Mt. San Antonio College to UCI
Psychology Transfer Plan
Semester-by-semester courses, IGETC requirements, and major prerequisites — verified from real articulation data.
From
Mt. San Antonio College
To
UC Irvine
PsychologyGPA Reality Check
UCI's minimum to apply is 2.4, but the median GPA of admitted community college transfer students is 3.77 — and the actual mid-range runs from 3.57 to 3.93. That gap is real. For the Psychology B.S., your grades in PSYC C1000, PSYC 5, PSYC 10, and any science or math courses carry the most weight because they directly reflect your readiness for upper-division coursework. A B in one of those courses is survivable; a pattern of Bs is a warning sign at a school where most admits are hovering near 3.8.
Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG)
Mt. SAC students can apply for UCI's Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG), which locks in your admission before the main application cycle even opens. The TAG minimum for Psychology B.S. is a 3.4 cumulative UC-transferable GPA — higher than the general 3.0 floor. You submit the TAG through UC TAP between September 1 and September 30, a full month before the standard UC application window opens October 1. Hit that September deadline and meet the GPA requirement, and UCI is no longer a gamble.
Major Requirements
Psychology (B.S.) — School of Social Sciences Major Preparation
Psychology (B.S.) — School of Social Sciences at UC Irvine
Courses at Mt. San Antonio College that satisfy UC Irvine's Psychology major preparation, verified via ASSIST.org.
UCI offers three distinct psychology-adjacent degrees that students frequently confuse. The Psychology B.S. (School of Social Sciences, Department of Cognitive Sciences) focuses on the mind and brain with a heavy science component. The Psychological Science B.A. (School of Social Ecology) takes a more applied, human-environment angle. The Neurobiology B.S. (School of Biological Sciences) goes deeper into biology and is far more science-intensive. Make sure you're looking at the right ASSIST agreement for your target program.
| Course at Mt. San Antonio College | Satisfies at UCI | Units |
|---|---|---|
| PSYC C1000 — Introduction to Psychology | PSYCH 9A — Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
| PSYC 5 — Biopsychology | PSYCH 9C — Biological Psychology | 3 |
| No equivalent at Mt. SAC (take at UCI) | PSYCH 9B — to be completed at UCI | — |
| PSYC 10 — Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences | Statistics requirement — satisfies School of Social Sciences math/stats requirement | 4 |
| MATH 180 — Calculus | MATH 2A — Calculus I (one of four required science/math courses for B.S.) | 4 |
Courses with no equivalent must be taken at UC Irvine after transfer. Factor this into your first-year course plan.
General Education
Foundation GE at Mt. San Antonio College
Complete these five courses at Mt. San Antonio 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.
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 |
Stats → Research Methods
PSYC 10 (Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences) is a hard prerequisite for PSYC 7 (Research Methods) at Mt. SAC — and PSYC 10 itself requires prior math eligibility. Getting the order wrong doesn't just delay one course; it can push Research Methods off your transcript entirely at the time UCI reviews your application.
UCI runs on quarters — Mt. SAC runs on semesters
At UCI you'll go from two 18-week semesters to three 10-week quarters per year, which means faster pacing and more frequent exam cycles — give yourself the first quarter to adjust your study rhythm before loading up on upper-division coursework.
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
TAG Deadline Is Earlier Than You Think
Most Mt. SAC students know the UC application opens October 1, but the TAG application for UCI closes September 30 — one day before. You apply through the UC Transfer Admission Planner (UC TAP), not through the main UC application portal. If you miss the September 30 TAG window, you can still apply to UCI in October, but you lose the guarantee and compete in the general pool.
PSYCH 9B Has No Mt. SAC Equivalent — Plan For It
UCI's Psychology B.S. requires PSYCH 9A, 9B, and 9C as a three-course intro sequence, but PSYCH 9B is only offered at UCI — there is no Mt. SAC course that articulates to it. Unlike students at some other CCs who may be in the same boat, this is a universal gap for all transfer students into this program, meaning you'll carry one lower-division course into your first year at UCI. Factor this into your four-year plan so it doesn't crowd out upper-division coursework.
