Southwestern College to UCSB
Economics Transfer Plan
Southwestern covers four of UCSB Economics' six prep requirements, including the whole admission screen: ECON 102, ECON 101 and a calculus pair, MATH 250 then MATH 251, or MATH 121 then MATH 122. ECON 10A and a statistics course have no Southwestern match, so you'll finish both at UCSB.
From
Southwestern College
To
UC Santa Barbara
EconomicsUCSB Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG)
Southwestern students with a 3.4 GPA can apply for UCSB TAG in Economics. TAG only guarantees the Pre-Economics pre-major, and the full major still requires a 2.85 GPA in ECON 1, 2 and 10A after you enroll.
Major Requirements
Economics Major Preparation
Courses at Southwestern College that satisfy UC Santa Barbara's Economics major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at Southwestern College | Satisfies at UCSB | Units |
|---|---|---|
| ECON 102 — Principles of Economics II | ECON 1 — Principles of Economics-Micro | 3 |
| ECON 101 — Principles of Economics I | ECON 2 — Principles of Economics-Macro | 3 |
| MATH 250 — Analytic Geometry and Calculus I | MATH 3A — Calculus with Applications, First Course (choose 1) | 5 |
| MATH 120 or MATH 121 — Calculus for Business Analysis | MATH 34A — Calculus for Social and Life Sciences (choose 1) | 4 |
| MATH 251 — Analytic Geometry and Calculus II | MATH 3B — Calculus with Applications, Second Course (choose 1) | 4 |
| MATH 122 — Applied Calculus II | MATH 34B — Calculus for Social and Life Sciences (choose 1) | 3 |
| No Southwestern match | ECON 10A — Intermediate Microeconomic Theory | — |
| No Southwestern match for any of 2 options | ECON 5 — Statistics for Economics and others (choose 1) | — |
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 Southwestern College
Complete these five courses at Southwestern 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 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 |
Southwestern semesters, UCSB quarters
UCSB counts each Southwestern semester unit as one and a half quarter units. Both of your calculus courses, whichever pair you choose, still map onto UCSB's two-term requirement.
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 122 needs MATH 121, not MATH 120
MATH 120 or MATH 121 covers UCSB's MATH 34A, but only MATH 122 covers MATH 34B, and MATH 122 lists MATH 121 as its prerequisite. For the business track, take MATH 121 then MATH 122 so the pair connects.
AP economics scores aren't part of the screen
UCSB requires ECON 102 and ECON 101 to be completed with a grade of C or better at Southwestern, or elsewhere. Advanced Placement results in microeconomics or macroeconomics don't count toward either requirement.
2.75 GPA, calculated across four courses
UCSB averages ECON 102, ECON 101 and your two calculus courses into one figure. A 2.75 overall average is the bar, but any single course grade below C disqualifies the group regardless.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What Southwestern classes transfer to UCSB for economics?
ECON 102 for micro, ECON 101 for macro, and calculus: MATH 250 then MATH 251, or MATH 121 then MATH 122. MATH 120 also covers the first term, but MATH 122 needs MATH 121. Each course needs a C or better.
Can Southwestern students finish UCSB calculus with one business math class?
No. Southwestern's business track takes two courses: MATH 121 for UCSB's MATH 34A, then MATH 122 for MATH 34B. MATH 120 covers MATH 34A too, but it isn't the listed prerequisite for MATH 122.
What isn't covered at Southwestern for UCSB economics?
ECON 10A and a statistics course, either ECON 5 or PSTAT 120A. Southwestern has no articulated match for either. UCSB says ECON 5 and ECON 10A must be taken at UCSB, and ECON 10A counts toward the 2.85 pre-major GPA.
What's the admit rate for UCSB economics transfers?
62% of all 2025 transfer applicants to UCSB Economics were admitted, a figure for every applicant to the major, not Southwestern specifically. Admission first places you in Pre-Economics, and full major status is decided later by a 2.85 GPA in ECON 1, 2 and 10A.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
Southwestern College students heading to UC Santa Barbara for Economics need two calculus courses: MATH 250 then MATH 251, or MATH 121 then MATH 122, since MATH 122 requires MATH 121. Add ECON 102 and ECON 101 and the group needs to average 2.75 with no grade below C, with TAG open at 3.4 for qualified Southwestern applicants. ECON 10A and a statistics course have no Southwestern match, staying at UCSB. Transfermatic can plan the calculus sequence alongside the rest of your terms.
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