American River College to UCLA
Mechanical Engineering Transfer Plan
ARC has a match for every one of UCLA's 11 Mechanical Engineering prep courses, so you can finish all of the listed prep at ARC. Start with MATH 370 and ENGL C1000.
From
American River College
To
UCLA
Mechanical EngineeringMajor Requirements
Mechanical Engineering Major Preparation
Courses at American River College that satisfy UCLA's Mechanical Engineering major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at American River College | Satisfies at UCLA | Units |
|---|---|---|
| CHEM 400 + CHEM 401 — General Chemistry I + General Chemistry II | CHEM 20A, CHEM 20B, CHEM 20L | 10 |
| MATH 400 — Calculus I | MATH 31A — Differential and Integral Calculus | 5 |
| MATH 401 — Calculus II | MATH 31B — Integration and Infinite Series | 5 |
| MATH 402 — Calculus III | MATH 32A — Calculus of Several Variables | 5 |
| MATH 402 — Calculus III | MATH 32B — Calculus of Several Variables | 5 |
| MATH 410 — Introduction to Linear Algebra | MATH 33A — Linear Algebra and Applications | 3 |
| MATH 420 — Differential Equations | MECH&AE 82 — Mathematics of Engineering | 4 |
| ENGR 312 — Engineering Graphics | MECH&AE 94 — Introduction to Computer-Aided Design and Drafting | 3 |
| PHYS 431 + PHYS 421 + PHYS 410 — Heat, Waves, Light and Modern Physics + Electricity and Magnetism + Mechanics of Solids and Fluids | PHYSICS 1A, PHYSICS 1B, PHYSICS 1C, PHYSICS 4AL, PHYSICS 4BL | 13 |
| ENGL C1000 or ENGL C1000H — Academic Reading and Writing | ENGCOMP 3 — English Composition, Rhetoric, and Language (choose 1) | 3 |
| ENGWR 301 or ENGL C1001 or ENGWR 481 or ENGL C1001H — College Composition and Literature | English composition courses (choose 1) | 3 |
| CISP 360 or CISP 480 or CISP 400 — Introduction to Structured Programming | COM SCI 31 — Introduction to Computer Science I (choose 1) | 4 |
| CISP 400 — Object Oriented Programming with C++ | Computer programming courses: C, C++, Java or Matlab (choose 1) | 4 |
| No ARC match | EC ENGR 100 — Electrical and Electronic Circuits (recommended) | — |
| No ARC match | EC ENGR 110L — Circuit Measurements Laboratory (recommended) | — |
| No ARC match | MECH&AE 101 — Statics and Strength of Materials (recommended) | — |
| No ARC match | MECH&AE 102 — Dynamics of Particles and Rigid Bodies (recommended) | — |
| No ARC match | MAT SCI 104 — Science of Engineering Materials (recommended) | — |
Courses with no equivalent must be taken at UCLA after transfer. Factor this into your first-year course plan.
General Education
Foundation GE at American River College
UCLA'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 |
UCLA Mechanical Engineering: full GE notes
For Samueli engineering majors, UCLA doesn't require IGETC or Cal-GETC, doesn't accept it partially complete, and doesn't recommend it.
4 semesters minimum for MATH 370 onward
MATH 370 through MATH 402: 4 courses, each needing the one before, so 4 semesters minimum. Start MATH 370 in your first semester. Placing higher shortens it.
ARC semesters, UCLA quarters
ARC runs on semesters and UCLA on quarters. Your units convert when you transfer, one semester unit to 1.5 quarter units, and anything left runs on UCLA'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
ARC covers all 11 listed courses
Every UCLA Mechanical Engineering prep course in the transfer agreement has a ARC match, so none of the listed prep has to wait. Take them all before you apply.
Start with MATH 370 and ENGL C1000
MATH 370 and ENGL C1000 sit at the start of their sequences for this route, so they fit your first semester.
More than one way to cover ENGCOMP 3
For UCLA ENGCOMP 3, ARC accepts ENGL C1000 or ENGL 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 UCLA Mechanical Engineering?
CHEM 400, CHEM 401, MATH 400, MATH 401, MATH 402, MATH 410 and MATH 420, plus the rest in the table above. Together they match 11 of the 11 prep courses UCLA lists for Mechanical Engineering.
What doesn't ARC cover for UCLA Mechanical Engineering?
Nothing in the transfer agreement. Every UCLA Mechanical Engineering prep course listed has a ARC match.
Does ARC MATH 400 transfer to UCLA?
Yes, for Mechanical Engineering. ARC MATH 400 (Calculus I) is the match for UCLA MATH 31A (Differential and Integral Calculus) in the transfer agreement.
What is UCLA's transfer admit rate for Mechanical Engineering?
12% of all transfer applicants to UCLA 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 UCLA for Mechanical Engineering can match 11 of 11 lower-division prep courses at ARC, including CHEM 400 and CHEM 401. Every listed course has a American River College equivalent in the 2025-2026 agreement. MATH 370 and ENGL C1000 are good first-semester picks. On Transfermatic, put in American River College and UCLA, and you get the classes you need for Mechanical Engineering, semester by semester.
Build your American River College → UCLA plan
Personalized, semester-by-semester. Free to start.
Get My Transfer Plan