Mt. San Antonio College to UC Berkeley
Mechanical Engineering Transfer Plan
Mt. SAC matches all ten UC Berkeley Mechanical Engineering admission requirements; chemistry takes both CHEM 50 and CHEM 51, and Berkeley's MATH 54 has three routes here, the quickest being ENGR 285 straight after MATH 181.
From
Mt. San Antonio College
To
UC Berkeley
Mechanical EngineeringMajor Requirements
Mechanical Engineering Major Preparation
Courses at Mt. San Antonio College that satisfy UC Berkeley's Mechanical Engineering major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at Mt. San Antonio College | Satisfies at UC Berkeley | Units |
|---|---|---|
| (CHEM 50 and CHEM 51) or (CHEM 50H and CHEM 51H) — General Chemistry I | CHEM 1A, CHEM 1AL, CHEM 1B | 5 |
| MATH 180 — Calculus and Analytic Geometry I | MATH 51 — Calculus I | 4 |
| MATH 181 — Calculus and Analytic Geometry II | MATH 52 — Calculus II | 4 |
| MATH 280 — Calculus and Analytic Geometry III | MATH 53 — Multivariable Calculus | 5 |
| ENGR 285 or MATH 285 or (MATH 260 and MATH 290) — Differential Equations and Linear Algebra for Engineers | MATH 54 — Linear Algebra and Differential Equations | 4 |
| PHYS 4A — Engineering Physics | PHYSICS 7A — Physics for Scientists and Engineers | 5 |
| PHYS 4B — Engineering Physics | PHYSICS 7B — Physics for Scientists and Engineers | 5 |
| ENGL C1000 or ENGL C1000H or AMLA 1A — Academic Reading and Writing | Courses that satisfy Reading & Composition A | 4 |
| ENGL C1001 or ENGL C1001H — Critical Thinking and Writing | Courses that satisfy Reading & Composition B | 4 |
| BIOL 1 (or another listed option) — General Biology | BIOLOGY 1A, BIOLOGY 1AL (choose 1) | 4 |
| (BIOL 4 and BIOL 2) or (BIOL 2 and BIOL 4H) — Biology for Majors | BIOLOGY 1B — General Biology (Plant Form & Function, Ecology, Evolution) (choose 1) | 4 |
| (CHEM 50 and CHEM 51) or (CHEM 50H and CHEM 51H) — General Chemistry I | CHEM 1A, CHEM 1AL, CHEM 1B (choose 1) | 5 |
| CHEM 80 — Organic Chemistry I | CHEM 3A, CHEM 3AL (choose 1) | 5 |
| CHEM 81 — Organic Chemistry II | CHEM 3B, CHEM 3BL (choose 1) | 5 |
| PHYS 4C — Engineering Physics | PHYSICS 7C — Physics for Scientists and Engineers (choose 1) | 5 |
| ENGR 7 — Programming Applications for Engineers | ENGIN 7 — Introduction to Computer Programming for Scientists and Engineers (MATLAB) (recommended) | 4 |
| ENGR 24 — Engineering Graphics | ENGIN 26 — Three-Dimensional Modeling for Design (recommended) | 4 |
| No Mt. SAC match | ENGIN 29 — Manufacturing and Design Communication (recommended) | — |
| No Mt. SAC match | MEC ENG 40 — Thermodynamics (recommended) | — |
| ENGR 42 + ENGR 40 — Mechanics of Materials + Statics | MEC ENG C85 — Introduction to Solid Mechanics (recommended) | 7 |
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
UC Berkeley's Mechanical Engineering program uses its own GE pattern (see note below), but these five Mt. San Antonio College courses cover foundation requirements every UC accepts. Start here.
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 |
UC Berkeley Mechanical Engineering: full GE notes
Berkeley Engineering does not take IGETC or Cal-GETC for Mechanical Engineering, but it does require the two Reading and Composition courses.
Six semesters of math from MATH 150
MATH 150, MATH 160, MATH 180, MATH 181, MATH 280, then MATH 285 is six semesters. Taking ENGR 285 alongside MATH 280 cuts it to five. Start math in your first term at Mt. SAC.
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
ENGR 285 is the shortest MATH 54 route
Berkeley's MATH 54 maps to ENGR 285, MATH 285, or MATH 260 plus MATH 290. ENGR 285 needs only MATH 181, while MATH 285 and MATH 290 wait for MATH 280. That can save a full semester.
CHEM 50 and CHEM 51 are one requirement
Berkeley's chemistry requirement needs both, or both honors versions. Under its series rule, CHEM 50 alone earns zero credit, and the pair should be finished at Mt. SAC. The same pair also appears among the accepted options for the one-course choice.
Three recommended ENGR courses exist here
Berkeley strongly recommends ENGIN 7, ENGIN 26 and MEC ENG C85. Mt. SAC offers ENGR 7, ENGR 24, and ENGR 40 with ENGR 42. None is required for admission, but ASSIST notes that each one completed makes an application stronger.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I take at Mt. SAC for UC Berkeley mechanical engineering?
CHEM 50 and CHEM 51; MATH 180, MATH 181 and MATH 280; one MATH 54 route; PHYS 4A and PHYS 4B; ENGL C1000 or AMLA 1A, then ENGL C1001; and one course from Berkeley's choice list, such as PHYS 4C or CHEM 80.
What does Mt. SAC not offer for Berkeley engineering?
Every required course has a Mt. SAC match. On the choice list, COMPSCI C8, STAT 20, ASTRON 7A and ASTRON 7B have no equivalent, and neither do ENGIN 29 and MEC ENG 40 from the recommended list. None of those is required.
Does Mt. SAC PHYS 4C count for UC Berkeley?
Yes. PHYS 4C matches Berkeley's PHYSICS 7C, one of the accepted options for the required one-course choice. It extends the engineering physics series you already need for PHYSICS 7A and PHYSICS 7B.
What GPA do Mt. SAC students need for Berkeley mechanical engineering?
A 3.5 or higher, with every required course complete. Berkeley's College of Engineering doesn't review anyone under that GPA or missing a course, and a class taken the summer before you enroll doesn't count as in progress.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
Mt. San Antonio College students can complete every UC Berkeley Mechanical Engineering admission course at Mt. SAC. You need CHEM 50 and CHEM 51, calculus through MATH 280, one of three routes to Berkeley's MATH 54, PHYS 4A and PHYS 4B, two composition courses, and one course from the choice list. Berkeley only considers applicants who finish all of it with at least a 3.5 GPA. Transfermatic can map out which Mt. SAC semester each class belongs in, including the faster ENGR 285 route.
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