Santa Monica College to UCI
Political Science Transfer Plan
SMC covers every one of UCI's 8 Political Science prep requirements, with six different intro courses to pick your four from. Nothing is missing, so the only real decision is sequencing your math and CS courses early.
From
Santa Monica College
To
UC Irvine
Political ScienceTAG: UC Irvine Transfer Admission Guarantee
SMC students can apply through TAG, UC Irvine's Transfer Admission Guarantee, if their GPA hits 3.4 or better. Filing for fall 2027 runs Sept 1 to Sept 30, 2026, and once you submit, you can't swap your TAG major.
Major Requirements
Political Science Major Preparation
Courses at Santa Monica College that satisfy UC Irvine's Political Science major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at Santa Monica College | Satisfies at UCI | Units |
|---|---|---|
| POLS C1000 — American Government and Politics | POL SCI 21A — Introduction to American Government (choose 4) | 3 |
| POL SC 51 — Political Philosophy | POL SCI 31A — Introduction to Political Theory (choose 4) | 3 |
| POL SC 7 — International Politics | POL SCI 41A — Introduction to International Relations (choose 4) | 3 |
| POL SC 2 — Comparative Government and Politics | POL SCI 51A — Introduction to Politics Around the World (choose 4) | 3 |
| POL SC 21 — Race, Ethnicity, and the Politics of Difference | POL SCI 61A — Introduction to Race and Ethnicity in Political Science (choose 4) | 3 |
| POL SC 24 — Introduction to Law | POL SCI 71A — Introduction to Law (choose 4) | 3 |
| ECON 5 (or another listed option) — International Politcal Economy: Introduction to Global Studies | Political Science not already used (choose 1) | 3 |
| ANTHRO 1 (or another listed option) — Biological Anthropology | Political Science or other Social Science discipline (choose 1) | 3 |
| STAT C1000 + MATH 7 — Introduction to Statistics + Calculus 1 | School of Social Sciences Math Requirement (choose 1) | 9 |
| CS 87A — Python | I&C SCI 31 — Introduction to Programming (choose 1) | 3 |
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 |
Semesters at SMC, quarters at UCI
SMC runs semesters, but UCI operates on the quarter system instead. Everything above still transfers; what changes is pace, three ten-week terms a year at UCI instead of two long ones.
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
Six intro options, you only need four
SMC matches six of UCI's nine lower-division intro courses, including POL SC 51 and POL SC 7. You only need four, so pick whichever four fit your schedule best.
Math requirement needs two separate courses
UCI's math requirement here means both STAT C1000 and MATH 7, not either one alone. Plan a term for each rather than assuming one course clears it.
CS 87A clears the programming requirement
SMC's CS 87A satisfies UCI's I&C SCI 31 programming requirement outright, no second option needed. It is not required for admission, just for the eventual degree.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Which SMC classes count for UCI Political Science?
POL SC 51, POL SC 7, POL SC 2, POL SC 21 and POL SC 24 each match a UCI intro requirement, plus POLS C1000 for American Government. Pick any four of the six available matches.
Does SMC cover everything UCI Political Science needs?
Yes. SMC has a match for all 8 of UCI's prep requirements, including the math sequence and the CS 87A programming course, so there is nothing left to take after you transfer.
Do I need every SMC poli sci match for UCI?
No. SMC matches six of UCI's nine intro courses (POLS C1000, POL SC 51, POL SC 7, POL SC 2, POL SC 21 and POL SC 24) and you need four, so two can be left out. SMC has no match for POL SCI 11A, 11B or 11C.
What math do I need at SMC before transferring?
Take both STAT C1000 and MATH 7 at SMC. UCI's requirement calls for a statistics course and a calculus course together, not a single class covering both.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
Santa Monica College students heading to UC Irvine for a Political Science, B.A. have a clean path: SMC matches all eight of UCI's lower-division prep requirements, from POL SC 51 through the STAT C1000 and MATH 7 math pairing. There are no gaps to fill after transfer, and the CS 87A course already covers UCI's programming requirement. Transfermatic maps out exactly which SMC course satisfies each UCI slot, so students can plan every remaining term at SMC around what still needs to be finished before applying.
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