San Diego Mesa College to UCSB
Political Science Transfer Plan
Mesa has a matching course for all four UCSB pre-major options, so any three complete that requirement, plus both economics courses. POL S 15 is the only course without a Mesa match.
From
San Diego Mesa College
To
UC Santa Barbara
Political ScienceUC Santa Barbara TAG
Mesa students can apply for UCSB's Transfer Admission Guarantee with a 3.4 GPA, which locks in Political Science pre-major status. Full major status needs a separate 2.6 GPA in UC coursework.
Major Requirements
Political Science Major Preparation
Courses at San Diego Mesa College that satisfy UC Santa Barbara's Political Science major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at San Diego Mesa College | Satisfies at UCSB | Units |
|---|---|---|
| POLI 124 — Power and Justice: An Introduction to Political Theory | POL S 1 — Introduction to Political Philosophy (choose 3) | 3 |
| POLI 103 — Comparative Politics | POL S 6 — Introduction to Comparative Politics (choose 3) | 3 |
| POLI 140 — Contemporary International Politics | POL S 7 — Introduction to International Relations (choose 3) | 3 |
| POLS C1000 — American Government and Politics | POL S 12 — American Government and Politics (choose 3) | 3 |
| No Mesa match | POL S 15 — Introduction to Research in Political Science | — |
| ECON 121 — Principles of Microeconomics | ECON 1 — Principles of Economics-Micro | 3 |
| ECON 120 — Principles of Macroeconomics | ECON 2 — Principles of Economics-Macro | 3 |
Courses with no equivalent must be taken at UC Santa Barbara 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 UCSB 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 |
Mesa's semesters become UCSB's quarters
Mesa's political science and economics courses run 3 semester units; UCSB's matching courses are worth 5 quarter units. After transfer, plan around three quarter terms a year instead of two semesters.
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
All four pre-major courses transfer
POLI 124, POLI 103, POLI 140 and POLS C1000 each satisfy one of UCSB's pre-major options. You only need three of the four.
Watch the ECON 120 and 121 numbers
ECON 121 covers UCSB's ECON 1, and ECON 120 covers ECON 2. The numbers are close enough to mix up when registering.
POL S 15 has no Mesa match
The research methods requirement has no Mesa match. It's completed at UCSB after transfer, regardless of what else you finish.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Mesa classes count toward UCSB Political Science?
POLI 124, POLI 103, POLI 140 and POLS C1000 each satisfy one of UCSB's four pre-major courses; any three work. ECON 121 and ECON 120 cover the economics requirement.
Does Mesa ECON 121 transfer to UCSB as ECON 1?
Yes, ECON 121 matches UCSB's ECON 1, and ECON 120 matches ECON 2. Both are required and letter-graded.
What isn't covered at Mesa for this major?
POL S 15 has no Mesa equivalent. You'll take it at UCSB after transfer, since full major status requires it.
What's the admit rate for UCSB Political Science transfers?
Of everyone who applied to transfer into UCSB Political Science in 2025, 63% got in. The number isn't broken out by which college sent the applicant.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
San Diego Mesa College offers full coverage of UC Santa Barbara's Political Science pre-major requirement. POLI 124, POLI 103, POLI 140 and POLS C1000 each satisfy one of the four accepted pre-major options, so students can complete any three before transferring. ECON 121 and ECON 120 cover both required economics courses. POL S 15 is the sole exception, and you'll take it at UCSB after transfer. Transfermatic keeps this Mesa-to-UCSB match current with each ASSIST update, so nothing here goes stale between catalog years.
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