Diablo Valley College to UCSD
Computer Science Transfer Plan
Semester-by-semester courses, IGETC requirements, and major prerequisites — verified from real articulation data.
From
Diablo Valley College
To
UC San Diego
Computer ScienceGPA Reality Check
UCSD's published minimum GPA for transfer is 2.4, but the middle 50% of admitted transfer students across all majors came in with a GPA between 3.55 and 3.94. Computer Science is a selective major in the Jacobs School of Engineering, meaning the realistic competitive floor is higher than the campus average. The courses UCSD weighs most heavily are your major prep courses — MATH 192, MATH 193, COMSC 110, COMSC 165, and COMSC 295 — so a B in any of those hurts more than a B in an IGETC elective.
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 Diablo Valley College that satisfy UC San Diego's Computer Science major preparation, verified via ASSIST.org.
UCSD offers several computing-related majors that students often confuse with CS. Math-Computer Science (a joint major through the Math department) has overlapping coursework but a different upper-division emphasis and is not housed in the Jacobs School. Cognitive Science with a Specialization in Machine Learning and Neural Computation is another popular alternative. Neither of those majors is the same as the CS B.S. from the CSE department — and critically, if you apply to CS and don't get in, you cannot later switch into it through the selective major process as a transfer student.
| Course at Diablo Valley College | Satisfies at UCSD | Units |
|---|---|---|
| MATH 192 — Calculus I | MATH 20A — Calculus for Science and Engineering | 4 |
| MATH 193 — Calculus II | MATH 20B — Calculus for Science and Engineering | 4 |
| COMSC 110 — Introduction to Programming Concepts and Methodology | CSE 11 — Introduction to Programming and Computational Problem Solving | 3 |
| COMSC 165 — Advanced Programming with C and C++ | CSE 12 — Basic Data Structures and Object-Oriented Design | 4 |
| COMSC 295 — Discrete Mathematics for Computer Science | CSE 20 — Discrete Mathematics | 3 |
| PHYS 120 — Mechanics | PHYS 2A — Physics — Mechanics (science elective requirement) | 4 |
General Education
Foundation GE at Diablo Valley College
Complete these five courses at Diablo Valley 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.
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 110 → COMSC 165
COMSC 110 (Introduction to Programming) is a prerequisite for COMSC 165 (Advanced Programming with C and C++), and both are needed to satisfy UCSD's CS lower-division prep. If you don't start COMSC 110 in your first semester, you risk not completing COMSC 165 before you transfer — which can cost you admission to the major.
DVC runs on semesters — UCSD runs on quarters
UCSD's quarter system moves faster than what you're used to at DVC — a 10-week quarter covers as much material as a 16-week semester, so budget more time per week for your CS courses from day one.
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 Your Math Sequence Immediately — No Exceptions
DVC's semester calendar gives you four semesters before a typical fall transfer, but the MATH 192 → MATH 193 chain alone takes two of them. If you wait until your second semester to start MATH 192, you will arrive at UCSD without completing the calculus sequence UCSD expects — and it will show in your screened application. Register for MATH 192 in your very first semester, full stop.
UCSD Does Not Offer TAG for CS — Plan Accordingly
Unlike UC Davis or UC Santa Cruz, UC San Diego does not participate in the Transfer Admission Guarantee program, which means there is no guaranteed admission pathway no matter how strong your GPA is. Every DVC student applying to UCSD Computer Science is competing in open admissions with applicants from every other California community college. Apply to multiple campuses and list a non-selective alternate major on your UC application as a backup.
DVC Has No Direct Articulation for CSE 20 — Verify Before You Rely on It
Discrete mathematics is a required screening course for UCSD's CS major, and the articulation between DVC's COMSC 295 and UCSD's CSE 20 should be confirmed on ASSIST before you enroll — articulation agreements can change year to year. Check assist.org directly for the current DVC-to-UCSD agreement and bring a printout of the articulation to your counselor appointment. Don't assume a course counts until you see it confirmed in writing.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What GPA do I need to transfer from Diablo Valley College to UC San Diego for Computer Science?
