Irvine Valley College to UC Berkeley
Political Science Transfer Plan
Irvine Valley College covers every UC Berkeley Political Science concentration course, with three accepted options for Comparative Politics alone. POL SCI 3 has no IVC match, but Berkeley doesn't require it before you transfer.
From
Irvine Valley College
To
UC Berkeley
Political ScienceMajor Requirements
Political Science Major Preparation
Courses at Irvine Valley College that satisfy UC Berkeley's Political Science major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at Irvine Valley College | Satisfies at UC Berkeley | Units |
|---|---|---|
| POLS C1000 or POLS C1000H — American Government and Politics | POL SCI 1 — Introduction to American Politics (choose 2) | 3 |
| POLS 4 or POLS 12 or POLS 12H — Introduction to Political Science | POL SCI 2 — Introduction to Comparative Politics (choose 2) | 3 |
| POLS 5 — Political Philosophy | POL SCI 4 — Introduction to Political Theory (choose 2) | 3 |
| POLS 14 or POLS 14H — International Relations | POL SCI 5 — Introduction to International Relations (choose 2) | 3 |
| No IVC match | POL SCI 3 — Introduction to Empirical Analysis and Quantitative Methods | — |
| HIST 10 — Western Civilization: Beginning to the Reformation | HISTORY 4A — The Ancient Mediterranean World (choose 1) | 3 |
| HIST 10 — Western Civilization: Beginning to the Reformation | HISTORY 4B — Medieval Europe (choose 1) | 3 |
| HIST 11 — The West and the World Since the Renaissance | HISTORY 5 — European Civilization From the Renaissance to the Present (choose 1) | 3 |
| HIST 40 or HIST 41 — The History of East Asia Before 1800 | HISTORY 6A — History of China: Origins to the Mongol Conquest (choose 1) | 3 |
| HIST 20 — American History Through the Civil War | HISTORY 7A — The United States from Settlement to Civil War (choose 1) | 3 |
| HIST 21 — American History Since the Civil War | HISTORY 7B — The United States from Civil War to Present (choose 1) | 3 |
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 Irvine Valley College
Complete these five courses at Irvine Valley College to start your UC Berkeley 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.
BIO 1
The Life Sciences
CHEM 12A
Organic Chemistry
HIST 1
The History of World Civilizations to 1500
ENGL C1000
Academic Reading and Writing
ENGL C1001
Critical Thinking and Writing
| Area | Course at Irvine Valley College | Units |
|---|---|---|
Life Science | BIO 1 — The Life Sciences | 3 |
Physical Science | CHEM 12A — Organic Chemistry | 5 |
Humanities | HIST 1 — The History of World Civilizations to 1500 | 3 |
English CompositionCCN | ENGL C1000 — Academic Reading and Writing | 4 |
Critical ThinkingCCN | ENGL C1001 — Critical Thinking and Writing | 4 |
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
Comparative politics has three accepted courses
POLS 4, POLS 12 or the honors POLS 12H all satisfy POL SCI 2 at IVC, the widest set of choices among IVC's four concentration matches.
Honors sections carry the same credit
POLS C1000H and POLS 14H match POL SCI 1 and POL SCI 5 exactly like their non-honors versions, so honors students don't need to double up.
The quant methods course waits for Berkeley
POL SCI 3 isn't required to declare the major or before you transfer, and IVC has no direct match for it, so leave it for after you arrive.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What classes do I need at IVC for UC Berkeley Political Science?
Two of POLS C1000, POLS 4 or POLS 12, POLS 5, and POLS 14, matching Berkeley's four concentration options. IVC covers all four directly.
Does IVC POLS 12H count for UC Berkeley comparative politics?
Yes. POLS 12H, the honors Comparative Politics course, matches POL SCI 2 the same as the non-honors POLS 12 or POLS 4.
What isn't covered at IVC for Berkeley political science?
ASSIST lists no IVC match for POL SCI 3. It isn't required to declare the major or complete before transfer, so it's not a real gap yet.
How hard is it to transfer to UC Berkeley Political Science from IVC?
31% of 2025 transfer applicants to the major were admitted, a figure covering every applicant rather than IVC alone, and L&S won't consider anyone below a 3.0 GPA by fall's close.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
Irvine Valley College students transferring to UC Berkeley for Political Science can complete every concentration course before transfer, with three accepted options for Comparative Politics alone: POLS 4, POLS 12 or the honors POLS 12H. POLS C1000 covers American Politics, POLS 5 covers Political Theory, and POLS 14 covers International Relations. POL SCI 3 has no IVC match but isn't required before transfer. Berkeley admitted 31% of 2025 transfer applicants to the major, the benchmark IVC applicants are measured against. Transfermatic can turn this IVC lineup into a Berkeley-ready plan.
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