Riverside City College to UCSB
Mechanical Engineering Transfer Plan
RCC has a match for 14 of UCSB's 20 Mechanical Engineering prep courses. ENGR 3, ME 10, ME 15 and ME 16 and 2 more have no RCC match, so plan for them before you apply.
From
Riverside City College
To
UC Santa Barbara
Mechanical EngineeringMajor Requirements
Mechanical Engineering Major Preparation
Courses at Riverside City College that satisfy UC Santa Barbara's Mechanical Engineering major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at Riverside City College | Satisfies at UCSB | Units |
|---|---|---|
| MAT 1A or MAT 1AH — Calculus I | MATH 3A — Calculus with Applications, First Course | 4 |
| MAT 1B — Calculus II | MATH 3B — Calculus with Applications, Second Course | 4 |
| MAT 3 — Linear Algebra | MATH 4A — Linear Algebra with Applications | 3 |
| MAT 2 — Differential Equations | MATH 4B — Differential Equations | 4 |
| PHY 4A — Mechanics | PHYS 7A — Basic Physics | 4 |
| PHY 4A + PHY 4B + PHY 4C — Mechanics + Electricity and Magnetism + Heat, Light and Waves | PHYS 7B — Basic Physics | 12 |
| PHY 4B + PHY 4C — Electricity and Magnetism + Heat, Light and Waves | PHYS 7C — Basic Physics | 8 |
| PHY 4A + PHY 4B — Mechanics + Electricity and Magnetism | PHYS 7L — Physics Laboratory | 8 |
| No RCC match | ENGR 3 — Introduction to Programming | — |
| ENE 35 — Statics | ME 14 — Statics | 3 |
| CHE 1A or CHE 1AH — General Chemistry, I | CHEM 1A, CHEM 2AL | 5 |
| (CHE 1A or CHE 1AH) and (CHE 1B or CHE 1BH) — General Chemistry, I | CHEM 1B — General Chemistry (recommended) | 5 |
| MAT 1C — Calculus III | MATH 6A — Vector Calculus with Applications, First Course | 4 |
| MAT 1C — Calculus III | MATH 6B — Vector Calculus with Applications, Second Course | 4 |
| ENE 39 — Engineering Circuit Analysis | ME 6 — Basic Electrical and Electronic Circuits | 4 |
| No RCC match | ME 10 — Engineering Graphics: Sketching, CAD, and Conceptual Design | — |
| No RCC match | ME 15 — Strength of Materials | — |
| No RCC match | ME 16 — Engineering Mechanics: Dynamics | — |
| PHY 4C — Heat, Light and Waves | PHYS 7D — Basic Physics | 4 |
| No RCC match | ME 12S — Introduction to Machine Shop | — |
| No RCC match | ME 17 — Mathematics of Engineering | — |
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
UCSB's Mechanical Engineering program uses its own GE pattern (see note below), but these five Riverside City College courses cover foundation requirements every UC accepts. Start here.
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 |
UCSB Mechanical Engineering: full GE notes
UCSB tells College of Engineering transfers to prioritize major coursework over Cal-GETC or IGETC; general education can wait until after transfer for students planning a three-year stay.
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
6 UCSB requirements have no RCC match
RCC lists no course for ENGR 3, ME 10, ME 15 and ME 16 and others. Check UCSB's Mechanical Engineering page for whether they have to be done before you transfer, and plan where you'll cover them.
Start with MAT 1A and PHY 4A
MAT 1A and PHY 4A 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 3A
For UCSB MATH 3A, 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 UCSB Mechanical Engineering?
MAT 1A or MAT 1AH, MAT 1B, MAT 3, MAT 2, PHY 4A, PHY 4B and PHY 4C, plus the rest in the table above. Together they match 14 of the 20 prep courses UCSB lists for Mechanical Engineering.
What doesn't RCC cover for UCSB Mechanical Engineering?
ENGR 3, ME 10, ME 15, ME 16 and ME 12S and 1 more. RCC lists no course for them, so check UCSB's Mechanical Engineering page for whether they have to be finished before you transfer.
Does RCC MAT 1B transfer to UCSB?
Yes, for Mechanical Engineering. RCC MAT 1B (Calculus II) is the match for UCSB MATH 3B (Calculus with Applications, Second Course) in the transfer agreement.
What should I take first at RCC for UCSB Mechanical Engineering?
MAT 1A and PHY 4A, plus ENGL C1000 for English composition. They sit at the start of their sequences.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
Riverside City College students transferring to UC Santa Barbara for Mechanical Engineering can match 14 of 20 lower-division prep courses at RCC, including MAT 1A or MAT 1AH and MAT 1B. ENGR 3 and ME 10 have no Riverside City College equivalent in the 2025-2026 agreement. MAT 1A and PHY 4A are good first-semester picks. On Transfermatic, put in Riverside City College and UC Santa Barbara, and you get the classes you need for Mechanical Engineering, semester by semester.
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