The published UC minimum is 2.4, but that's nowhere near competitive for CS. The middle 50% of all admitted UCSD transfer students came in with a GPA between 3.55 and 3.94, and Computer Science is a selective major in the Jacobs School of Engineering with an even higher bar. Your grades in MATH 192, MATH 193, and COMSC 165 carry the most weight in the screening process.
Does UC San Diego have a TAG program for Diablo Valley College students?
No — UCSD does not participate in the UC Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) program. Six UC campuses offer TAG, but San Diego, Berkeley, and UCLA are not among them. DVC students transferring to UCSD Computer Science must compete through the standard transfer admissions process with no guarantee of admission, regardless of GPA.
Which DVC courses count as major prep for UCSD Computer Science?
The core lower-division prep courses are MATH 192 (Calculus I), MATH 193 (Calculus II), COMSC 110 (Introduction to Programming), COMSC 165 (Advanced Programming with C and C++), COMSC 295 (Discrete Mathematics), and a lab science such as PHYS 120 (Mechanics). Always cross-check these on ASSIST.org for the current DVC-to-UCSD articulation agreement, as agreements can be updated.
Can I use IGETC when transferring from Diablo Valley College to UCSD for CS?
Yes, IGETC is accepted for Computer Science transfers to UC San Diego. Completing IGETC at DVC satisfies lower-division general education requirements at most of UCSD's eight colleges, freeing you to focus on upper-division CS coursework after you arrive. Note that Revelle College has additional math and science requirements beyond IGETC, so your college choice at UCSD matters.
How many applicants apply to transfer to UC San Diego each year?
For fall 2025, UC San Diego received 23,441 transfer applications and admitted approximately 12,355, for an overall transfer admit rate of about 53%. Computer Science is a selective major, meaning the CS-specific admit rate is meaningfully lower than the campus-wide average. UCSD has not publicly released major-by-major transfer admit rates for 2025, but CS is consistently one of the most competitive majors on campus.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
Students at Diablo Valley College (DVC) who are planning to transfer to UC San Diego (UCSD) for Computer Science are taking on one of the most competitive transfer pathways in California. Transfer planning for this route requires careful attention to major prerequisites, course sequencing, and general education strategy — there is no Transfer Admission Guarantee for UCSD, so every application stands on its own merits. The UCSD Computer Science B.S. is housed in the Jacobs School of Engineering and is classified as a selective major, meaning admitted transfer students are screened on their lower-division major preparation coursework and GPA. For the fall 2025 cycle, UCSD received 23,441 transfer applications and admitted roughly 53% overall, but CS applicants face a significantly more competitive pool. The middle 50% of admitted UCSD transfers held GPAs between 3.55 and 3.94. At Diablo Valley College, the key lower-division major prep courses include MATH 192 (Calculus I), MATH 193 (Calculus II), COMSC 110 (Introduction to Programming Concepts and Methodology), COMSC 165 (Advanced Programming with C and C++), and COMSC 295 (Discrete Mathematics for Computer Science), all of which articulate to UCSD CSE department requirements per ASSIST.org. Completing IGETC at DVC before transferring is strongly recommended, as it clears most lower-division general education requirements at UCSD and lets you focus on CS coursework from day one. Because DVC runs on a semester calendar and UCSD operates on quarters, students also need to mentally prepare for a faster academic pace after transfer. Tools like Pipeline help DVC students build a personalized semester-by-semester transfer plan that maps each required course to the right term, tracks prerequisite chains like COMSC 110 before COMSC 165, and ensures nothing slips through the cracks on the road to UCSD Computer Science.
Build your Diablo Valley College → UCSD plan
Personalized, semester-by-semester. Free to start.
Get My Transfer Plan