San Diego Mesa College to UCLA
Economics Transfer Plan
Mesa covers four of UCLA's six Economics prep courses: ECON 121, ECON 120, MATH 150 and MATH 151. ECON 11 and ECON 41 have no Mesa match, so both wait until after you transfer to UCLA.
From
San Diego Mesa College
To
UCLA
EconomicsUCLA Transfer Alliance Program (TAP)
UCLA's TAP reaches Economics through the College of Letters and Science. Counselor-certified completion of Mesa's Honors Program moves your application into priority review, with an alternate major considered if Economics can't take you. TAP isn't a promise of admission, and one-year transfer students haven't qualified for it since May 2026.
Major Requirements
Economics Major Preparation
Courses at San Diego Mesa College that satisfy UCLA's Economics major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at San Diego Mesa College | Satisfies at UCLA | Units |
|---|---|---|
| ECON 121 — Principles of Microeconomics | ECON 1 — Principles of Economics(Microeconomics) | 3 |
| ECON 120 — Principles of Macroeconomics | ECON 2 — Principles of Economics(Macroeconomics) | 3 |
| No Mesa match | ECON 11 — Microeconomic Theory | — |
| No Mesa match | ECON 41 — Probability and Statistics for Economists | — |
| MATH 150 — Calculus with Analytic Geometry I | MATH 31A — Differential and Integral Calculus | 5 |
| MATH 151 — Calculus with Analytic Geometry II | MATH 31B — Integration and Infinite Series | 4 |
Courses with no equivalent must be taken at UCLA 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 UCLA 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 |
Calculus runs three terms at Mesa
MATH 141 leads into MATH 150, then MATH 151: three semesters minimum. If you place into MATH 141, take it your first Mesa term so MATH 151 finishes by the spring before transfer.
Mesa semesters, UCLA quarters
Mesa's two matched calculus courses, MATH 150 and 151, cover UCLA's quarter-length MATH 31A and 31B. ECON 11 and ECON 41, done after transfer, run on UCLA's three-quarter calendar.
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
No honors track for Mesa's matched courses
ASSIST lists no honors alternative for ECON 121, ECON 120, MATH 150 or MATH 151, so Mesa has one course per UCLA requirement on this route.
Calculus placement adds a term at Mesa
MATH 150 needs MATH 141 or MATH 15E first. If you place into one of those, plan on three math terms before both UCLA calculus requirements are met.
ECON 11, ECON 41 aren't required to apply
Neither has a Mesa match, and UCLA's own prep checklist for Economics covers only micro, macro and a year of calculus before transfer.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What classes do I take at Mesa for UCLA economics?
ECON 121 for microeconomics, ECON 120 for macroeconomics, and MATH 150 then MATH 151 for UCLA's calculus sequence. All four need a letter grade and must be done by the spring before transfer.
Does Mesa have a class for UCLA ECON 11 or ECON 41?
No, ASSIST shows no Mesa course for either Microeconomic Theory or Probability and Statistics for Economists. Both are taken once you're enrolled at UCLA.
Does Mesa ECON 121 transfer to UCLA?
Yes, Mesa ECON 121, Principles of Microeconomics, is the single course that satisfies UCLA's ECON 1 requirement, with no honors section listed.
What is the UCLA economics transfer admit rate?
UCLA admitted 16% of transfer applicants to Economics in 2025, a rate across every applicant college, not Mesa alone. ASSIST flags the major as highly selective and space-limited.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
San Diego Mesa College students headed for the Economics B.A. at the University of California, Los Angeles can complete four of six lower-division prep courses at Mesa: ECON 121, ECON 120, MATH 150 and MATH 151. UCLA's ECON 11 and ECON 41 have no Mesa articulation and are finished after transfer. MATH 150 needs MATH 141 or MATH 15E first, which can add a term. Transfermatic sequences a Mesa plan that finishes prep for UCLA's Pre-Economics review.
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