Pasadena City College to UC Berkeley
Mechanical Engineering Transfer Plan
Pasadena City College matches all ten UC Berkeley Mechanical Engineering admission requirements, and chemistry is a single class, CHEM 001A. Math is where PCC differs: Berkeley's MATH 52 needs both MATH 005B and MATH 055, so differential equations counts toward two Berkeley courses.
From
Pasadena City College
To
UC Berkeley
Mechanical EngineeringMajor Requirements
Mechanical Engineering Major Preparation
Courses at Pasadena City College that satisfy UC Berkeley's Mechanical Engineering major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at Pasadena City College | Satisfies at UC Berkeley | Units |
|---|---|---|
| CHEM 001A — General Chemistry and Chemical Analysis I | CHEM 1A, CHEM 1AL | 5 |
| MATH 005A or MATH 005AH or MATH 005AE — Single Variable Calculus I | MATH 51 — Calculus I | 5 |
| MATH 055 (or another listed option) — Differential Equations | MATH 52 — Calculus II | 4 |
| MATH 005C or MATH 005CH — Multivariable Calculus | MATH 53 — Multivariable Calculus | 5 |
| (MATH 055 and MATH 010) or (MATH 055H and MATH 010H) — Differential Equations | MATH 54 — Linear Algebra and Differential Equations | 4 |
| PHYS 008A — Physics for Scientists and Engineers I: Mechanics | PHYSICS 7A — Physics for Scientists and Engineers | 5 |
| PHYS 008B — Physics for Scientists and Engineers II: Waves, Electricity & Magnetism | PHYSICS 7B — Physics for Scientists and Engineers | 5 |
| ENGL C1000 or ENGL C1000H — Academic Reading and Writing | Courses that satisfy Reading & Composition A | 4 |
| ENGL 001B or ENGL 001BH — Reading and Composition | Courses that satisfy Reading & Composition B | 4 |
| BIOL 010C + BIOL 010A — Genetics + Cellular Biology, Genetics and Evolution | BIOLOGY 1A, BIOLOGY 1AL (choose 1) | 8 |
| BIOL 010B + BIOL 010C — The Diversity of Life on Earth: Structure, Function and Ecology + Genetics | BIOLOGY 1B — General Biology (Plant Form & Function, Ecology, Evolution) (choose 1) | 7 |
| CS 031 — Introduction to Data Science | COMPSCI C8 — Foundations of Data Science (choose 1) | 4 |
| CHEM 001B — General Chemistry and Chemical Analysis II | CHEM 1B — General Chemistry (choose 1) | 5 |
| CHEM 008A — Organic Chemistry I | CHEM 3A, CHEM 3AL (choose 1) | 5 |
| CHEM 008B — Organic Chemistry II | CHEM 3B, CHEM 3BL (choose 1) | 5 |
| ENGR 018 — Programming and Problem-Solving in MATLAB | ENGIN 7 — Introduction to Computer Programming for Scientists and Engineers (MATLAB) (recommended) | 3 |
| DT 008A + DT 008B + DT 008C — Introduction to Digital Design and Fabrication + Intermediate Digital Design and Fabrication + Advanced Systems Design and Fabrication | ENGIN 26 — Three-Dimensional Modeling for Design (recommended) | 10 |
| No PCC match | ENGIN 29 — Manufacturing and Design Communication (recommended) | — |
| No PCC match | MEC ENG 40 — Thermodynamics (recommended) | — |
| ENGR 011 + ENGR 013 — Statics + Strength of Materials | MEC ENG C85 — Introduction to Solid Mechanics (recommended) | 6 |
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 Pasadena City College
UC Berkeley's Mechanical Engineering program uses its own GE pattern (see note below), but these five Pasadena City College courses cover foundation requirements every UC accepts. Start here.
BIOL 002
Animal Biology
CHEM 001A
General Chemistry and Chemical Analysis I
HIST 001A
History of European Civilization to 1715
ENGL C1000
Academic Reading and Writing
ENGL C1001
Critical Thinking and Writing
| Area | Course at Pasadena City College | Units |
|---|---|---|
Life Science | BIOL 002 — Animal Biology | 4 |
Physical Science | CHEM 001A — General Chemistry and Chemical Analysis I | 5 |
Humanities | HIST 001A — History of European Civilization to 1715 | 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
IGETC and Cal-GETC don't apply to Berkeley's College of Engineering, which calls them neither required nor recommended; ENGL C1000 and ENGL 001B still are.
Calculus gates physics at PCC
MATH 009, MATH 005A, MATH 005B, PHYS 008A, then PHYS 008B: five semesters if you start at MATH 009. Begin math your first term, or physics won't finish by the spring before you transfer.
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
MATH 055 counts toward two requirements
ASSIST pairs MATH 055 with MATH 005B for Berkeley's MATH 52, and with MATH 010 for MATH 54. Both MATH 055 and MATH 010 need only MATH 005B, so you can take them together right after it.
PHYS 008B waits on MATH 005C
PHYS 008A needs MATH 005B, and PHYS 008B needs PHYS 008A and multivariable calculus, MATH 005C or MATH 005CH. Physics can't start until your second calculus class is done, so a late start in math pushes both physics courses back.
PCC offers three recommended engineering courses
Berkeley strongly recommends ENGIN 7, ENGIN 26 and MEC ENG C85, though none is required. PCC matches them with ENGR 018, the DT 008A, DT 008B and DT 008C set, and ENGR 011 plus ENGR 013.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What classes do I need at PCC for UC Berkeley mechanical engineering?
CHEM 001A; MATH 005A, 005B, 005C, 055 and 010; PHYS 008A and PHYS 008B; ENGL C1000 and ENGL 001B; plus one course from Berkeley's choice list, such as CHEM 001B or PHYS 008C. Honors and embedded-support sections count where ASSIST lists them.
Is anything for Berkeley Mechanical Engineering missing at PCC?
No required course is missing. PCC has no match for STAT 20, ASTRON 7A or ASTRON 7B, but those are only options within the one-course choice. On the recommended list, ENGIN 29 and MEC ENG 40 have no PCC equivalent.
Does PCC CHEM 001B count for Berkeley engineering?
Yes, as your one-course choice. CHEM 001B matches Berkeley's CHEM 1B, one of the accepted options, and it follows CHEM 001A directly. PHYS 008C, CS 031 and PYSO 001 are other PCC courses on the same list.
How competitive is UC Berkeley mechanical engineering for PCC transfers?
Very. ASSIST calls Berkeley engineering admission highly competitive, and only applicants with a 3.5 GPA or higher and every required course finished by spring are reviewed. Once admitted, engineering transfers can't switch to a different major in the college.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
Pasadena City College students can finish every UC Berkeley Mechanical Engineering admission course at PCC. The list is CHEM 001A, a calculus run from MATH 005A through MATH 005C with MATH 055 and MATH 010, physics PHYS 008A and PHYS 008B, two composition courses, and one course from Berkeley's choice list. Berkeley only considers applicants who complete all of it with a 3.5 GPA or higher. Transfermatic can sequence these PCC classes so calculus finishes early enough for physics to follow.
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