Santa Barbara City College to UC Berkeley
Political Science Transfer Plan
SBCC has a match for 4 of UC Berkeley's 5 Political Science prep courses. A UC Berkeley choose-2 requirement has no SBCC match, so plan for it before you apply.
From
Santa Barbara City College
To
UC Berkeley
Political ScienceMajor Requirements
Political Science Major Preparation
Courses at Santa Barbara City College that satisfy UC Berkeley's Political Science major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at Santa Barbara City College | Satisfies at UC Berkeley | Units |
|---|---|---|
| POLS C1000 — American Government and Politics | POL SCI 1 — Introduction to American Politics (choose 2) | 3 |
| POLS 131 — Comparative Politics | POL SCI 2 — Introduction to Comparative Politics (choose 2) | 3 |
| POLS 132 — Political Thinking | POL SCI 4 — Introduction to Political Theory (choose 2) | 3 |
| POLS 121 — International Politics | POL SCI 5 — Introduction to International Relations (choose 2) | 3 |
| MATH 118 — Data Science for All | DATA C8 — Foundations of Data Science (choose 2) | 4 |
| HIST 103 — History of Western Civilization | HISTORY 4A — The Ancient Mediterranean World (choose 1) | 3 |
| HIST 103 — History of Western Civilization | HISTORY 4B — Medieval Europe (choose 1) | 3 |
| HIST 104 or HIST 113H or HIST 120 — History of Western Civilization | HISTORY 5 — European Civilization From the Renaissance to the Present (choose 1) | 3 |
| HIST 101 — History of the U.S. to 1877 | HISTORY 7A — The United States from Settlement to Civil War (choose 1) | 3 |
| HIST 102 or HIST 102H — History of the U.S. since 1865 | HISTORY 7B — The United States from Civil War to Present (choose 1) | 3 |
| HIST 133 or HIST 135 — History of Latin America | HISTORY 8A — Becoming Latin America, 1492 to 1824 (choose 1) | 3 |
General Education
Foundation GE at Santa Barbara City College
Complete these five courses at Santa Barbara City College to start your UC Berkeley 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
Concepts of Biology
CHEM 101
Introductory Chemistry
HIST 101
History of the U.S. to 1877
ENGL C1000
Academic Reading and Writing
ENGL C1001
Critical Thinking and Writing
| Area | Course at Santa Barbara City College | Units |
|---|---|---|
Life Science | BIOL 100 — Concepts of Biology | 4 |
Physical Science | CHEM 101 — Introductory Chemistry | 4 |
Humanities | HIST 101 — History of the U.S. to 1877 | 3 |
English CompositionCCN | ENGL C1000 — Academic Reading and Writing | 4 |
Critical ThinkingCCN | ENGL C1001 — Critical Thinking and Writing | 3 |
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
1 UC Berkeley requirement has no SBCC match
SBCC lists no course for a UC Berkeley choose-2 requirement. Check UC Berkeley's Political Science page for whether it has to be done before you transfer, and plan where you'll cover it.
Start with POLS C1000 and MATH 118
POLS C1000 and MATH 118 sit at the start of their sequences for this route, so they fit your first semester, next to ENGL C1000 for English composition.
More than one way to cover HISTORY 5
For UC Berkeley HISTORY 5, SBCC accepts HIST 104 or HIST 113H or HIST 120. You need only one of them, so pick whichever fits your schedule.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What classes should I take at SBCC for UC Berkeley Political Science?
POLS C1000, POLS 131, POLS 132, POLS 121, MATH 118, HIST 103 and HIST 104 or HIST 113H or HIST 120, plus the rest in the table above. Together they match 4 of the 5 prep courses UC Berkeley lists for Political Science.
What doesn't SBCC cover for UC Berkeley Political Science?
A UC Berkeley choose-2 requirement. SBCC lists no course for it, so check UC Berkeley's Political Science page for whether it has to be finished before you transfer.
Does SBCC POLS C1000 transfer to UC Berkeley?
Yes, for Political Science. SBCC POLS C1000 (American Government and Politics) is the match for UC Berkeley POL SCI 1 (Introduction to American Politics) in the transfer agreement.
What is UC Berkeley's transfer admit rate for Political Science?
31% of all transfer applicants to UC Berkeley Political Science were admitted in 2025. That figure covers applicants from every college, so it isn't specific to SBCC.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
Santa Barbara City College students transferring to UC Berkeley for Political Science can match 4 of 5 lower-division prep courses at SBCC, including POLS C1000 and POLS 131. A UC Berkeley choose-2 requirement has no Santa Barbara City College equivalent in the 2025-2026 agreement. POLS C1000 and MATH 118 are good first-semester picks. On Transfermatic, put in Santa Barbara City College and UC Berkeley, and you get the classes you need for Political Science, semester by semester.
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