De Anza College to UCSD
Computer Science Transfer Plan
Quarter-by-quarter courses, IGETC requirements, and major prerequisites — verified from real articulation data.
From
De Anza College
To
UC San Diego
Computer ScienceGPA Reality Check
UCSD's minimum transfer GPA is 2.4, but the middle 50% of admitted transfer students landed between 3.55 and 3.94. Computer Science is a selective, impacted major at UCSD — meaning it has its own screening process and the competitive bar is higher than the campus average. Your major prep GPA matters most here: UCSD explicitly screens applicants on grades earned in programming and math courses, so a B in CIS 22C or MATH 1A can genuinely cost you the admit. Aim for a 3.7 or higher in every CIS and MATH course you take.
Major Requirements
Computer Science B.S. (Jacobs School of Engineering) Major Preparation
Computer Science B.S. (Jacobs School of Engineering) at UC San Diego
Courses at De Anza College that satisfy UC San Diego's Computer Science major preparation, verified via ASSIST.org.
UCSD has four related programs students often confuse: the B.S. Computer Science (Jacobs School of Engineering), the B.A. Computer Science (a newer option with lighter math requirements), B.S. Computer Engineering (more hardware-focused, requires more physics), and the B.S. Data Science. The B.S. CS is the most common transfer target and has the most demanding lower-division prep, including the full calculus and physics sequences.
| Course at De Anza College | Satisfies at UCSD | Units |
|---|---|---|
| CIS 22A — C++ Programming Methodology | CSE 8A — Introduction to Programming and Computational Problem Solving I | 4 |
| CIS 22B — Intermediate C++ Programming | CSE 8B — Introduction to Programming and Computational Problem Solving II | 4 |
| CIS 22C — Data Abstraction and Structures | CSE 12 — Basic Data Structures and Object-Oriented Design | 4 |
| MATH 22 — Discrete Mathematics | CSE 20 — Discrete Mathematics | 4 |
| MATH 1A — Calculus | MATH 20A — Calculus for Science and Engineering | 5 |
| MATH 1B — Calculus | MATH 20B — Calculus for Science and Engineering | 5 |
| MATH 1C — Calculus | MATH 20C — Calculus and Analytic Geometry for Science and Engineering | 5 |
| MATH 2A — Linear Algebra | MATH 18 — Linear Algebra | 5 |
| PHYS 4A — General Physics | PHYS 2A — Physics — Mechanics | 5 |
| PHYS 4B — General Physics | PHYS 2B — Physics — Electricity and Magnetism | 5 |
| No equivalent at De Anza College | CSE 21 — Mathematics for Algorithms and Systems | — |
| No equivalent at De Anza College | CSE 30 — Computer Organization and Systems Programming | — |
Courses with no equivalent must be taken at UC San Diego after transfer. Factor this into your first-year course plan.
General Education
Foundation GE at De Anza College
Complete these five courses at De Anza College to start your UCSD 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
Introductory Biology
CHEM 10
Introductory Chemistry
HIST 17A
History of the United States to Early National Era
ENGL C1000
Academic Reading and Writing
ENGL C1001
Critical Thinking and Writing
| Area | Course at De Anza College | Units |
|---|---|---|
Life Science | BIOL 10 — Introductory Biology | 5 |
Physical Science | CHEM 10 — Introductory Chemistry | 5 |
Humanities | HIST 17A — History of the United States to Early National Era | 4 |
English CompositionCCN | ENGL C1000 — Academic Reading and Writing | 5 |
Critical ThinkingCCN | ENGL C1001 — Critical Thinking and Writing | 5 |
CIS 22A → CIS 22B → CIS 22C
These three programming courses are strictly sequential — you cannot skip or reorder them — and CIS 22C (Data Abstraction and Structures) maps directly to UCSD's required screening course CSE 12. If you don't begin CIS 22A in your first quarter, you may run out of time to complete the full sequence before your transfer application is evaluated.
Preview
Your First Quarter
A preview of what Pipeline generates — exact courses, in the right order, every quarter.
Watch Out
Common Mistakes for This Transfer Path
CSE 21 Has No De Anza Equivalent
UCSD's CSE 21 (Mathematics for Algorithms and Systems) has no articulated equivalent at De Anza College — unlike some other CCs that do have a discrete math or combinatorics course that maps to it. This means you will take CSE 21 on campus after transfer, which affects your first-quarter sequencing. Plan your schedule at UCSD knowing you'll need to fit it in alongside upper-division work; don't assume it's already covered by MATH 22.
