Orange Coast College to UCI
Political Science Transfer Plan
OCC covers every one of UCI's 8 Political Science prep requirements, matching courses like PSCI A188, PSCI A110 and PSCI A185. For math you need one of MATH A180, MATH A180H or MATH A182H plus STAT C1000 or PSYC A160, and MATH A180 is three semesters from MATH A070.
From
Orange Coast College
To
UC Irvine
Political ScienceTAG: UC Irvine Transfer Admission Guarantee
OCC students at a 3.4 GPA or above can use TAG to secure a UCI spot before the general application period. Filing opens Sept 1, 2026 and closes Sept 30 for fall 2027 entry.
Major Requirements
Political Science Major Preparation
Courses at Orange Coast College that satisfy UC Irvine's Political Science major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at Orange Coast College | Satisfies at UCI | Units |
|---|---|---|
| POLS C1000 or POLS C1000H — American Government and Politics | POL SCI 21A — Introduction to American Government (choose 4) | 3 |
| PSCI A188 — Introduction to Political Theory | POL SCI 31A — Introduction to Political Theory (choose 4) | 3 |
| PSCI A110 — International Relations | POL SCI 41A — Introduction to International Relations (choose 4) | 3 |
| PSCI A185 — Comparative Politics | POL SCI 51A — Introduction to Politics Around the World (choose 4) | 3 |
| PSCI A190 — Introduction to American Legal System | POL SCI 71A — Introduction to Law (choose 4) | 3 |
| PSCI A101 (or another listed option) — Survey of Current Issues | Political Science not already used (choose 1) | 3 |
| ANTH A100 (or another listed option) — Cultural Anthropology | Political Science or other Social Science discipline (choose 1) | 3 |
| MATH A180H (or another listed option) — Calculus 1 Honors | School of Social Sciences Math Requirement (choose 1) | 5 |
| CS A131 — Python Programming I | I&C SCI 31 — Introduction to Programming (choose 1) | 4 |
General Education
Foundation GE at Orange Coast College
Complete these five courses at Orange Coast 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.
BIOL A100
Principles of Biology
CHEM A100
Principles of Chemistry
HIST A101
Afro-American History
ENGL C1000
Academic Reading and Writing
ENGL C1001
Critical Thinking and Writing
| Area | Course at Orange Coast College | Units |
|---|---|---|
Life Science | BIOL A100 — Principles of Biology | 4 |
Physical Science | CHEM A100 — Principles of Chemistry | 3 |
Humanities | HIST A101 — Afro-American History | 3 |
English CompositionCCN | ENGL C1000 — Academic Reading and Writing | 4 |
Critical ThinkingCCN | ENGL C1001 — Critical Thinking and Writing | 4 |
Longest math chain runs four semesters
The longest chain here is MATH A070, MATH A170, MATH A180, then MATH A182H: four semesters. You need only one of MATH A180, MATH A180H or MATH A182H, so stopping at MATH A180 takes three.
Semesters at OCC, quarters at UCI
OCC is on semesters while UCI runs quarters. Credits still transfer as shown, but expect three shorter terms a year at UCI rather than OCC's two.
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
One calculus course clears the math half
UCI's math requirement at OCC takes one of MATH A180, MATH A180H or MATH A182H, plus STAT C1000 or PSYC A160. MATH A182H needs MATH A140, MATH A180 and MATH A180H first, so MATH A180 is the shorter route.
CS A131 clears the programming requirement
OCC's CS A131 satisfies UCI's I&C SCI 31 programming requirement by itself. It's needed for the degree, not for UCI to admit you.
PSCI A190 covers the law intro requirement
PSCI A190 matches UCI's POL SCI 71A, Introduction to Law. That gives OCC five matched intro courses for the pick-four group, so you have one to spare.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Which OCC classes count for UCI Political Science?
PSCI A188 covers political theory, PSCI A110 covers international relations, PSCI A185 covers comparative politics, and PSCI A190 covers the law intro option. POLS C1000 or POLS C1000H covers American Government.
Does OCC cover everything for UCI Political Science?
Yes, OCC matches all 8 of UCI's prep requirements, including CS A131 for programming and one of MATH A180, MATH A180H or MATH A182H with a statistics course for math, so nothing is left for after transfer.
How long is OCC's math sequence?
From MATH A070, reaching MATH A180 takes three semesters: MATH A070, MATH A170, then MATH A180. Going on to MATH A182H makes it four, but you only need one of the three calculus options, so MATH A180 is enough.
What GE track works for OCC students headed to UCI?
Cal-GETC or IGETC. UCI's School of Social Sciences recommends finishing one of them before you transfer, so build OCC's GE around that pattern.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
Orange Coast College students transferring to UC Irvine for a Political Science, B.A. cover all eight of UCI's lower-division prep requirements, including PSCI A188, PSCI A190 and CS A131 for programming. For math, one of MATH A180, MATH A180H or MATH A182H plus a statistics course clears UCI's requirement, and MATH A180 comes three semesters after MATH A070, so it needs an early start. Transfermatic maps that chain against OCC's course catalog so students can see, term by term, when each piece needs to be scheduled.
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