Mt. San Antonio College to UC Berkeley
Computer Science Transfer Plan
Semester-by-semester courses, IGETC requirements, and major prerequisites — verified from real articulation data.
From
Mt. San Antonio College
To
UC Berkeley
Computer ScienceGPA Reality Check
The UC minimum to apply is 3.0, but admitted transfer students at Berkeley landed in the 3.61–3.96 mid-50th percentile range across all majors in Fall 2024 — and CS is one of the most selective majors on campus, with reported admit rates in the low single digits. Your grades in MATH 180, MATH 181, CSCI 110, and CSCI 111 carry the most weight because they directly mirror Berkeley's own lower-division CS courses. A B in Calculus I isn't disqualifying, but a string of Bs in CS courses almost certainly is — aim for A grades in every major prep course.
Major Requirements
Computer Science (CDSS B.A.) Major Preparation
Computer Science (CDSS B.A.) at UC Berkeley
Courses at Mt. San Antonio College that satisfy UC Berkeley's Computer Science major preparation, verified via ASSIST.org.
Berkeley offers two CS paths: the B.A. in Computer Science through the College of Computing, Data Science, and Society (CDSS), and the B.S. in Electrical Engineering & Computer Sciences (EECS) through the College of Engineering. The EECS B.S. requires a minimum 3.5 GPA for transfer admission and is even more selective. There is also a Data Science B.A. in CDSS that shares some lower-division courses but is a distinct major — if you accept a Data Science offer, you cannot switch to CS. Make sure you apply to the right one.
| Course at Mt. San Antonio College | Satisfies at UC Berkeley | Units |
|---|---|---|
| MATH 180 — Calculus with Analytic Geometry I | MATH 1A — Calculus | 5 |
| MATH 181 — Calculus with Analytic Geometry II | MATH 1B — Calculus | 5 |
| MATH 280 — Calculus with Analytic Geometry III | MATH 53 — Multivariable Calculus | 5 |
| MATH 265 — Linear Algebra | MATH 54 — Linear Algebra & Differential Equations (linear algebra portion accepted per CS dept. policy) | 4 |
| CSCI 110 — Fundamentals of Computer Science | COMPSCI 61A — Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs | 3.5 |
| CSCI 111 — Computer Science II | COMPSCI 61B — Data Structures | 3.5 |
| No equivalent at Mt. San Antonio College | COMPSCI 61C — Machine Structures | — |
| No equivalent at Mt. San Antonio College | COMPSCI 70 — Discrete Mathematics and Probability Theory | — |
Courses with no equivalent must be taken at UC Berkeley after transfer. Factor this into your first-year course plan.
General Education
Foundation GE at Mt. San Antonio College
UC Berkeley's Computer Science (CDSS B.A.) program uses its own GE pattern (see note below), but these five Mt. San Antonio College courses cover foundation requirements every UC accepts. Start here.
BIOL 1
General Biology
CHEM 10
Chemistry for Allied Health Majors
HIST 1
History of the United States
ENGL C1000
Academic Reading and Writing
ENGL C1001
Critical Thinking and Writing
| Area | Course at Mt. San Antonio College | Units |
|---|---|---|
Life Science | BIOL 1 — General Biology | 4 |
Physical Science | CHEM 10 — Chemistry for Allied Health Majors | 5 |
Humanities | HIST 1 — History of the United States | 3 |
English CompositionCCN | ENGL C1000 — Academic Reading and Writing | 4 |
Critical ThinkingCCN | ENGL C1001 — Critical Thinking and Writing | 4 |
UC Berkeley Computer Science (CDSS B.A.): full GE notes
UC Berkeley's College of Engineering does not accept IGETC/Cal-GETC as completion of breadth requirements. Engineering students fulfill Berkeley's own Humanities & Social Sciences breadth after transfer. Focus your CC time on major prep — math, physics, and CS courses — rather than chasing full IGETC certification.
MATH 180 → MATH 181 → MATH 280
Berkeley's CS prep requires all three semesters of calculus — Calculus I (MATH 180), Calculus II (MATH 181), and Multivariable Calculus (MATH 280) — and each course is a prerequisite for the next. If you don't start MATH 180 in your very first semester at Mt. SAC, you'll almost certainly run out of time to complete the full sequence before the UC application deadline.
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
Berkeley Has No TAG — Plan Accordingly
UC Berkeley is one of the only UC campuses that does not participate in the Transfer Admission Guarantee program. Unlike UC Santa Barbara, UC Davis, or UC Santa Cruz — where Mt. SAC students can lock in a spot — there is no guaranteed admission path to Berkeley CS. That means your GPA, your completed prep, and your personal insight questions all have to do the heavy lifting. Start treating every CSCI and MATH course grade like it's your application.