TAG Does Not Apply to UCSD
The UC Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) program covers six UC campuses — Davis, Irvine, Merced, Riverside, Santa Barbara, and Santa Cruz — but UC San Diego is not one of them. If you've been told to 'get a TAG,' that advice doesn't apply to this pathway. UCSD does operate a separate UniversityLink program for select local partner CCs, so check with De Anza's Transfer Center to see if that applies to you.
Start the Math Sequence in Your Very First Quarter
De Anza runs on quarters, and UCSD's CS B.S. requires completing MATH 1A, 1B, and 1C before you transfer — three sequential courses with no shortcuts. If you delay MATH 1A even one quarter, you risk not finishing MATH 1C in time for your transfer application review. Get MATH 1A on your schedule in your first fall quarter, no exceptions.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
How hard is it to transfer from De Anza College to UC San Diego for Computer Science?
Very competitive. UCSD's overall transfer admit rate is around 52.7%, but Computer Science is a selective, impacted major with a separate screening process — the actual CS admit rate is substantially lower. UCSD reviews the number of major prep courses you've completed, the grades in those courses, and your cumulative GPA, so your performance in courses like CIS 22C and MATH 1A carries real weight.
Which De Anza courses count toward UCSD Computer Science major requirements?
The key articulated courses are CIS 22A, CIS 22B, and CIS 22C for the programming sequence, MATH 1A through 1C for calculus, MATH 2A for linear algebra, MATH 22 for discrete math, and PHYS 4A and 4B for the physics requirement. Two UCSD lower-division courses — CSE 21 and CSE 30 — have no De Anza equivalent and must be taken after you arrive on campus.
Does IGETC work for Computer Science at UC San Diego?
Yes, IGETC is accepted for the UCSD CS B.S. and can satisfy lower-division general education requirements at most UCSD colleges. Completing IGETC at De Anza before transfer lets you focus entirely on upper-division major coursework once you arrive — a real advantage in a fast-moving major. Just be aware that Revelle College has additional math and science requirements even if you bring IGETC.
What GPA do I need to transfer from De Anza to UCSD for Computer Science?
The university minimum is 2.4, but that won't get you into CS. The middle 50% of all admitted UCSD transfer students had GPAs between 3.55 and 3.94, and CS is more selective than average. Realistically, you want a 3.7 or higher — especially in your major prep courses like CIS 22C (Data Abstraction and Structures) and the MATH 1A/1B/1C calculus sequence.
Is there a Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) from De Anza to UC San Diego?
No. UC San Diego does not participate in the TAG program — TAG is only available at UC Davis, UC Irvine, UC Merced, UC Riverside, UC Santa Barbara, and UC Santa Cruz. For UCSD, you apply through the standard UC application process. UCSD does have a separate UniversityLink pathway for students at select local partner community colleges, so check with De Anza's Transfer Center to see if you qualify.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
Students planning to transfer from De Anza College to UC San Diego (UCSD) to study Computer Science are entering one of the most competitive pathways in the California community college transfer system. The UCSD Computer Science B.S., housed in the Jacobs School of Engineering's Department of Computer Science and Engineering, is a selective, impacted major that screens applicants on both the number of major prerequisites completed and the grades earned in those courses. Transfer planning for this pathway means understanding that the overall UCSD transfer admit rate sits around 52.7%, but CS applicants face a significantly higher bar given the program's competitive cap. Students at De Anza College should begin their major prerequisites as early as possible, starting with MATH 1A (Calculus) and CIS 22A (C++ Programming Methodology) in their very first quarter. The full prep sequence runs through CIS 22B, CIS 22C (Data Abstraction and Structures, which articulates to UCSD's CSE 12), MATH 1B, MATH 1C, MATH 2A (Linear Algebra), MATH 22 (Discrete Mathematics), PHYS 4A, and PHYS 4B — a demanding course load that requires careful sequencing across multiple quarters. Two UCSD lower-division courses, CSE 21 and CSE 30, have no articulated De Anza equivalent and must be completed on campus after transfer. On the general education side, completing IGETC at De Anza satisfies lower-division GE requirements at most UCSD residential colleges, freeing up time after transfer for advanced coursework. Because both schools operate on the quarter system, students adjust quickly to UCSD's pace — but that also means there's little margin for delay in the prerequisite chain. Tools like Pipeline help De Anza students build a personalized, quarter-by-quarter plan that maps every required course to the right term, flags articulation gaps like the missing CSE 21 equivalent, and keeps the transfer timeline on track.
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