Diablo Valley College to UCI
Computer Science Transfer Plan
Semester-by-semester courses, IGETC requirements, and major prerequisites — verified from real articulation data.
From
Diablo Valley College
To
UC Irvine
Computer ScienceGPA Reality Check
UCI sets a minimum 3.0 GPA for CS applicants, but the middle 50% of admitted transfer students landed between 3.57 and 3.93. That gap is not a suggestion — it is the competitive floor. Your major prep GPA matters most: admissions reviewers in the Donald Bren School of ICS are specifically looking at your grades in COMSC 165, COMSC 176, MATH 195, and MATH 196. A single C in calculus or the programming sequence drags your major prep GPA down in a pool where most competitive applicants have As.
Major Requirements
Computer Science, B.S. (Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences) Major Preparation
Computer Science, B.S. (Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences) at UC Irvine
Courses at Diablo Valley College that satisfy UC Irvine's Computer Science major preparation, verified via ASSIST.org.
UCI offers several programs that overlap with CS on paper but are genuinely different in practice. Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) is a joint degree with the Henry Samueli School of Engineering and has a heavier hardware and systems focus — it also has its own separate admission process. Informatics sits in the same Bren School as CS but centers on the human and social dimensions of software. Data Science is a newer degree that mixes stats and CS but requires different prep. If you want core software and algorithms, Computer Science B.S. is the right target.
| Course at Diablo Valley College | Satisfies at UCI | Units |
|---|---|---|
| COMSC 165 — C++ Programming | I&C SCI 31 — Introduction to Programming | 3 |
| COMSC 176 — Data Structures | I&C SCI 32 — Programming with Software Libraries | 3 |
| COMSC 260 — Introduction to Python Programming | I&C SCI 33 — Intermediate Programming (completes the 3-course programming series with COMSC 165 and COMSC 176) | 3 |
| MATH 195 — Analytic Geometry and Calculus | MATH 2A — Single-Variable Calculus | 5 |
| MATH 196 — Analytic Geometry and Calculus II | MATH 2B — Single-Variable Calculus | 5 |
| MATH 282 — Introduction to Linear Algebra | MATH 3A — Introduction to Linear Algebra (one additional approved transferable course for the major) | 4 |
General Education
Foundation GE at Diablo Valley College
Complete these five courses at Diablo Valley College to start your UCI 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.
ANTHR 115
Primate Evolution and Adaptation
CHEM 107
Integrated Inorganic, Organic, and Biological Chemistry
HIST 120
History of the United States before 1865
ENGL C1000
Academic Reading and Writing
ENGL C1001
Critical Thinking and Writing
| Area | Course at Diablo Valley College | Units |
|---|---|---|
Life Science | ANTHR 115 — Primate Evolution and Adaptation | 3 |
Physical Science | CHEM 107 — Integrated Inorganic, Organic, and Biological Chemistry | 5 |
Humanities | HIST 120 — History of the United States before 1865 | 3 |
English CompositionCCN | ENGL C1000 — Academic Reading and Writing | 3 |
Critical ThinkingCCN | ENGL C1001 — Critical Thinking and Writing | 3 |
COMSC 165 → COMSC 176 → COMSC 260 (Three-Course Programming Chain)
All three programming courses must be completed in order before you transfer — each is a prerequisite for the next. With only four semesters at DVC, you must start COMSC 165 in your very first semester or you will run out of time before your UCI application is due.
DVC runs on semesters — UCI runs on quarters
Your two DVC semesters per year become three UCI quarters per year after you transfer, so courses move faster and deadlines hit more frequently — give yourself a head start by asking UCI's ICS advising office exactly which quarter you'll need each course before your first week on campus.
Preview
Your First Semester
A preview of what Pipeline generates — exact courses, in the right order, every semester.
Watch Out
Common Mistakes for This Transfer Path
Start Math and CS Sequences Immediately
DVC's semester calendar is a double-edged sword here. You have only four semesters before you transfer, and both the math chain (MATH 195 → MATH 196) and the programming chain (COMSC 165 → COMSC 176 → COMSC 260) each span multiple semesters. If you don't start both sequences in your very first semester, one of them will still be incomplete when your UCI application goes in October of year two. Map out all six semesters before you register for anything.
