Riverside City College to UCSB
Political Science Transfer Plan
RCC has a match for 5 of UCSB's 6 Political Science prep courses. POL S 15 has no RCC match, so plan for it before you apply.
From
Riverside City College
To
UC Santa Barbara
Political ScienceUC Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG)
UCSB 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 UCSB's TAG page, since its list of eligible majors changes.
Major Requirements
Political Science Major Preparation
Courses at Riverside City College that satisfy UC Santa Barbara's Political Science major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at Riverside City College | Satisfies at UCSB | Units |
|---|---|---|
| POLS 11 — Political Theory | POL S 1 — Introduction to Political Philosophy (choose 3) | 3 |
| POLS 2 or POLS 2H — Comparative Politics | POL S 6 — Introduction to Comparative Politics (choose 3) | 3 |
| POLS 4 or POLS 4H — Introduction to World Politics | POL S 7 — Introduction to International Relations (choose 3) | 3 |
| POLS C1000 or POLS C1000H — American Government and Politics | POL S 12 — American Government and Politics (choose 3) | 3 |
| No RCC match | POL S 15 — Introduction to Research in Political Science | — |
| 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 |
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
POL S 15 has no RCC match
RCC lists no course for POL S 15. Check UCSB's Political Science page for whether it has to be done before you transfer, and plan where you'll cover it.
Start with POLS 11 and ECO 8
POLS 11 and ECO 8 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 UCSB POL S 6, RCC accepts POLS 2 or POLS 2H. 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 Political Science?
POLS 11, POLS 2 or POLS 2H, POLS 4 or POLS 4H, POLS C1000 or POLS C1000H, ECO 8 or ECO 8H and ECO 7 or ECO 7H. Together they match 5 of the 6 prep courses UCSB lists for Political Science.
What doesn't RCC cover for UCSB Political Science?
POL S 15. RCC lists no course for it, so check UCSB's Political Science page for whether it has to be finished before you transfer.
Does RCC POLS 11 transfer to UCSB?
Yes, for Political Science. RCC POLS 11 (Political Theory) is the match for UCSB POL S 1 (Introduction to Political Philosophy) in the transfer agreement.
What is UCSB's transfer admit rate for Political Science?
63% of all transfer applicants to UCSB Political Science 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 Political Science can match 5 of 6 lower-division prep courses at RCC, including POLS 11 and POLS 2 or POLS 2H. POL S 15 has no Riverside City College equivalent in the 2025-2026 agreement. POLS 11 and ECO 8 are good first-semester picks. On Transfermatic, put in Riverside City College and UC Santa Barbara, and you get the classes you need for Political Science, semester by semester.
Build your Riverside City College → UCSB plan
Personalized, semester-by-semester. Free to start.
Get My Transfer Plan