Santa Monica College to UC Davis
Political Science Transfer Plan
SMC covers five of UC Davis's six Political Science requirements, using POLS C1000 for American government and a run of Philosophy and Political Science electives for the rest. Only POL 051, Scientific Study of Politics, has no SMC match, so that one waits until UC Davis.
From
Santa Monica College
To
UC Davis
Political ScienceTransfer Admission Guarantee (TAG)
Political Science is TAG-eligible at UC Davis. File with at least a 3.20 cumulative GPA and no grade below a C, and admission is guaranteed.
Major Requirements
Political Science Major Preparation
Courses at Santa Monica College that satisfy UC Davis's Political Science major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at Santa Monica College | Satisfies at UC Davis | Units |
|---|---|---|
| POLS C1000 — American Government and Politics | POL 001 — American National Government (choose 3) | 3 |
| PHILOS 52 or POL SC 2 or POL SC 52 — Contemporary Political Thought | POL 002 — Introduction to Comparative Politics (choose 3) | 3 |
| POL SC 7 or POL SC 47 — International Politics | POL 003 — International Relations (choose 3) | 3 |
| PHILOS 51 or POL SC 51 or POL SC 52 or PHILOS 52 — Political Philosophy | POL 004 — Basic Concepts in Political Theory (choose 3) | 3 |
| POLS C1000 — American Government and Politics | POL 001 — American National Government (choose 1) | 3 |
| PHILOS 52 or POL SC 2 or POL SC 52 — Contemporary Political Thought | POL 002 — Introduction to Comparative Politics (choose 1) | 3 |
| POL SC 7 or POL SC 47 — International Politics | POL 003 — International Relations (choose 1) | 3 |
| PHILOS 51 or POL SC 51 or POL SC 52 or PHILOS 52 — Political Philosophy | POL 004 — Basic Concepts in Political Theory (choose 1) | 3 |
| No SMC match | POL 051 — Scientific Study of Politics | — |
| STAT C1000 — Introduction to Statistics | STA 013 — Elementary Statistics (choose 1) | 4 |
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 |
SMC runs semesters, UC Davis runs quarters
Credit and pacing shift once you transfer. An SMC semester course can cover more or less ground than the UC Davis quarter course it satisfies, so check unit totals on ASSIST rather than assuming a one-to-one swap.
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
PHILOS 52 covers two different slots
PHILOS 52 satisfies either the comparative politics option or the political theory option at SMC, not both at once, so pick whichever pairing rounds out your three electives fastest.
One course covers international relations
Either POL SC 7 or POL SC 47 clears the international relations requirement on its own at SMC, so you only need one, not both.
POL 051 has no SMC equivalent
Nothing at SMC lines up with POL 051 on ASSIST. Leave it for UC Davis rather than hunting for a local substitute.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Does SMC POLS C1000 transfer to UC Davis political science?
Yes. POLS C1000 satisfies POL 001, American National Government, one of the four courses in the choose-three political science group.
What UC Davis political science requirement does SMC not cover?
POL 051, Scientific Study of Politics. ASSIST lists no SMC course for it, so it's a course you'll take after you arrive at UC Davis.
Does UC Davis offer TAG for political science?
Yes. UC Davis grants a Transfer Admission Guarantee for this major to applicants with a 3.20 cumulative GPA and no grade below a C at the time of filing.
Is UC Davis political science a selective major?
No. UC Davis doesn't screen political science applicants on major GPA or required prep; only its 2.80 minimum transfer GPA applies.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
Santa Monica College students headed to UC Davis for Political Science A.B. complete five of six major requirements before transfer, anchored by POLS C1000 for American government. POL 051 has no SMC match and gets picked up after transfer instead. The major carries no GPA screen beyond UC Davis's 2.80 floor, and it qualifies for TAG at a 3.2 GPA. Transfermatic maps SMC's exact course list against this UC Davis agreement so you know what's covered before you register.
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