American River College to UCSB
Economics Transfer Plan
ARC has a match for 4 of UCSB's 6 Economics prep courses. ECON 10A and a UCSB choose-1 requirement have no ARC match, so plan for them before you apply.
From
American River College
To
UC Santa Barbara
EconomicsUC Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG)
UCSB 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 UCSB's TAG page, since its list of eligible majors changes.
Major Requirements
Economics Major Preparation
Courses at American River College that satisfy UC Santa Barbara's Economics major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at American River College | Satisfies at UCSB | Units |
|---|---|---|
| ECON 304 — Principles of Microeconomics | ECON 1 — Principles of Economics-Micro | 3 |
| ECON 302 — Principles of Macroeconomics | ECON 2 — Principles of Economics-Macro | 3 |
| MATH 400 — Calculus I | MATH 3A — Calculus with Applications, First Course (choose 1) | 5 |
| MATH 309 or MATH 340 or MATH 341 or MATH 355 — Calculus Concepts for non-STEM Majors | MATH 34A — Calculus for Social and Life Sciences (choose 1) | 3 |
| MATH 401 — Calculus II | MATH 3B — Calculus with Applications, Second Course (choose 1) | 5 |
| MATH 309 or MATH 340 or MATH 341 or MATH 356 — Calculus Concepts for non-STEM Majors | MATH 34B — Calculus for Social and Life Sciences (choose 1) | 3 |
| No ARC match | ECON 10A — Intermediate Microeconomic Theory | — |
| No ARC match for any of 2 options | ECON 5 — Statistics for Economics and others (choose 1) | — |
Courses with no equivalent must be taken at UC Santa Barbara 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 UCSB 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, UCSB quarters
ARC runs on semesters and UCSB on quarters. Your units convert when you transfer, one semester unit to 1.5 quarter units, and anything left runs on UCSB'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 UCSB requirements have no ARC match
ARC lists no course for ECON 10A and a UCSB choose-1 requirement. Check UCSB'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.
More than one way to cover MATH 34A
For UCSB MATH 34A, ARC accepts MATH 309 or MATH 340 or MATH 341 or MATH 355. You need only one of them, so pick whichever fits your schedule.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What classes should I take at ARC for UCSB Economics?
ECON 304, ECON 302, MATH 400, MATH 309 and MATH 401, plus the rest in the table above. Together they match 4 of the 6 prep courses UCSB lists for Economics.
What doesn't ARC cover for UCSB Economics?
ECON 10A and a UCSB choose-1 requirement. ARC lists no course for them, so check UCSB's Economics page for whether they have to be finished before you transfer.
Does ARC ECON 304 transfer to UCSB?
Yes, for Economics. ARC ECON 304 (Principles of Microeconomics) is the match for UCSB ECON 1 (Principles of Economics-Micro) in the transfer agreement.
What is UCSB's transfer admit rate for Economics?
62% of all transfer applicants to UCSB Economics 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 Santa Barbara for Economics can match 4 of 6 lower-division prep courses at ARC, including ECON 304 and ECON 302. ECON 10A and a UCSB choose-1 requirement 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 Santa Barbara, and you get the classes you need for Economics, semester by semester.
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