Santa Monica College to UCSD
Economics Transfer Plan
SMC has a course match for all five of UC San Diego's Economics prep requirements. MATH 7 and MATH 8 together satisfy MATH 20A, and MATH 8 alone also satisfies MATH 20B, so MATH 7, MATH 8 and MATH 11 finish UCSD's calculus.
From
Santa Monica College
To
UC San Diego
EconomicsMajor Requirements
Economics Major Preparation
Courses at Santa Monica College that satisfy UC San Diego's Economics major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at Santa Monica College | Satisfies at UCSD | Units |
|---|---|---|
| MATH 8 + MATH 7 — Calculus 2 + Calculus 1 | MATH 20A — Calculus for Science and Engineering | 10 |
| MATH 8 — Calculus 2 | MATH 20B — Calculus for Science and Engineering | 5 |
| MATH 11 — Multivariable Calculus | MATH 20C — Calculus and Analytic Geometry for Science and Engineering | 5 |
| ECON 1 — Principles of Microeconomics | ECON 1 — Principles of Microeconomics | 3 |
| ECON 2 — Principles of Macroeconomics | ECON 3 — Principles of Macroeconomics | 3 |
General Education
Foundation GE at Santa Monica College
Complete these five courses at Santa Monica College to start your UCSD 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 |
Four-semester calculus chain
SMC's math prep runs MATH 2 to MATH 7 to MATH 8 to MATH 11, four semesters at minimum. Start MATH 2 right away or the rest of the sequence pushes back.
Semesters at SMC, quarters at UCSD
SMC runs two long semesters a year, while UCSD splits the year into three 10-week quarters. Once you transfer, each economics and math course covers less ground per term.
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
MATH 8 clears two requirements at once
SMC's MATH 7 and MATH 8 together satisfy UCSD's MATH 20A. MATH 8 by itself also satisfies MATH 20B, so you don't take a separate course for that one.
Math starts with MATH 2
The calculus chain at SMC runs MATH 2, then MATH 7, then MATH 8, then MATH 11. MATH 7 accepts MATH 2 or both MATH 3 and MATH 4 first, so start that step your first term.
MATH 11 comes before upper-division econ
UCSD won't let you start upper-division economics classes until the third calculus course is done. At SMC that's MATH 11, so finish it before you plan to enroll.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What classes transfer from SMC to UCSD for Economics?
MATH 7 and MATH 8 together satisfy UCSD's MATH 20A, and MATH 8 alone also satisfies MATH 20B. MATH 11 satisfies MATH 20C. SMC's ECON 1 satisfies UCSD's ECON 1, and SMC's ECON 2 satisfies UCSD's ECON 3.
What doesn't SMC cover for UCSD Economics?
Nothing. SMC has a matching course for all five of UCSD's Economics prep requirements, so no requirement is left waiting until after you transfer.
What's the admit rate for UCSD Economics?
65% in 2025, counting every transfer applicant to the major, not just SMC students. UCSD screens first on grades in ECON 1, ECON 3 and the MATH 20A-B sequence: a C- minimum in each and a 2.3 GPA across them.
How long is the SMC math sequence for UCSD Economics?
Four semesters. MATH 2 leads into MATH 7, MATH 8 and MATH 11, which together clear all three of UCSD's calculus requirements before you transfer.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
Santa Monica College students transferring into UC San Diego's Economics B.A. can clear all five prep requirements without leaving SMC. MATH 7 and MATH 8 together cover UCSD's MATH 20A, and MATH 11 finishes the calculus sequence, while SMC's ECON 1 and ECON 2 cover the two required economics courses. UCSD admitted 65% of all Economics transfer applicants in 2025 and screens on ECON 1, ECON 3, MATH 20A and MATH 20B. Transfermatic maps the full SMC course sequence against UCSD's requirements so nothing gets missed before you apply.
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