Irvine Valley College to UCSD
Mechanical Engineering Transfer Plan
IVC clears 14 of UCSD's 17 Mechanical Engineering requirements, with honors calculus counted the same as the standard track. MAE 3, MAE 11 and MAE 30B have no IVC match, so those wait until after transfer.
From
Irvine Valley College
To
UC San Diego
Mechanical EngineeringMajor Requirements
Mechanical Engineering Major Preparation
Courses at Irvine Valley College that satisfy UC San Diego's Mechanical Engineering major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at Irvine Valley College | Satisfies at UCSD | Units |
|---|---|---|
| ENGR 20 or CS 10 or CS 36 — Introduction to Programming and Problem Solving with MATLAB | MAE 8 — MATLAB Programming for Engineering Analysis | 3 |
| CHEM 1A — General Chemistry I | CHEM 6A — General Chemistry I | 5 |
| MATH 26 — Introduction to Linear Algebra | MATH 18 — Linear Algebra | 4 |
| MATH 3A or MATH 3AH — Analytic Geometry and Calculus I | MATH 20A — Calculus for Science and Engineering | 5 |
| MATH 3B or MATH 3BH — Analytic Geometry and Calculus II | MATH 20B — Calculus for Science and Engineering | 5 |
| MATH 4A — Analytic Geometry and Calculus III | MATH 20C — Calculus and Analytic Geometry for Science and Engineering | 5 |
| MATH 24 or MATH 24H — Elementary Differential Equations | MATH 20D — Introduction to Differential Equations | 4 |
| MATH 4A — Analytic Geometry and Calculus III | MATH 20E — Vector Calculus | 5 |
| PHYS 4A — General Physics | PHYS 2A — Physics - Mechanics | 4 |
| PHYS 4B — General Physics | PHYS 2B — Physics - Electricity and Magnetism | 4 |
| PHYS 4C — General Physics | PHYS 2C — Physics - Fluids, Waves, Thermodynamics, and Optics | 4 |
| ENGR 54 — Principles of Materials Science and Engineering | MAE 20 — Elements of Materials Science | 3 |
| No IVC match | MAE 3 — Introduction to Engineering Graphics and Design | — |
| No IVC match | MAE 11 — Thermodynamics | — |
| ENGR 80 + ENGR 30 — Engineering Dynamics + Statics of Rigid Bodies and Structures | MAE 30A — Statics & Introduction to Dynamics | 6 |
| No IVC match | MAE 30B — Dynamics & Vibrations | — |
| ENGR 70 — Introduction to Network Analysis | MAE 40 — Linear Circuits | 3 |
Courses with no equivalent must be taken at UC San Diego 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 UCSD 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 |
Five semesters to reach ENGR 70
MATH 8 leads into MATH C2210, C2220, MATH 24 and ENGR 70, five semesters minimum. UCSD wants Math 18 and 20A-D finished by the spring before transfer, so line this chain up early.
IVC runs semesters, UCSD runs quarters
IVC's courses run on a semester calendar; UCSD splits the same material into shorter quarters. Once you're at UCSD, the courses you have left move at that faster quarter pace.
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
Honors calculus is optional, not required
IVC's MATH 3A/3B clear UCSD's MATH 20A/20B, and so do the honors versions, MATH 3AH/3BH. ASSIST counts them the same, so honors isn't necessary to clear the requirement.
MAE 30A needs statics and dynamics together
UCSD's MAE 30A clears only once ENGR 80 and ENGR 30 are both finished at IVC. ENGR 80 needs PHYS 4A; ENGR 30 needs MATH C2220, or MATH C2220H with PHYS 4A.
Three courses have no IVC match
MAE 3, MAE 11 and MAE 30B have no IVC match on ASSIST, and none is on UCSD's screening list. Everything else in the 17-course list, including materials science, circuits and MAE 30A, clears at IVC.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Does IVC's MATH 3A transfer to UCSD Mechanical Engineering?
Yes, MATH 3A clears MATH 20A, and so does the honors version MATH 3AH; ASSIST treats both as equal for UCSD's Mechanical Engineering prep.
What doesn't IVC cover for UCSD Mechanical Engineering?
MAE 3, MAE 11 and MAE 30B have no IVC match, so those wait until after transfer. Materials science, circuits and MAE 30A all clear at IVC already.
Does IVC's semester calendar cause problems for UCSD transfer?
No, but plan for a faster pace afterward. IVC runs semesters and UCSD runs quarters, so once you transfer, your remaining Mechanical Engineering courses are taught in UCSD's shorter quarter terms.
What's the admit rate for UCSD Mechanical Engineering?
UCSD's 2025 transfer data puts Mechanical Engineering admission at 31%, a figure spanning every applicant, not specific to IVC students.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
Irvine Valley College students transferring into UC San Diego's Mechanical Engineering, B.S. program clear fourteen of seventeen requirements, with an honors-optional calculus track through MATH 3A and 3B that ASSIST counts the same as the standard courses. MAE 30A clears once ENGR 80 and ENGR 30 are both finished. MAE 3, MAE 11 and MAE 30B have no IVC match and wait until after transfer. On our platform, put in your CC and your transfer university and Transfermatic checks IVC's course list against UC San Diego's Mechanical Engineering requirements automatically.
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