Los Angeles Pierce College to UC Berkeley
Political Science Transfer Plan
Los Angeles Pierce College matches every UC Berkeley Political Science concentration course, but POL SCI 005, the Political Theory match, requires ENGL C1000 first. POL SCI 3 has no Pierce match, though it isn't required before transfer.
From
Los Angeles Pierce College
To
UC Berkeley
Political ScienceMajor Requirements
Political Science Major Preparation
Courses at Los Angeles Pierce College that satisfy UC Berkeley's Political Science major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at Los Angeles Pierce College | Satisfies at UC Berkeley | Units |
|---|---|---|
| POLS C1000 — American Government and Politics | POL SCI 1 — Introduction to American Politics (choose 2) | 3 |
| POL SCI 002 — Introduction to Comparative Politics | POL SCI 2 — Introduction to Comparative Politics (choose 2) | 3 |
| POL SCI 005 — The History of Western Political Thought | POL SCI 4 — Introduction to Political Theory (choose 2) | 3 |
| POL SCI 007 — Introduction to International Relations | POL SCI 5 — Introduction to International Relations (choose 2) | 3 |
| No Pierce match | POL SCI 3 — Introduction to Empirical Analysis and Quantitative Methods | — |
| HISTORY 001 — Introduction to Western Civilization I | HISTORY 4A — The Ancient Mediterranean World (choose 1) | 3 |
| HISTORY 001 — Introduction to Western Civilization I | HISTORY 4B — Medieval Europe (choose 1) | 3 |
| HISTORY 002 — Introduction to Western Civilization II | HISTORY 5 — European Civilization From the Renaissance to the Present (choose 1) | 3 |
| HISTORY 011 — Political and Social History of the United States to 1877 | HISTORY 7A — The United States from Settlement to Civil War (choose 1) | 3 |
| HISTORY 012 — Political and Social History of the United States from 1865 | HISTORY 7B — The United States from Civil War to Present (choose 1) | 3 |
| (HISTORY 006 and HISTORY 005) or SPANISH 010 — History of the Americas II | HISTORY 8A — Becoming Latin America, 1492 to 1824 (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 Los Angeles Pierce College
Complete these five courses at Los Angeles Pierce 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.
ANATOMY 001
Introduction to Human Anatomy
CHEM 051
Fundamentals of Chemistry I
A S L 003
American Sign Language III
ENGL C1000
Academic Reading and Writing
ENGL C1001
Critical Thinking and Writing
| Area | Course at Los Angeles Pierce College | Units |
|---|---|---|
Life Science | ANATOMY 001 — Introduction to Human Anatomy | 4 |
Physical Science | CHEM 051 — Fundamentals of Chemistry I | 5 |
Humanities | A S L 003 — American Sign Language III | 4 |
English CompositionCCN | ENGL C1000 — Academic Reading and Writing | 3 |
Critical ThinkingCCN | ENGL C1001 — Critical Thinking and Writing | 3 |
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
Political theory needs English first
Pierce lists ENGL C1000 as the prerequisite for POL SCI 005, its Political Theory match. Finish freshman composition early if theory is one of your two picks.
Every concentration option has a match
POLS C1000, POL SCI 002, POL SCI 005 and POL SCI 007 each map directly to a Berkeley requirement, so Pierce students have full flexibility on which two to take.
POL SCI 3 can wait for Berkeley
The Additional Political Science Requirement isn't needed to declare the major or finish before transfer, and Pierce has no direct match for it anyway.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What classes do I need at Pierce for UC Berkeley Political Science?
Two of POLS C1000, POL SCI 002, POL SCI 005 and POL SCI 007, matching Berkeley's four concentration options. Pierce covers all four with a direct course.
Does Pierce POL SCI 005 have a prerequisite for UC Berkeley?
Yes. Pierce requires ENGL C1000 before POL SCI 005, which matches Berkeley's Political Theory option, POL SCI 4.
What isn't covered at Pierce for Berkeley political science?
ASSIST lists no Pierce match for POL SCI 3, but it isn't required to declare the major or complete before you transfer.
How hard is it to transfer to UC Berkeley Political Science from Pierce?
Berkeley let in 31% of 2025 transfer applicants to the major, a figure for all applicants that doesn't single out Pierce, and a 3.0 GPA by the end of fall is the floor.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
Los Angeles Pierce College students transferring to UC Berkeley for Political Science can complete every concentration course before transfer: POLS C1000 for American Politics, POL SCI 002 for Comparative Politics, POL SCI 005 for Political Theory and POL SCI 007 for International Relations. Pierce requires ENGL C1000 before POL SCI 005, so plan composition early. POL SCI 3 has no Pierce match but isn't required before transfer. Of every 2025 transfer applicant to the major, Berkeley admitted 31%. Transfermatic can sequence this Pierce coursework around that English prerequisite.
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