De Anza College to UCSB
Political Science Transfer Plan
De Anza covers three of UCSB's four pre-major courses and both economics requirements, though the ECON numbers are flipped between the two schools. POL S 15 has no De Anza match.
From
De Anza College
To
UC Santa Barbara
Political ScienceUC Santa Barbara TAG
De Anza students can apply for UCSB's Transfer Admission Guarantee at a 3.4 GPA. The guarantee covers Political Science pre-major status only; the full major requires a separate 2.6 GPA in courses taken at UC.
Major Requirements
Political Science Major Preparation
Courses at De Anza College that satisfy UC Santa Barbara's Political Science major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at De Anza College | Satisfies at UCSB | Units |
|---|---|---|
| POLI 5 — Introduction to Political Thought and Theory | POL S 1 — Introduction to Political Philosophy (choose 3) | 4 |
| POLI 2 — Comparative Politics | POL S 6 — Introduction to Comparative Politics (choose 3) | 4 |
| POLI 3 — International Relations | POL S 7 — Introduction to International Relations (choose 3) | 4 |
| POLS C1000 or POLS C1000H — American Government and Politics | POL S 12 — American Government and Politics (choose 3) | 5 |
| No De Anza match | POL S 15 — Introduction to Research in Political Science | — |
| ECON 2 or ECON 2H — Principles of Microeconomics | ECON 1 — Principles of Economics-Micro | 4 |
| ECON 1 or ECON 1H — Principles of Macroeconomics | ECON 2 — Principles of Economics-Macro | 4 |
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 De Anza College
Complete these five courses at De Anza 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 10
Introductory Biology
CHEM 10
Introductory Chemistry
HIST 17A
History of the United States to Early National Era
ENGL C1000
Academic Reading and Writing
ENGL C1001
Critical Thinking and Writing
| Area | Course at De Anza College | Units |
|---|---|---|
Life Science | BIOL 10 — Introductory Biology | 5 |
Physical Science | CHEM 10 — Introductory Chemistry | 5 |
Humanities | HIST 17A — History of the United States to Early National Era | 4 |
English CompositionCCN | ENGL C1000 — Academic Reading and Writing | 5 |
Critical ThinkingCCN | ENGL C1001 — Critical Thinking and Writing | 5 |
Preview
Your First Quarter
A preview of what Transfermatic generates — exact courses, in the right order, every quarter.
Watch Out
Common Mistakes for This Transfer Path
De Anza's econ numbers run backwards
De Anza's ECON 2 satisfies UCSB's ECON 1, and De Anza's ECON 1 satisfies UCSB's ECON 2. Double-check before you register so you don't take the wrong one twice.
Honors sections count the same
POLS C1000H and ECON 1H or 2H articulate identically to the standard versions. Take honors if you want it, but it isn't required.
POL S 15 has no De Anza match
De Anza has no course matching POL S 15. You'll complete it at UCSB, since it's required regardless of what transfers in.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Which De Anza classes count toward UCSB Political Science?
POLI 5, POLI 2, POLI 3 and POLS C1000 cover three of UCSB's four pre-major courses. ECON 1 and ECON 2 at De Anza complete the economics side, just with the numbers swapped.
Does De Anza ECON 1 transfer to UCSB as ECON 1?
No. De Anza's ECON 1 matches UCSB's ECON 2, and De Anza's ECON 2 matches UCSB's ECON 1. Both still transfer, just under reversed numbers.
What isn't covered at De Anza for this major?
POL S 15, the research methods requirement, has no De Anza equivalent and has to be completed after you transfer to UCSB.
What's the admit rate for UCSB Political Science transfers?
UCSB admitted 63% of everyone who applied to transfer into Political Science in 2025. The rate counts all applicants to the major, not only those from De Anza.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
De Anza College students headed toward Political Science at UC Santa Barbara cover most of the pre-major requirements without leaving campus. POLI 5, POLI 2 and POLI 3 satisfy three of UCSB's four required pre-major courses, and De Anza's economics sequence handles both ECON requirements, though the course numbers run opposite UCSB's own. POL S 15 stays on the to-do list for after transfer. Transfermatic tracks these numbering quirks automatically, so a De Anza student registering for classes isn't left cross-referencing two separate catalogs by hand.
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