American River College to UCSD
Political Science Transfer Plan
ARC has a match for 4 of UCSD's 5 Political Science prep courses. POLI 30 has no ARC match, so plan for it before you apply.
From
American River College
To
UC San Diego
Political ScienceMajor Requirements
Political Science Major Preparation
Courses at American River College that satisfy UC San Diego's Political Science major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at American River College | Satisfies at UCSD | Units |
|---|---|---|
| POLS C1000 or POLS C1000H — American Government and Politics | POLI 10 — Introduction to Political Science: American Politics | 3 |
| POLS 302 — Comparative Politics | POLI 11 — Introduction to Political Science: Comparative Politics | 3 |
| POLS 310 — Introduction to International Relations | POLI 12 — Introduction to Political Science: International Relations | 3 |
| POLS 320 — Introduction to Political Theory | POLI 13 — Power and Justice | 3 |
| No ARC match | POLI 30 — Political Inquiry | — |
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 |
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
POLI 30 has no ARC match
ARC lists no course for POLI 30. Check UCSD'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
POLS C1000 sits at the start of its sequence for this route, so it fits your first semester, next to ENGL C1000 for English composition.
More than one way to cover POLI 10
For UCSD POLI 10, 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 UCSD Political Science?
POLS C1000 or POLS C1000H, POLS 302, POLS 310 and POLS 320. Together they match 4 of the 5 prep courses UCSD lists for Political Science.
What doesn't ARC cover for UCSD Political Science?
POLI 30. ARC lists no course for it, so check UCSD's Political Science page for whether it has to be finished before you transfer.
Does ARC POLS 302 transfer to UCSD?
Yes, for Political Science. ARC POLS 302 (Comparative Politics) is the match for UCSD POLI 11 (Introduction to Political Science: Comparative Politics) in the transfer agreement.
What should I take first at ARC for UCSD Political Science?
POLS C1000, plus ENGL C1000 for English composition. It sits at the start of its sequence.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
American River College students transferring to UC San Diego for Political Science can match 4 of 5 lower-division prep courses at ARC, including POLS C1000 or POLS C1000H and POLS 302. POLI 30 has no American River College equivalent in the 2025-2026 agreement. POLS C1000 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 Political Science, semester by semester.
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