Santa Monica College to UCLA
Economics Transfer Plan
SMC covers four of UCLA's six Economics prep courses: ECON 1, ECON 2, MATH 7 and MATH 8. ECON 11 and ECON 41 have no SMC match, so both wait until you're at UCLA.
From
Santa Monica College
To
UCLA
EconomicsUCLA Transfer Alliance Program (TAP)
Economics sits in UCLA's College of Letters and Science, so TAP applies. Complete SMC's Scholars Program with counselor certification for priority consideration, plus review for an alternate major if Economics is full. TAP guarantees nothing, and one-year transfers aren't eligible.
Major Requirements
Economics Major Preparation
Courses at Santa Monica College that satisfy UCLA's Economics major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at Santa Monica College | Satisfies at UCLA | Units |
|---|---|---|
| ECON 1 — Principles of Microeconomics | ECON 1 — Principles of Economics(Microeconomics) | 3 |
| ECON 2 — Principles of Macroeconomics | ECON 2 — Principles of Economics(Macroeconomics) | 3 |
| No SMC match | ECON 11 — Microeconomic Theory | — |
| No SMC match | ECON 41 — Probability and Statistics for Economists | — |
| MATH 7 — Calculus 1 | MATH 31A — Differential and Integral Calculus | 5 |
| MATH 8 — Calculus 2 | MATH 31B — Integration and Infinite Series | 5 |
Courses with no equivalent must be taken at UCLA 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 UCLA 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 is a three-semester chain
If you place into MATH 2, the path is MATH 2, then MATH 7, then MATH 8: three semesters minimum. Start math in your first SMC term so MATH 8 can be done by the fall before you transfer.
SMC semesters, UCLA quarters
SMC's two calculus semesters, MATH 7 and MATH 8, line up with UCLA's two quarter courses, MATH 31A and MATH 31B. After you arrive, ECON 11 and ECON 41 run on quarters, three terms a year 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
Aim to finish everything by fall
UCLA requires ECON 1, ECON 2 and a year of calculus by the spring before transfer and strongly encourages finishing by fall. MATH 8 can't start until MATH 7 is done, so calculus is the piece most likely to run late.
Your AP scores may replace courses
A 5 on AP Microeconomics or Macroeconomics taken after spring 2021 stands in for UCLA's ECON 1 or ECON 2. A 5 on Calculus AB or a 4 on the BC exam covers MATH 31A, and a 5 on BC covers both.
Choose Economics on the application
UCLA admits Economics transfers directly as Pre-Economics, and you can't change into the major after you arrive. List it as your major on the UC application rather than planning to switch later.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What classes do I take at SMC for UCLA economics?
ECON 1 for microeconomics, ECON 2 for macroeconomics, and MATH 7 and MATH 8 for UCLA's MATH 31A and MATH 31B. Those four are all the prep SMC can cover, and each has to be finished by the spring before transfer, for a letter grade.
Does SMC have a class for UCLA ECON 11 or ECON 41?
No. ASSIST lists no SMC course for ECON 11, Microeconomic Theory, or ECON 41, Probability and Statistics for Economists. You'll take both at UCLA after you're admitted.
Does SMC ECON 1 transfer to UCLA?
Yes. SMC ECON 1, Principles of Microeconomics, matches UCLA ECON 1, and SMC ECON 2 matches UCLA ECON 2 for macroeconomics. Each is a one-to-one match, so a single SMC course covers each UCLA course.
What is the UCLA economics transfer acceptance rate?
UCLA admitted 16% of transfer applicants to Economics in 2025. That figure covers applicants from every college, not SMC alone. ASSIST notes that demand for the major significantly exceeds space, which is why finishing all four SMC prep courses by fall matters.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
Santa Monica College students applying to the Economics B.A. at UCLA can finish four of the six lower-division prep courses at SMC: ECON 1, ECON 2, MATH 7 and MATH 8. UCLA's ECON 11 and ECON 41 have no SMC articulation and are taken after transfer. The calculus sequence starting at MATH 2 is the longest part of the plan. Transfermatic lays out an SMC schedule that gets micro, macro and calculus finished in time for UCLA's Pre-Economics admission.
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