Santa Barbara City College to UCSD
Political Science Transfer Plan
SBCC has a match for 4 of UCSD's 5 Political Science prep courses. POLI 30 has no SBCC match, so plan for it before you apply.
From
Santa Barbara City College
To
UC San Diego
Political ScienceMajor Requirements
Political Science Major Preparation
Courses at Santa Barbara City College that satisfy UC San Diego's Political Science major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at Santa Barbara City College | Satisfies at UCSD | Units |
|---|---|---|
| POLS C1000 — American Government and Politics | POLI 10 — Introduction to Political Science: American Politics | 3 |
| POLS 131 — Comparative Politics | POLI 11 — Introduction to Political Science: Comparative Politics | 3 |
| POLS 121 — International Politics | POLI 12 — Introduction to Political Science: International Relations | 3 |
| POLS 132 — Political Thinking | POLI 13 — Power and Justice | 3 |
| No SBCC match | POLI 30 — Political Inquiry | — |
Courses with no equivalent must be taken at UC San Diego 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 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 |
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
POLI 30 has no SBCC match
SBCC lists no course for POLI 30. Check UCSD'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
POLS C1000 sits at the start of its sequence for this route, so it fits your first semester, next to ENGL C1000 for English composition.
What UCSD looks for
Political Science is not on UCSD's list of majors screened for major prep, so admission rests on the general transfer requirements (minimum 2.4 GPA for California residents).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What classes should I take at SBCC for UCSD Political Science?
POLS C1000, POLS 131, POLS 121 and POLS 132. Together they match 4 of the 5 prep courses UCSD lists for Political Science.
What doesn't SBCC cover for UCSD Political Science?
POLI 30. SBCC lists no course for it, so check UCSD's Political Science page for whether it has to be finished before you transfer.
Does SBCC POLS C1000 transfer to UCSD?
Yes, for Political Science. SBCC POLS C1000 (American Government and Politics) is the match for UCSD POLI 10 (Introduction to Political Science: American Politics) in the transfer agreement.
What should I take first at SBCC for UCSD Political Science?
POLS C1000, plus ENGL C1000 for English composition. It sits at the start of its sequence.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
Santa Barbara City College students transferring to UC San Diego for Political Science can match 4 of 5 lower-division prep courses at SBCC, including POLS C1000 and POLS 131. POLI 30 has no Santa Barbara City College equivalent in the 2025-2026 agreement. POLS C1000 is a good first-semester pick. On Transfermatic, put in Santa Barbara City College and UC San Diego, and you get the classes you need for Political Science, semester by semester.
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