Riverside City College to UCSD
Mechanical Engineering Transfer Plan
RCC has a match for 9 of UCSD's 17 Mechanical Engineering prep courses. MAE 8, MATH 20E, MAE 20 and MAE 3 and 4 more have no RCC match, so plan for them before you apply.
From
Riverside City College
To
UC San Diego
Mechanical EngineeringMajor Requirements
Mechanical Engineering Major Preparation
Courses at Riverside City College that satisfy UC San Diego's Mechanical Engineering major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at Riverside City College | Satisfies at UCSD | Units |
|---|---|---|
| No RCC match | MAE 8 — MATLAB Programming for Engineering Analysis | — |
| CHE 1A — General Chemistry, I | CHEM 6A — General Chemistry I | 5 |
| MAT 3 — Linear Algebra | MATH 18 — Linear Algebra | 3 |
| MAT 1A or MAT 1AH — Calculus I | MATH 20A — Calculus for Science and Engineering | 4 |
| MAT 1B — Calculus II | MATH 20B — Calculus for Science and Engineering | 4 |
| MAT 1C — Calculus III | MATH 20C — Calculus and Analytic Geometry for Science and Engineering | 4 |
| MAT 2 — Differential Equations | MATH 20D — Introduction to Differential Equations | 4 |
| No RCC match | MATH 20E — Vector Calculus | — |
| PHY 4A — Mechanics | PHYS 2A — Physics - Mechanics | 4 |
| PHY 4B — Electricity and Magnetism | PHYS 2B — Physics - Electricity and Magnetism | 4 |
| PHY 4C — Heat, Light and Waves | PHYS 2C — Physics - Fluids, Waves, Thermodynamics, and Optics | 4 |
| No RCC match | MAE 20 — Elements of Materials Science | — |
| No RCC match | MAE 3 — Introduction to Engineering Graphics and Design | — |
| No RCC match | MAE 11 — Thermodynamics | — |
| No RCC match | MAE 30A — Statics & Introduction to Dynamics | — |
| No RCC match | MAE 30B — Dynamics & Vibrations | — |
| No RCC match | MAE 40 — Linear Circuits | — |
Courses with no equivalent must be taken at UC San Diego 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 UCSD 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, UCSD quarters
RCC runs on semesters and UCSD on quarters. Your units convert when you transfer, one semester unit to 1.5 quarter units, and anything left runs on UCSD'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
8 UCSD requirements have no RCC match
RCC lists no course for MAE 8, MATH 20E, MAE 20 and MAE 3 and others. Check UCSD'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 MAT 3
CHE 1A and MAT 3 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 MATH 20A
For UCSD MATH 20A, RCC accepts MAT 1A or MAT 1AH. You need only one of them, so pick whichever fits your schedule.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What classes should I take at RCC for UCSD Mechanical Engineering?
CHE 1A, MAT 3, MAT 1A or MAT 1AH, MAT 1B, MAT 1C, MAT 2 and PHY 4A, plus the rest in the table above. Together they match 9 of the 17 prep courses UCSD lists for Mechanical Engineering.
What doesn't RCC cover for UCSD Mechanical Engineering?
MAE 8, MATH 20E, MAE 20, MAE 3 and MAE 11 and 3 more. RCC lists no course for them, so check UCSD's Mechanical Engineering page for whether they have to be finished before you transfer.
Does RCC CHE 1A transfer to UCSD?
Yes, for Mechanical Engineering. RCC CHE 1A (General Chemistry, I) is the match for UCSD CHEM 6A (General Chemistry I) in the transfer agreement.
What is UCSD's transfer admit rate for Mechanical Engineering?
31% of all transfer applicants to UCSD 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 San Diego for Mechanical Engineering can match 9 of 17 lower-division prep courses at RCC, including CHE 1A and MAT 3. MAE 8 and MATH 20E have no Riverside City College equivalent in the 2025-2026 agreement. CHE 1A and MAT 3 are good first-semester picks. On Transfermatic, put in Riverside City College and UC San Diego, and you get the classes you need for Mechanical Engineering, semester by semester.
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