El Camino College to UCLA
Psychology Transfer Plan
El Camino has a match for all five UCLA Psychology prep areas, and the quantitative slot even accepts COMS 180, a communication-studies statistics course. UCLA admitted 21% of 2025 transfer applicants to the major, with direct admission into Psychology required.
From
El Camino College
To
UCLA
PsychologyUCLA TAP via El Camino's Honors Transfer Program
El Camino's Honors Transfer Program feeds directly into UCLA's Transfer Alliance Program, earning certified students priority consideration for Psychology, part of the College of Letters and Science. If Psychology says no, TAP applicants still get reviewed for another major, though certification for one-year students ended in May 2026.
Major Requirements
Psychology Major Preparation
Courses at El Camino College that satisfy UCLA's Psychology major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at El Camino College | Satisfies at UCLA | Units |
|---|---|---|
| PSYC C1000 or PSYC C1000H — Introduction to Psychology | PSYCH 10 — Introductory Psychology | 3 |
| BIOL 110 or BIOL 110H — Cell and Molecular Biology | LIFESCI 7A — Cell and Molecular Biology (choose 1) | 5 |
| BIOL 10 or BIOL 10H — Fundamentals of Biology | LIFESCI 15 — Life: Concepts and Issues (choose 1) | 4 |
| PHYO 31 or (APHY 34B and APHY 34A) — Human Physiology | PHYSCI 3 — Introduction to Human Physiology (choose 1) | 4 |
| BIOL 120 — Ecology Evolution, Diversity, and Physiology | Lower Division Biology Courses (choose 1) | 5 |
| CHEM 1A — General Chemistry I | CHEM 20A — Chemical Structure (choose 1) | 5 |
| CHEM 4 or CHEM 4H or CHEM 20 or CHEM 21A — Beginning Chemistry | Introductory Chemistry Courses (choose 1) | 5 |
| PHYS 11 or PHYS 2A — Descriptive Introduction to Physics | PHYSICS 10 — Physics (choose 1) | 3 |
| PHYS 1A — Mechanics of Solids | PHYSICS 1A — Physics for Scientists and Engineers: Mechanics (choose 1) | 4 |
| PHYS 3A — General Physics with Calculus | PHYSICS 5A — Physics for Life Sciences Majors: Mechanics and Energy (choose 1) | 5 |
| PHIL 103 — Ethics and Society | PHILOS 22 — Introduction to Ethical Theory (choose 1) | 3 |
| PHIL 106 — Introduction to Symbolic Logic | PHILOS 31 — Logic, First Course (choose 1) | 3 |
| PHIL 101 (or another listed option) — Introduction to Philosophy | Introductory Philosophy Courses (choose 1) | 3 |
| COMS 180 or STAT C1000 or PSYC 109A — Data-Driven Persuasion | Introductory Statistics Courses (choose 1) | 4 |
| STAT C1000 or BUS 116 — Introduction to Statistics | STATS 10 — Introduction to Statistical Reasoning (choose 1) | 4 |
| CSCI 1 — Problem Solving and Program Design Using C++ | COMPTNG 10A — Introduction to Programming (choose 1) | 4 |
| MATH 190 — Single Variable Calculus and Analytic Geometry I | Calculus Requirement (choose 1) | 5 |
General Education
Foundation GE at El Camino College
Complete these five courses at El Camino College to start your UCLA 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
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 |
Semesters convert, deadlines don't move
El Camino runs semesters and UCLA runs quarters, so a 4-unit BIOL 10 counts as about six quarter units after conversion. UCLA still expects prep finished by the spring before transfer, measured in El Camino's own terms.
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
COMS 180 is an unusual stats option
COMS 180, Data-Driven Persuasion, satisfies UCLA's quantitative reasoning requirement alongside STAT C1000 and PSYC 109A. It's taught in the communications department, not math, so it's an easy one to miss when planning your schedule.
Two science routes need CHEM 4 first
BIOL 110 and CHEM 1A both list CHEM 4 or CHEM 4H as a prerequisite. If you're taking the cell-and-molecular or chemistry-structure route, plan on CHEM 4 the term before.
AP scores replace four requirements
A 4 on AP Psychology stands in for PSYC C1000. A 3 on AP Biology, Chemistry or Physics covers the matching science course, and a 3 on AP Statistics or Calculus clears quantitative reasoning. Philosophy has no AP substitute at El Camino.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What classes do I need at El Camino for UCLA psychology?
PSYC C1000, one biology course such as BIOL 10 or BIOL 110, one chemistry or physics course such as CHEM 1A or PHYS 2A, one philosophy course such as PHIL 103, and one quantitative course such as STAT C1000 or COMS 180. Finish by spring before transfer.
Does El Camino BIOL 120 count for UCLA psychology?
Yes. BIOL 120, Ecology Evolution, Diversity, and Physiology, fills UCLA's lower-division biology slot on its own. It needs CHEM 4 or CHEM 4H first, the same prerequisite as El Camino's other biology-for-majors options.
Is anything missing from El Camino for UCLA psychology?
No requirement is left open. UCLA courses like CHEM 17, PHYSICS 11 and most named philosophy titles have no El Camino match, but each sits in a choose-one group filled by other El Camino courses, such as PHIL 106.
What is UCLA's psychology transfer admit rate?
UCLA admitted 21% of all 2025 transfer applicants to Psychology, a rate for the whole applicant pool rather than El Camino students. Apply directly into the major, because UCLA won't let you add Psychology once you're enrolled, and aim to finish prep by fall rather than spring.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
El Camino College students aiming for UCLA Psychology can complete all five lower-division prep areas at El Camino: PSYC C1000 for intro psychology, a biology course such as BIOL 10, a chemistry or physics option like CHEM 1A, a philosophy course such as PHIL 103, and a quantitative course that even includes the communications course COMS 180. Direct admission into Psychology is required, and UCLA wants prep wrapped up by the spring before transfer. Transfermatic can plan El Camino's course order around these prerequisites.
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