San Diego Mesa College to UCLA
Mechanical Engineering Transfer Plan
Mesa matches every one of UCLA's 11 required Mechanical Engineering courses. Calculus is one Mesa course per UCLA requirement, with MATH 252 covering both multivariable courses; chemistry and physics each take a three-course set.
From
San Diego Mesa College
To
UCLA
Mechanical EngineeringMajor Requirements
Mechanical Engineering Major Preparation
Courses at San Diego Mesa College that satisfy UCLA's Mechanical Engineering major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at San Diego Mesa College | Satisfies at UCLA | Units |
|---|---|---|
| CHEM 201 + CHEM 200 + CHEM 200L — General Chemistry II - Lecture + General Chemistry I - Lecture + General Chemistry I - Laboratory | CHEM 20A, CHEM 20B, CHEM 20L | 8 |
| 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 |
| MATH 252 — Calculus with Analytic Geometry III | MATH 32A — Calculus of Several Variables | 4 |
| MATH 252 — Calculus with Analytic Geometry III | MATH 32B — Calculus of Several Variables | 4 |
| MATH 254 — Introduction to Linear Algebra | MATH 33A — Linear Algebra and Applications | 3 |
| MATH 255 — Differential Equations | MECH&AE 82 — Mathematics of Engineering | 3 |
| ENGE 151 — Computer-Aided Design | MECH&AE 94 — Introduction to Computer-Aided Design and Drafting | 2 |
| PHYS 196 + PHYS 195 + PHYS 197 — Electricity and Magnetism + Mechanics + Waves, Optics and Modern Physics | PHYSICS 1A, PHYSICS 1B, PHYSICS 1C, PHYSICS 4AL, PHYSICS 4BL | 15 |
| ENGL C1000 — Academic Reading and Writing | ENGCOMP 3 — English Composition, Rhetoric, and Language (choose 1) | 3 |
| ENGL 105 or ENGL C1001 or PHIL 205 — Composition and Literature | English composition courses (choose 1) | 3 |
| CISC 192 or CISC 201 — C/C++ Programming | COM SCI 31 — Introduction to Computer Science I (choose 1) | 4 |
| ENGE 116 — Computational Methods in Engineering | C&EE M20 — Introduction to Computer Programming with MATLAB (choose 1) | 3 |
| CISC 192 — C/C++ Programming | Computer programming courses: C, C++, Java or Matlab (choose 1) | 4 |
| No Mesa match | EC ENGR 100 — Electrical and Electronic Circuits (recommended) | — |
| ENGE 260 — Electric Circuits | EC ENGR 110L — Circuit Measurements Laboratory (recommended) | 3 |
| No Mesa match | MECH&AE 101 — Statics and Strength of Materials (recommended) | — |
| No Mesa match | MECH&AE 102 — Dynamics of Particles and Rigid Bodies (recommended) | — |
| ENGE 210 — Properties of Materials | MAT SCI 104 — Science of Engineering Materials (recommended) | 3 |
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
UCLA's Mechanical Engineering program uses its own GE pattern (see note below), but these five San Diego Mesa College courses cover foundation requirements every UC accepts. Start here.
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 |
UCLA Mechanical Engineering: full GE notes
Samueli doesn't require Cal-GETC or IGETC for admission, rejects a partially finished one, and gives engineering applicants no reason to pursue it.
Five straight semesters of math
MATH 141 leads to MATH 150, 151, 252 and 255: five semesters minimum. Physics waits on math too, since PHYS 195 needs MATH 150, so start MATH 141 or MATH 150 your first semester.
Mesa's semesters, UCLA's quarters
Mesa runs semesters and UCLA runs quarters, so the two don't split evenly. MATH 252, one Mesa semester course, matches both UCLA's MATH 32A and MATH 32B.
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
CAD is a single early course
ENGE 151, Computer-Aided Design, covers MECH&AE 94 by itself. It's short at two units, so it's easy to slot into your first semester alongside English.
MATLAB runs through the engineering department
ENGE 116, Computational Methods in Engineering, covers C&EE M20, UCLA's preferred programming path. The C++ alternative through CISC 192 or CISC 201 also works if that fits better.
Only two recommended electives have a Mesa match
ENGE 260 and ENGE 210 cover EC ENGR 110L and MAT SCI 104. The other three recommended courses, including both statics and dynamics, have no Mesa equivalent.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What classes should I take at Mesa for UCLA Mechanical Engineering?
MATH 150 through 254 for calculus and linear algebra, MATH 255 for differential equations, CHEM 200/200L/201, PHYS 195 through 197, ENGE 151 for CAD, ENGL C1000, and CISC 192 or ENGE 116 for programming.
Does Mesa's math sequence cover UCLA's full calculus requirement?
Yes. MATH 150, 151 and 252 together cover MATH 31A, 31B, 32A and 32B, with MATH 254 adding linear algebra and MATH 255 covering differential equations.
What's missing from Mesa's UCLA Mechanical Engineering prep?
All 11 required courses are covered. Among the five recommended electives, Mesa matches only EC ENGR 110L and MAT SCI 104; statics, dynamics and circuits have no local equivalent.
How competitive is UCLA Mechanical Engineering admission?
UCLA's Samueli School admitted 12% of all 2025 transfer applicants to the major, regardless of home college, and sets a 3.4 minimum GPA for consideration.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
San Diego Mesa College students working toward Mechanical Engineering at the University of California, Los Angeles can complete all 11 of UCLA's required prep courses at Mesa, from MATH 150 through MATH 255 to PHYS 195 through 197 and CHEM 200, 200L and 201. Programming is a choice: ENGE 116 for MATLAB, or CISC 192. Only two of UCLA's five recommended courses have a Mesa match. Samueli admitted 12% of 2025 transfer applicants to the major and sets a 3.4 minimum GPA. Transfermatic can lay out this sequence term by term for Mesa students.
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