Pasadena City College to UC Davis
Mechanical Engineering Transfer Plan
PCC covers 11 of UC Davis's 16 Mechanical Engineering requirements, including all four engineering intro courses and calculus. None of the three physics courses has a PCC match, and UC Davis screens for all three by spring before transfer.
From
Pasadena City College
To
UC Davis
Mechanical EngineeringUC Davis TAG
Mechanical Engineering qualifies for TAG at UC Davis. The College of Engineering asks for a 3.50 cumulative GPA and a matching 3.50 GPA in your major preparation coursework to lock it in.
Major Requirements
Mechanical Engineering Major Preparation
Courses at Pasadena City College that satisfy UC Davis's Mechanical Engineering major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at Pasadena City College | Satisfies at UC Davis | Units |
|---|---|---|
| CHEM 001B + CHEM 001A — General Chemistry and Chemical Analysis II + General Chemistry and Chemical Analysis I | CHE 002A, CHE 002B, CHE 002C | 10 |
| ENGR 002 — Engineering Graphics | ENG 004 — Engineering Graphics in Design | 3 |
| ENGR 018 — Programming and Problem-Solving in MATLAB | ENG 006 — Engineering Problem Solving | 3 |
| ENGR 016 — Engineering Circuits | ENG 017 — Circuits I | 3 |
| ENGR 011 — Statics | ENG 035 — Statics | 3 |
| MATH 005A or MATH 005AH — Single Variable Calculus I | MAT 021A — Calculus | 5 |
| MATH 005B (or another listed option) — Single Variable Calculus II | MAT 021B, MAT 021C, MAT 021D | 5 |
| MATH 010 or MATH 010H — Linear Algebra and Applications | MAT 022A — Linear Algebra | 4 |
| MATH 055 or MATH 055H — Differential Equations | MAT 022B — Differential Equations | 4 |
| No PCC match | PHY 009A — Classical Physics | — |
| No PCC match | PHY 009B — Classical Physics | — |
| No PCC match | PHY 009C — Classical Physics | — |
| ENGL 044A — World Literature: Antiquity to Late Seventeenth Century | COM 001 — Major Works of the Ancient World (choose 1) | 3 |
| ENGL 044B — World Literature: Late Seventeenth Century to the Present | COM 002 — Major Works of the Medieval & Early Modern World (choose 1) | 3 |
| ENGL 044C — World Literature: 1800 - Mid 20th Century | COM 003 — Major Works of the Modern World (choose 1) | 3 |
| ENGL 001B or ENGL 001BH — Reading and Composition | ENL 003 — Introduction to Literature (choose 1) | 4 |
| ENGL 055 or ETH 055 — Native American Literature and Cultural Expression | NAS 005 — Introduction to Native American Literature (choose 1) | 3 |
| ENGL C1000 or ENGL C1000H — Academic Reading and Writing | UWP 001 — Introduction to Academic Literacies (choose 1) | 4 |
| COMM C1000 or COMM C1000H — Introduction to Public Speaking | CMN 001 — Introduction to Public Speaking (choose 1) | 3 |
| No PCC match | ENG 045 — Properties of Materials | — |
| No PCC match | EME 050 — Manufacturing Processes | — |
Courses with no equivalent must be taken at UC Davis after transfer. Factor this into your first-year course plan.
General Education
Foundation GE at Pasadena City College
Complete these five courses at Pasadena City College to start your UC Davis 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 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 |
Five semesters from MATH 009 to circuits
MATH 009 leads to MATH 005A, then 005B, then MATH 055H, then ENGR 016: five semesters minimum. Start math your first term so circuits is done by spring before transfer.
PCC runs semesters, UC Davis runs quarters
PCC's semester courses become quarter units at UC Davis. The conversion doesn't move the deadline: all screened prep, physics included, is due by the end of spring before fall enrollment.
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
Physics has no PCC match
ASSIST lists no PCC course for PHY 009A, 009B or 009C. UC Davis's selective-major review expects that physics finished by the end of spring before fall entry, so this is the gap to plan around first.
Honors calculus is an accepted path
MATH 005A or MATH 005AH clears MAT 021A. The rest of calculus takes two courses: MATH 005B, 005BE or 005BH, plus MATH 005C or 005CH.
All four engineering intro courses clear
ENGR 002, 018, 016 and 011 cover ENG 004, 006, 017 and 035 at PCC, the full intro engineering group UC Davis asks for before transfer.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Does PCC's physics sequence transfer to UC Davis Mechanical Engineering?
No. ASSIST lists no PCC match for PHY 009A, 009B or 009C. UC Davis screens this major for all three by the end of spring before you enroll, so the physics gap affects admission, not just graduation.
What doesn't PCC cover for UC Davis Mechanical Engineering?
Five of sixteen requirements: PHY 009A, 009B and 009C, which UC Davis screens by spring before transfer, plus ENG 045 and EME 050, which aren't screened and can be taken at UC Davis. Chemistry through differential equations all has a PCC match.
What's the admit rate for UC Davis Mechanical Engineering?
43% of all transfer applicants to the major were admitted per UC Davis's 2025 data, a figure covering every applicant, not just those coming from PCC.
Is PCC to UC Davis Mechanical Engineering TAG-eligible?
Yes. UC Davis guarantees admission through TAG for this major once you hit a 3.50 GPA cumulative and a 3.50 GPA across your major prep coursework.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
Pasadena City College students transferring into UC Davis's Mechanical Engineering, B.S. program clear eleven of sixteen requirements, covering chemistry, the full intro engineering group and calculus through MATH 005C. Physics is the gap: PHY 009A, 009B and 009C have no PCC equivalent on ASSIST, and UC Davis screens for all three by spring before transfer. ENG 045 and EME 050 are also open and can be taken at UC Davis. On our platform, put in your CC and your transfer university and Transfermatic flags exactly which UC Davis requirements PCC can't clear in advance.
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