Santa Barbara City College to UCSD
Economics Transfer Plan
SBCC has a match for every one of UCSD's 5 Economics prep courses, so you can finish all of the listed prep at SBCC. Start with MATH 149 and ECON 101.
From
Santa Barbara City College
To
UC San Diego
EconomicsMajor Requirements
Economics Major Preparation
Courses at Santa Barbara City College that satisfy UC San Diego's Economics major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at Santa Barbara City College | Satisfies at UCSD | Units |
|---|---|---|
| MATH 150 — Calculus with Analytic Geometry I | MATH 20A — Calculus for Science and Engineering | 5 |
| MATH 160 — Calculus with Analytic Geometry II | MATH 20B — Calculus for Science and Engineering | 5 |
| MATH 200 — Multivariable Calculus | MATH 20C — Calculus and Analytic Geometry for Science and Engineering | 4 |
| ECON 101 — Microeconomics | ECON 1 — Principles of Microeconomics | 3 |
| ECON 102 — Macroeconomics | ECON 3 — Principles of Macroeconomics | 3 |
General Education
Foundation GE at Santa Barbara City College
Complete these five courses at Santa Barbara City College to start your UCSD 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 |
4 semesters minimum for MATH 149 onward
MATH 149 through MATH 200: 4 courses, each needing the one before, so 4 semesters minimum. Start MATH 149 in your first semester. Placing higher shortens it.
SBCC semesters, UCSD quarters
SBCC runs on semesters and UCSD on quarters. Your units convert when you transfer, one semester unit to 1.5 quarter units, and anything left runs on UCSD'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 5 listed courses
Every UCSD Economics 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 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.
What UCSD looks for
Screening courses are Econ 1 and 3 and Math 20A-B (or 10A-B). You need a C- or better in each and a 2.3 GPA across them.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What classes should I take at SBCC for UCSD Economics?
MATH 150, MATH 160, MATH 200, ECON 101 and ECON 102. Together they match 5 of the 5 prep courses UCSD lists for Economics.
What doesn't SBCC cover for UCSD Economics?
Nothing in the transfer agreement. Every UCSD Economics prep course listed has a SBCC match.
Does SBCC MATH 150 transfer to UCSD?
Yes, for Economics. SBCC MATH 150 (Calculus with Analytic Geometry I) is the match for UCSD MATH 20A (Calculus for Science and Engineering) in the transfer agreement.
What is UCSD's transfer admit rate for Economics?
65% of all transfer applicants to UCSD Economics 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 San Diego for Economics can match 5 of 5 lower-division prep courses at SBCC, including MATH 150 and MATH 160. Every listed course has a 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 San Diego, and you get the classes you need for Economics, semester by semester.
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