Irvine Valley College to UCSB
Computer Science Transfer Plan
IVC covers every course UCSB requires for Computer Science admission, from calculus through CMPSC 40. The only item left is PSTAT 120A, an upper-division stats course every applicant takes at UCSB after transfer.
From
Irvine Valley College
To
UC Santa Barbara
Computer ScienceMajor Requirements
Computer Science Major Preparation
Courses at Irvine Valley College that satisfy UC Santa Barbara's Computer Science major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at Irvine Valley College | Satisfies at UCSB | Units |
|---|---|---|
| MATH 3A or MATH 3AH — Analytic Geometry and Calculus I | MATH 3A — Calculus with Applications, First Course | 5 |
| MATH 3B or MATH 3BH — Analytic Geometry and Calculus II | MATH 3B — Calculus with Applications, Second Course | 5 |
| MATH 26 or MATH 26H — Introduction to Linear Algebra | MATH 4A — Linear Algebra with Applications | 4 |
| MATH 24 or MATH 24H — Elementary Differential Equations | MATH 4B — Differential Equations | 4 |
| CS 36 or CS 37 — C Programming | CMPSC 16 — Problem Solving with Computers I | 3 |
| CS 41 — Data Structures | CMPSC 24 — Problem Solving with Computers II | 3 |
| CS 6A or MATH 6A — Computer Discrete Mathematics I | CMPSC 40 — Foundations of Computer Science | 3 |
| No IVC match | CMPSC 32 — Object Oriented Design and Implementation (recommended) | — |
| CS 40B + CS 40A — Computer Organization and Assembly Language II + Computer Organization and Assembly Language I | CMPSC 64 — Computer Organization and Logic Design (recommended) | 6 |
| MATH 4A or MATH 4AH — Analytic Geometry and Calculus III | MATH 6A — Vector Calculus with Applications, First Course | 5 |
| PHYS 4A — General Physics | PHYS 1 — Basic Physics (choose 2) | 4 |
| PHYS 4B + PHYS 4A + PHYS 4C — General Physics + General Physics + General Physics | PHYS 2 — Basic Physics (choose 2) | 12 |
| PHYS 4B + PHYS 4A + PHYS 4C — General Physics + General Physics + General Physics | PHYS 3, PHYS 3L (choose 2) | 12 |
| PHYS 2B + PHYS 2A — Introduction to Physics + Introduction to Physics | PHYS 6A, PHYS 6AL, PHYS 6B, PHYS 6BL, PHYS 6C, PHYS 6CL (choose 2) | 8 |
| PHYS 4A — General Physics | PHYS 7A — Basic Physics (choose 2) | 4 |
| PHYS 4A + PHYS 4B — General Physics + General Physics | PHYS 7B — Basic Physics (choose 2) | 8 |
| No IVC match | PSTAT 120A — Probability and Statistics | — |
Courses with no equivalent must be taken at UC Santa Barbara after transfer. Factor this into your first-year course plan.
General Education
Foundation GE at Irvine Valley College
UCSB's Computer Science program uses its own GE pattern (see note below), but these five Irvine Valley College courses cover foundation requirements every UC accepts. Start here.
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 |
UCSB Computer Science: full GE notes
UCSB's engineering school wants applicants focused on major courses rather than IGETC or Cal-GETC, and says students who take three years to transfer have room to finish GE after arriving.
Math is a four-semester chain at IVC
MATH 8, then MATH C2210, then MATH C2220, then MATH 26: that's four semesters minimum before linear algebra is done, so start math your first term.
IVC semesters, UCSB quarters
IVC runs two semesters a year; UCSB runs three quarters. Your semester credits convert to quarter units, and a course sequence you'd take together may end up split across shorter UCSB 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
CS 36 or CS 37 both work
IVC's CMPSC 16 requirement takes either CS 36 (C) or CS 37 (C++) on its own. You don't need to take both, just whichever language track fits your schedule.
Linear algebra is a fourth-semester course
MATH 26 needs MATH C2220 or MATH C2220H. From MATH 8 the chain runs MATH C2210, MATH C2220, then MATH 26, so it's a fourth-semester course if you start at MATH 8.
Honors sections count the same
MATH 3AH, 3BH, 26H and 24H each satisfy the same UCSB requirement as their standard versions, so honors math doesn't cost you an extra course.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Does IVC MATH 3A transfer to UCSB Computer Science?
Yes. MATH 3A (or the honors MATH 3AH) covers UCSB's MATH 3A calculus requirement, one of seven courses required for admission to the major.
What classes does IVC not cover for UCSB CS?
IVC covers all seven required admission courses. The only item it doesn't match is PSTAT 120A, an upper-division course UCSB's notes say isn't articulated and is taken at UCSB after transfer.
How hard is it to get into UCSB Computer Science?
About 12% of transfer applicants to the major across all community colleges were admitted using 2025 data. UCSB weighs how much prep you finished, your grades in it and your cumulative GPA.
What order should I take classes in at IVC for UCSB CS?
Start the calculus sequence your first semester, since linear algebra (MATH 26) sits four semesters deep behind MATH 8 and two terms of MATH C2210/C2220. Fit CS 36 or CS 37 in alongside it.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
Irvine Valley College students aiming for UC Santa Barbara's Computer Science, B.S. have a clean path: IVC matches all seven of UCSB's required admission courses, from MATH 3A calculus through CMPSC 40 discrete math, with honors sections like MATH 26H accepted too. The one course UCSB lists beyond that, PSTAT 120A, is an upper-division class every applicant takes at UCSB itself, not a gap specific to IVC. Transfermatic maps this exact route, so IVC students can see which classes count before they register.
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