Saddleback College to UCSB
Political Science Transfer Plan
Saddleback has a match for 5 of UCSB's 6 Political Science prep courses. POL S 15 has no Saddleback match, so plan for it before you apply.
From
Saddleback 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 Saddleback College that satisfy UC Santa Barbara's Political Science major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at Saddleback College | Satisfies at UCSB | Units |
|---|---|---|
| PS 10H — Honors Political Theory | POL S 1 — Introduction to Political Philosophy (choose 3) | 3 |
| PS 12 — Comparative Politics and Government | POL S 6 — Introduction to Comparative Politics (choose 3) | 3 |
| PS 14 — International Relations | 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 Saddleback match | POL S 15 — Introduction to Research in Political Science | — |
| ECON 4 or ECON 4H — Principles (Micro) | ECON 1 — Principles of Economics-Micro | 3 |
| ECON 2 or ECON 2H — Principles (Macro) | 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 Saddleback College
Complete these five courses at Saddleback 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 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 |
Saddleback semesters, UCSB quarters
Saddleback 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 Saddleback match
Saddleback 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 PS 10H and POLS C1000
PS 10H and POLS C1000 sit at the start of their sequences for this route, so they fit your first semester, next to ENGL C1000 for English composition.
Saddleback gives you options here
For UCSB POL S 12, Saddleback accepts POLS C1000 or POLS C1000H. You need only one of them, so pick whichever fits your schedule.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What classes should I take at Saddleback for UCSB Political Science?
PS 10H, PS 12, PS 14, POLS C1000 or POLS C1000H, ECON 4 or ECON 4H and ECON 2 or ECON 2H. Together they match 5 of the 6 prep courses UCSB lists for Political Science.
What doesn't Saddleback cover for UCSB Political Science?
POL S 15. Saddleback lists no course for it, so check UCSB's Political Science page for whether it has to be finished before you transfer.
Does Saddleback PS 10H transfer to UCSB?
Yes, for Political Science. Saddleback PS 10H (Honors 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 Saddleback.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
Saddleback College students transferring to UC Santa Barbara for Political Science can match 5 of 6 lower-division prep courses at Saddleback, including PS 10H and PS 12. POL S 15 has no Saddleback College equivalent in the 2025-2026 agreement. PS 10H and POLS C1000 are good first-semester picks. On Transfermatic, put in Saddleback College and UC Santa Barbara, and you get the classes you need for Political Science, semester by semester.
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