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
GPA Reality Check
The UC system publishes a 3.0 minimum GPA to transfer — but that number is essentially meaningless for UCSD Computer Science. The actual middle 50% of admitted transfers campus-wide ran from 3.45 to 3.92, and CS sits among the most selective majors in the Jacobs School of Engineering, with competitive applicants typically landing well above 3.7. The grades that matter most are your CIS courses (22A and 22B) and your calculus sequence — admissions reviews specifically how you performed in those screening courses, not just your overall GPA.
Major Requirements
Computer Science B.S. (Jacobs School of Engineering, Dept. of Computer Science and Engineering) Major Preparation
Computer Science B.S. (Jacobs School of Engineering, Dept. of Computer Science and 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 several programs students confuse with CS: the B.S. in Computer Engineering (CSE dept., more hardware/circuits focused), the B.S. in Artificial Intelligence, the B.S. in Data Science (separate Halicioglu Data Science Institute), and Cognitive Science with a Specialization in Machine Learning and Neural Computation. Each has different prep requirements and admit rates — read the catalog carefully before picking your major on the application.
| Course at De Anza College | Satisfies at UCSD | Units |
|---|---|---|
| CIS 22A — Beginning Programming Methodologies in C++ | CSE 11 — Introduction to Programming and Computational Problem Solving | 4.5 |
| CIS 22B — Intermediate Programming Methodologies in C++ | CSE 12 — Basic Data Structures and Object-Oriented Design | 4.5 |
| No equivalent at De Anza College | CSE 20 — Discrete Mathematics (required screening course) | — |
| 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 2B — Linear Algebra | MATH 18 — Linear Algebra | 5 |
Courses with no equivalent must be taken at UC San Diego after transfer. Factor this into your first-year course plan.
General Education
IGETC at De Anza College
Complete IGETC at De Anza College to satisfy UC San Diego's lower-division GE requirements before transferring.
ENGL C1000 (formerly EWRT 1A) — Composition and Reading
5 unitsEWRT 1B — Critical Reading and Thinking; or PHIL 22 — Critical Thinking
5 unitsMATH 1A — Calculus (also satisfies major prep); STAT C1000 (formerly MATH 10) — Introductory Statistics
5 unitsMUSI 1A — Fundamentals of Music; THEA 1 — Introduction to Theatre; ARTS 1A — Understanding Art
4-5 unitsPHIL 1 — Introduction to Philosophy; HUMI 2 — Humanities and the Western World; ELIT 17 — Survey of British Literature
4-5 unitsPSYC 1 — General Psychology; SOC 1 — Introduction to Sociology; POLI 1 (POLS C1000) — American Government and Politics
4-5 unitsPHYS 2A — General Physics (with lab, satisfies 5C); CHEM 1A — General Chemistry (with lab, satisfies 5C); ASTR 10 — Stellar and Galactic Astronomy
4-5 unitsBIOL 6A — Cell and Molecular Biology (with lab, satisfies 5C); ANTH 1 — Biological Anthropology
4-5 unitsSPAN 2, MAND 2, JAPN 2, FREN 2, KORE 2, or any 2-level world language course; or demonstrated proficiency from 2 years of high school study in same language
4-5 units| Area | Course options at De Anza College | Units |
|---|---|---|
| 1A: English Composition | ENGL C1000 (formerly EWRT 1A) — Composition and Reading | 5 |
| 1B: Critical Thinking / English Composition | EWRT 1B — Critical Reading and Thinking; or PHIL 22 — Critical Thinking | 5 |
| 2: Mathematical Concepts and Quantitative Reasoning | MATH 1A — Calculus (also satisfies major prep); STAT C1000 (formerly MATH 10) — Introductory Statistics | 5 |
| 3A: Arts | MUSI 1A — Fundamentals of Music; THEA 1 — Introduction to Theatre; ARTS 1A — Understanding Art | 4-5 |
| 3B: Humanities | PHIL 1 — Introduction to Philosophy; HUMI 2 — Humanities and the Western World; ELIT 17 — Survey of British Literature | 4-5 |
| 4: Social and Behavioral Sciences | PSYC 1 — General Psychology; SOC 1 — Introduction to Sociology; POLI 1 (POLS C1000) — American Government and Politics | 4-5 |
| 5A: Physical Sciences | PHYS 2A — General Physics (with lab, satisfies 5C); CHEM 1A — General Chemistry (with lab, satisfies 5C); ASTR 10 — Stellar and Galactic Astronomy | 4-5 |
| 5B: Biological Sciences | BIOL 6A — Cell and Molecular Biology (with lab, satisfies 5C); ANTH 1 — Biological Anthropology | 4-5 |
| 6: Languages Other Than English | SPAN 2, MAND 2, JAPN 2, FREN 2, KORE 2, or any 2-level world language course; or demonstrated proficiency from 2 years of high school study in same language | 4-5 |
CIS 22A → CIS 22B (UCSD CSE 11 + CSE 12)
UCSD requires both CSE 11 and CSE 12 as screening courses for the CS major, and at De Anza those map to CIS 22A followed by CIS 22B — two courses you must take in back-to-back semesters. Miss this window and you will arrive at UCSD with half of your programming prep unfulfilled, which can delay your upper-division coursework by a full quarter.
