, so they fit your first semester, next to ENGL C1000 for English composition.
What UCI looks for
Requires a B or better in micro, macro and two terms of calculus (Math 2A-B). Minimum GPA is 2.8.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What classes should I take at ARC for UCI Economics?
ECON 304, ECON 302, MATH 400, MATH 401 and ANTH 300. Together they match 6 of the 9 prep courses UCI lists for Economics.
What doesn't ARC cover for UCI Economics?
ECON 15A, ECON 15B and a UCI choose-1 requirement. ARC lists no course for them, so check UCI's Economics page for whether they have to be finished before you transfer.
Does ARC ECON 304 transfer to UCI?
Yes, for Economics. ARC ECON 304 (Principles of Microeconomics) is the match for UCI ECON 20A (Basic Economics I) in the transfer agreement.
Can I use TAG for UCI Economics?
UCI lists Economics as TAG-eligible for fall 2027, with a minimum 3.4 GPA. Check UCI's TAG page before you count on it for a later term.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
American River College students transferring to UC Irvine for Economics can match 6 of 9 lower-division prep courses at ARC, including ECON 304 and ECON 302. ECON 15A and ECON 15B have no American River College equivalent in the 2025-2026 agreement. MATH 370 and ECON 304 are good first-semester picks. On Transfermatic, put in American River College and UC Irvine, and you get the classes you need for Economics, semester by semester.
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