Santa Monica College to UC Berkeley
Political Science Transfer Plan
Santa Monica College covers every one of UC Berkeley's four Political Science concentration courses, so you can pick any two to declare the major. The only unmatched piece, POL SCI 3, isn't required until after you transfer.
From
Santa Monica College
To
UC Berkeley
Political ScienceMajor Requirements
Political Science Major Preparation
Courses at Santa Monica College that satisfy UC Berkeley's Political Science major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at Santa Monica College | Satisfies at UC Berkeley | Units |
|---|---|---|
| POLS C1000 — American Government and Politics | POL SCI 1 — Introduction to American Politics (choose 2) | 3 |
| POL SC 2 — Comparative Government and Politics | POL SCI 2 — Introduction to Comparative Politics (choose 2) | 3 |
| POL SC 51 — Political Philosophy | POL SCI 4 — Introduction to Political Theory (choose 2) | 3 |
| POL SC 7 — International Politics | POL SCI 5 — Introduction to International Relations (choose 2) | 3 |
| No SMC match | POL SCI 3 — Introduction to Empirical Analysis and Quantitative Methods | — |
| HIST 1 — History of Western Civilization I | HISTORY 4A — The Ancient Mediterranean World (choose 1) | 3 |
| HIST 1 — History of Western Civilization I | HISTORY 4B — Medieval Europe (choose 1) | 3 |
| HIST 2 — History of Western Civilization II | HISTORY 5 — European Civilization From the Renaissance to the Present (choose 1) | 3 |
| HIST 24 or HIST 25 — History of East Asia to 1600 | HISTORY 6A — History of China: Origins to the Mongol Conquest (choose 1) | 3 |
| HIST 11 — United States History through Reconstruction | HISTORY 7A — The United States from Settlement to Civil War (choose 1) | 3 |
| HIST 12 — United States History since Reconstruction | HISTORY 7B — The United States from Civil War to Present (choose 1) | 3 |
Courses with no equivalent must be taken at UC Berkeley after transfer. Factor this into your first-year course plan.
General Education
Foundation GE at Santa Monica College
Complete these five courses at Santa Monica College to start your UC Berkeley 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 10
Applied Ecology and Conservation Biology
CHEM 10
Introductory General Chemistry
ENGL C1001
Critical Thinking and Writing
ENGL C1000
Academic Reading and Writing
COMM C1000
Introduction to Public Speaking
| Area | Course at Santa Monica College | Units |
|---|---|---|
Life Science | BIOL 10 — Applied Ecology and Conservation Biology | 4 |
Physical Science | CHEM 10 — Introductory General Chemistry | 5 |
HumanitiesCCN | ENGL C1001 — Critical Thinking and Writing | 3 |
English CompositionCCN | ENGL C1000 — Academic Reading and Writing | 3 |
Oral CommunicationCCN | COMM C1000 — Introduction to Public Speaking | 3 |
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
All four concentration courses transfer
SMC has a direct match for POL SCI 1, POL SCI 2, POL SCI 4 and POL SCI 5, so you choose your two based on interest, not on what's available.
POL SCI 3 waits until Berkeley
The Additional Political Science Requirement and the History requirement don't have to be finished before you transfer. Berkeley doesn't need them to let you declare the major.
AP credit skips the major
Political science AP scores don't satisfy any major requirement at Berkeley, so don't count on them to replace POL SC 51 or the other concentration courses.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What classes do I need at SMC for UC Berkeley Political Science?
Any two of POLS C1000, POL SC 2, POL SC 51 and POL SC 7, one matching your intended subfield. All four are available at SMC, so the choice is yours.
Does SMC POL SC 51 count for UC Berkeley political theory?
Yes. POL SC 51 matches POL SCI 4, Berkeley's Political Theory concentration option, one of the two courses you need to declare the major.
What isn't covered at SMC for Berkeley political science?
ASSIST lists no SMC match for POL SCI 3, the Additional Political Science Requirement. It's not required to declare the major or before you transfer, so it can wait.
How hard is it to transfer to UC Berkeley for Political Science from SMC?
Selective. Berkeley admitted 31% of every 2025 transfer applicant to Political Science, whether they applied from SMC or anywhere else, and L&S sets the bar at a 3.0 GPA by the end of fall.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
Santa Monica College students heading to UC Berkeley for Political Science can complete all four concentration options before transferring: POLS C1000 for American Politics, POL SC 2 for Comparative Politics, POL SC 51 for Political Theory and POL SC 7 for International Relations. Berkeley only requires two of the four to declare the major. POL SCI 3 has no SMC match, and it and the History elective can both wait until after transfer. Berkeley admitted 31% of 2025 transfer applicants across all colleges. Transfermatic can turn this SMC-to-Berkeley plan into a term-by-term schedule.
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