San Diego Mesa College to UCSD
Mechanical Engineering Transfer Plan
Mesa clears 14 of UCSD's 17 Mechanical Engineering requirements, including materials science (ENGE 210) and circuits (ENGE 260). MAE 3, MAE 11 and MAE 30B stay open until after transfer.
From
San Diego Mesa College
To
UC San Diego
Mechanical EngineeringMajor Requirements
Mechanical Engineering Major Preparation
Courses at San Diego Mesa College that satisfy UC San Diego's Mechanical Engineering major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at San Diego Mesa College | Satisfies at UCSD | Units |
|---|---|---|
| ENGE 116 or CISC 179 or CISC 192 — Computational Methods in Engineering | MAE 8 — MATLAB Programming for Engineering Analysis | 3 |
| CHEM 200 — General Chemistry I - Lecture | CHEM 6A — General Chemistry I | 3 |
| MATH 254 — Introduction to Linear Algebra | MATH 18 — Linear Algebra | 3 |
| MATH 150 — Calculus with Analytic Geometry I | MATH 20A — Calculus for Science and Engineering | 5 |
| MATH 151 — Calculus with Analytic Geometry II | MATH 20B — Calculus for Science and Engineering | 4 |
| MATH 252 — Calculus with Analytic Geometry III | MATH 20C — Calculus and Analytic Geometry for Science and Engineering | 4 |
| MATH 255 — Differential Equations | MATH 20D — Introduction to Differential Equations | 3 |
| MATH 252 — Calculus with Analytic Geometry III | MATH 20E — Vector Calculus | 4 |
| PHYS 195 — Mechanics | PHYS 2A — Physics - Mechanics | 5 |
| PHYS 196 — Electricity and Magnetism | PHYS 2B — Physics - Electricity and Magnetism | 5 |
| PHYS 195 + PHYS 196 + PHYS 197 — Mechanics + Electricity and Magnetism + Waves, Optics and Modern Physics | PHYS 2C — Physics - Fluids, Waves, Thermodynamics, and Optics | 15 |
| ENGE 210 — Properties of Materials | MAE 20 — Elements of Materials Science | 3 |
| No Mesa match | MAE 3 — Introduction to Engineering Graphics and Design | — |
| No Mesa match | MAE 11 — Thermodynamics | — |
| ENGE 250 + ENGE 200 — Dynamics + Statics | MAE 30A — Statics & Introduction to Dynamics | 6 |
| No Mesa match | MAE 30B — Dynamics & Vibrations | — |
| ENGE 260 — Electric Circuits | MAE 40 — Linear Circuits | 3 |
Courses with no equivalent must be taken at UC San Diego 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 UCSD 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 through the calculus chain
MATH 141 leads into MATH 150, 151, 252 and 255, five semesters minimum. UCSD wants Math 18 and 20A-D finished by the spring before transfer, so plan around that chain early.
Mesa runs semesters, UCSD runs quarters
Mesa teaches on a semester calendar, while UCSD splits the same material into shorter quarters. Once you transfer, your remaining Mechanical Engineering courses move at UCSD's faster quarter pace.
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
ENGE 116 and CHEM 200 can start early
ENGE 116 clears MAE 8 and CHEM 200 clears CHEM 6A, and neither shows a listed prerequisite, so both fit a first term. Chemistry is on UCSD's screening list, so starting it early helps.
MAE 30A needs two ENGE courses in order
ENGE 250 needs ENGE 200 first; together they clear UCSD's MAE 30A. ENGE 200 itself needs PHYS 195, so statics comes after your first physics semester.
Three requirements have no Mesa match
MAE 3, MAE 11 and MAE 30B have no Mesa match on ASSIST. The rest of the 17-course list, including materials science and circuits, clears there.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Mesa's ENGE 210 transfer to UCSD Mechanical Engineering?
Yes, ENGE 210 clears MAE 20, Elements of Materials Science, and it needs PHYS 195 first. It's one of 14 UCSD requirements Mesa covers.
What doesn't Mesa cover for UCSD Mechanical Engineering?
MAE 3, MAE 11 and MAE 30B have no Mesa match, so those wait until after you transfer. Materials science, circuits and MAE 30A clear at Mesa already.
Does Mesa's semester calendar cause problems for UCSD transfer?
No, but expect a faster pace after transfer. Mesa runs semesters and UCSD runs quarters, so the Mechanical Engineering courses still ahead of you are taught in UCSD's shorter terms.
What's the admit rate for UCSD Mechanical Engineering?
31% of Mechanical Engineering transfer applicants were admitted to UCSD in 2025. That rate covers every applicant to the major, not specifically Mesa students.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
San Diego Mesa College students transferring into UC San Diego's Mechanical Engineering, B.S. program clear fourteen of seventeen requirements, starting with ENGE 116 and CHEM 200 in a typical first term. ENGE 250 and ENGE 200 together clear MAE 30A, and Mesa also covers MAE 20 and MAE 40. MAE 3, MAE 11 and MAE 30B have no Mesa match and wait until after transfer. On our platform, put in your CC and your transfer university and Transfermatic checks Mesa's course list against UC San Diego's Mechanical Engineering requirements automatically.
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