Riverside City College to UCSB
Economics Transfer Plan
RCC has a match for 4 of UCSB's 6 Economics prep courses. ECON 10A and a UCSB choose-1 requirement have no RCC match, so plan for them before you apply.
From
Riverside City College
To
UC Santa Barbara
EconomicsUC Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG)
UCSB offers TAG for Economics for fall 2027 applicants, with a minimum 3.4 GPA. File during the TAG window the fall before you transfer, and check UCSB's TAG page, since its list of eligible majors changes.
Major Requirements
Economics Major Preparation
Courses at Riverside City College that satisfy UC Santa Barbara's Economics major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at Riverside City College | Satisfies at UCSB | Units |
|---|---|---|
| ECO 8 or ECO 8H — Principles of Microeconomics | ECON 1 — Principles of Economics-Micro | 3 |
| ECO 7 or ECO 7H — Principles of Macroeconomics | ECON 2 — Principles of Economics-Macro | 3 |
| MAT 1A or MAT 1AH — Calculus I | MATH 3A — Calculus with Applications, First Course (choose 1) | 4 |
| MAT 5 — Calculus for Business and Life Science | MATH 34A — Calculus for Social and Life Sciences (choose 1) | 4 |
| MAT 1B — Calculus II | MATH 3B — Calculus with Applications, Second Course (choose 1) | 4 |
| MAT 5 — Calculus for Business and Life Science | MATH 34B — Calculus for Social and Life Sciences (choose 1) | 4 |
| No RCC match | ECON 10A — Intermediate Microeconomic Theory | — |
| No RCC match for any of 2 options | ECON 5 — Statistics for Economics and others (choose 1) | — |
Courses with no equivalent must be taken at UC Santa Barbara 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 UCSB 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, UCSB quarters
RCC runs on semesters and UCSB on quarters. Your units convert when you transfer, one semester unit to 1.5 quarter units, and anything left runs on UCSB'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
2 UCSB requirements have no RCC match
RCC lists no course for ECON 10A and a UCSB choose-1 requirement. Check UCSB's Economics page for whether they have to be done before you transfer, and plan where you'll cover them.
Start with ECO 8 and MAT 1A
ECO 8 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.
More than one way to cover ECON 1
For UCSB ECON 1, RCC accepts ECO 8 or ECO 8H. You need only one of them, so pick whichever fits your schedule.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What classes should I take at RCC for UCSB Economics?
ECO 8 or ECO 8H, ECO 7 or ECO 7H, MAT 1A or MAT 1AH, MAT 5 and MAT 1B, plus the rest in the table above. Together they match 4 of the 6 prep courses UCSB lists for Economics.
What doesn't RCC cover for UCSB Economics?
ECON 10A and a UCSB choose-1 requirement. RCC lists no course for them, so check UCSB's Economics page for whether they have to be finished before you transfer.
Does RCC MAT 5 transfer to UCSB?
Yes, for Economics. RCC MAT 5 (Calculus for Business and Life Science) is the match for UCSB MATH 34A (Calculus for Social and Life Sciences) in the transfer agreement.
What is UCSB's transfer admit rate for Economics?
62% of all transfer applicants to UCSB Economics 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 Santa Barbara for Economics can match 4 of 6 lower-division prep courses at RCC, including ECO 8 or ECO 8H and ECO 7 or ECO 7H. ECON 10A and a UCSB choose-1 requirement have no Riverside City College equivalent in the 2025-2026 agreement. ECO 8 and MAT 1A are good first-semester picks. On Transfermatic, put in Riverside City College and UC Santa Barbara, and you get the classes you need for Economics, semester by semester.
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