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 20 Has No De Anza Equivalent
UCSD requires CSE 20 (Discrete Mathematics) as one of its three core CS screening courses, and De Anza has no articulated equivalent for it. That means you will take discrete math after you arrive on campus — but it also means you'll be one course behind your classmates from day one. Plan your first quarter at UCSD to include CSE 20 as a top priority, since it is a prerequisite for several upper-division courses.
Start Calculus Your Very First Semester
MATH 1A, 1B, and 1C at De Anza form a three-semester chain that maps directly to UCSD's MATH 20A, 20B, and 20C. If you delay MATH 1A even one semester, you will almost certainly arrive at UCSD without MATH 20C credit — one of the strongly recommended prep courses for the CS major. Get into MATH 1A your first fall semester, no exceptions.
IGETC Saves You Time, But Has Limits
IGETC is accepted at UCSD for most of its eight colleges, so completing it at De Anza before you transfer means you can focus entirely on CS coursework after you arrive. The one catch: if you are placed into Revelle College, you will need additional math and science courses beyond what IGETC covers. Rank your college preferences on the UC application with this in mind, and verify your IGETC certification is sent to UCSD admissions before you enroll.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What GPA do I need to transfer from De Anza College to UCSD for Computer Science?
The published UC minimum is 3.0, but that's the floor, not the target. The middle 50% of all admitted UCSD transfer students had GPAs between 3.45 and 3.92, and Computer Science sits among the Jacobs School's most selective majors. Competitive CS applicants generally aim for a 3.7 or higher, with strong grades specifically in CIS 22A, CIS 22B, and the calculus sequence MATH 1A through 1C.
What courses do I need to complete at De Anza before transferring to UCSD as a CS major?
UCSD's required screening courses for CS are the equivalent of CSE 11, CSE 12, and CSE 20. At De Anza, CIS 22A (Beginning Programming Methodologies in C++) articulates to CSE 11 and CIS 22B (Intermediate Programming Methodologies in C++) articulates to CSE 12. De Anza has no course that articulates to CSE 20 (Discrete Mathematics), so that one gets taken at UCSD. You also want to complete MATH 1A, 1B, and ideally 1C before you transfer.
Does UCSD participate in the UC Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) for Computer Science?
No — UC San Diego does not participate in the TAG program at all. TAG is only available at six UC campuses: UC Davis, UC Irvine, UC Merced, UC Riverside, UC Santa Barbara, and UC Santa Cruz. UCSD admits all transfer students through standard comprehensive review, which means your GPA, completed coursework, and personal insight questions all factor into the decision.
Will my IGETC from De Anza College count at UC San Diego for Computer Science?
Yes, IGETC is accepted at UCSD and can clear lower-division general education requirements at seven of UCSD's eight colleges, including Muir, Marshall, Warren, Roosevelt, Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth. The exception is Revelle College, which requires additional math and science courses even with IGETC certification. Since your CS major prep will already include MATH 1A through 1C and physics options, De Anza's ENGL C1000 and a few social science and humanities courses are really all the additional IGETC work you need.
How competitive is it to transfer from De Anza College to UCSD for Computer Science?
UCSD's overall transfer acceptance rate was 52.7% for fall 2025 across all 23,441 applicants, but Computer Science is one of the Jacobs School of Engineering's most selective majors — the school itself warns that admission is limited to applicants with the most complete lower-division prep and the highest GPAs. De Anza is historically one of UCSD's top feeder schools (San Diego was the #1 UC destination for De Anza students in recent data), which helps, but a 3.7+ GPA and fully completed CIS 22A and CIS 22B are essentially table stakes for a competitive application.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
Transferring from De Anza College to UC San Diego as a Computer Science major is one of the most competitive pathways in the California community college system, and getting it right requires a specific, methodical plan. De Anza is consistently one of UC San Diego's top feeder schools — San Diego has ranked as the #1 UC destination for De Anza students in recent institutional data — yet UCSD's B.S. in Computer Science, housed in the Irwin and Joan Jacobs School of Engineering's Department of Computer Science and Engineering, is among the most selective majors on campus. The overall UCSD transfer acceptance rate for fall 2025 was 52.7% across all majors, but CS applicants should target a GPA of 3.7 or higher and complete all required transfer preparation before applying. That prep centers on two key sequences: the programming chain starting with CIS 22A (Beginning Programming Methodologies in C++) and continuing through CIS 22B, which articulate to UCSD's CSE 11 and CSE 12 screening courses, and the calculus sequence MATH 1A, MATH 1B, and MATH 1C, which satisfy UCSD's MATH 20A through 20C requirements. Students should be aware that De Anza has no articulated equivalent for UCSD's CSE 20 (Discrete Mathematics), meaning that course gets taken after transfer. On the general education side, IGETC is accepted at UC San Diego for most of its colleges, allowing De Anza students to satisfy lower-division GE requirements before arriving on campus and focus entirely on upper-division CS coursework once they do. Courses like ENGL C1000 (Composition and Reading), PSYC 1, and a world language course cover the key IGETC areas most students are missing. Transfer planning tools like Pipeline help De Anza students map out every major prerequisite, IGETC requirement, and semester-by-semester sequence in one place, so nothing falls through the cracks on the path from De Anza to UCSD.
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