Riverside City College to UC Berkeley
Mechanical Engineering Transfer Plan
RCC has a match for every one of UC Berkeley's 10 Mechanical Engineering prep courses, so you can finish all of the listed prep at RCC. Start with CHE 1A and MAT 1A.
From
Riverside City College
To
UC Berkeley
Mechanical EngineeringMajor Requirements
Mechanical Engineering Major Preparation
Courses at Riverside City College that satisfy UC Berkeley's Mechanical Engineering major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at Riverside City College | Satisfies at UC Berkeley | Units |
|---|---|---|
| CHE 1A — General Chemistry, I | CHEM 1A, CHEM 1AL | 5 |
| MAT 1A — Calculus I | MATH 51 — Calculus I | 4 |
| MAT 1B — Calculus II | MATH 52 — Calculus II | 4 |
| MAT 1C — Calculus III | MATH 53 — Multivariable Calculus | 4 |
| MAT 3 + MAT 2 — Linear Algebra + Differential Equations | MATH 54 — Linear Algebra and Differential Equations | 7 |
| PHY 4A — Mechanics | PHYSICS 7A — Physics for Scientists and Engineers | 4 |
| PHY 4C + PHY 4B — Heat, Light and Waves + Electricity and Magnetism | PHYSICS 7B — Physics for Scientists and Engineers | 8 |
| ENGL C1000 or ENGL C1000H — Academic Reading and Writing | Courses that satisfy Reading & Composition A | 4 |
| ENGL 1B or ENGL 1BH — Critical Thinking and Writing | Courses that satisfy Reading & Composition B | 4 |
| BIO 60 + BIO 61 — Introduction to Molecular and Cellular Biology + Introduction to Organismal and Population Biology | BIOLOGY 1A, BIOLOGY 1AL (choose 1) | 10 |
| BIO 61 — Introduction to Organismal and Population Biology | BIOLOGY 1B — General Biology (Plant Form & Function, Ecology, Evolution) (choose 1) | 5 |
| MAT 70A — Foundations of Data Science | COMPSCI C8 — Foundations of Data Science (choose 1) | 3 |
| CHE 1B — General Chemistry, II | CHEM 1B — General Chemistry (choose 1) | 5 |
| CHE 12A — Organic Chemistry, I | CHEM 3A, CHEM 3AL (choose 1) | 5 |
| CHE 12B — Organic Chemistry, II | CHEM 3B, CHEM 3BL (choose 1) | 5 |
| No RCC match | ENGIN 7 — Introduction to Computer Programming for Scientists and Engineers (MATLAB) (recommended) | — |
| No RCC match | ENGIN 26 — Three-Dimensional Modeling for Design (recommended) | — |
| No RCC match | ENGIN 29 — Manufacturing and Design Communication (recommended) | — |
| No RCC match | MEC ENG 40 — Thermodynamics (recommended) | — |
| No RCC match | MEC ENG C85 — Introduction to Solid Mechanics (recommended) | — |
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 Riverside City College
UC Berkeley's Mechanical Engineering program uses its own GE pattern (see note below), but these five Riverside City College courses cover foundation requirements every UC accepts. Start here.
BIO 1
General Biology
AST 1A
Introduction to the Solar System
ENGL 14
American Literature I: Pre-Contact through Civil War
ENGL C1000
Academic Reading and Writing
COMM C1000
Introduction to Public Speaking
| Area | Course at Riverside City College | Units |
|---|---|---|
Life Science | BIO 1 — General Biology | 4 |
Physical Science | AST 1A — Introduction to the Solar System | 3 |
Humanities | ENGL 14 — American Literature I: Pre-Contact through Civil War | 3 |
English CompositionCCN | ENGL C1000 — Academic Reading and Writing | 4 |
Oral CommunicationCCN | COMM C1000 — Introduction to Public Speaking | 3 |
UC Berkeley Mechanical Engineering: full GE notes
Skip IGETC and Cal-GETC for this major: Berkeley Engineering won't accept them, though De Anza's two composition courses are still required.
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
RCC covers all 10 listed courses
Every UC Berkeley Mechanical Engineering prep course in the transfer agreement has a RCC match, so none of the listed prep has to wait. Take them all before you apply.
Start with CHE 1A and MAT 1A
CHE 1A and MAT 1A sit at the start of their sequences for this route, so they fit your first semester, next to ENGL C1000 for English composition.
What UC Berkeley looks for
Admitted engineering transfers cannot change majors within the college.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What classes should I take at RCC for UC Berkeley Mechanical Engineering?
CHE 1A, MAT 1A, MAT 1B, MAT 1C, MAT 3, MAT 2 and PHY 4A, plus the rest in the table above. Together they match 10 of the 10 prep courses UC Berkeley lists for Mechanical Engineering.
What doesn't RCC cover for UC Berkeley Mechanical Engineering?
Nothing in the transfer agreement. Every UC Berkeley Mechanical Engineering prep course listed has a RCC match.
Does RCC MAT 1A transfer to UC Berkeley?
Yes, for Mechanical Engineering. RCC MAT 1A (Calculus I) is the match for UC Berkeley MATH 51 (Calculus I) in the transfer agreement.
What should I take first at RCC for UC Berkeley Mechanical Engineering?
CHE 1A and MAT 1A, plus ENGL C1000 for English composition. They sit at the start of their sequences.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
Riverside City College students transferring to UC Berkeley for Mechanical Engineering can match 10 of 10 lower-division prep courses at RCC, including CHE 1A and MAT 1A. Every listed course has a Riverside City College equivalent in the 2025-2026 agreement. CHE 1A and MAT 1A are good first-semester picks. On Transfermatic, put in Riverside City College and UC Berkeley, and you get the classes you need for Mechanical Engineering, semester by semester.
Build your Riverside City College → UC Berkeley plan
Personalized, semester-by-semester. Free to start.
Get My Transfer Plan