Computer Science at UCI Is Not TAG-Eligible — Plan Accordingly
This is a common point of confusion for DVC students: UCI's TAG program does not cover any major in the Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences, which includes Computer Science. You cannot lock in a guaranteed admission spot the way you might for a different major or a different UC campus. That means your application goes through the standard competitive review — every grade, every course choice, and every personal insight question counts.
DVC's Three-Course CS Sequence Is One Course Longer Than Some Other CCs
Some California community colleges satisfy UCI's I&C SCI 31–33 requirement with just two courses. At Diablo Valley College, the articulated path requires three courses — COMSC 165, COMSC 176, and COMSC 260 — completed in sequence. That is one extra semester of programming you need to plan for compared to students transferring from certain other CCs. Don't discover this in your second year.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What GPA do I need to transfer from Diablo Valley College to UCI Computer Science?
UCI requires a minimum 3.0 cumulative UC-transferable GPA to be considered for Computer Science, but the middle 50% of admitted transfer students had GPAs between 3.57 and 3.93. Because CS is one of the most competitive majors at UCI — with a transfer admit rate of roughly 21% — you should realistically target a 3.7 or higher, particularly in major prep courses like MATH 195 and COMSC 165.
Can I use TAG to guarantee my admission from Diablo Valley College to UCI for Computer Science?
No — Computer Science is housed in the Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences, and all ICS majors are explicitly excluded from UCI's TAG program. Unlike some other UC campuses and some other majors at UCI, there is no guaranteed admission path for CS. Your application is reviewed competitively alongside all other transfer applicants.
Does IGETC count for Computer Science at UC Irvine?
Yes, IGETC is accepted for the Computer Science B.S. at UCI. Completing IGETC at Diablo Valley College satisfies most of UCI's lower-division general education requirements so you can focus your energy on major prep courses like COMSC 165, COMSC 176, MATH 195, and MATH 196 once you arrive on campus.
How many semesters does it take to complete CS prerequisites at Diablo Valley College before transferring to UCI?
You realistically need all four semesters — two years — to complete the full prep sequence. The three-course programming chain (COMSC 165 → COMSC 176 → COMSC 260) alone spans three semesters, and the calculus sequence (MATH 195 → MATH 196) spans two. Both chains need to start in your first semester if you want everything done by the time you apply.
What programming language courses at Diablo Valley College count toward UCI Computer Science prerequisites?
COMSC 165 (C++ Programming) and COMSC 176 (Data Structures) are the core articulated programming courses for UCI's I&C SCI 31 and 32. UCI's admissions page also notes that Visual Basic, C, and C# courses are not approved for this major — so make sure you are in the right language. The Bren School of ICS strongly encourages familiarity with Python before you arrive, as the ICS introductory sequence has moved to Python at the university level.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
Transferring from Diablo Valley College (DVC) to UC Irvine (UCI) for Computer Science is one of the most challenging — and rewarding — pathways in the California community college transfer system. UCI's Computer Science B.S. program sits inside the Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences, and with a transfer admit rate of approximately 21%, it draws a highly competitive applicant pool from across the state. Serious transfer planning needs to start in your very first semester at Diablo Valley College, because the major prerequisites alone span nearly your entire two years: the programming sequence beginning with COMSC 165 (C++ Programming) runs three courses deep, and the calculus chain starting with MATH 195 covers two full semesters. Both chains must be completed in order, and both must begin immediately. IGETC is accepted for this major at UCI, which means DVC students can complete general education requirements in parallel with major prerequisites and arrive at Irvine ready to dive into upper-division coursework. One critical planning note: unlike several other majors at UCI, Computer Science is not eligible for the Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) program — every DVC applicant competes through the standard review process. The middle 50% of admitted UCI transfer students carried GPAs between 3.57 and 3.93, so the 3.0 minimum is a floor, not a target. Tools like Pipeline help students at Diablo Valley College build a personalized semester-by-semester plan that accounts for prerequisite chains, IGETC completion, and application deadlines — all in one place — so nothing falls through the cracks on the road to UCI.
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