Saddleback College to UC Davis
Mechanical Engineering Transfer Plan
Saddleback has a match for 12 of UC Davis's 18 Mechanical Engineering prep courses. ENG 004, ENG 006, ENG 017 and ENG 035 and 2 more have no Saddleback match, so plan for them before you apply.
From
Saddleback College
To
UC Davis
Mechanical EngineeringUC Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG)
UC Davis offers TAG for Mechanical Engineering for fall 2027 applicants, with a minimum 3.5 GPA. File during the TAG window the fall before you transfer, and check UC Davis's TAG page, since its list of eligible majors changes.
Major Requirements
Mechanical Engineering Major Preparation
Courses at Saddleback College that satisfy UC Davis's Mechanical Engineering major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at Saddleback College | Satisfies at UC Davis | Units |
|---|---|---|
| CHEM 1A + CHEM 1B — General Chemistry + General Chemistry | CHE 002A, CHE 002B, CHE 002C | 10 |
| No Saddleback match | ENG 004 — Engineering Graphics in Design | — |
| No Saddleback match | ENG 006 — Engineering Problem Solving | — |
| No Saddleback match | ENG 017 — Circuits I | — |
| No Saddleback match | ENG 035 — Statics | — |
| MATH 3A or MATH 3AH — Analytic Geometry and Calculus | MAT 021A — Calculus | 5 |
| (MATH 3A and MATH 3B) or (MATH 3AH and MATH 3B) — Analytic Geometry and Calculus | MAT 021B — Calculus | 5 |
| MATH 3B + MATH 3C — Analytic Geometry and Calculus + Analytic Geometry and Calculus | MAT 021C — Calculus | 10 |
| MATH 3C — Analytic Geometry and Calculus | MAT 021D — Vector Analysis | 5 |
| MATH 26 — Introduction to Linear Algebra | MAT 022A — Linear Algebra | 4 |
| MATH 24 — Elementary Differential Equations | MAT 022B — Differential Equations | 4 |
| PHYS 4A + PHYS 4C — General Physics + General Physics | PHY 009A — Classical Physics | 10 |
| PHYS 4A + PHYS 4C — General Physics + General Physics | PHY 009B — Classical Physics | 10 |
| PHYS 4B — General Physics | PHY 009C — Classical Physics | 5 |
| ENG 21A — World Literature - Ancient to 17th Century | COM 001 — Major Works of the Ancient World (choose 1) | 3 |
| ENG 21A + ENG 21B — World Literature - Ancient to 17th Century + World Literature - 17th Century to Modern Period | COM 002 — Major Works of the Medieval & Early Modern World (choose 1) | 6 |
| ENG 21B — World Literature - 17th Century to Modern Period | COM 003 — Major Works of the Modern World (choose 1) | 3 |
| ENG 25 or ENG 25H — Introduction to Literature | ENL 003 — Introduction to Literature (choose 1) | 3 |
| ENGL C1000 or ENGL C1000H — Academic Reading and Writing | UWP 001 — Introduction to Academic Literacies (choose 1) | 4 |
| COMM C1000 or COMM C1000H — Introduction to Public Speaking | CMN 001 — Introduction to Public Speaking (choose 1) | 3 |
| No Saddleback match | ENG 045 — Properties of Materials | — |
| No Saddleback match | EME 050 — Manufacturing Processes | — |
Courses with no equivalent must be taken at UC Davis after transfer. Factor this into your first-year course plan.
General Education
Foundation GE at Saddleback College
Complete these five courses at Saddleback College to start your UC Davis 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 11
Human Anatomy
CHEM 12A
Organic Chemistry
HIST 16
History of the United States to 1876
ENGL C1000
Academic Reading and Writing
ENGL C1001
Critical Thinking and Writing
| Area | Course at Saddleback College | Units |
|---|---|---|
Life Science | BIO 11 — Human Anatomy | 4 |
Physical Science | CHEM 12A — Organic Chemistry | 5 |
Humanities | HIST 16 — History of the United States to 1876 | 3 |
English CompositionCCN | ENGL C1000 — Academic Reading and Writing | 4 |
Critical ThinkingCCN | ENGL C1001 — Critical Thinking and Writing | 3 |
3 semesters minimum for CHEM 3 onward
CHEM 3, then CHEM 1A, then CHEM 1B: each needs the one before, so 3 semesters minimum. Start CHEM 3 in your first semester. Placing higher shortens it.
Saddleback semesters, UC Davis quarters
Saddleback runs on semesters and UC Davis on quarters. Your units convert when you transfer, one semester unit to 1.5 quarter units, and anything left runs on UC Davis'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 UC Davis requirements have no Saddleback match
Saddleback lists no course for ENG 004, ENG 006, ENG 017 and ENG 035 and others. Check UC Davis's Mechanical Engineering page for whether they have to be done before you transfer, and plan where you'll cover them.
Start with CHEM 3 and MATH 3A
CHEM 3 and MATH 3A 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 MAT 021A
For UC Davis MAT 021A, Saddleback accepts MATH 3A or MATH 3AH. You need only one of them, so pick whichever fits your schedule.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What classes should I take at Saddleback for UC Davis Mechanical Engineering?
CHEM 1A, CHEM 1B, MATH 3A or MATH 3AH, MATH 3B, MATH 3C, MATH 26 and MATH 24, plus the rest in the table above. Together they match 12 of the 18 prep courses UC Davis lists for Mechanical Engineering.
What doesn't Saddleback cover for UC Davis Mechanical Engineering?
ENG 004, ENG 006, ENG 017, ENG 035 and ENG 045 and 1 more. Saddleback lists no course for them, so check UC Davis's Mechanical Engineering page for whether they have to be finished before you transfer.
Does Saddleback MATH 3C transfer to UC Davis?
Yes, for Mechanical Engineering. Saddleback MATH 3C (Analytic Geometry and Calculus) is the match for UC Davis MAT 021D (Vector Analysis) in the transfer agreement.
What is UC Davis's transfer admit rate for Mechanical Engineering?
43% of all transfer applicants to UC Davis Mechanical Engineering were admitted in 2025. That figure covers applicants from every college, so it isn't specific to Saddleback.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
Saddleback College students transferring to UC Davis for Mechanical Engineering can match 12 of 18 lower-division prep courses at Saddleback, including CHEM 1A and CHEM 1B. ENG 004 and ENG 006 have no Saddleback College equivalent in the 2025-2026 agreement. CHEM 3 and MATH 3A are good first-semester picks. On Transfermatic, put in Saddleback College and UC Davis, and you get the classes you need for Mechanical Engineering, semester by semester.
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