Orange Coast College to UCSB
Political Science Transfer Plan
OCC covers three of UCSB's four pre-major courses through its PSCI-prefixed classes, plus both economics requirements with honors options. POL S 15 has no OCC match.
From
Orange Coast College
To
UC Santa Barbara
Political ScienceUC Santa Barbara TAG
OCC students qualify for UCSB's Transfer Admission Guarantee at a 3.4 GPA, covering Political Science pre-major status. The full major is separate, requiring a 2.6 GPA in courses completed at UC.
Major Requirements
Political Science Major Preparation
Courses at Orange Coast College that satisfy UC Santa Barbara's Political Science major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at Orange Coast College | Satisfies at UCSB | Units |
|---|---|---|
| PSCI A188 — Introduction to Political Theory | POL S 1 — Introduction to Political Philosophy (choose 3) | 3 |
| PSCI A185 — Comparative Politics | POL S 6 — Introduction to Comparative Politics (choose 3) | 3 |
| PSCI A110 — International Relations | POL S 7 — Introduction to International Relations (choose 3) | 3 |
| POLS C1000 or POLS C1000H — American Government and Politics | POL S 12 — American Government and Politics (choose 3) | 3 |
| No OCC match | POL S 15 — Introduction to Research in Political Science | — |
| ECON A170 or ECON A170H — Microeconomics | ECON 1 — Principles of Economics-Micro | 3 |
| ECON A175 or ECON A175H — Macroeconomics | 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 Orange Coast College
Complete these five courses at Orange Coast 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.
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 |
OCC semesters convert to UCSB quarters
OCC's PSCI and ECON courses run 3 semester units apiece; the UCSB courses they satisfy are worth 5 quarter units. After transfer, coursework moves across three quarter terms a year instead of two semesters.
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
OCC uses letter-based course numbers
PSCI A188, PSCI A185 and PSCI A110 are OCC's codes for political philosophy, comparative politics and international relations. Look for the A-prefix in the catalog.
Honors economics sections articulate
ECON A170H and ECON A175H count the same as the standard ECON A170 and A175 sections for UCSB's requirement.
Research methods has no OCC match
POL S 15 has no OCC equivalent. It's required at UCSB regardless, so it lands on your schedule after transfer.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Which OCC classes count toward UCSB Political Science?
PSCI A188, PSCI A185, PSCI A110 and POLS C1000 each satisfy one of UCSB's four pre-major options; three of the four are needed. ECON A170 and ECON A175 cover economics.
Does OCC ECON A170 transfer to UCSB?
Yes, ECON A170 matches UCSB's ECON 1 and ECON A175 matches ECON 2. Both are required, and the honors sections work the same way.
What can't OCC students complete before transferring?
POL S 15 has no match at OCC. You'll finish it at UCSB after transfer, since full major status requires it.
What's the admit rate for UCSB Political Science?
UCSB's Political Science admit rate was 63% in 2025, measured across all transfer applicants to the major.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
Orange Coast College students transferring into Political Science at UC Santa Barbara will notice OCC's catalog runs on letter-based course numbers. PSCI A188 covers political philosophy, PSCI A185 covers comparative politics, and PSCI A110 covers international relations, three of UCSB's four pre-major options. ECON A170 and ECON A175 handle the required economics courses, honors sections included. POL S 15 is unmatched at OCC and gets completed after transfer. Transfermatic translates OCC's numbering into UCSB's course list automatically, so nothing gets missed at registration.
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