American River College to UCSD
Mechanical Engineering Transfer Plan
ARC has a match for 11 of UCSD's 17 Mechanical Engineering prep courses. MAE 8, MAE 3, MAE 11 and MAE 30A and 2 more have no ARC match, so plan for them before you apply.
From
American River College
To
UC San Diego
Mechanical EngineeringMajor Requirements
Mechanical Engineering Major Preparation
Courses at American River College that satisfy UC San Diego's Mechanical Engineering major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at American River College | Satisfies at UCSD | Units |
|---|---|---|
| No ARC match | MAE 8 — MATLAB Programming for Engineering Analysis | — |
| CHEM 400 — General Chemistry I | CHEM 6A — General Chemistry I | 5 |
| MATH 410 — Introduction to Linear Algebra | MATH 18 — Linear Algebra | 3 |
| MATH 400 — Calculus I | MATH 20A — Calculus for Science and Engineering | 5 |
| MATH 401 — Calculus II | MATH 20B — Calculus for Science and Engineering | 5 |
| MATH 402 — Calculus III | MATH 20C — Calculus and Analytic Geometry for Science and Engineering | 5 |
| MATH 420 — Differential Equations | MATH 20D — Introduction to Differential Equations | 4 |
| MATH 402 — Calculus III | MATH 20E — Vector Calculus | 5 |
| PHYS 410 — Mechanics of Solids and Fluids | PHYS 2A — Physics - Mechanics | 5 |
| PHYS 421 — Electricity and Magnetism | PHYS 2B — Physics - Electricity and Magnetism | 4 |
| PHYS 431 — Heat, Waves, Light and Modern Physics | PHYS 2C — Physics - Fluids, Waves, Thermodynamics, and Optics | 4 |
| ENGR 412 — Properties of Materials | MAE 20 — Elements of Materials Science | 4 |
| No ARC match | MAE 3 — Introduction to Engineering Graphics and Design | — |
| No ARC match | MAE 11 — Thermodynamics | — |
| No ARC match | MAE 30A — Statics & Introduction to Dynamics | — |
| No ARC match | MAE 30B — Dynamics & Vibrations | — |
| No ARC match | MAE 40 — Linear Circuits | — |
Courses with no equivalent must be taken at UC San Diego 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 UCSD 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 |
4 semesters minimum for MATH 370 onward
MATH 370 through MATH 410: 4 courses, each needing the one before, so 4 semesters minimum. Start MATH 370 in your first semester. Placing higher shortens it.
ARC semesters, UCSD quarters
ARC runs on semesters and UCSD on quarters. Your units convert when you transfer, one semester unit to 1.5 quarter units, and anything left runs on UCSD'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
6 UCSD requirements have no ARC match
ARC lists no course for MAE 8, MAE 3, MAE 11 and MAE 30A and others. Check UCSD'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
MATH 370 sits at the start of its sequence for this route, so it fits your first semester, next to ENGL C1000 for English composition.
What UCSD looks for
Engineering is a selective major. Math 18 and 20A-D, Chem 6A, and Phys 2A-C must be done by the end of spring before transfer.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What classes should I take at ARC for UCSD Mechanical Engineering?
CHEM 400, MATH 410, MATH 400, MATH 401, MATH 402, MATH 420 and PHYS 410, plus the rest in the table above. Together they match 11 of the 17 prep courses UCSD lists for Mechanical Engineering.
What doesn't ARC cover for UCSD Mechanical Engineering?
MAE 8, MAE 3, MAE 11, MAE 30A and MAE 30B and 1 more. ARC lists no course for them, so check UCSD's Mechanical Engineering page for whether they have to be finished before you transfer.
Does ARC CHEM 400 transfer to UCSD?
Yes, for Mechanical Engineering. ARC CHEM 400 (General Chemistry I) is the match for UCSD CHEM 6A (General Chemistry I) in the transfer agreement.
What is UCSD's transfer admit rate for Mechanical Engineering?
31% of all transfer applicants to UCSD 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 San Diego for Mechanical Engineering can match 11 of 17 lower-division prep courses at ARC, including CHEM 400 and MATH 410. MAE 8 and MAE 3 have no American River College equivalent in the 2025-2026 agreement. MATH 370 is a good first-semester pick. On Transfermatic, put in American River College and UC San Diego, and you get the classes you need for Mechanical Engineering, semester by semester.
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