San Diego Mesa College to UC Davis
Computer Science Transfer Plan
Mesa matches 8 of UC Davis's 12 Computer Science prep requirements; ECS 036A, ECS 036B, ECS 036C and ECS 050 have no Mesa match. UC Davis wants all major prep done by the end of spring before fall enrollment, so these gaps matter.
From
San Diego Mesa College
To
UC Davis
Computer ScienceMajor Requirements
Computer Science Major Preparation
Courses at San Diego Mesa College that satisfy UC Davis's Computer Science major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at San Diego Mesa College | Satisfies at UC Davis | Units |
|---|---|---|
| MATH 245 — Discrete Mathematics | ECS 020 — Discrete Mathematics For Computer Science | 3 |
| No Mesa match | ECS 036A — Programming & Problem Solving | — |
| No Mesa match | ECS 036B — Software Development & Object-Oriented Programming in C++ | — |
| No Mesa match | ECS 036C — Data Structures, Algorithms, & Programming | — |
| No Mesa match | ECS 050 — Computer Organization & Machine-Dependent Programming | — |
| MATH 150 — Calculus with Analytic Geometry I | MAT 021A — Calculus | 5 |
| MATH 151 — Calculus with Analytic Geometry II | MAT 021B — Calculus | 4 |
| MATH 252 — Calculus with Analytic Geometry III | MAT 021C, MAT 021D | 4 |
| MATH 254 — Introduction to Linear Algebra | MAT 022A — Linear Algebra (choose 1) | 3 |
| BIOL 210A + BIOL 210B — Introduction to the Biological Sciences I + Introduction to the Biological Sciences II | BIS 002A, BIS 002B, BIS 002C (choose 3) | 8 |
| CHEM 200 + CHEM 201 + CHEM 201L + CHEM 200L — General Chemistry I - Lecture + General Chemistry II - Lecture + General Chemistry II - Laboratory + General Chemistry I - Laboratory | CHE 002A, CHE 002B, CHE 002C (choose 3) | 10 |
| PHYS 195 — Mechanics | PHY 009A — Classical Physics (choose 3) | 5 |
| PHYS 196 + PHYS 197 — Electricity and Magnetism + Waves, Optics and Modern Physics | PHY 009B — Classical Physics (choose 3) | 10 |
| PHYS 196 — Electricity and Magnetism | PHY 009C — Classical Physics (choose 3) | 5 |
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 San Diego Mesa College
Complete these five courses at San Diego Mesa 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.
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 |
Four semesters of math before you transfer
MATH 141 leads to MATH 150, then 151, then 252, four semesters in order. Falling behind here delays the math courses UC Davis expects before you arrive.
Mesa's semesters, UC Davis's quarters
Mesa's two-semester calendar covers the same ground as UC Davis's three quarters, so expect a quicker pace once you're enrolled at UC Davis.
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
Mesa's whole CS core is a gap
ECS 036A, ECS 036B, ECS 036C and ECS 050 have no Mesa match. Discrete math and every math and science course clear at Mesa, but UC Davis expects the full prep list finished by the end of spring before you enroll.
MATH 245 still covers discrete math
Even with the programming gaps, Mesa's MATH 245 satisfies ECS 020, so discrete math is one ECS course you can finish at Mesa.
CHEM 200 is your first-term anchor
CHEM 200 opens Mesa's matched chemistry sequence, one leg of the science elective. Start it early since Mesa's math chain also runs four semesters.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Mesa MATH 245 transfer to UC Davis Computer Science?
Yes. MATH 245 satisfies ECS 020, UC Davis's discrete math requirement, even though Mesa has no match for the programming courses that follow it.
What classes does Mesa not cover for UC Davis CS?
All four ECS programming and hardware courses, ECS 036A, ECS 036B, ECS 036C and ECS 050, have no Mesa match. UC Davis wants all major prep complete by the end of spring before fall enrollment, so check how you'll cover them before applying.
What's UC Davis's admit rate for Computer Science transfers?
UC Davis admitted 47% of transfer applicants to Computer Science in 2025, a rate for the whole applicant pool rather than one specific to Mesa students.
How long is Mesa's math chain for UC Davis CS?
MATH 141 through MATH 150, 151 and 252 runs four semesters at Mesa, the longest prerequisite path on Mesa's list, so start it your first term.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
San Diego Mesa College students headed toward the University of California, Davis Computer Science B.S. major match 8 of the agreement's 12 prep requirements at Mesa, but all four ECS programming and hardware courses, from ECS 036A through ECS 050, have no Mesa match. UC Davis expects all prep finished by the end of spring before fall enrollment. Mesa's MATH 245 still covers discrete math, and the four-semester MATH 141 to MATH 252 chain plus the CHEM 200 science sequence round out what does transfer. Transfermatic tracks this route for Mesa students.
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