Santa Monica College to UCSB
Political Science Transfer Plan
SMC covers three of the four UCSB pre-major courses and both required economics courses. POL S 15, the research methods course, has no SMC match, so you'll take it after you get to UCSB.
From
Santa Monica College
To
UC Santa Barbara
Political ScienceUC Santa Barbara TAG
UCSB offers the Transfer Admission Guarantee at a 3.4 GPA. TAG only guarantees the Political Science pre-major; full major status still needs a separate 2.6 GPA in the UC-taken lower-division courses.
Major Requirements
Political Science Major Preparation
Courses at Santa Monica College that satisfy UC Santa Barbara's Political Science major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at Santa Monica College | Satisfies at UCSB | Units |
|---|---|---|
| POL SC 51 or PHILOS 51 or POL SC 52 or PHILOS 52 — Political Philosophy | POL S 1 — Introduction to Political Philosophy (choose 3) | 3 |
| POL SC 2 — Comparative Government and Politics | POL S 6 — Introduction to Comparative Politics (choose 3) | 3 |
| POL SC 7 — International Politics | POL S 7 — Introduction to International Relations (choose 3) | 3 |
| POLS C1000 — American Government and Politics | POL S 12 — American Government and Politics (choose 3) | 3 |
| No SMC match | POL S 15 — Introduction to Research in Political Science | — |
| ECON 1 — Principles of Microeconomics | ECON 1 — Principles of Economics-Micro | 3 |
| ECON 2 — Principles of Macroeconomics | ECON 2 — Principles of Economics-Macro | 3 |
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
Complete these five courses at Santa Monica College to start your UCSB 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, UCSB runs quarters
Each UCSB political science and economics course is worth 5 quarter units against the 3-unit semester courses you take at SMC. Expect three shorter terms a year after you transfer instead of two.
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
Political philosophy has two SMC paths
POL SC 51, POL SC 52, PHILOS 51 and PHILOS 52 each satisfy POL S 1. Take whichever fits your schedule, from either department.
POL S 15 waits until UCSB
No SMC course maps to POL S 15. It's on the required list, so plan to take it in your first year after transferring.
Both econ courses are required
ECON 1 and ECON 2 at SMC cover UCSB's ECON 1 and ECON 2. Neither is optional, so budget a term for each.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Which SMC classes count toward UCSB Political Science?
POL SC 2, POL SC 7, POLS C1000, and either POL SC 51 or POL SC 52 (or the PHILOS equivalents) cover three of UCSB's four pre-major courses. ECON 1 and ECON 2 round out the preparation.
Does SMC ECON 1 transfer to UCSB?
Yes. SMC's ECON 1 matches UCSB's ECON 1, and SMC's ECON 2 matches UCSB's ECON 2. Both are required, letter-graded courses.
What can't SMC students complete before transferring?
POL S 15, Introduction to Research in Political Science, has no SMC equivalent. You'll take it at UCSB after you arrive.
What's the admit rate for UCSB Political Science?
63% of all transfer applicants to UCSB Political Science were admitted in 2025. That rate covers everyone who applied to the major, not SMC transfers alone.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
Santa Monica College students planning to study Political Science at UC Santa Barbara can cover most of the pre-major preparation before transferring. SMC's POL SC 2 and POL SC 7 match two of UCSB's four required pre-major courses, and either POL SC 51 or POL SC 52 covers a third. ECON 1 and ECON 2 transfer directly into UCSB's economics requirement. The one course SMC can't provide, POL S 15, gets completed after transfer. Transfermatic maps out which SMC classes count before you register, so you're not guessing at articulation on your own.
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