Riverside City College to UC Davis
Political Science Transfer Plan
RCC has a match for 5 of UC Davis's 6 Political Science prep courses. POL 051 has no RCC match, so plan for it before you apply.
From
Riverside City College
To
UC Davis
Political ScienceUC Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG)
UC Davis offers TAG for Political Science for fall 2027 applicants, with a minimum 3.2 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
Political Science Major Preparation
Courses at Riverside City College that satisfy UC Davis's Political Science major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at Riverside City College | Satisfies at UC Davis | Units |
|---|---|---|
| POLS C1000 or POLS C1000H — American Government and Politics | POL 001 — American National Government (choose 3) | 3 |
| POLS 2 or POLS 2H — Comparative Politics | POL 002 — Introduction to Comparative Politics (choose 3) | 3 |
| POLS 4 — Introduction to World Politics | POL 003 — International Relations (choose 3) | 3 |
| POLS 11 — Political Theory | POL 004 — Basic Concepts in Political Theory (choose 3) | 3 |
| POLS C1000 or POLS C1000H — American Government and Politics | POL 001 — American National Government (choose 1) | 3 |
| POLS 2 or POLS 2H — Comparative Politics | POL 002 — Introduction to Comparative Politics (choose 1) | 3 |
| POLS 4 — Introduction to World Politics | POL 003 — International Relations (choose 1) | 3 |
| POLS 11 — Political Theory | POL 004 — Basic Concepts in Political Theory (choose 1) | 3 |
| POLS 5 — Introduction to Law | POL 007 — Introduction to Law & Politics (choose 1) | 3 |
| No RCC match | POL 051 — Scientific Study of Politics | — |
| PSYC 48 or SOC 48 or STAT C1000 or STAT C1000H — Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences | STA 013 — Elementary Statistics (choose 1) | 4 |
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
POL 051 has no RCC match
RCC lists no course for POL 051. Check UC Davis's Political Science page for whether it has to be done before you transfer, and plan where you'll cover it.
Start with POLS C1000 and PSYC 48
POLS C1000 and PSYC 48 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 POL 001
For UC Davis POL 001, RCC accepts POLS C1000 or POLS C1000H. 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 Political Science?
POLS C1000 or POLS C1000H, POLS 2 or POLS 2H, POLS 4, POLS 11, POLS 5 and PSYC 48, plus the rest in the table above. Together they match 5 of the 6 prep courses UC Davis lists for Political Science.
What doesn't RCC cover for UC Davis Political Science?
POL 051. RCC lists no course for it, so check UC Davis's Political Science page for whether it has to be finished before you transfer.
Does RCC POLS 4 transfer to UC Davis?
Yes, for Political Science. RCC POLS 4 (Introduction to World Politics) is the match for UC Davis POL 003 (International Relations) in the transfer agreement.
Can I use TAG for UC Davis Political Science?
UC Davis lists Political Science as TAG-eligible for fall 2027, with a minimum 3.2 GPA. Check UC Davis's TAG page before you count on it for a later term.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
Riverside City College students transferring to UC Davis for Political Science can match 5 of 6 lower-division prep courses at RCC, including POLS C1000 or POLS C1000H and POLS 2 or POLS 2H. POL 051 has no Riverside City College equivalent in the 2025-2026 agreement. POLS C1000 and PSYC 48 are good first-semester picks. On Transfermatic, put in Riverside City College and UC Davis, and you get the classes you need for Political Science, semester by semester.
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