Santa Barbara City College to UCI
Political Science Transfer Plan
SBCC has a match for every one of UCI's 8 Political Science prep courses, so you can finish all of the listed prep at SBCC. Start with POLS C1000 and ANTH 101.
From
Santa Barbara City College
To
UC Irvine
Political ScienceUC Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG)
UCI offers TAG for Political Science 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
Political Science Major Preparation
Courses at Santa Barbara City College that satisfy UC Irvine's Political Science major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at Santa Barbara City College | Satisfies at UCI | Units |
|---|---|---|
| POLS C1000 — American Government and Politics | POL SCI 21A — Introduction to American Government (choose 4) | 3 |
| POLS 132 — Political Thinking | POL SCI 31A — Introduction to Political Theory (choose 4) | 3 |
| POLS 121 — International Politics | POL SCI 41A — Introduction to International Relations (choose 4) | 3 |
| POLS 131 — Comparative Politics | POL SCI 51A — Introduction to Politics Around the World (choose 4) | 3 |
| POLS C1000 (or another listed option) — American Government and Politics | Political Science not already used (choose 1) | 3 |
| ANTH 101 (or another listed option) — Physical Anthropology | Political Science or other Social Science discipline (choose 1) | 3 |
| MATH 130 (or another listed option) — Calculus for Biological Sciences, Social Sciences and Business I | School of Social Sciences Math Requirement (choose 1) | 5 |
| CS 104 — Introduction to Programming | I&C SCI 31 — Introduction to Programming (choose 1) | 3 |
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 |
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
SBCC covers all 8 listed courses
Every UCI Political Science prep course in the transfer agreement has a SBCC match, so none of the listed prep has to wait. Take them all before you apply.
Start with POLS C1000 and ANTH 101
POLS C1000 and ANTH 101 sit at the start of their sequences for this route, so they fit your first semester, next to ENGL C1000 for English composition.
PSYC C1000 starts a 2-semester chain
PSYC C1000, then PSY 170 each need the one before, so the chain takes 2 semesters at minimum. Begin PSYC C1000 early.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What classes should I take at SBCC for UCI Political Science?
POLS C1000, POLS 132, POLS 121, POLS 131, ANTH 101, MATH 130 and CS 104, plus the rest in the table above. Together they match 8 of the 8 prep courses UCI lists for Political Science.
What doesn't SBCC cover for UCI Political Science?
Nothing in the transfer agreement. Every UCI Political Science prep course listed has a SBCC match.
Does SBCC POLS C1000 transfer to UCI?
Yes, for Political Science. SBCC POLS C1000 (American Government and Politics) is the match for UCI POL SCI 21A (Introduction to American Government) in the transfer agreement.
Can I use TAG for UCI Political Science?
UCI lists Political Science 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 Political Science can match 8 of 8 lower-division prep courses at SBCC, including POLS C1000 and POLS 132. Every listed course has a Santa Barbara City College equivalent in the 2025-2026 agreement. POLS C1000 and ANTH 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 Political Science, semester by semester.
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