American River College to UCSB
Political Science Transfer Plan
ARC has a match for 5 of UCSB's 6 Political Science prep courses. POL S 15 has no ARC match, so plan for it before you apply.
From
American River College
To
UC Santa Barbara
Political ScienceUC Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG)
UCSB offers TAG for Political Science 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
Political Science Major Preparation
Courses at American River College that satisfy UC Santa Barbara's Political Science major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at American River College | Satisfies at UCSB | Units |
|---|---|---|
| POLS 320 — Introduction to Political Theory | POL S 1 — Introduction to Political Philosophy (choose 3) | 3 |
| POLS 302 — Comparative Politics | POL S 6 — Introduction to Comparative Politics (choose 3) | 3 |
| POLS 310 or POLS 480 — Introduction to International Relations | POL S 7 — Introduction to International Relations (choose 3) | 3 |
| POLS C1000 or POLS C1000H — American Government and Politics | POL S 12 — American Government and Politics (choose 3) | 3 |
| No ARC match | POL S 15 — Introduction to Research in Political Science | — |
| ECON 304 — Principles of Microeconomics | ECON 1 — Principles of Economics-Micro | 3 |
| ECON 302 — Principles of Macroeconomics | ECON 2 — Principles of Economics-Macro | 3 |
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 |
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
POL S 15 has no ARC match
ARC lists no course for POL S 15. Check UCSB's Political Science page for whether it has to be done before you transfer, and plan where you'll cover it.
Start with POLS 320 and ECON 304
POLS 320 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.
ARC gives you options here
For UCSB POL S 7, ARC accepts POLS 310 or POLS 480. 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 Political Science?
POLS 320, POLS 302, POLS 310 or POLS 480, POLS C1000 or POLS C1000H, ECON 304 and ECON 302. Together they match 5 of the 6 prep courses UCSB lists for Political Science.
What doesn't ARC cover for UCSB Political Science?
POL S 15. ARC lists no course for it, so check UCSB's Political Science page for whether it has to be finished before you transfer.
Does ARC POLS 320 transfer to UCSB?
Yes, for Political Science. ARC POLS 320 (Introduction to Political Theory) is the match for UCSB POL S 1 (Introduction to Political Philosophy) in the transfer agreement.
What is UCSB's transfer admit rate for Political Science?
63% of all transfer applicants to UCSB Political Science 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 Political Science can match 5 of 6 lower-division prep courses at ARC, including POLS 320 and POLS 302. POL S 15 has no American River College equivalent in the 2025-2026 agreement. POLS 320 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 Political Science, semester by semester.
Build your American River College → UCSB plan
Personalized, semester-by-semester. Free to start.
Get My Transfer Plan