Santa Monica College to UCI
Economics Transfer Plan
SMC covers seven of UCI's nine Economics requirement slots, including both calculus terms and the full micro-macro sequence. The two it can't cover, ECON 15A and ECON 15B, aren't part of UCI's admission screening, so you finish those after you transfer.
From
Santa Monica College
To
UC Irvine
EconomicsUC Irvine TAG
SMC students can apply through the Transfer Admission Guarantee for fall 2027 with a 3.4 GPA. UCI is removing Economics from TAG starting fall 2028, so this is close to the last eligible cycle.
Major Requirements
Economics Major Preparation
Courses at Santa Monica College that satisfy UC Irvine's Economics major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at Santa Monica College | Satisfies at UCI | Units |
|---|---|---|
| ECON 1 — Principles of Microeconomics | ECON 20A — Basic Economics I | 3 |
| ECON 2 — Principles of Macroeconomics | ECON 20B — Basic Economics II | 3 |
| MATH 7 — Calculus 1 | MATH 2A — Single-Variable Calculus | 5 |
| MATH 8 — Calculus 2 | MATH 2B — Single-Variable Calculus | 5 |
| No SMC match | ECON 15A — Probability and Statistics in Economics I | — |
| No SMC match | ECON 15B — Probability and Statistics in Economics II | — |
| ANTHRO 1 (or another listed option) — Biological Anthropology | Introductory Social Science courses in disciplines other than Economics for Economics (choose 2) | 3 |
| CS 87A — Python | I&C SCI 31 — Introduction to Programming (choose 1) | 3 |
Courses with no equivalent must be taken at UC Irvine 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 UCI 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 |
Calculus takes three semesters minimum
MATH 2 comes before MATH 7, and MATH 7 comes before MATH 8. Starting that chain late is the fastest way to delay your transfer by a year.
SMC runs semesters, UCI runs quarters
Your SMC courses convert to quarter units once they transfer, and UCI covers the same material in a ten-week term, so the pace picks up after you arrive.
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
Calculus is a three-semester chain
MATH 2 leads to MATH 7, which leads to MATH 8. Start into that sequence your first semester at SMC so calculus doesn't push your transfer back a year.
ECON 15A and 15B aren't a gate
UCI's admission screening only checks ECON 1, ECON 2, MATH 7 and MATH 8, each with a B or better. The two statistics courses are extra prep you pick up at UCI.
CS 87A covers the programming pick
SMC's CS 87A (Python) satisfies UCI's I&C SCI 31 option, so you can skip SOC SCI 3A entirely and never touch that requirement after transfer.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Does SMC ECON 1 transfer to UCI as ECON 20A?
Yes. ECON 1 covers UCI's ECON 20A microeconomics requirement, and ECON 2 covers ECON 20B macroeconomics. UCI requires a B or better in both for admission.
What classes does SMC not cover for UCI Economics?
SMC has no match for ECON 15A or ECON 15B. Neither is required for admission, they're additional major-prep courses on UCI's list that you complete after transfer.
Is UC Irvine TAG open to SMC Economics students?
Yes, for fall 2027 applicants, with a minimum 3.4 GPA. UCI is pulling Economics from TAG starting fall 2028, so this window closes after next cycle.
Which SMC class satisfies UCI's programming requirement?
CS 87A. It covers I&C SCI 31, UCI's computing option for Economics majors, which means you don't need SOC SCI 3A as an alternative.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
Santa Monica College sends a strong Economics pipeline to the University of California, Irvine. Seven of UCI's nine prep requirements match directly, including ECON 1 for microeconomics and the MATH 7 to MATH 8 calculus sequence. The remaining two, ECON 15A and ECON 15B, are additional major-prep courses finished after transfer, not admission requirements. On our platform, put in your CC and your transfer university and get a plan built around exactly what SMC covers for UC Irvine Economics.
Build your Santa Monica College → UCI plan
Personalized, semester-by-semester. Free to start.
Get My Transfer Plan