El Camino College to UC Berkeley
Mechanical Engineering Transfer Plan
El Camino College matches all ten UC Berkeley Mechanical Engineering admission requirements, though calculus runs six semesters from MATH 170 to MATH 270. Physics doubles up PHYS 1B, which pairs with both PHYS 1A and PHYS 1C for Berkeley's two physics courses.
From
El Camino College
To
UC Berkeley
Mechanical EngineeringMajor Requirements
Mechanical Engineering Major Preparation
Courses at El Camino College that satisfy UC Berkeley's Mechanical Engineering major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at El Camino College | Satisfies at UC Berkeley | Units |
|---|---|---|
| CHEM 1A — General Chemistry I | CHEM 1A, CHEM 1AL | 5 |
| MATH 190 — Single Variable Calculus and Analytic Geometry I | MATH 51 — Calculus I | 5 |
| MATH 191 — Single Variable Calculus and Analytic Geometry II | MATH 52 — Calculus II | 5 |
| MATH 220 — Multi-Variable Calculus | MATH 53 — Multivariable Calculus | 5 |
| MATH 270 — Differential Equations with Linear Algebra | MATH 54 — Linear Algebra and Differential Equations | 5 |
| PHYS 1A + PHYS 1B — Mechanics of Solids + Fluids, Heat and Sound | PHYSICS 7A — Physics for Scientists and Engineers | 7 |
| PHYS 1C + PHYS 1B — Electricity and Magnetism + Fluids, Heat and Sound | PHYSICS 7B — Physics for Scientists and Engineers | 7 |
| ENGL C1000 or ENGL C1000H — Academic Reading and Writing | Courses that satisfy Reading & Composition A | 4 |
| ENGL 1B or ENGL 1BH — Literature and Composition | Courses that satisfy Reading & Composition B | 3 |
| BIOL 130 + BIOL 120 + BIOL 110 — Fundamentals of Molecular Biology + Ecology Evolution, Diversity, and Physiology + Cell and Molecular Biology | BIOLOGY 1A, BIOLOGY 1AL, BIOLOGY 1B (choose 1) | 13 |
| CSCI 8 — Foundations of Data Science | COMPSCI C8 — Foundations of Data Science (choose 1) | 4 |
| CHEM 1B — General Chemistry II | CHEM 1B — General Chemistry (choose 1) | 5 |
| CHEM 7A — Organic Chemistry I | CHEM 3A, CHEM 3AL (choose 1) | 5 |
| CHEM 7B — Organic Chemistry II | CHEM 3B, CHEM 3BL (choose 1) | 5 |
| PHYS 1D — Optics and Modern Physics | PHYSICS 7C — Physics for Scientists and Engineers (choose 1) | 4 |
| CSCI 17 — Computer Programming in MATLAB | ENGIN 7 — Introduction to Computer Programming for Scientists and Engineers (MATLAB) (recommended) | 4 |
| CADD 7 — Solid Modeling, Assemblies and Two Dimensional (2D) Drawings | ENGIN 26 — Three-Dimensional Modeling for Design (recommended) | 3 |
| No El Camino match | ENGIN 29 — Manufacturing and Design Communication (recommended) | — |
| No El Camino match | MEC ENG 40 — Thermodynamics (recommended) | — |
| No El Camino match | MEC ENG C85 — Introduction to Solid Mechanics (recommended) | — |
Courses with no equivalent must be taken at UC Berkeley after transfer. Factor this into your first-year course plan.
General Education
Foundation GE at El Camino College
UC Berkeley's Mechanical Engineering program uses its own GE pattern (see note below), but these five El Camino College courses cover foundation requirements every UC accepts. Start here.
BIOL 10
Fundamentals of Biology
CHEM 1A
General Chemistry I
HIST 101
United States History to 1877
ENGL C1000
Academic Reading and Writing
ENGL C1001
Critical Thinking and Writing
| Area | Course at El Camino College | Units |
|---|---|---|
Life Science | BIOL 10 — Fundamentals of Biology | 4 |
Physical Science | CHEM 1A — General Chemistry I | 5 |
Humanities | HIST 101 — United States History to 1877 | 3 |
English CompositionCCN | ENGL C1000 — Academic Reading and Writing | 4 |
Critical ThinkingCCN | ENGL C1001 — Critical Thinking and Writing | 4 |
UC Berkeley Mechanical Engineering: full GE notes
Cal-GETC and IGETC aren't accepted for Berkeley's College of Engineering, so El Camino's ENGL C1000 and ENGL 1B pair stands in for a GE pattern here.
Six semesters to finish MATH 54
MATH 170, MATH 180, MATH 190, MATH 191, MATH 220, then MATH 270 is six semesters minimum. Start math immediately at El Camino, since PHYS 1A and the rest of physics wait on it.
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
PHYS 1B counts for both physics requirements
PHYS 1B pairs with PHYS 1A for Berkeley's PHYSICS 7A and with PHYS 1C for PHYSICS 7B. You only take PHYS 1B once, but ASSIST credits it toward both Berkeley courses since El Camino splits physics differently than Berkeley does.
Two recommended electives match here
CSCI 17 covers ENGIN 7 and CADD 7 covers ENGIN 26 on Berkeley's strongly recommended list. ENGIN 29, MEC ENG 40 and MEC ENG C85 have no El Camino match, and none of the five is required.
Calculus is a six-semester chain
MATH 170 through MATH 270 is six semesters if you start below transfer-level calculus. It's the longest math run in Berkeley's Mechanical Engineering agreement here, so an early start matters more than almost anything else.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What classes should I take at El Camino for UC Berkeley mechanical engineering?
CHEM 1A; MATH 190, MATH 191, MATH 220 and MATH 270; PHYS 1A, PHYS 1B and PHYS 1C; ENGL C1000 and ENGL 1B; and one choice-list course, such as CSCI 8, which matches COMPSCI C8.
What doesn't El Camino cover for Berkeley Mechanical Engineering?
Every required admission course has an El Camino match. On the strongly recommended list, ENGIN 29, MEC ENG 40 and MEC ENG C85 have no equivalent, though none of the five recommended courses is required for admission.
Does El Camino CSCI 8 count for Berkeley engineering?
Yes, as your one-course choice. CSCI 8 matches COMPSCI C8, one of the accepted options, and it can go in your first term. CSCI 17, which matches Berkeley's recommended ENGIN 7, is a separate course that needs MATH 190, not CSCI 8.
What GPA does UC Berkeley expect from El Camino transfers?
A 3.5 GPA and a fully finished course list are both non-negotiable for El Camino transfers. Berkeley's series rule zeroes out credit for an incomplete sequence, so don't split chemistry or physics across two colleges.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
El Camino College students working toward UC Berkeley Mechanical Engineering can finish every admission course at El Camino, though the calculus chain runs six semesters from MATH 170 to MATH 270. Physics doubles up PHYS 1B, which pairs with PHYS 1A for Berkeley's PHYSICS 7A and with PHYS 1C for PHYSICS 7B. Two of Berkeley's five strongly recommended electives have El Camino matches: CSCI 17 for ENGIN 7 and CADD 7 for ENGIN 26. Admission needs a 3.5 GPA and everything finished by spring. Transfermatic can pace El Camino's long calculus run so physics isn't delayed.
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