De Anza College to UCSD
Psychology Transfer Plan
Quarter-by-quarter courses, IGETC requirements, and major prerequisites — verified from real articulation data.
From
De Anza College
To
UC San Diego
PsychologyGPA Reality Check
UC's published minimum GPA for transfer is 3.0, but admitted UCSD transfer students in Fall 2025 had a middle-50% GPA range of 3.55–3.94 — that's a significant gap. The good news is that Psychology at UCSD is not a capped or impacted major, so you're not competing for a limited number of seats the way Engineering or CS applicants are. That said, your math and science courses — Calculus, Statistics, and Biology — carry the most weight for demonstrating you're ready for UCSD's research-focused Psychology program, so those are the grades you cannot afford to let slip.
Major Requirements
Psychology B.A. Major Preparation
Psychology B.A. at UC San Diego
Courses at De Anza College that satisfy UC San Diego's Psychology major preparation, verified via ASSIST.org.
UCSD offers both a Psychology B.A. and a Cognitive Science major (available as a B.S. or B.A.) through the Department of Cognitive Science. Cognitive Science blends psychology, linguistics, neuroscience, and computer science — it's a different degree with different prep requirements. If you're drawn to the brain-and-behavior intersection but also love coding or philosophy of mind, look at Cognitive Science separately and compare the two on ASSIST before committing to either.
| Course at De Anza College | Satisfies at UCSD | Units |
|---|---|---|
| MATH 1A — Calculus | MATH 20A — Calculus for Science and Engineering | 5 |
| STAT C1000 — Elementary Statistics | PSYC 60 — Statistics | 5 |
| BIOL 6A — Biological Sciences: Cells, Molecules and Genes | BILD 1 — The Cell (Natural Science requirement) | 5 |
| No equivalent at De Anza College | CSE 8A — Introduction to Programming and Computational Problem Solving I (Computer Programming requirement) | — |
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 |
Calculus → Statistics
STAT C1000 (Elementary Statistics) at De Anza builds on algebraic reasoning that MATH 1A reinforces — taking Statistics before you have a solid math foundation is one of the most common reasons students earn a low grade in a course that directly affects their major prep GPA. Plan MATH 1A in Fall quarter and STAT C1000 no earlier than Winter 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
UCSD Psych Requires Code — De Anza Has No Match
UCSD Psychology requires computer programming (equivalent to their CSE 8A course) as a lower-division prep requirement, and De Anza College currently has no articulated equivalent for it on ASSIST. This is a real gap specific to De Anza students. You'll need to either complete the programming requirement after you arrive on campus at UCSD, or look into whether a Python or Java introductory course at De Anza (like CIS 40) has been evaluated — confirm with a De Anza counselor and check ASSIST directly before your application quarter.
UCSD Psych Doesn't Want Intro Psych
This surprises almost everyone: the Psychology Department at UC San Diego does not require — and does not give lower-division major prep credit for — introductory psychology courses. Instead, they want calculus, statistics, biology, and programming. Don't load up on PSYC electives at De Anza thinking they'll count as major prep; save those units for MATH 1A, STAT C1000, and BIOL 6A.
IGETC Helps at UCSD — With One Exception
Completing IGETC at De Anza satisfies lower-division GE requirements at most UCSD colleges, which lets you focus entirely on your major once you arrive. The one exception is Revelle College, which has additional math and natural science requirements beyond IGETC — if you're aiming for Revelle specifically, check its GE requirements separately before relying on IGETC alone.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Psychology a capped or impacted major at UC San Diego?
No — UC San Diego has confirmed that none of the majors in the Psychology Department are capped or impacted. That means if you're admitted to UCSD, you can declare Psychology without competing for limited seats in the major. This is a meaningful advantage compared to majors like Computer Science or Cognitive Science at the same campus, and it means your De Anza GPA and breadth of prep matter more than hitting a hyper-specific course checklist for admission.
What courses do I need to take at De Anza College to prepare for Psychology at UC San Diego?
UCSD Psychology does not require intro psychology for transfer prep — instead, the lower-division requirements focus on math and science: at minimum, one calculus course (MATH 1A at De Anza), statistics (STAT C1000), and biology (BIOL 6A covers the cellular biology requirement). Computer programming is also a lower-division requirement, but De Anza currently has no articulated equivalent for UCSD's CSE 8A — you'll likely need to complete that after transferring.
What GPA do I realistically need to transfer from De Anza to UCSD for Psychology?
The minimum UC GPA is 3.0, but admitted UCSD transfer students in Fall 2025 had a middle-50% GPA range of 3.55–3.94. Psychology is not a selective major at UCSD, which helps, but you still want to be competitive across the campus. Aim for at least a 3.5 in your UC-transferable coursework, and make sure your grades in MATH 1A and STAT C1000 specifically are strong — those are the courses the Psychology department cares most about.
Does De Anza College have a TAG or guaranteed admission agreement with UC San Diego?
No — UC San Diego does not participate in the UC Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) program. TAG is available at six UC campuses (Davis, Irvine, Merced, Riverside, Santa Barbara, and Santa Cruz), but Berkeley, UCLA, and UCSD are not among them. De Anza students apply to UCSD through the standard UC application process with a November 30 deadline, the same as any other applicant.
Should I complete IGETC at De Anza before transferring to UCSD for Psychology?
Yes, IGETC is generally worth completing if you're headed to UCSD — it satisfies lower-division GE requirements at most of UCSD's undergraduate colleges, letting you jump straight into major coursework after transfer. The key caveat: if you're targeting Revelle College specifically, Revelle has additional math and natural science requirements beyond what IGETC covers. Also keep in mind that IGETC completion does not substitute for your lower-division major prep courses like MATH 1A and BIOL 6A — those are separate requirements you still need to finish.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
Students planning to transfer from De Anza College to UC San Diego (UCSD) for a Psychology B.A. are working one of California's strongest community college-to-UC pathways. De Anza, consistently ranked among the top transfer-sending schools to UC San Diego, sends hundreds of students to UCSD annually — and for Fall 2025, UCSD's overall transfer admit rate was 52.7% across 23,441 applicants. That broad figure is encouraging, but smart transfer planning means understanding exactly what UCSD's Psychology program actually requires before you register for a single course. Unlike most psychology programs, UCSD does not count introductory psychology courses toward major prerequisites. Instead, the department wants lower-division preparation in calculus, statistics, biology, and computer programming — meaning your first moves at De Anza should be enrolling in MATH 1A (Calculus) and BIOL 6A (Biological Sciences: Cells, Molecules and Genes), with STAT C1000 (Elementary Statistics) to follow. One important articulation gap specific to De Anza: UCSD requires a computer programming course equivalent to their CSE 8A, and De Anza currently has no articulated equivalent for that requirement — something students often discover too late. On the GE side, IGETC completed at De Anza satisfies lower-division general education at most UCSD colleges, which is a genuine advantage once you arrive on campus. UCSD's middle-50% GPA range for admitted transfer students in Fall 2025 was 3.55–3.94, so while the 3.0 UC minimum is the floor, competitive applicants aim considerably higher. Tools like Pipeline help students map out a personalized quarter-by-quarter plan that accounts for major prerequisites, IGETC completion, and this program's unique course requirements — so you're not piecing together a transfer plan from five different websites the night before enrollment.
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