Santa Barbara City College to UCI
Mechanical Engineering Transfer Plan
SBCC has a match for 18 of UCI's 22 Mechanical Engineering prep courses. ENGR 54, ENGRMAE 91, ENGR 7A and ENGR 7B have no SBCC match, so plan for them before you apply.
From
Santa Barbara City College
To
UC Irvine
Mechanical EngineeringUC Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG)
UCI offers TAG for Mechanical Engineering 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
Mechanical Engineering Major Preparation
Courses at Santa Barbara City College that satisfy UC Irvine's Mechanical Engineering major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at Santa Barbara City College | Satisfies at UCI | Units |
|---|---|---|
| CS 133 or CS 137 or CS 140 — Introduction to Programming for Engineers | ENGRMAE 10 — Introduction to Engineering Computations | 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 |
| MATH 200 — Multivariable Calculus | MATH 2D — Multivariable Calculus | 4 |
| MATH 200 — Multivariable Calculus | MATH 2E — Multivariable Calculus | 4 |
| MATH 210 — Linear Algebra | MATH 3A — Introduction to Linear Algebra | 4 |
| MATH 220 — Differential Equations | MATH 3D — Elementary Differential Equations | 4 |
| PHYS 121 — Mechanics of Solids and Fluids | PHYSICS 7C, PHYSICS 7LC | 5 |
| PHYS 122 — Electricity and Magnetism | PHYSICS 7D, PHYSICS 7LD | 5 |
| PHYS 123 — Heat, Light and Modern Physics | PHYSICS 7E — Classical Physics | 5 |
| CHEM 155 — General Chemistry I | ENGR 1A, CHEM 1LE (choose 1) | 5 |
| CHEM 155 — General Chemistry I | CHEM 1A, CHEM 1LE (choose 1) | 5 |
| ENGR 115 — Statics and Strength of Materials | ENGRCEE 30 — Statics | 4 |
| DRFT 131 or ENGR 105 — Computer-Assisted Drafting and Design II | ENGRMAE 52 — Computer-Aided Design | 5 |
| ENGR 117 — Electronic Circuits | EECS 70A — NETWORK ANALYSIS I (choose 1) | 3 |
| No SBCC match | ENGR 54 — Principles of Materials Science and Engineering | — |
| PHYS 123 — Heat, Light and Modern Physics | PHYSICS 52A — Fundamentals of Experimental Physics | 5 |
| ECON 101 or ECON 101H — Microeconomics | ECON 20A — Basic Economics I (choose 1) | 3 |
| ENGR 116 — Dynamics | ENGRMAE 80 — Dynamics | 4 |
| No SBCC match | ENGRMAE 91 — Introduction to Thermodynamics | — |
| ANTH 101 (or another listed option) — Physical Anthropology | Science courses (or lecture/lab combination) for Mechanical Engineering (choose 1) | 3 |
| No SBCC match | ENGR 7A — Introduction to Engineering I | — |
| No SBCC match | ENGR 7B — Introduction to Engineering II | — |
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
UCI's Mechanical Engineering program uses its own GE pattern (see note below), but these five Santa Barbara City College courses cover foundation requirements every UC accepts. Start here.
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 |
UCI Mechanical Engineering: full GE notes
Math, science, and engineering prep has to be finished before Cal-GETC or UCI's own GE pattern, since the engineering school doesn't count IGETC in who it admits.
5 semesters minimum for MATH 149 onward
MATH 149 through MATH 220: 5 courses, each needing the one before, so 5 semesters minimum, more than four fall and spring terms. Start MATH 149 first or plan on summer. 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
4 UCI requirements have no SBCC match
SBCC lists no course for ENGR 54, ENGRMAE 91, ENGR 7A and ENGR 7B. Check UCI's Mechanical Engineering 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 ENGRMAE 10
For UCI ENGRMAE 10, SBCC accepts CS 133 or CS 137 or CS 140. 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 Mechanical Engineering?
CS 133 or CS 137 or CS 140, MATH 150 or MATH 130, MATH 160, MATH 200, MATH 210, MATH 220 and PHYS 121, plus the rest in the table above. Together they match 18 of the 22 prep courses UCI lists for Mechanical Engineering.
What doesn't SBCC cover for UCI Mechanical Engineering?
ENGR 54, ENGRMAE 91, ENGR 7A and ENGR 7B. SBCC lists no course for them, so check UCI's Mechanical Engineering page for whether they have to be finished before you transfer.
Does SBCC MATH 160 transfer to UCI?
Yes, for Mechanical Engineering. 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 Mechanical Engineering?
UCI lists Mechanical Engineering 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 Mechanical Engineering can match 18 of 22 lower-division prep courses at SBCC, including CS 133 or CS 137 or CS 140 and MATH 150 or MATH 130. ENGR 54 and ENGRMAE 91 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 Mechanical Engineering, semester by semester.
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