Mt. San Antonio College to UCSD
Psychology Transfer Plan
Semester-by-semester courses, IGETC requirements, and major prerequisites — verified from real articulation data.
From
Mt. San Antonio College
To
UC San Diego
GPA Reality Check
UCSD's minimum GPA for transfer eligibility is 2.4, but the average admitted transfer student arrives with around a 3.9. That gap is real, and Psychology — while not a capped major at UCSD — draws applicants who are genuinely competitive. Your science courses matter most here: BIOL 1 and CHEM 10 are weighted heavily because UCSD's Psychology B.A. is built around scientific methodology, and a shaky grade in either will hurt you. Protect your GPA in STAT C1000 and PSYC 18 too — those are the courses UCSD admissions knows you need, so a C in either sends the wrong signal.
UC Transfer Admission Planner (UC TAP)
Heads up: UC San Diego does not participate in the Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) program. TAG is only available at six UC campuses — UC Davis, UC Irvine, UC Merced, UC Riverside, UC Santa Barbara, and UC Santa Cruz. What UCSD does have is the UC Transfer Admission Planner (UC TAP), a free online tool at uctap.universityofcalifornia.edu where you can log your courses, check them against UCSD's requirements, and make sure your plan is solid before you apply. Use it — it integrates directly with ASSIST and flags gaps in your major prep before they become a problem.
Major Requirements
Psychology (B.A.) — Division of Social Sciences Major Preparation
Psychology (B.A.) — Division of Social Sciences at UC San Diego
Courses at Mt. San Antonio College that satisfy UC San Diego's Psychology major preparation, verified via ASSIST.org.
UCSD offers Cognitive Science as a separate major through the Jacobs School of Engineering and also as a B.S. or B.A. through the Division of Social Sciences. Students interested in the mind, behavior, and computation sometimes confuse Cognitive Science with Psychology — they are distinct programs with different prep requirements and different department advisors. Check ASSIST separately for each major if you are considering both.
| Course at Mt. San Antonio College | Satisfies at UCSD | Units |
|---|---|---|
| STAT C1000 — Statistics | Statistics requirement — lower-division statistics for behavioral sciences | 4 |
| PSYC 18 — Research Methods in Psychology | Lower-division research methods preparation | 4 |
| BIOL 1 — Principles of Biology I | Natural Science — Biological Science (lecture) | 4 |
| BIOL 1L — Principles of Biology I Lab | Natural Science — Biological Science (laboratory) | 1 |
| CHEM 10 — Introduction to General Chemistry | Natural Science — Physical/Chemical Science | 4 |
| MATH 71 — Pre-Calculus Mathematics | Formal Skills — Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning | 5 |
| CS 1 — Computer Science and Programming | Computer Programming requirement | 3 |
General Education
IGETC at Mt. San Antonio College
Complete IGETC at Mt. San Antonio College to satisfy UC San Diego's lower-division GE requirements before transferring.
ENGL C1000 (English Composition)
3 unitsENGL 1C (Critical Thinking and Writing), PHIL 10 (Critical Thinking)
3 unitsSTAT C1000 (Statistics), MATH 110 (Statistics for Behavioral Sciences), MATH 150 (Calculus I)
3-5 unitsART 1 (Art Appreciation), MUS 20 (Music Appreciation), THTR 10 (Introduction to Theatre)
3 unitsPHIL 10 (Critical Thinking), PHIL 1 (Introduction to Philosophy), HIST 1A (Western Civilization I), ENGL 2 (Introduction to Literature)
3 unitsPSYC C1000 (Introduction to Psychology), SOC C1500 (Introduction to Sociology), ANTH 1 (Introduction to Cultural Anthropology), ECON 1 (Principles of Macroeconomics)
3 unitsCHEM 10 (Introduction to General Chemistry), PHYS 1A (Introductory Physics I), ASTR 10 (Introduction to Astronomy)
3-4 unitsBIOL 1 (Principles of Biology I), ANTH 5 (Biological Anthropology), BIOL 3 (Concepts of Biology)
3-4 unitsSPAN 1 (Elementary Spanish I), FREN 1 (Elementary French I), JAPN 1 (Elementary Japanese I)
3-5 units| Area | Course options at Mt. San Antonio College | Units |
|---|---|---|
| 1A: English Composition | ENGL C1000 (English Composition) | 3 |
| 1B: Critical Thinking and Composition | ENGL 1C (Critical Thinking and Writing), PHIL 10 (Critical Thinking) | 3 |
| 2: Mathematical Concepts and Quantitative Reasoning | STAT C1000 (Statistics), MATH 110 (Statistics for Behavioral Sciences), MATH 150 (Calculus I) | 3-5 |
| 3A: Arts | ART 1 (Art Appreciation), MUS 20 (Music Appreciation), THTR 10 (Introduction to Theatre) | 3 |
| 3B: Humanities | PHIL 10 (Critical Thinking), PHIL 1 (Introduction to Philosophy), HIST 1A (Western Civilization I), ENGL 2 (Introduction to Literature) | 3 |
| 4: Social and Behavioral Sciences | PSYC C1000 (Introduction to Psychology), SOC C1500 (Introduction to Sociology), ANTH 1 (Introduction to Cultural Anthropology), ECON 1 (Principles of Macroeconomics) | 3 |
| 5A: Physical Sciences | CHEM 10 (Introduction to General Chemistry), PHYS 1A (Introductory Physics I), ASTR 10 (Introduction to Astronomy) | 3-4 |
| 5B: Biological Sciences | BIOL 1 (Principles of Biology I), ANTH 5 (Biological Anthropology), BIOL 3 (Concepts of Biology) | 3-4 |
| 6: Language Other Than English | SPAN 1 (Elementary Spanish I), FREN 1 (Elementary French I), JAPN 1 (Elementary Japanese I) | 3-5 |
Statistics → Research Methods
PSYC 18 (Research Methods in Psychology) requires completion of STAT C1000 as a prerequisite — you cannot enroll in it until statistics is done. If you delay STAT C1000 past your first semester at Mt. SAC, you risk not finishing Research Methods before your transfer application deadline, which leaves a critical gap in your major prep.
