Pasadena City College to UCI
Economics Transfer Plan
PCC clears seven of UCI's nine Economics requirement slots, including a CS lab pairing that satisfies the programming pick. ECON 15A and ECON 15B are the only true gaps, and neither blocks admission.
From
Pasadena City College
To
UC Irvine
EconomicsUC Irvine TAG
PCC students with a 3.4 GPA can apply through the Transfer Admission Guarantee for fall 2027. UCI drops Economics from TAG eligibility the following year, fall 2028.
Major Requirements
Economics Major Preparation
Courses at Pasadena City College that satisfy UC Irvine's Economics major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at Pasadena City College | Satisfies at UCI | Units |
|---|---|---|
| ECON 001B or ECON 001BH — Principles of Microeconomics | ECON 20A — Basic Economics I | 3 |
| ECON 001A or ECON 001AH — Principles of Macroeconomics | ECON 20B — Basic Economics II | 3 |
| BUS 014B (or another listed option) — Mathematical Analysis for Business-Calculus | MATH 2A — Single-Variable Calculus | 4 |
| MATH 005B or MATH 005BE or MATH 005BH — Single Variable Calculus II | MATH 2B — Single-Variable Calculus | 5 |
| No PCC match | ECON 15A — Probability and Statistics in Economics I | — |
| No PCC match | ECON 15B — Probability and Statistics in Economics II | — |
| ANTH 001 (or another listed option) — Biological Anthropology | Introductory Social Science courses in disciplines other than Economics for Economics (choose 2) | 3 |
| CS 003A (or another listed option) — Fundamentals of Computer Science II (C++) | I&C SCI 31 — Introduction to Programming (choose 1) | 3 |
Courses with no equivalent must be taken at UC Irvine 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 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 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 |
Calculus runs three semesters minimum
MATH 009 feeds MATH 005A, which feeds MATH 005B. That's the shortest path through PCC's calculus chain, so start it as early as your schedule allows.
PCC runs semesters, UCI runs quarters
PCC's semester courses convert to quarter units when they transfer, and UCI compresses the same content into ten-week terms, so the workload feels faster after you move.
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
The CS match needs lecture plus lab
CS 003A pairs with CS 003AL (or the B or C series with its lab) to cover I&C SCI 31. Register for both together, the lecture alone won't finish the requirement.
Three calculus tracks lead to MATH 2A
MATH 005A, the business calculus BUS 014B, or the life-sciences MATH 006A each satisfy UCI's MATH 2A. MATH 2B is required too, and MATH 005B needs MATH 005A or MATH 005AH, so the MATH 005A route covers both.
Math needs three terms minimum
MATH 009 comes before MATH 005A, which comes before MATH 005B. Get into that chain your first semester so calculus doesn't stretch your PCC timeline.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Does PCC ECON 001B transfer to UCI as ECON 20A?
Yes, ECON 001B or its honors version ECON 001BH both satisfy UCI's ECON 20A microeconomics requirement. ECON 001A covers the macroeconomics side, ECON 20B.
What classes does PCC not cover for UCI Economics?
PCC has no match for ECON 15A or ECON 15B. Both sit on UCI's additional major-prep list, not the admission requirements, so you complete them after transfer.
Is UC Irvine TAG available to PCC Economics students?
Yes, for fall 2027 applicants who hold a 3.4 GPA. UCI takes Economics off the TAG list starting fall 2028, so this cycle is close to the cutoff.
Which PCC courses satisfy UCI's programming requirement?
CS 003A plus its lab CS 003AL, or the equivalent B or C series pairing. Any of those three combinations covers I&C SCI 31 in full.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
Pasadena City College offers a clear route into Economics, B.A. at the University of California, Irvine, matching seven of nine prep requirements. ECON 001B covers microeconomics, ECON 001A covers macroeconomics, and a CS 003A plus CS 003AL pairing satisfies UCI's programming pick. Only ECON 15A and ECON 15B are missing, and both are extra major prep rather than admission gates. Transfermatic lays out the full PCC-to-UCI Economics path so you know exactly which combination of courses to register for each term.
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