MiraCosta College to UCSB
Political Science Transfer Plan
MiraCosta has a match for 5 of UCSB's 6 Political Science prep courses. POL S 15 has no MiraCosta match, so plan for it before you apply.
From
MiraCosta College
To
UC Santa Barbara
Political ScienceUC Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG)
UCSB offers TAG for Political Science for fall 2027 applicants, with a minimum 3.4 GPA. File during the TAG window the fall before you transfer, and check UCSB's TAG page, since its list of eligible majors changes.
Major Requirements
Political Science Major Preparation
Courses at MiraCosta College that satisfy UC Santa Barbara's Political Science major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at MiraCosta College | Satisfies at UCSB | Units |
|---|---|---|
| POLS 101 or POLS 101H — Introduction to Political Science | POL S 1 — Introduction to Political Philosophy (choose 3) | 3 |
| POLS 103 — Comparative Government | POL S 6 — Introduction to Comparative Politics (choose 3) | 3 |
| POLS 150 — Introduction to International Relations | POL S 7 — Introduction to International Relations (choose 3) | 3 |
| POLS C1000 — American Government and Politics | POL S 12 — American Government and Politics (choose 3) | 4 |
| No MiraCosta match | POL S 15 — Introduction to Research in Political Science | — |
| ECON 102 — Principles of Economics: Micro | ECON 1 — Principles of Economics-Micro | 3 |
| ECON 101 — Principles of Economics: Macro | ECON 2 — Principles of Economics-Macro | 3 |
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 MiraCosta College
Complete these five courses at MiraCosta College to start your UCSB 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 102
Introductory Biology: Ecology and Environmental Biology
CHEM 103
Chemistry and Society: For Non-Science Majors
HIST 100
World History to 1500
ENGL C1000
Academic Reading and Writing
ENGL C1001
Critical Thinking and Writing
| Area | Course at MiraCosta College | Units |
|---|---|---|
Life Science | BIO 102 — Introductory Biology: Ecology and Environmental Biology | 4 |
Physical Science | CHEM 103 — Chemistry and Society: For Non-Science Majors | 3 |
Humanities | HIST 100 — World History to 1500 | 3 |
English CompositionCCN | ENGL C1000 — Academic Reading and Writing | 4 |
Critical ThinkingCCN | ENGL C1001 — Critical Thinking and Writing | 4 |
MiraCosta semesters, UCSB quarters
MiraCosta runs on semesters and UCSB on quarters. Your units convert when you transfer, one semester unit to 1.5 quarter units, and anything left runs on UCSB's quicker quarter schedule.
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
POL S 15 has no MiraCosta match
MiraCosta lists no course for POL S 15. Check UCSB's Political Science page for whether it has to be done before you transfer, and plan where you'll cover it.
Start with POLS 101 and ECON 102
POLS 101 and ECON 102 sit at the start of their sequences for this route, so they fit your first semester, next to ENGL C1000 for English composition.
MiraCosta gives you options here
For UCSB POL S 1, MiraCosta accepts POLS 101 or POLS 101H. You need only one of them, so pick whichever fits your schedule.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What classes should I take at MiraCosta for UCSB Political Science?
POLS 101 or POLS 101H, POLS 103, POLS 150, POLS C1000, ECON 102 and ECON 101. Together they match 5 of the 6 prep courses UCSB lists for Political Science.
What doesn't MiraCosta cover for UCSB Political Science?
POL S 15. MiraCosta lists no course for it, so check UCSB's Political Science page for whether it has to be finished before you transfer.
Does MiraCosta POLS 103 transfer to UCSB?
Yes, for Political Science. MiraCosta POLS 103 (Comparative Government) is the match for UCSB POL S 6 (Introduction to Comparative Politics) in the transfer agreement.
What is UCSB's transfer admit rate for Political Science?
63% of all transfer applicants to UCSB Political Science were admitted in 2025. That figure covers applicants from every college, so it isn't specific to MiraCosta.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
MiraCosta College students transferring to UC Santa Barbara for Political Science can match 5 of 6 lower-division prep courses at MiraCosta, including POLS 101 or POLS 101H and POLS 103. POL S 15 has no MiraCosta College equivalent in the 2025-2026 agreement. POLS 101 and ECON 102 are good first-semester picks. On Transfermatic, put in MiraCosta College and UC Santa Barbara, and you get the classes you need for Political Science, semester by semester.
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