Riverside City College to UCLA
Mechanical Engineering Transfer Plan
RCC has a match for 10 of UCLA's 11 Mechanical Engineering prep courses. MECH&AE 94 has no RCC match, so plan for it before you apply.
From
Riverside City College
To
UCLA
Mechanical EngineeringMajor Requirements
Mechanical Engineering Major Preparation
Courses at Riverside City College that satisfy UCLA's Mechanical Engineering major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at Riverside City College | Satisfies at UCLA | Units |
|---|---|---|
| CHE 1B + CHE 1A — General Chemistry, II + General Chemistry, I | CHEM 20A, CHEM 20B, CHEM 20L | 10 |
| MAT 1A — Calculus I | MATH 31A — Differential and Integral Calculus | 4 |
| MAT 1B — Calculus II | MATH 31B — Integration and Infinite Series | 4 |
| MAT 1C — Calculus III | MATH 32A — Calculus of Several Variables | 4 |
| MAT 1C — Calculus III | MATH 32B — Calculus of Several Variables | 4 |
| MAT 3 — Linear Algebra | MATH 33A — Linear Algebra and Applications | 3 |
| MAT 2 — Differential Equations | MECH&AE 82 — Mathematics of Engineering | 4 |
| No RCC match | MECH&AE 94 — Introduction to Computer-Aided Design and Drafting | — |
| PHY 4A + PHY 4B + PHY 4C — Mechanics + Electricity and Magnetism + Heat, Light and Waves | PHYSICS 1A, PHYSICS 1B, PHYSICS 1C, PHYSICS 4AL, PHYSICS 4BL | 12 |
| ENGL C1000 — Academic Reading and Writing | ENGCOMP 3 — English Composition, Rhetoric, and Language (choose 1) | 4 |
| ENGL 1B or ENGL 1BH — Critical Thinking and Writing | English composition courses (choose 1) | 4 |
| CIS 17A or CIS 5 — Programming Concepts and Methodology II: C++ | COM SCI 31 — Introduction to Computer Science I (choose 1) | 3 |
| ENE 38 — Introduction to Programming Concepts and Methodologies for Engineers | C&EE M20 — Introduction to Computer Programming with MATLAB (choose 1) | 4 |
| CIS 5 or (CIS 17B and CSC 17A) or (CIS 17C and CIS 17A) — Programming Concepts and Methodology I: C++ | Computer programming courses: C, C++, Java or Matlab (choose 1) | 4 |
| No RCC match | EC ENGR 100 — Electrical and Electronic Circuits (recommended) | — |
| No RCC match | EC ENGR 110L — Circuit Measurements Laboratory (recommended) | — |
| No RCC match | MECH&AE 101 — Statics and Strength of Materials (recommended) | — |
| No RCC match | MECH&AE 102 — Dynamics of Particles and Rigid Bodies (recommended) | — |
| No RCC match | MAT SCI 104 — Science of Engineering Materials (recommended) | — |
Courses with no equivalent must be taken at UCLA after transfer. Factor this into your first-year course plan.
General Education
Foundation GE at Riverside City College
UCLA'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 |
UCLA Mechanical Engineering: full GE notes
For Samueli engineering majors, UCLA doesn't require IGETC or Cal-GETC, doesn't accept it partially complete, and doesn't recommend it.
RCC semesters, UCLA quarters
RCC runs on semesters and UCLA on quarters. Your units convert when you transfer, one semester unit to 1.5 quarter units, and anything left runs on UCLA'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
MECH&AE 94 has no RCC match
RCC lists no course for MECH&AE 94. Check UCLA's Mechanical Engineering page for whether it has to be done before you transfer, and plan where you'll cover it.
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.
RCC gives you options here
For UCLA COM SCI 31, RCC accepts CIS 17A or CIS 5. You need only one of them, so pick whichever fits your schedule.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What classes should I take at RCC for UCLA Mechanical Engineering?
CHE 1B, CHE 1A, MAT 1A, MAT 1B, MAT 1C, MAT 3 and MAT 2, plus the rest in the table above. Together they match 10 of the 11 prep courses UCLA lists for Mechanical Engineering.
What doesn't RCC cover for UCLA Mechanical Engineering?
MECH&AE 94. RCC lists no course for it, so check UCLA's Mechanical Engineering page for whether it has to be finished before you transfer.
Does RCC MAT 1A transfer to UCLA?
Yes, for Mechanical Engineering. RCC MAT 1A (Calculus I) is the match for UCLA MATH 31A (Differential and Integral Calculus) in the transfer agreement.
What is UCLA's transfer admit rate for Mechanical Engineering?
12% of all transfer applicants to UCLA 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 UCLA for Mechanical Engineering can match 10 of 11 lower-division prep courses at RCC, including CHE 1B and CHE 1A. MECH&AE 94 has 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 UCLA, and you get the classes you need for Mechanical Engineering, semester by semester.
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