Santa Barbara City College to UCI
Economics Transfer Plan
SBCC has a match for 7 of UCI's 9 Economics prep courses. ECON 15A and ECON 15B have no SBCC match, so plan for them before you apply.
From
Santa Barbara City College
To
UC Irvine
EconomicsUC Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG)
UCI offers TAG for Economics for fall 2027 applicants, with a minimum 3.4 GPA. File during the TAG window the fall before you transfer, and check UCI's TAG page, since its list of eligible majors changes.
Major Requirements
Economics Major Preparation
Courses at Santa Barbara City College that satisfy UC Irvine's Economics major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at Santa Barbara City College | Satisfies at UCI | Units |
|---|---|---|
| ECON 101 or ECON 101H — Microeconomics | ECON 20A — Basic Economics I | 3 |
| ECON 102 or ECON 102H — Macroeconomics | ECON 20B — Basic Economics II | 3 |
| MATH 150 or MATH 130 — Calculus with Analytic Geometry I | MATH 2A — Single-Variable Calculus | 5 |
| MATH 160 — Calculus with Analytic Geometry II | MATH 2B — Single-Variable Calculus | 5 |
| No SBCC match | ECON 15A — Probability and Statistics in Economics I | — |
| No SBCC match | ECON 15B — Probability and Statistics in Economics II | — |
| ANTH 101 (or another listed option) — Physical Anthropology | Introductory Social Science courses in disciplines other than Economics for Economics (choose 2) | 3 |
| CS 104 — Introduction to Programming | I&C SCI 31 — Introduction to Programming (choose 1) | 3 |
Courses with no equivalent must be taken at UC Irvine after transfer. Factor this into your first-year course plan.
General Education
Foundation GE at Santa Barbara City College
Complete these five courses at Santa Barbara City College to start your UCI 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 |
3 semesters minimum for MATH 149 onward
MATH 149, then MATH 150, then MATH 160: each needs the one before, so 3 semesters minimum. Start MATH 149 in your first semester. Placing higher shortens it.
SBCC semesters, UCI quarters
SBCC runs on semesters and UCI on quarters. Your units convert when you transfer, one semester unit to 1.5 quarter units, and anything left runs on UCI's quicker quarter schedule.
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
2 UCI requirements have no SBCC match
SBCC lists no course for ECON 15A and ECON 15B. Check UCI's Economics page for whether they have to be done before you transfer, and plan where you'll cover them.
Start with MATH 149 and ECON 101
MATH 149 and ECON 101 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 ECON 20A
For UCI ECON 20A, SBCC accepts ECON 101 or ECON 101H. You need only one of them, so pick whichever fits your schedule.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What classes should I take at SBCC for UCI Economics?
ECON 101 or ECON 101H, ECON 102 or ECON 102H, MATH 150 or MATH 130, MATH 160, ANTH 101 and CS 104. Together they match 7 of the 9 prep courses UCI lists for Economics.
What doesn't SBCC cover for UCI Economics?
ECON 15A and ECON 15B. SBCC lists no course for them, so check UCI's Economics page for whether they have to be finished before you transfer.
Does SBCC MATH 160 transfer to UCI?
Yes, for Economics. SBCC MATH 160 (Calculus with Analytic Geometry II) is the match for UCI MATH 2B (Single-Variable Calculus) in the transfer agreement.
Can I use TAG for UCI Economics?
UCI lists Economics as TAG-eligible for fall 2027, with a minimum 3.4 GPA. Check UCI's TAG page before you count on it for a later term.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
Santa Barbara City College students transferring to UC Irvine for Economics can match 7 of 9 lower-division prep courses at SBCC, including ECON 101 or ECON 101H and ECON 102 or ECON 102H. ECON 15A and ECON 15B have no Santa Barbara City College equivalent in the 2025-2026 agreement. MATH 149 and ECON 101 are good first-semester picks. On Transfermatic, put in Santa Barbara City College and UC Irvine, and you get the classes you need for Economics, semester by semester.
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