El Camino College to UCLA
Computer Science Transfer Plan
El Camino College matches 13 of UCLA's 15 Computer Science prep courses, including two separate paths into programming and a full calculus-through-physics sequence. COM SCI 35L and the logic design requirement remain gaps with no El Camino course listed.
From
El Camino College
To
UCLA
Computer ScienceMajor Requirements
Computer Science Major Preparation
Courses at El Camino College that satisfy UCLA's Computer Science major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at El Camino College | Satisfies at UCLA | Units |
|---|---|---|
| (CSCI 1 and CSCI 2) or CSCI 30 — Problem Solving and Program Design Using C++ | COM SCI 31 — Introduction to Computer Science I | 4 |
| CSCI 2 — Introduction to Data Structures | COM SCI 32 — Introduction to Computer Science II | 5 |
| CSCI 16 — Assembly Language Programming for the x86 (IBM PC) Processors | COM SCI 33 — Introduction to Computer Organization | 4 |
| No El Camino match | COM SCI 35L — Software Construction Laboratory | — |
| No El Camino match for any of 2 options | COM SCI M51A — Logic Design of Digital Systems and others (choose 1) | — |
| MATH 190 — Single Variable Calculus and Analytic Geometry I | MATH 31A — Differential and Integral Calculus | 5 |
| MATH 191 — Single Variable Calculus and Analytic Geometry II | MATH 31B — Integration and Infinite Series | 5 |
| MATH 220 — Multi-Variable Calculus | MATH 32A — Calculus of Several Variables | 5 |
| MATH 220 — Multi-Variable Calculus | MATH 32B — Calculus of Several Variables | 5 |
| MATH 270 — Differential Equations with Linear Algebra | MATH 33A — Linear Algebra and Applications | 5 |
| MATH 270 — Differential Equations with Linear Algebra | MATH 33B — Differential Equations | 5 |
| MATH 210 — Introduction to Discrete Structures | MATH 61 — Introduction to Discrete Structures | 5 |
| PHYS 1D + PHYS 1C + PHYS 1A — Optics and Modern Physics + Electricity and Magnetism + Mechanics of Solids | PHYSICS 1A, PHYSICS 1B, PHYSICS 1C, PHYSICS 4AL, PHYSICS 4BL | 12 |
| ENGL C1000 or ENGL C1000H — Academic Reading and Writing | ENGCOMP 3 — English Composition, Rhetoric, and Language (choose 1) | 4 |
| ENGL 1B (or another listed option) — Literature and Composition | English composition courses (choose 1) | 3 |
| CSCI 1 or CSCI 30 or (CSCI 3 and CSCI 2) — Problem Solving and Program Design Using C++ | Computer programming courses: C++ preferred (choose 1) | 4 |
Courses with no equivalent must be taken at UCLA after transfer. Factor this into your first-year course plan.
General Education
Foundation GE at El Camino College
UCLA's Computer Science 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 |
UCLA Computer Science: full GE notes
Computer Science applicants to Samueli don't need IGETC or Cal-GETC, and a partial version of either isn't accepted.
Seven semesters from prep math to upper physics
El Camino's longest chain runs MATH 170 through MATH 220 and then PHYS 1C and PHYS 1D, seven semesters end to end. Start the math sequence as early as your first term to stay on pace.
El Camino semesters, UCLA quarters
One El Camino course frequently covers what UCLA splits into two quarter classes, as with MATH 220 satisfying both MATH 32A and MATH 32B. Expect the same pattern across math and physics.
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
CSCI 30 comes after CSCI 2, not instead
COM SCI 31 accepts CSCI 1 and CSCI 2 together, or CSCI 30. CSCI 30 lists CSCI 2 as its prerequisite, and CSCI 2 needs CSCI 1, so CSCI 30 is a longer route, not a shortcut.
A Java path exists alongside the C++ path
El Camino's programming requirement also accepts CSCI 3 and CSCI 2 together, a Java-based option, even though UCLA lists C++ as preferred. CSCI 1 or CSCI 30 remain the straightforward C++ routes.
One course covers linear algebra and diff eq
MATH 270 alone satisfies both MATH 33A and MATH 33B, so you won't take two separate El Camino courses for those two UCLA requirements. Register for MATH 270 once you finish MATH 220.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What classes should I take at El Camino for UCLA computer science?
Take CSCI 1, CSCI 2, CSCI 16, MATH 190, 191, 220, 270 and 210, plus PHYS 1A, 1C and 1D and ENGL C1000. Finish this list by the end of spring before transfer, all courses for a letter grade.
Which UCLA computer science courses have no El Camino match?
COM SCI 35L, the software construction lab, and the logic design course (COM SCI M51A or EC ENGR M16). El Camino has no listed match for either. Neither is on the list UCLA requires by spring before transfer, so you'd take them at UCLA.
How hard is UCLA computer science to get into as a transfer?
UCLA admitted 5% of all transfer applicants to Computer Science in 2025. Samueli Engineering also requires a 3.4 minimum transferable GPA and won't consider a denied applicant for another major.
Does El Camino CSCI 1 transfer to UCLA?
Yes. Paired with CSCI 2 it satisfies COM SCI 31, and CSCI 1 alone also fills UCLA's separate programming-language requirement. Its El Camino title, Problem Solving and Program Design Using C++, matches the language UCLA prefers.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
El Camino College students preparing for the Computer Science B.S. at UCLA have two ways to cover COM SCI 31: CSCI 1 with CSCI 2, or CSCI 30, which itself comes after CSCI 2. CSCI 16 covers COM SCI 33, and MATH 220 covers both quarters of UCLA's multivariable calculus. The math-to-physics chain runs seven semesters from MATH 170, so start early. COM SCI 35L and the logic design requirement have no El Camino match. Transfermatic turns this ASSIST agreement into a term-by-term El Camino plan built around every prerequisite.
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