Santa Barbara City College to UCSB
Economics Transfer Plan
SBCC has a match for 4 of UCSB's 6 Economics prep courses. ECON 10A and a UCSB choose-1 requirement have no SBCC match, so plan for them before you apply.
From
Santa Barbara City College
To
UC Santa Barbara
EconomicsUC Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG)
UCSB 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 UCSB's TAG page, since its list of eligible majors changes.
Major Requirements
Economics Major Preparation
Courses at Santa Barbara City College that satisfy UC Santa Barbara's Economics major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at Santa Barbara City College | Satisfies at UCSB | Units |
|---|---|---|
| ECON 101 or ECON 101H — Microeconomics | ECON 1 — Principles of Economics-Micro | 3 |
| ECON 102 or ECON 102H — Macroeconomics | ECON 2 — Principles of Economics-Macro | 3 |
| MATH 150 — Calculus with Analytic Geometry I | MATH 3A — Calculus with Applications, First Course (choose 1) | 5 |
| MATH 130 — Calculus for Biological Sciences, Social Sciences and Business I | MATH 34A — Calculus for Social and Life Sciences (choose 1) | 5 |
| MATH 160 — Calculus with Analytic Geometry II | MATH 3B — Calculus with Applications, Second Course (choose 1) | 5 |
| MATH 130 or MATH 131 — Calculus for Biological Sciences, Social Sciences and Business I | MATH 34B — Calculus for Social and Life Sciences (choose 1) | 5 |
| No SBCC match | ECON 10A — Intermediate Microeconomic Theory | — |
| No SBCC match for any of 2 options | ECON 5 — Statistics for Economics and others (choose 1) | — |
Courses with no equivalent must be taken at UC Santa Barbara 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 UCSB 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, UCSB quarters
SBCC runs on semesters and UCSB on quarters. Your units convert when you transfer, one semester unit to 1.5 quarter units, and anything left runs on UCSB'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 UCSB requirements have no SBCC match
SBCC lists no course for ECON 10A and a UCSB choose-1 requirement. Check UCSB's Economics page for whether they have to be done before you transfer, and plan where you'll cover them.
Start with ECON 101 and MATH 130
ECON 101 and MATH 130 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 1
For UCSB ECON 1, 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 UCSB Economics?
ECON 101 or ECON 101H, ECON 102 or ECON 102H, MATH 150, MATH 130, MATH 160 and MATH 130 or MATH 131. Together they match 4 of the 6 prep courses UCSB lists for Economics.
What doesn't SBCC cover for UCSB Economics?
ECON 10A and a UCSB choose-1 requirement. SBCC lists no course for them, so check UCSB's Economics page for whether they have to be finished before you transfer.
Does SBCC MATH 150 transfer to UCSB?
Yes, for Economics. SBCC MATH 150 (Calculus with Analytic Geometry I) is the match for UCSB MATH 3A (Calculus with Applications, First Course) in the transfer agreement.
What is UCSB's transfer admit rate for Economics?
62% of all transfer applicants to UCSB 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 Santa Barbara for Economics can match 4 of 6 lower-division prep courses at SBCC, including ECON 101 or ECON 101H and ECON 102 or ECON 102H. ECON 10A and a UCSB choose-1 requirement have no Santa Barbara City College equivalent in the 2025-2026 agreement. ECON 101 and MATH 130 are good first-semester picks. On Transfermatic, put in Santa Barbara City College and UC Santa Barbara, and you get the classes you need for Economics, semester by semester.
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