UCSD runs on quarters — Mt. SAC runs on semesters
When you transfer, your 16-week semester pace becomes 10-week quarter pace, so expect courses to move significantly faster — budget more weekly study time from day one and don't wait until week three to ask for help.
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
Skipping Intro Psych — A Costly Mistake
UCSD's Psychology department is explicit that no lower-division general psychology course is required for admission to the major — but that doesn't mean PSYC C1000 is useless. It's a prerequisite at Mt. SAC for both PSYC 2 (Biopsychology) and PSYC 18 (Research Methods), so skipping it delays your entire major prep chain. Take it in your very first semester.
Confusing IGETC Completion With Major Prep
Finishing IGETC does not mean your major prep is done — these are two completely separate checklists. UCSD's Psychology department is direct about this: if you've completed IGETC but haven't finished the lower-division major requirements like BIOL 1 or STAT C1000, you'll still need to knock them out either at Mt. SAC or after you arrive on campus. Check both your IGETC status and your ASSIST major prep agreement every semester.
Assuming UCSD Offers a TAG — It Does Not
Many students hear 'TAG' and assume every UC campus offers one. UC San Diego is not one of the six campuses in the TAG program. There is no guaranteed admission path from Mt. SAC to UCSD — you compete with the full applicant pool. Your best tool is the UC Transfer Admission Planner (UC TAP), which helps you track your coursework and identify any gaps before your application is submitted.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
How hard is it to transfer from Mt. San Antonio College to UC San Diego for Psychology?
UCSD's overall transfer acceptance rate for Fall 2025 was 52.7%, across 23,441 applicants — so it's genuinely more accessible than freshman admission, but that number covers all majors. Psychology at UCSD is not a capped or impacted major, which is a real advantage: if you're admitted to UCSD, you can declare Psychology without competing for limited spots. Still, admitted students average around a 3.9 GPA, so strong grades in courses like STAT C1000 and BIOL 1 matter a lot.
Does Mt. San Antonio College have a TAG with UC San Diego for Psychology?
No — UC San Diego does not participate in the Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) program at all. Mt. SAC's own transfer resources confirm that TAG is only available at UC Davis, UC Irvine, UC Merced, UC Riverside, UC Santa Barbara, and UC Santa Cruz. UCSD students can use the UC Transfer Admission Planner (UC TAP) to track their coursework, but it offers no admission guarantee.
Does UC San Diego Psychology require intro psych before transfer?
No. UCSD's Psychology department states directly that none of its majors require any lower-division general psychology courses for admission. Instead, UCSD emphasizes Natural Science, Statistics, Computer Programming, and Formal Skills as your transfer prep priorities. At Mt. SAC, that means focusing on STAT C1000, BIOL 1, CHEM 10, and CS 1 rather than a stack of psych electives.
Can I use IGETC to satisfy general education at UC San Diego if I'm a Psychology major?
Yes — IGETC is accepted for Psychology at UCSD's Muir, Marshall, Warren, Roosevelt, Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth Colleges. Revelle College has additional math and science requirements beyond IGETC, so check that college's specific GE requirements if you're considering Revelle. Just remember that completing IGETC at Mt. SAC does not replace your major prep — courses like BIOL 1 and STAT C1000 need to be done on top of IGETC.
What courses should I take at Mt. SAC to prepare for Psychology at UC San Diego?
UCSD Psychology's lower-division prep focuses on four areas: Statistics (STAT C1000 at Mt. SAC), Natural Science with lab (BIOL 1 and CHEM 10), Computer Programming (CS 1), and Formal Skills in mathematics (MATH 71). You should also complete PSYC 18 (Research Methods) if possible, but note it requires STAT C1000 first — so start statistics as early as your first semester and work backward from there.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
Students planning to transfer from Mt. San Antonio College (Mt. SAC) to UC San Diego (UCSD) as Psychology majors are navigating one of the more well-structured transfer pathways in the California system. UCSD admitted 52.7% of transfer applicants for Fall 2025, but the average admitted GPA sits around 3.9 — so thoughtful transfer planning from the start of your time at Mt. SAC makes a real difference. Psychology at UCSD is a B.A. housed in the Division of Social Sciences and, importantly, is not a capped or impacted major, meaning any student admitted to UCSD can declare it. What makes this major unusual is that UCSD Psychology requires no lower-division general psychology coursework for admission — instead, the emphasis is on Natural Science, Statistics, Computer Programming, and Formal Skills. At Mt. San Antonio College, that translates to courses like STAT C1000, BIOL 1, CHEM 10, and CS 1 as your core major prerequisites. Students also have the option to complete IGETC at Mt. SAC, which satisfies lower-division general education requirements at all UCSD colleges except Revelle, where additional science and math courses apply. Understanding the prerequisite chain — MATH 71 before STAT C1000, and STAT C1000 before PSYC 18 (Research Methods in Psychology) — is critical; getting the order wrong can push your timeline back by a full semester. Tools like Pipeline help Mt. SAC students map out a personalized semester-by-semester plan that keeps IGETC, major prerequisites, and the 60-unit transfer minimum all moving in sync. Always verify your specific articulation at ASSIST.org, since course equivalencies for this Mt. San Antonio College to UCSD pathway are updated annually.
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