American River College to UCI
Mechanical Engineering Transfer Plan
ARC has a match for 18 of UCI's 22 Mechanical Engineering prep courses. ENGRMAE 80, ENGRMAE 91, ENGR 7A and ENGR 7B have no ARC match, so plan for them before you apply.
From
American River College
To
UC Irvine
Mechanical EngineeringUC Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG)
UCI offers TAG for Mechanical Engineering 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
Mechanical Engineering Major Preparation
Courses at American River College that satisfy UC Irvine's Mechanical Engineering major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at American River College | Satisfies at UCI | Units |
|---|---|---|
| CISP 360 — Introduction to Structured Programming | ENGRMAE 10 — Introduction to Engineering Computations | 4 |
| MATH 400 — Calculus I | MATH 2A — Single-Variable Calculus | 5 |
| MATH 401 — Calculus II | MATH 2B — Single-Variable Calculus | 5 |
| MATH 402 — Calculus III | MATH 2D — Multivariable Calculus | 5 |
| MATH 402 — Calculus III | MATH 2E — Multivariable Calculus | 5 |
| MATH 410 — Introduction to Linear Algebra | MATH 3A — Introduction to Linear Algebra | 3 |
| MATH 420 — Differential Equations | MATH 3D — Elementary Differential Equations | 4 |
| PHYS 410 — Mechanics of Solids and Fluids | PHYSICS 7C, PHYSICS 7LC | 5 |
| PHYS 421 — Electricity and Magnetism | PHYSICS 7D, PHYSICS 7LD | 4 |
| PHYS 431 — Heat, Waves, Light and Modern Physics | PHYSICS 7E — Classical Physics | 4 |
| CHEM 400 — General Chemistry I | ENGR 1A, CHEM 1LE (choose 1) | 5 |
| CHEM 400 — General Chemistry I | CHEM 1A, CHEM 1LE (choose 1) | 5 |
| ENGR 420 — Statics | ENGRCEE 30 — Statics | 3 |
| ENGR 312 — Engineering Graphics | ENGRMAE 52 — Computer-Aided Design | 3 |
| ENGR 401 — Introduction to Electrical Circuits and Devices | EECS 70A — NETWORK ANALYSIS I (choose 1) | 4 |
| ENGR 412 — Properties of Materials | ENGR 54 — Principles of Materials Science and Engineering | 4 |
| PHYS 431 — Heat, Waves, Light and Modern Physics | PHYSICS 52A — Fundamentals of Experimental Physics | 4 |
| ECON 304 — Principles of Microeconomics | ECON 20A — Basic Economics I (choose 1) | 3 |
| No ARC match | ENGRMAE 80 — Dynamics | — |
| No ARC match | ENGRMAE 91 — Introduction to Thermodynamics | — |
| ANTH 300 (or another listed option) — Biological Anthropology | Science courses (or lecture/lab combination) for Mechanical Engineering (choose 1) | 3 |
| No ARC match | ENGR 7A — Introduction to Engineering I | — |
| No ARC match | ENGR 7B — Introduction to Engineering II | — |
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
UCI'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 |
UCI Mechanical Engineering: full GE notes
Math, science, and engineering prep has to be finished before Cal-GETC or UCI's own GE pattern, since the engineering school doesn't count IGETC in who it admits.
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, 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
4 UCI requirements have no ARC match
ARC lists no course for ENGRMAE 80, ENGRMAE 91, ENGR 7A and ENGR 7B. Check UCI'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 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
Required prep includes calculus through differential equations and linear algebra, three physics courses with labs, general chemistry and MATLAB. You need a C or better in each and a 3.0 GPA in those courses.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What classes should I take at ARC for UCI Mechanical Engineering?
CISP 360, MATH 400, MATH 401, MATH 402, MATH 410, MATH 420 and PHYS 410, plus the rest in the table above. Together they match 18 of the 22 prep courses UCI lists for Mechanical Engineering.
What doesn't ARC cover for UCI Mechanical Engineering?
ENGRMAE 80, ENGRMAE 91, ENGR 7A and ENGR 7B. ARC lists no course for them, so check UCI's Mechanical Engineering page for whether they have to be finished before you transfer.
Does ARC CISP 360 transfer to UCI?
Yes, for Mechanical Engineering. ARC CISP 360 (Introduction to Structured Programming) is the match for UCI ENGRMAE 10 (Introduction to Engineering Computations) in the transfer agreement.
Can I use TAG for UCI Mechanical Engineering?
UCI lists Mechanical Engineering 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 Mechanical Engineering can match 18 of 22 lower-division prep courses at ARC, including CISP 360 and MATH 400. ENGRMAE 80 and ENGRMAE 91 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 Mechanical Engineering, semester by semester.
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