Mt. San Antonio College to UC Berkeley
Economics Transfer Plan
Mt. SAC covers all of UC Berkeley's required Economics prep, but look under BUSC rather than ECON: BUSC 1A and BUSC 1B together match Berkeley's ECON 1, and MATH 180 and MATH 181 cover the two calculus requirements.
From
Mt. San Antonio College
To
UC Berkeley
EconomicsMajor Requirements
Economics Major Preparation
Courses at Mt. San Antonio College that satisfy UC Berkeley's Economics major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at Mt. San Antonio College | Satisfies at UC Berkeley | Units |
|---|---|---|
| (BUSC 1B and BUSC 1A) or (BUSC 1AH and BUSC 1BH) — Principles of Microeconomics | ECON 1 — Introduction to Economics | 3 |
| MATH 180 — Calculus and Analytic Geometry I | MATH 51 — Calculus I (choose 1) | 4 |
| MATH 181 — Calculus and Analytic Geometry II | MATH 52 — Calculus II (choose 1) | 4 |
| MATH 180 — Calculus and Analytic Geometry I | MATH 16A — Analytic Geometry and Calculus (choose 1) | 4 |
| MATH 181 — Calculus and Analytic Geometry II | MATH 16B — Analytic Geometry and Calculus (choose 1) | 4 |
| No Mt. SAC match | STAT 20 — Introduction to Probability and Statistics (recommended) | — |
| No Mt. SAC match | STAT 21 — Introductory Probability and Statistics for Business (recommended) | — |
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 Mt. San Antonio College
Complete these five courses at Mt. San Antonio 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.
BIOL 1
General Biology
CHEM 10
Chemistry for Allied Health Majors
HIST 1
History of the United States
ENGL C1000
Academic Reading and Writing
ENGL C1001
Critical Thinking and Writing
| Area | Course at Mt. San Antonio College | Units |
|---|---|---|
Life Science | BIOL 1 — General Biology | 4 |
Physical Science | CHEM 10 — Chemistry for Allied Health Majors | 5 |
Humanities | HIST 1 — History of the United States | 3 |
English CompositionCCN | ENGL C1000 — Academic Reading and Writing | 4 |
Critical ThinkingCCN | ENGL C1001 — Critical Thinking and Writing | 4 |
Three semesters from MATH 150 to MATH 180
MATH 150 leads to MATH 160, then MATH 180: three semesters minimum if you start at MATH 150, and MATH 181 still comes after that. Begin math in your first term.
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
Economics is listed under BUSC
Mt. SAC's principles courses are BUSC 1A (macro) and BUSC 1B (micro). Berkeley's ECON 1 needs both, or the honors pair BUSC 1AH and BUSC 1BH.
MATH 180 and MATH 181 cover calculus
Berkeley's agreement notes require MATH 51 or MATH 16A, and separately MATH 52 or MATH 16B. MATH 180 matches the first pair and MATH 181 the second, so plan on both semesters of calculus.
No Mt. SAC match for statistics
STAT 20 and STAT 21 are on Berkeley's strongly recommended list, and ASSIST shows no Mt. SAC equivalent for either. They aren't required for admission, so the missing match doesn't touch eligibility.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What classes do I take at Mt. SAC for UC Berkeley Economics?
BUSC 1A, BUSC 1B, MATH 180 and MATH 181, with honors BUSC 1AH and BUSC 1BH as an option for the econ pair. That's every lower-division course the major requires. L&S also needs the UC 7-course pattern, starting with ENGL C1000, complete by the end of spring before your fall start.
Does Mt. SAC BUSC 1B transfer to UC Berkeley as economics?
Yes, together with BUSC 1A. ASSIST pairs the two to match Berkeley's ECON 1, so you need both the micro and the macro course from Mt. SAC.
What doesn't Mt. SAC cover for Berkeley Economics?
Nothing that's required. The unmatched courses are STAT 20 and STAT 21, which Berkeley recommends but does not require for the major.
What's the UC Berkeley Economics transfer acceptance rate?
14%, counting all transfer applicants to Berkeley Economics in 2025, not just Mt. SAC students. To be eligible at all, L&S wants a 3.0 GPA or higher by the end of fall and all required prep complete.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
Mt. San Antonio College students heading to UC Berkeley Economics can finish major prep with BUSC 1A and BUSC 1B, which Mt. SAC lists under business rather than economics, plus MATH 180 and MATH 181 for the two calculus requirements. Berkeley's College of Letters and Science also looks for the UC 7-course pattern and a 3.0 GPA by the end of fall, and recommends finishing Cal-GETC. In 2025, 14% of all transfer applicants to the major were admitted. Transfermatic can fit these four Mt. SAC courses around your placement and GE.
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