Riverside City College to UCI
Political Science Transfer Plan
RCC has a match for 7 of UCI's 8 Political Science prep courses. A UCI choose-1 requirement has no RCC match, so plan for it before you apply.
From
Riverside City College
To
UC Irvine
Political ScienceUC Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG)
UCI offers TAG for Political Science for fall 2027 applicants, with a minimum 3.4 GPA. File during the TAG window the fall before you transfer, and check UCI's TAG page, since its list of eligible majors changes.
Major Requirements
Political Science Major Preparation
Courses at Riverside City College that satisfy UC Irvine's Political Science major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at Riverside City College | Satisfies at UCI | Units |
|---|---|---|
| POLS C1000 or POLS C1000H — American Government and Politics | POL SCI 21A — Introduction to American Government (choose 4) | 3 |
| POLS 11 — Political Theory | POL SCI 31A — Introduction to Political Theory (choose 4) | 3 |
| POLS 4 or POLS 4H — Introduction to World Politics | POL SCI 41A — Introduction to International Relations (choose 4) | 3 |
| POLS 2 or POLS 2H — Comparative Politics | POL SCI 51A — Introduction to Politics Around the World (choose 4) | 3 |
| POLS 23 — Race, Ethnicity, and Politics in America | POL SCI 61A — Introduction to Race and Ethnicity in Political Science (choose 4) | 3 |
| POLS C1000 (or another listed option) — American Government and Politics | Political Science not already used (choose 1) | 3 |
| ANT 1 (or another listed option) — Physical Anthropology | Political Science or other Social Science discipline (choose 1) | 3 |
| MAT 1A (or another listed option) — Calculus I | School of Social Sciences Math Requirement (choose 1) | 4 |
| No RCC match for any of 2 options | I&C SCI 31 — Introduction to Programming and others (choose 1) | — |
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 Riverside City College
Complete these five courses at Riverside 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.
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, UCI quarters
RCC runs on semesters and UCI on quarters. Your units convert when you transfer, one semester unit to 1.5 quarter units, and anything left runs on UCI'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
1 UCI requirement has no RCC match
RCC lists no course for a UCI choose-1 requirement. Check UCI'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 ANT 1
POLS C1000 and ANT 1 sit at the start of their sequences for this route, so they fit your first semester, next to ENGL C1000 for English composition.
RCC gives you options here
For UCI POL SCI 21A, 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 UCI Political Science?
POLS C1000 or POLS C1000H, POLS 11, POLS 4 or POLS 4H, POLS 2 or POLS 2H, POLS 23, ANT 1 and MAT 1A, plus the rest in the table above. Together they match 7 of the 8 prep courses UCI lists for Political Science.
What doesn't RCC cover for UCI Political Science?
A UCI choose-1 requirement. RCC lists no course for it, so check UCI's Political Science page for whether it has to be finished before you transfer.
Does RCC POLS 11 transfer to UCI?
Yes, for Political Science. RCC POLS 11 (Political Theory) is the match for UCI POL SCI 31A (Introduction to Political Theory) in the transfer agreement.
Can I use TAG for UCI Political Science?
UCI lists Political Science as TAG-eligible for fall 2027, with a minimum 3.4 GPA. Check UCI's TAG page before you count on it for a later term.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
Riverside City College students transferring to UC Irvine for Political Science can match 7 of 8 lower-division prep courses at RCC, including POLS C1000 or POLS C1000H and POLS 11. A UCI choose-1 requirement has no Riverside City College equivalent in the 2025-2026 agreement. POLS C1000 and ANT 1 are good first-semester picks. On Transfermatic, put in Riverside City College and UC Irvine, and you get the classes you need for Political Science, semester by semester.
Build your Riverside City College → UCI plan
Personalized, semester-by-semester. Free to start.
Get My Transfer Plan