San Diego Mesa College to UC Berkeley
Political Science Transfer Plan
San Diego Mesa College matches three of UC Berkeley's four Political Science concentration courses, and you only need two to declare the major. Political Theory has no Mesa match, so any two of American Politics, Comparative Politics and International Relations will do.
From
San Diego Mesa College
To
UC Berkeley
Political ScienceMajor Requirements
Political Science Major Preparation
Courses at San Diego Mesa College that satisfy UC Berkeley's Political Science major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at San Diego Mesa College | Satisfies at UC Berkeley | Units |
|---|---|---|
| POLS C1000 — American Government and Politics | POL SCI 1 — Introduction to American Politics (choose 2) | 3 |
| POLI 103 — Comparative Politics | POL SCI 2 — Introduction to Comparative Politics (choose 2) | 3 |
| POLI 140 — Contemporary International Politics | POL SCI 5 — Introduction to International Relations (choose 2) | 3 |
| No Mesa match | POL SCI 3 — Introduction to Empirical Analysis and Quantitative Methods | — |
| HIST 105 — Introduction to Western Civilization I | HISTORY 4A — The Ancient Mediterranean World (choose 1) | 3 |
| HIST 105 — Introduction to Western Civilization I | HISTORY 4B — Medieval Europe (choose 1) | 3 |
| HIST 106 — Introduction to Western Civilization II | HISTORY 5 — European Civilization From the Renaissance to the Present (choose 1) | 3 |
| HIST 109 — History of the United States I | HISTORY 7A — The United States from Settlement to Civil War (choose 1) | 3 |
| HIST 110 — History of the United States II | HISTORY 7B — The United States from Civil War to Present (choose 1) | 3 |
| HIST 130 — The Modern Middle East | HISTORY 12 — The Middle East (choose 1) | 3 |
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 |
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
Skip political theory as your pick
Mesa has no course matching POL SCI 4, Political Theory. Since Berkeley only needs two of the four concentration options, pair POLI 103 and POLI 140 instead.
American Politics and comparative both transfer
POLS C1000 matches POL SCI 1 and POLI 103 matches POL SCI 2, giving Mesa students a clean two-course path if theory isn't an option.
The last requirement isn't a countdown
Nothing about POL SCI 3 has to happen before you leave Mesa. Berkeley only checks your two concentration courses to let you declare the major.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What classes do I need at Mesa for UC Berkeley Political Science?
Two of POLS C1000, POLI 103 and POLI 140, since Mesa has no match for Political Theory. Any two of the remaining three satisfy Berkeley's requirement.
Does Mesa offer UC Berkeley's political theory requirement?
No. ASSIST lists no Mesa course matching POL SCI 4. Pick two of the other three concentration options instead, since Berkeley only requires two.
What isn't covered at Mesa for Berkeley political science?
Political Theory, POL SCI 4, and POL SCI 3, the Additional Political Science Requirement. Neither blocks your transfer since only two concentration courses are required and POL SCI 3 waits until after you arrive.
How hard is it to transfer to UC Berkeley Political Science from Mesa?
Roughly 31% of 2025 transfer applicants to the major got in, a rate that holds regardless of college, and Mesa students still need a 3.0 GPA by the end of fall.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
San Diego Mesa College students bound for UC Berkeley Political Science can cover three of the four concentration options: POLS C1000 for American Politics, POLI 103 for Comparative Politics and POLI 140 for International Relations. Mesa has no match for Political Theory, POL SCI 4, but Berkeley only requires two of the four to declare the major, so that gap doesn't block anyone. POL SCI 3 isn't required before transfer either. Berkeley admitted 31% of all 2025 transfer applicants to the major, Mesa students included. Transfermatic can plan around Mesa's course list.
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