Los Angeles Pierce College to UCI
Political Science Transfer Plan
Pierce College covers 7 of UCI's 8 Political Science prep requirements, but only matches exactly four of the nine intro poli sci options, the bare minimum needed. The programming requirement has no Pierce match, so factor that into your post-transfer plan.
From
Los Angeles Pierce College
To
UC Irvine
Political ScienceTAG: UC Irvine Transfer Admission Guarantee
Pierce students at 3.4 GPA or better qualify for TAG's guaranteed UCI admission. Fall 2027 applications are accepted Sept 1-30, 2026, and the major named on that application can't be swapped afterward.
Major Requirements
Political Science Major Preparation
Courses at Los Angeles Pierce College that satisfy UC Irvine's Political Science major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at Los Angeles Pierce College | Satisfies at UCI | Units |
|---|---|---|
| POLS C1000 — American Government and Politics | POL SCI 21A — Introduction to American Government (choose 4) | 3 |
| POL SCI 005 — The History of Western Political Thought | POL SCI 31A — Introduction to Political Theory (choose 4) | 3 |
| POL SCI 007 — Introduction to International Relations | POL SCI 41A — Introduction to International Relations (choose 4) | 3 |
| POL SCI 002 — Introduction to Comparative Politics | POL SCI 51A — Introduction to Politics Around the World (choose 4) | 3 |
| POLS C1000 (or another listed option) — American Government and Politics | Political Science not already used (choose 1) | 3 |
| ANTHRO 101 (or another listed option) — Human Biological Evolution | Political Science or other Social Science discipline (choose 1) | 3 |
| MATH 261 (or another listed option) — Calculus I | School of Social Sciences Math Requirement (choose 1) | 5 |
| No Pierce match for any of 2 options | I&C SCI 31 — Introduction to Programming and others (choose 1) | — |
Courses with no equivalent must be taken at UC Irvine 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 UCI 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 |
Math chain runs three semesters
Pierce's math chain runs MATH 240 into MATH 260 into MATH 261, three semesters minimum before you're done. Start MATH 240 in your first term to stay on track.
Semesters at Pierce, quarters at UCI
Pierce's semester system and UCI's quarter system don't match, though that has no bearing on the course matches listed above. Only your term structure shifts once you transfer.
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
Only four intro matches, none to spare
Pierce matches exactly four of UCI's nine intro poli sci courses: POL SCI 005, POL SCI 007, POL SCI 002 and POLS C1000. All four are required since there's no fifth option.
Programming requirement has no Pierce match
Neither I&C SCI 31 nor SOC SCI 3A has a Pierce equivalent, so plan on finishing that one at UCI. It's a degree requirement, not an admission one.
Math chain runs three semesters
Pierce's math chain runs MATH 240 into MATH 260 into MATH 261, three semesters minimum before you're done. Start MATH 240 in your first term to stay on track.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Pierce classes count for UCI Political Science?
POL SCI 005 covers political theory, POL SCI 007 covers international relations, and POL SCI 002 covers comparative politics. POLS C1000 covers American Government. All four are needed since Pierce has no spare matches.
What doesn't Pierce cover for UCI Political Science?
Pierce has no match for UCI's I&C SCI 31 or SOC SCI 3A programming requirement. Every other requirement, including the four-course intro group and math, is covered.
How long is Pierce's math sequence?
MATH 240 leads to MATH 260, then MATH 261, a three-semester minimum chain, and UCI's math requirement also needs a statistics course such as STAT C1000. Start MATH 240 your first term if you haven't already passed it.
Can I skip one of Pierce's four intro matches?
No. Pierce only matches exactly four of UCI's nine intro poli sci options, which is the minimum the pick-four rule requires, so all four have to be completed.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
Los Angeles Pierce College students transferring to UC Irvine for a Political Science, B.A. match exactly four of UCI's nine intro poli sci options, POL SCI 005, POL SCI 007, POL SCI 002 and POLS C1000, the minimum the requirement allows. UCI's programming requirement has no Pierce match, so that piece waits until after transfer, and the MATH 240 to MATH 261 chain takes three semesters. Transfermatic flags both the tight intro-course margin and the gap so Pierce students plan around them early.
Build your Los Angeles Pierce College → UCI plan
Personalized, semester-by-semester. Free to start.
Get My Transfer Plan