San Diego Mesa College to UC Berkeley
Computer Science Transfer Plan
San Diego Mesa College covers the three courses UC Berkeley requires for Computer Science admission: two calculus terms plus a MATH 54 match. None of the four recommended CS courses have a Mesa match, so you'd pick those up at Berkeley or over the summer.
From
San Diego Mesa College
To
UC Berkeley
Computer ScienceMajor Requirements
Computer Science Major Preparation
Courses at San Diego Mesa College that satisfy UC Berkeley's Computer Science major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at San Diego Mesa College | Satisfies at UC Berkeley | Units |
|---|---|---|
| MATH 150 — Calculus with Analytic Geometry I | MATH 51 — Calculus I | 5 |
| MATH 151 — Calculus with Analytic Geometry II | MATH 52 — Calculus II | 4 |
| MATH 254 + MATH 255 — Introduction to Linear Algebra + Differential Equations | MATH 54 — Linear Algebra and Differential Equations (choose 1) | 6 |
| No Mesa match | COMPSCI 61A — The Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs (recommended) | — |
| No Mesa match | COMPSCI 61B — Data Structures (recommended) | — |
| No Mesa match | COMPSCI 61C — Machine Structures (recommended) | — |
| No Mesa match | COMPSCI 70 — Discrete Mathematics and Probability Theory (recommended) | — |
Courses with no equivalent must be taken at UC Berkeley after transfer. Factor this into your first-year course plan.
General Education
Foundation GE at San Diego Mesa College
Complete these five courses at San Diego Mesa College to start your UC Berkeley 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.
BIOL 100
Natural History - Environmental Biology
CHEM 100
Fundamentals of Chemistry
HIST 100
World History I
ENGL C1000
Academic Reading and Writing
ENGL C1001
Critical Thinking and Writing
| Area | Course at San Diego Mesa College | Units |
|---|---|---|
Life Science | BIOL 100 — Natural History - Environmental Biology | 4 |
Physical Science | CHEM 100 — Fundamentals of Chemistry | 3 |
Humanities | HIST 100 — World History I | 3 |
English CompositionCCN | ENGL C1000 — Academic Reading and Writing | 3 |
Critical ThinkingCCN | ENGL C1001 — Critical Thinking and Writing | 3 |
Five semesters on the longest path
Mesa's longest chain runs MATH 141, 150, 151, 252, then 255: five semesters. MATH 254, the linear algebra course Berkeley CS accepts by itself, needs only MATH 151, so it can land sooner.
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
For MATH 54, MATH 254 is what counts
Berkeley's MATH 54 maps to MATH 254 and MATH 255 together at Mesa, but the notes say CS accepts just the linear algebra course. That's MATH 254, which needs MATH 151.
The recommended CS series has no Mesa match
COMPSCI 61A, 61B, 61C, and 70 all show no Mesa equivalent. The department runs the whole 61 series in its summer session if you want a head start before enrolling.
Pick CS on your application, not after
Berkeley won't let junior transfers switch into Computer Science once they're admitted under a different major. Decide before you apply, not after you arrive.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Mesa MATH 151 transfer to UC Berkeley for CS?
Yes, MATH 151 is Mesa's match for Berkeley's MATH 52, the second calculus course CS requires. Pair it with MATH 150 for MATH 51 and MATH 254, linear algebra, for MATH 54, and every required course is covered.
What doesn't Mesa cover for Berkeley CS?
None of the four recommended courses, COMPSCI 61A, 61B, 61C, or 70. You'd take all of them after transferring, possibly in Berkeley's summer session, which the department suggests for the 61 series.
How hard is it to transfer into Berkeley computer science?
Very hard. UC Berkeley admitted 5% of 2025 transfer applicants to the major, a number that covers every applicant college combined, not Mesa alone. Choosing another major on your application closes the door to switching into CS later.
Is IGETC required for Berkeley CS?
No, not for admission. The College of Computing, Data Science, and Society recommends finishing Cal-GETC or IGETC for smoother progress once enrolled, but the required piece is the UC 7-course pattern.
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Related Transfer Plans
San Diego Mesa College students working toward the Computer Science, B.A. at UC Berkeley can finish all three required admission courses on campus: MATH 150 and MATH 151 for calculus, then MATH 254 and MATH 255 for linear algebra and differential equations. The four recommended CS courses, including COMPSCI 61B, have no Mesa equivalent, so those wait until after transfer. Transfermatic tracks that five-semester math sequence against Mesa's course offerings so the required courses land before Berkeley's spring cutoff.
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