CS 61C and CS 70 Have No Mt. SAC Equivalent
Two of Berkeley's lower-division CS requirements — COMPSCI 61C (Machine Structures) and COMPSCI 70 (Discrete Mathematics and Probability) — have no articulated equivalent at Mt. San Antonio College. Berkeley's ASSIST page explicitly notes that COMPSCI 70 is available via Berkeley Summer Session or Concurrent Enrollment before you transfer. Completing even one of these through concurrent enrollment demonstrates serious preparation and gives you a real leg up on applicants who show up with those courses still incomplete.
IGETC Will Not Help Your CS Application
For the CS B.A. in Berkeley's College of Computing, Data Science, and Society, IGETC is not required for admission and is not used as a factor in the admissions review. Spending semesters chasing IGETC certification is time that could go toward completing MATH 280 or earning a stronger grade in CSCI 111. Focus your elective units on strengthening your major prep GPA, not on a GE certification pattern that won't move the needle for this specific major.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What GPA do I need to transfer from Mt. San Antonio College to UC Berkeley for Computer Science?
The UC minimum is 3.0, but that won't get you in the door for CS. Admitted transfer students across all majors at Berkeley had a mid-50th percentile GPA of 3.61–3.96 in Fall 2024, and Computer Science is among the most selective majors on campus. You should be targeting a 3.8 or higher, with especially strong grades in CSCI 110, CSCI 111, MATH 180, and MATH 181.
Does UC Berkeley offer a TAG for Mt. San Antonio College students?
No — UC Berkeley is the one campus in the UC system that does not participate in the Transfer Admission Guarantee program. Mt. SAC does offer TAG agreements with six other UC campuses, so if you want a guaranteed admission path, Berkeley is not it. You'll need to build a highly competitive application without a safety net.
What is the difference between the CS B.A. and EECS B.S. at UC Berkeley for transfer students?
The CS B.A. is offered through the College of Computing, Data Science, and Society (CDSS) and requires a minimum 3.0 GPA for eligibility. The EECS B.S. is in the College of Engineering and requires a minimum 3.5 GPA — and is considered even more competitive. Both programs cover the same CS coursework, but the B.A. path is the more accessible route for transfer students and does not require IGETC.
Which Mt. San Antonio College courses satisfy UC Berkeley's CS major prep requirements?
On ASSIST, CSCI 110 (Fundamentals of Computer Science) articulates to Berkeley's COMPSCI 61A, and CSCI 111 (Computer Science II) articulates to COMPSCI 61B. For math, MATH 180, MATH 181, MATH 280, and MATH 265 satisfy Berkeley's Calculus I, Calculus II, Multivariable Calculus, and Linear Algebra requirements respectively. Note that Berkeley's COMPSCI 61C and COMPSCI 70 have no Mt. SAC equivalent — those can be taken via Berkeley Concurrent Enrollment.
Should I complete IGETC before transferring to UC Berkeley for Computer Science?
No — IGETC is not required and is not used as an admissions criterion for Berkeley's CS B.A. in CDSS. The Berkeley admissions page explicitly states that IGETC is not required for CDSS admission. Focus your remaining units on completing major prep courses like MATH 280, MATH 265, and CSCI 111 with strong grades rather than filling an IGETC checklist.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
Students planning to transfer from Mt. San Antonio College (Mt. SAC) to UC Berkeley for Computer Science are facing one of the most competitive transfer pathways in the California public university system. The UC Berkeley transfer admit rate was 24% for Fall 2025 across all majors — but the CS B.A. in Berkeley's College of Computing, Data Science, and Society (CDSS) draws applicants from across the state, with reported admit rates in the low single digits for that major specifically. Transfer planning for this path requires starting calculus — specifically MATH 180, Calculus with Analytic Geometry I — in your very first semester at Mt. SAC, since Berkeley expects completion of a three-course sequence through MATH 280 (Multivariable Calculus) plus Linear Algebra (MATH 265) before you arrive. On the computer science side, CSCI 110 (Fundamentals of Computer Science) and CSCI 111 (Computer Science II) articulate directly to Berkeley's COMPSCI 61A and 61B, but two major prerequisites — COMPSCI 61C and COMPSCI 70 — have no Mt. San Antonio College equivalent and may need to be completed through Berkeley Concurrent Enrollment. Unlike most other UC campuses, UC Berkeley does not participate in the Transfer Admission Guarantee program, so there is no TAG safety net for Mt. SAC students targeting CS. IGETC is also not required or recommended for this major, which surprises many students who default to it for GE planning. The mid-50th percentile GPA of admitted Berkeley transfers was 3.61–3.96 in Fall 2024, and for CS, you realistically need to be at the top of that range. Tools like Pipeline help students from Mt. SAC map out their semester-by-semester course sequence, identify missing major prerequisites, and build a personalized transfer plan that accounts for the unique gaps in this articulation agreement.
Build your Mt. San Antonio College → UC Berkeley plan
Personalized, semester-by-semester. Free to start.
Get My Transfer Plan