Statistics Before Research Methods — No Exceptions
PSYC 7 (Research Methods) at Mt. SAC requires PSYC 10 (Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences) as a prerequisite — there's no workaround. If you still need to complete MATH 71 before you're eligible for PSYC 10, you could be looking at three sequential semesters before you even get into Research Methods. Map this chain out in your very first semester so you're not still working through prerequisites in your final year.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What GPA do I need to transfer from Mt. San Antonio College to UCI for Psychology?
The bare minimum to be eligible is a 2.4 cumulative UC-transferable GPA, but that won't get you in. The median GPA of admitted transfer students from California community colleges is 3.77, with the mid-range running 3.57–3.93. If you're aiming for the TAG guarantee, you'll need at least a 3.4 — and your grades in PSYC C1000, PSYC 5, and PSYC 10 will be scrutinized most closely.
Does Mt. SAC have a TAG agreement with UC Irvine for Psychology?
Yes — UCI participates in the Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) program, and Psychology B.S. is an eligible major. Mt. SAC students can apply through the UC Transfer Admission Planner (UC TAP) between September 1 and September 30. The required minimum GPA for UCI TAG is 3.4 cumulative, and you must have your major prep courses completed or in progress as specified.
What courses do I take at Mt. SAC to prepare for UCI Psychology?
The two core lower-division psych courses are PSYC C1000 (Introduction to Psychology, articulates to UCI's PSYCH 9A) and PSYC 5 (Biopsychology, articulates to UCI's PSYCH 9C). You should also complete PSYC 10 (Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences) and at least one course from UCI's required science sequence — calculus (MATH 180 articulates to MATH 2A) is the most common choice for Psychology B.S. students.
Can I complete IGETC at Mt. SAC before transferring to UCI Psychology?
Yes — the School of Social Sciences at UCI recommends completing IGETC prior to transfer, and completing it at Mt. SAC is a smart move. IGETC won't replace your major prep courses (you still need PSYC C1000, PSYC 5, and the science requirements), but it clears most of UCI's general education requirements so you can focus on upper-division psych coursework after you arrive.
How many applicants transfer to UC Irvine each year and what are my chances?
For Fall 2024, UCI received 25,103 transfer applications and admitted 10,023 students — an overall transfer acceptance rate of 39.9%. That's more generous than UCI's freshman admit rate, but Psychology B.S. is one of the top majors for transfer applicants, which means more competition. A strong GPA, completed major prep courses like PSYC C1000 and PSYC 5, and a TAG application if you qualify are your best tools for standing out.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
Students at Mt. San Antonio College (Mt. SAC) planning to transfer to UC Irvine as Psychology majors are navigating one of the most popular transfer pathways in Southern California. UCI's Psychology B.S., housed in the School of Social Sciences under the Department of Cognitive Sciences, admitted roughly 39.9% of its 25,103 transfer applicants for Fall 2024, with the median admitted GPA from California community colleges sitting at 3.77. Transfer planning for this pathway starts with ASSIST.org, which maps out exactly which Mt. SAC courses satisfy UCI's lower-division major prerequisites — most importantly PSYC C1000 (Introduction to Psychology), which articulates to UCI's PSYCH 9A, and PSYC 5 (Biopsychology), which satisfies PSYCH 9C. Statistics is another must: PSYC 10 (Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences) is both a standalone prerequisite for Research Methods at Mt. SAC and part of the School of Social Sciences math requirement at UCI. Students should also plan for at least one course in UCI's required science sequence — MATH 180 at Mt. SAC articulates to UCI's MATH 2A for students pursuing the calculus path. IGETC completion is accepted and recommended for School of Social Sciences transfers, and Mt. SAC students in good standing can also pursue UCI's Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG), which requires a 3.4 cumulative GPA and a September 30 application deadline through UC TAP. One important gap unique to this program: UCI's PSYCH 9B has no equivalent at any California community college and must be taken after transfer. Tools like Pipeline help Mt. SAC students build a personalized semester-by-semester plan that accounts for these prerequisite chains, the TAG timeline, and IGETC completion — so nothing falls through the cracks on the road to becoming a UCI Anteater.
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