Riverside City College to UC Davis
Mechanical Engineering Transfer Plan
RCC has a match for 12 of UC Davis's 17 Mechanical Engineering prep courses. ENG 004, ENG 006, ENG 017 and ENG 045 and 1 more have no RCC match, so plan for them before you apply.
From
Riverside City College
To
UC Davis
Mechanical EngineeringUC Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG)
UC Davis offers TAG for Mechanical Engineering for fall 2027 applicants, with a minimum 3.5 GPA. File during the TAG window the fall before you transfer, and check UC Davis's TAG page, since its list of eligible majors changes.
Major Requirements
Mechanical Engineering Major Preparation
Courses at Riverside City College that satisfy UC Davis's Mechanical Engineering major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at Riverside City College | Satisfies at UC Davis | Units |
|---|---|---|
| CHE 1A + CHE 1B — General Chemistry, I + General Chemistry, II | CHE 002A, CHE 002B, CHE 002C | 10 |
| No RCC match | ENG 004 — Engineering Graphics in Design | — |
| No RCC match | ENG 006 — Engineering Problem Solving | — |
| No RCC match | ENG 017 — Circuits I | — |
| ENE 35 — Statics | ENG 035 — Statics | 3 |
| MAT 1A — Calculus I | MAT 021A — Calculus | 4 |
| MAT 1B — Calculus II | MAT 021B — Calculus | 4 |
| MAT 1C — Calculus III | MAT 021C, MAT 021D | 4 |
| MAT 3 — Linear Algebra | MAT 022A — Linear Algebra | 3 |
| MAT 2 — Differential Equations | MAT 022B — Differential Equations | 4 |
| PHY 4A — Mechanics | PHY 009A — Classical Physics | 4 |
| PHY 4C — Heat, Light and Waves | PHY 009B — Classical Physics | 4 |
| PHY 4B — Electricity and Magnetism | PHY 009C — Classical Physics | 4 |
| ENGL 41 — World Literature II: Seventeenth Century Through the Present | COM 003 — Major Works of the Modern World (choose 1) | 3 |
| ENGL 1B or ENGL 1BH — Critical Thinking and Writing | ENL 003 — Introduction to Literature (choose 1) | 4 |
| 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 RCC match | ENG 045 — Properties of Materials | — |
| No RCC 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 Riverside City College
Complete these five courses at Riverside 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.
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 |
RCC semesters, UC Davis quarters
RCC runs on semesters and UC Davis on quarters. Your units convert when you transfer, one semester unit to 1.5 quarter units, and anything left runs on UC Davis's quicker quarter schedule.
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
5 UC Davis requirements have no RCC match
RCC lists no course for ENG 004, ENG 006, ENG 017 and ENG 045 and others. Check UC Davis's Mechanical Engineering page for whether they have to be done before you transfer, and plan where you'll cover them.
Start with CHE 1A and ENE 35
CHE 1A and ENE 35 sit at the start of their sequences for this route, so they fit your first semester, next to ENGL C1000 for English composition.
More than one way to cover ENL 003
For UC Davis ENL 003, RCC accepts ENGL 1B or ENGL 1BH. You need only one of them, so pick whichever fits your schedule.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What classes should I take at RCC for UC Davis Mechanical Engineering?
CHE 1A, CHE 1B, ENE 35, MAT 1A, MAT 1B, MAT 1C and MAT 3, plus the rest in the table above. Together they match 12 of the 17 prep courses UC Davis lists for Mechanical Engineering.
What doesn't RCC cover for UC Davis Mechanical Engineering?
ENG 004, ENG 006, ENG 017, ENG 045 and EME 050. RCC lists no course for them, so check UC Davis's Mechanical Engineering page for whether they have to be finished before you transfer.
Does RCC ENE 35 transfer to UC Davis?
Yes, for Mechanical Engineering. RCC ENE 35 (Statics) is the match for UC Davis ENG 035 (Statics) in the transfer agreement.
What is UC Davis's transfer admit rate for Mechanical Engineering?
43% of all transfer applicants to UC Davis Mechanical Engineering were admitted in 2025. That figure covers applicants from every college, so it isn't specific to RCC.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
Riverside City College students transferring to UC Davis for Mechanical Engineering can match 12 of 17 lower-division prep courses at RCC, including CHE 1A and CHE 1B. ENG 004 and ENG 006 have no Riverside City College equivalent in the 2025-2026 agreement. CHE 1A and ENE 35 are good first-semester picks. On Transfermatic, put in Riverside City College and UC Davis, and you get the classes you need for Mechanical Engineering, semester by semester.
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