Santa Monica College to UCSB
Mechanical Engineering Transfer Plan
SMC clears 17 of UCSB's 20 Mechanical Engineering requirements, including the full calculus-through-differential-equations chain and the required physics and chemistry courses. ME 15, ME 12S and ME 17 have no SMC match; none is on UCSB's required-for-admission list, so you'd take them after you transfer.
From
Santa Monica College
To
UC Santa Barbara
Mechanical EngineeringMajor Requirements
Mechanical Engineering Major Preparation
Courses at Santa Monica College that satisfy UC Santa Barbara's Mechanical Engineering major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at Santa Monica College | Satisfies at UCSB | Units |
|---|---|---|
| MATH 7 — Calculus 1 | MATH 3A — Calculus with Applications, First Course | 5 |
| MATH 8 — Calculus 2 | MATH 3B — Calculus with Applications, Second Course | 5 |
| MATH 13 — Linear Algebra | MATH 4A — Linear Algebra with Applications | 3 |
| MATH 15 — Differential Equations | MATH 4B — Differential Equations | 3 |
| PHYSCS 21 — Mechanics with Lab | PHYS 7A — Basic Physics | 5 |
| PHYSCS 21 + PHYSCS 22 + PHYSCS 23 — Mechanics with Lab + Electricity and Magnetism with Lab + Fluids, Waves, Thermodynamics, Optics with Lab | PHYS 7B — Basic Physics | 15 |
| PHYSCS 22 + PHYSCS 23 — Electricity and Magnetism with Lab + Fluids, Waves, Thermodynamics, Optics with Lab | PHYS 7C — Basic Physics | 10 |
| PHYSCS 21 + PHYSCS 22 — Mechanics with Lab + Electricity and Magnetism with Lab | PHYS 7L — Physics Laboratory | 10 |
| CS 30 — MATLAB Programming | ENGR 3 — Introduction to Programming | 3 |
| ENGR 12 — Statics | ME 14 — Statics | 3 |
| CHEM 11 — General Chemistry I | CHEM 1A, CHEM 2AL | 5 |
| CHEM 11 + CHEM 12 — General Chemistry I + General Chemistry II | CHEM 1B — General Chemistry (recommended) | 10 |
| MATH 11 — Multivariable Calculus | MATH 6A — Vector Calculus with Applications, First Course | 5 |
| MATH 11 — Multivariable Calculus | MATH 6B — Vector Calculus with Applications, Second Course | 5 |
| ENGR 22 + ENGR 21 — Circuit Analysis Lab + Circuit Analysis | ME 6 — Basic Electrical and Electronic Circuits | 4 |
| ENGR 11 — Engineering Graphics and Design | ME 10 — Engineering Graphics: Sketching, CAD, and Conceptual Design | 3 |
| No SMC match | ME 15 — Strength of Materials | — |
| ENGR 16 — Dynamics | ME 16 — Engineering Mechanics: Dynamics | 3 |
| PHYSCS 23 + PHYSCS 24 — Fluids, Waves, Thermodynamics, Optics with Lab + Modern Physics with Lab | PHYS 7D — Basic Physics | 8 |
| No SMC match | ME 12S — Introduction to Machine Shop | — |
| No SMC match | ME 17 — Mathematics of Engineering | — |
Courses with no equivalent must be taken at UC Santa Barbara after transfer. Factor this into your first-year course plan.
General Education
Foundation GE at Santa Monica College
UCSB's Mechanical Engineering program uses its own GE pattern (see note below), but these five Santa Monica College courses cover foundation requirements every UC accepts. Start here.
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 |
UCSB Mechanical Engineering: full GE notes
UCSB's College of Engineering wants students focused on major courses rather than Cal-GETC or IGETC before transfer; there's time to finish general education after you arrive if you stay three years.
Five semesters of math and physics
MATH 2 feeds MATH 7, then MATH 8, then PHYSCS 22, then ENGR 21, five semesters minimum. The required calculus and physics must be done by the end of spring before transfer, so start math your first term.
SMC runs semesters, UCSB runs quarters
SMC's math and physics chain is measured in semesters, longer terms than UCSB's quarters. Units and pacing get re-mapped once you arrive, so a finished SMC semester isn't a finished UCSB quarter.
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
Strength of Materials has no SMC match
ME 15, Strength of Materials, has no SMC match. UCSB lists it as strongly recommended, not required for admission. ME 14 Statics, which is required, transfers through ENGR 12.
Circuit lab and lecture both required
ME 6 needs two SMC courses together: ENGR 22, Circuit Analysis Lab, plus ENGR 21, Circuit Analysis. Taking only one leaves that requirement half-finished.
Chemistry needs both semesters together
CHEM 1B only clears once you finish CHEM 11 and CHEM 12 in sequence; CHEM 11 alone leaves UCSB's recommended second-chemistry course unmet.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Does SMC's calculus sequence transfer to UCSB Mechanical Engineering?
Yes. MATH 7 clears MATH 3A and MATH 8 clears MATH 3B, UCSB's full first-year calculus requirement for the major.
What doesn't SMC cover for UCSB Mechanical Engineering?
Three courses: ME 15 Strength of Materials, ME 12S Introduction to Machine Shop, and ME 17 Mathematics of Engineering. All three have no SMC equivalent, so they're finished at UCSB.
How many semesters does SMC's longest prerequisite chain take?
Five, if you start at MATH 2. It leads to MATH 7, then MATH 8, then PHYSCS 22, then ENGR 21, so start calculus your first semester.
Is UCSB Mechanical Engineering TAG-eligible from SMC?
No. UCSB's College of Engineering majors don't take TAG applicants. Admission looks at the required courses, due by the end of spring before transfer with no grade below C, and a 3.5 major-prep GPA is called most competitive.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
Santa Monica College students transferring into UC Santa Barbara's Mechanical Engineering, B.S. program clear 17 of 20 requirements, including the full calculus-through-differential-equations sequence and the required physics and chemistry courses. Strength of Materials, machine shop and Mathematics of Engineering stay open, since SMC has no matching course for any of the three. The five-semester chain from MATH 2 to ENGR 21 is the longest prerequisite path in the agreement, so starting math early matters. On our platform, put in your CC and your transfer university and Transfermatic maps SMC's coursework against UCSB's requirements automatically.
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