Santa Monica College to UC Davis
Computer Science Transfer Plan
SMC matches 10 of UC Davis's 12 Computer Science prep courses, including all three calculus requirements and the science elective. ECS 036A and ECS 036B have no SMC match, and UC Davis wants all major prep done by the end of spring before fall enrollment.
From
Santa Monica College
To
UC Davis
Computer ScienceMajor Requirements
Computer Science Major Preparation
Courses at Santa Monica College that satisfy UC Davis's Computer Science major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at Santa Monica College | Satisfies at UC Davis | Units |
|---|---|---|
| MATH 10 — Discrete Structures | ECS 020 — Discrete Mathematics For Computer Science | 3 |
| No SMC match | ECS 036A — Programming & Problem Solving | — |
| No SMC match | ECS 036B — Software Development & Object-Oriented Programming in C++ | — |
| CS 20A — Data Structures with C++ | ECS 036C — Data Structures, Algorithms, & Programming | 3 |
| CS 17 — Assembly Language Programming | ECS 050 — Computer Organization & Machine-Dependent Programming | 3 |
| MATH 7 — Calculus 1 | MAT 021A — Calculus | 5 |
| MATH 8 — Calculus 2 | MAT 021B — Calculus | 5 |
| MATH 11 — Multivariable Calculus | MAT 021C — Calculus | 5 |
| MATH 13 — Linear Algebra | MAT 022A — Linear Algebra (choose 1) | 3 |
| BIOL 21 + BIOL 22 + BIOL 23 — Cell Biology and Evolution + Genetics and Molecular Biology + Organismal and Environmental Biology | BIS 002A, BIS 002B, BIS 002C (choose 3) | 13 |
| CHEM 11 + CHEM 12 — General Chemistry I + General Chemistry II | CHE 002A, CHE 002B, CHE 002C (choose 3) | 10 |
| PHYSCS 21 — Mechanics with Lab | PHY 009A — Classical Physics (choose 3) | 5 |
| PHYSCS 23 — Fluids, Waves, Thermodynamics, Optics with Lab | PHY 009B — Classical Physics (choose 3) | 5 |
| PHYSCS 22 — Electricity and Magnetism with Lab | PHY 009C — Classical Physics (choose 3) | 5 |
Courses with no equivalent must be taken at UC Davis 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 Davis 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 |
Start calculus your first semester
MATH 2 leads to MATH 7, then MATH 8, then MATH 10, a four-semester chain. Waiting to start math pushes ECS 020 and calculus back, and all prep is due by spring before transfer.
SMC runs semesters, UC Davis runs quarters
SMC's two-semester year covers the same material as UC Davis's three quarters, so each term at UC Davis moves faster. Expect a quicker pace once you're on the quarter system.
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
Two programming courses aren't covered
ECS 036A and ECS 036B have no SMC match. UC Davis expects every prep course finished by the end of spring before you enroll, so these two gaps matter for admission.
MATH 13 clears your linear algebra pick
UC Davis screens on MAT 022A, and SMC's MATH 13 satisfies it. MAT 027A and MAT 067 have no SMC match, and you don't need them.
Biology, general chemistry and physics all match
BIOL 21, BIOL 22 and BIOL 23 together, CHEM 11 and CHEM 12 together, and PHYSCS 21, 22 and 23 all match UC Davis science options. CHE 004A, CHE 004B and CHE 004C have no SMC match.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Does SMC MATH 10 transfer to UC Davis Computer Science?
Yes. MATH 10 satisfies UC Davis's ECS 020 discrete math requirement. SMC covers three of the five CS Engineering courses: ECS 020, ECS 036C through CS 20A and ECS 050 through CS 17.
What classes does SMC not cover for UC Davis CS?
SMC has no match for ECS 036A or ECS 036B, the first two programming courses. UC Davis wants all major prep finished by the end of spring before fall enrollment, so these gaps count against you at admission.
What's UC Davis's admit rate for Computer Science transfers?
UC Davis admitted 47% of transfer applicants to Computer Science in 2025, across every community college, not only SMC. It's a selective major with its own GPA thresholds on top of that rate.
How long is the math sequence at SMC before transferring?
MATH 2, MATH 7, MATH 8 and MATH 10 form a four-semester chain at SMC, the longest prerequisite path on SMC's list. Start calculus your first semester if you want to transfer on time.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
Santa Monica College students planning to transfer into the University of California, Davis Computer Science B.S. program cover ten of twelve major prep requirements at SMC, including MATH 7, MATH 8 and MATH 11 for calculus. Two programming courses, ECS 036A and ECS 036B, have no SMC equivalent, and UC Davis expects all prep done by the end of spring before fall enrollment. The math sequence runs four semesters end to end, so starting calculus early matters. Transfermatic maps this exact route, matched course by matched course, for Santa Monica College students aiming at UC Davis Computer Science.
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