San Diego Mesa College to UCI
Political Science Transfer Plan
San Diego Mesa College covers every one of UCI's 8 Political Science prep requirements, matching courses like POLI 101, POLI 140 and POLI 103. The programming requirement is also covered, by CISC 217, so nothing is left open after transfer.
From
San Diego Mesa College
To
UC Irvine
Political ScienceTAG: UC Irvine Transfer Admission Guarantee
Mesa students with at least a 3.4 GPA can file for TAG, UCI's Transfer Admission Guarantee, between Sept 1 and Sept 30, 2026, for fall 2027. The major you name at filing is final.
Major Requirements
Political Science Major Preparation
Courses at San Diego Mesa College that satisfy UC Irvine's Political Science major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at San Diego Mesa College | Satisfies at UCI | Units |
|---|---|---|
| POLI 101 — Introduction to Political Science | POL SCI 11A — Introduction to Political Science: Political Analysis (choose 4) | 3 |
| POLS C1000 — American Government and Politics | POL SCI 21A — Introduction to American Government (choose 4) | 3 |
| POLI 101 or POLI 124 — Introduction to Political Science | POL SCI 31A — Introduction to Political Theory (choose 4) | 3 |
| POLI 140 — Contemporary International Politics | POL SCI 41A — Introduction to International Relations (choose 4) | 3 |
| POLI 103 — Comparative Politics | POL SCI 51A — Introduction to Politics Around the World (choose 4) | 3 |
| POLI 101 or POLS C1000 or POLI 103 or POLI 123 or POLI 140 — Introduction to Political Science | Political Science not already used (choose 1) | 3 |
| ANTH 102 (or another listed option) — Introduction to Biological Anthropology | Political Science or other Social Science discipline (choose 1) | 3 |
| MATH 150 (or another listed option) — Calculus with Analytic Geometry I | School of Social Sciences Math Requirement (choose 1) | 5 |
| CISC 217 — Intermediate Python Programming | I&C SCI 31 — Introduction to Programming (choose 1) | 4 |
General Education
Foundation GE at San Diego Mesa College
Complete these five courses at San Diego Mesa College to start your UCI 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 |
Semesters at Mesa, quarters at UCI
Mesa's semester terms convert cleanly to UCI's requirements, even though UCI itself is on the quarter calendar. After transfer you'll see three ten-week terms a year instead of two.
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
POLI 101 fits two slots, counts once
Mesa's POLI 101 matches both POL SCI 11A and POL SCI 31A, but UCI counts a course only once. POLI 124 also covers political theory, so you still have five usable intro matches for the pick-four group.
CISC 217 clears the programming requirement
Mesa's CISC 217 satisfies UCI's I&C SCI 31 programming requirement directly. It's part of the eventual degree, not a condition of admission.
Math requirement runs through MATH 150
MATH 150 pairs with a second course, such as STAT C1000 or BIOL 200, to clear UCI's Social Sciences math requirement at Mesa.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Mesa classes count for UCI Political Science?
POLI 101 can fill political analysis or political theory, but counts once. POLI 124 also covers theory, POLI 140 covers international relations, POLI 103 covers comparative politics, and POLS C1000 covers American Government.
Does Mesa cover everything for UCI Political Science?
Yes, Mesa matches all 8 of UCI's prep requirements, including CISC 217 for programming and MATH 150 with a second course such as STAT C1000 for math, so nothing carries over after transfer.
What math should Mesa students take before UCI?
MATH 150 plus a second course like STAT C1000 or BIOL 200 satisfies UCI's math requirement. Either pairing works, so pick whichever fits your schedule.
Does Mesa's honors program help with UCI admission?
Mesa's Honors program is a UCLA Transfer Alliance Program partner, a separate track from this UCI Political Science pathway, so it doesn't change any requirement listed here.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
San Diego Mesa College students transferring to UC Irvine for a Political Science, B.A. cover all eight of UCI's lower-division prep requirements, including POLI 101, POLI 140 and CISC 217 for the programming requirement. POLI 101 matches two intro slots but counts only once, and POLI 124, POLI 140, POLI 103 and POLS C1000 fill out the four-course pick group with one to spare. Transfermatic checks Mesa's full course list, including the math and programming pieces, against every UCI requirement so students know their plan is complete before they apply.
Build your San Diego Mesa College → UCI plan
Personalized, semester-by-semester. Free to start.
Get My Transfer Plan