Irvine Valley College to UCLA
Political Science Transfer Plan
IVC covers UCLA's full political science prep: POLS 5, POLS 14, POLS C1000 and POLS 12 for four intro slots, most with honors versions, plus STAT C1000 or PSYC 10 for statistics. POL SCI 30 has no IVC match, but UCLA's pick-four list doesn't need it once you have the other four.
From
Irvine Valley College
To
UCLA
Political ScienceUCLA TAP through the IVC Honors Program
IVC's Honors Program is the route into TAP. Complete it and get certified, and UCLA puts your Political Science application in priority consideration and also reviews you for an alternate major if you're not admitted. It doesn't guarantee admission, and one-year transfers aren't eligible.
Major Requirements
Political Science Major Preparation
Courses at Irvine Valley College that satisfy UCLA's Political Science major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at Irvine Valley College | Satisfies at UCLA | Units |
|---|---|---|
| POLS 5 — Political Philosophy | POL SCI 10 — Introduction to Political Theory (choose 4) | 3 |
| POLS 14 or POLS 14H — International Relations | POL SCI 20 — World Politics (choose 4) | 3 |
| POLS C1000 or POLS C1000H — American Government and Politics | POL SCI 40 — Introduction to American Politics (choose 4) | 3 |
| POLS 12 or POLS 12H — Comparative Politics | POL SCI 50 — Introduction to Comparative Politics (choose 4) | 3 |
| STAT C1000 or PSYC 10 or PSYC 10H — Introduction to Statistics | STATS 10 — Introduction to Statistical Reasoning | 4 |
| STAT C1000 or PSYC 10 or PSYC 10H — Introduction to Statistics | STATS 12 — Introduction to Statistical Methods for Geography and Environmental Studies | 4 |
General Education
Foundation GE at Irvine Valley College
Complete these five courses at Irvine Valley 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.
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 |
IVC semester units at a quarter campus
IVC runs semesters while UCLA runs quarters. Every IVC unit converts to 1.5 quarter units, so a 3-unit POLS 12 comes in as four and a half. Course matches are unaffected: one IVC class still covers one UCLA class.
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
Three approved statistics courses at IVC
UCLA counts only ASSIST-approved statistics. At IVC that means STAT C1000, PSYC 10 or PSYC 10H, and any one of them does it. PSYC 10H is the honors section if you're already taking honors courses.
Skip counting on AP credit
Your AP scores in American or Comparative Political Science and AP Statistics won't satisfy UCLA's prep here, and IB exams won't either. Plan on POLS C1000 or POLS C1000H and one of the approved statistics courses at IVC.
Three by spring is the floor
UCLA looks for at least three intro courses plus statistics, completed by the spring before you transfer. IVC matches four: POLS 5, POLS 14, POLS C1000 and POLS 12. None lists a prerequisite, so two can start in your first semester.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Which IVC classes count for UCLA political science?
POLS 5 for political theory, POLS 14 for world politics, POLS C1000 for American politics and POLS 12 for comparative politics, plus one of STAT C1000, PSYC 10 or PSYC 10H. UCLA needs at least three of the intro courses and the statistics course done by spring before transfer.
Does IVC PSYC 10 count as statistics for UCLA political science?
Yes. ASSIST lists PSYC 10 and PSYC 10H, Statistical Methods in the Behavioral Sciences, alongside STAT C1000 for UCLA's statistics requirement. The agreement notes the approved course is a substitute and may not be an exact UCLA equivalent, but it satisfies the prep.
What doesn't IVC cover for UCLA political science?
Just POL SCI 30, Politics and Strategy. It sits in a pick-four group that IVC's other four matches already fill, so every prep requirement for this major can be finished at IVC.
How hard is it to get into UCLA political science as a transfer?
UCLA admitted 34% of its 2025 transfer applicants to Political Science, counting all applicants to the major rather than IVC students alone. Demand significantly exceeds space, you enter as a pre-Political Science major, and every prep course must be taken for a letter grade.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
Irvine Valley College students applying to UCLA for Political Science can take every lower-division prep course at IVC. POLS 5, POLS 14, POLS C1000 and POLS 12 match four of UCLA's intro courses, honors versions included, and PSYC 10 or STAT C1000 meets the statistics requirement. The one UCLA intro course without an IVC match, POL SCI 30, isn't needed once the other four are done. Transfermatic can place these courses in an IVC semester plan that finishes before UCLA's spring deadline.
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