Southwestern College to UC Berkeley
Mechanical Engineering Transfer Plan
Southwestern College matches all ten UC Berkeley Mechanical Engineering admission requirements, and physics splits into separate lecture and lab classes across the whole sequence. The required chemistry pair also happens to satisfy Berkeley's one-course choice option.
From
Southwestern College
To
UC Berkeley
Mechanical EngineeringMajor Requirements
Mechanical Engineering Major Preparation
Courses at Southwestern College that satisfy UC Berkeley's Mechanical Engineering major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at Southwestern College | Satisfies at UC Berkeley | Units |
|---|---|---|
| CHEM 200 + CHEM 210 — General Chemistry I + General Chemistry II | CHEM 1A, CHEM 1AL, CHEM 1B | 10 |
| MATH 250 — Analytic Geometry and Calculus I | MATH 51 — Calculus I | 5 |
| MATH 251 — Analytic Geometry and Calculus II | MATH 52 — Calculus II | 4 |
| MATH 252 — Analytic Geometry and Calculus III | MATH 53 — Multivariable Calculus | 4 |
| MATH 253 + MATH 254 — Introduction to Differential Equations + Introduction to Linear Algebra | MATH 54 — Linear Algebra and Differential Equations | 6 |
| PHYS 270 + PHYS 271 — Principles of Physics I + Principles of Physics Laboratory I | PHYSICS 7A — Physics for Scientists and Engineers | 5 |
| PHYS 272 + PHYS 273 — Principles of Physics II + Principles of Physics Laboratory II | PHYSICS 7B — Physics for Scientists and Engineers | 5 |
| ENGL C1000 — Academic Reading and Writing | Courses that satisfy Reading & Composition A | 4 |
| ENGL C1001 — Critical Thinking and Writing | Courses that satisfy Reading & Composition B | 4 |
| BIOL 211 + BIOL 210 — Introduction to Cell and Molecular Biology + General Zoology | BIOLOGY 1A, BIOLOGY 1AL (choose 1) | 8 |
| BIOL 211 + BIOL 212 — Introduction to Cell and Molecular Biology + Biology of Plants | BIOLOGY 1B — General Biology (Plant Form & Function, Ecology, Evolution) (choose 1) | 8 |
| CHEM 200 + CHEM 210 — General Chemistry I + General Chemistry II | CHEM 1A, CHEM 1AL, CHEM 1B (choose 1) | 10 |
| CHEM 240 — Organic Chemistry I | CHEM 3A, CHEM 3AL (choose 1) | 5 |
| CHEM 242 — Organic Chemistry II | CHEM 3B, CHEM 3BL (choose 1) | 5 |
| PHYS 274 + PHYS 275 — Principles of Physics III + Principles of Physics Laboratory III | PHYSICS 7C — Physics for Scientists and Engineers (choose 1) | 5 |
| No Southwestern match | ENGIN 7 — Introduction to Computer Programming for Scientists and Engineers (MATLAB) (recommended) | — |
| No Southwestern match | ENGIN 26 — Three-Dimensional Modeling for Design (recommended) | — |
| No Southwestern match | ENGIN 29 — Manufacturing and Design Communication (recommended) | — |
| No Southwestern match | MEC ENG 40 — Thermodynamics (recommended) | — |
| No Southwestern match | MEC ENG C85 — Introduction to Solid Mechanics (recommended) | — |
Courses with no equivalent must be taken at UC Berkeley after transfer. Factor this into your first-year course plan.
General Education
Foundation GE at Southwestern College
UC Berkeley's Mechanical Engineering program uses its own GE pattern (see note below), but these five Southwestern College courses cover foundation requirements every UC accepts. Start here.
BIOL 100
Principles of Biology
CHEM 100
Introduction to General Chemistry
HIST 104
Western Civilization I
ENGL C1000
Academic Reading and Writing
ENGL C1001
Critical Thinking and Writing
| Area | Course at Southwestern College | Units |
|---|---|---|
Life Science | BIOL 100 — Principles of Biology | 3 |
Physical Science | CHEM 100 — Introduction to General Chemistry | 4 |
Humanities | HIST 104 — Western Civilization I | 3 |
English CompositionCCN | ENGL C1000 — Academic Reading and Writing | 4 |
Critical ThinkingCCN | ENGL C1001 — Critical Thinking and Writing | 4 |
UC Berkeley Mechanical Engineering: full GE notes
Berkeley's College of Engineering won't take Cal-GETC or IGETC for this major, so Southwestern's ENGL C1000 and ENGL C1001 pair carries the weight instead.
Calculus runs four semesters minimum
MATH 244, MATH C2210, MATH C2220, then MATH 252 is four semesters if you start below transfer-level calculus. PHYS 270 also waits on MATH C2210, so a slow math start pushes physics back too.
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
Chemistry already covers one choice slot
CHEM 200 and CHEM 210, required for Berkeley's CHEM 1A, also appear on the one-course choice list as the CHEM 1A, CHEM 1AL, CHEM 1B option. Finishing the pair fills that slot too, so no extra course is needed for it.
Physics splits into lecture and lab
PHYS 270 and PHYS 271 cover Berkeley's PHYSICS 7A, and PHYS 272 and PHYS 273 cover PHYSICS 7B. Southwestern treats lecture and lab as separate courses throughout physics, so budget for both each semester.
None of the five recommended courses match
ENGIN 7, ENGIN 26, ENGIN 29, MEC ENG 40 and MEC ENG C85 have no Southwestern equivalent. None is required for admission, though ASSIST's notes suggest a SolidWorks course and a programming course to strengthen an application when no match exists.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What classes should I take at Southwestern for UC Berkeley mechanical engineering?
CHEM 200 and CHEM 210; MATH 250, MATH 251 and MATH 252, plus MATH 253 and MATH 254 for MATH 54; PHYS 270, PHYS 271, PHYS 272 and PHYS 273; ENGL C1000 and ENGL C1001; and that chemistry pair also counts as your one choice-list option.
What doesn't Southwestern cover for Berkeley Mechanical Engineering?
Every required admission course has a Southwestern match. The gaps are all on Berkeley's strongly recommended list: ENGIN 7, ENGIN 26, ENGIN 29, MEC ENG 40 and MEC ENG C85 have no Southwestern equivalent, and none is required.
Which one-course choice should Southwestern students pick?
The required CHEM 200 and CHEM 210 pair already fills it, since ASSIST lists that pair as an accepted option. Other matches exist too: PHYS 274 with PHYS 275 for PHYSICS 7C, BIOL 261 for MCELLBI 32, or a BIOL 211 pairing for biology.
What GPA does Berkeley engineering expect from Southwestern transfers?
Berkeley reviews Southwestern applicants only at a 3.5 GPA or above, with every required class finished. Getting in doesn't open the door to other majors either, since engineering transfers stay in their admitted major inside the college.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
Southwestern College students working toward UC Berkeley Mechanical Engineering can finish every admission course at Southwestern, with physics split into separate lecture and lab classes like PHYS 270 and PHYS 271. The required CHEM 200 and CHEM 210 pair also happens to satisfy Berkeley's one-course choice list, so that slot needs no extra course. None of Berkeley's five strongly recommended electives has a Southwestern match. Admission takes a 3.5 GPA and everything finished by spring. Transfermatic can lay out Southwestern's lecture-lab pairs so nothing gets scheduled twice by mistake.
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