Mt. San Antonio College to UCLA
Business Administration Transfer Plan
Semester-by-semester courses, IGETC requirements, and major prerequisites — verified from real articulation data.
From
Mt. San Antonio College
To
UCLA
GPA Reality Check
UCLA's stated minimum transferable GPA for Business Economics is 3.2, but admitted students in Fall 2024 clustered between 3.84 and 4.00 — that gap is not small. Your grades in MATH 180, MATH 185, ECON 1, ECON 2, and MATH 110 carry the most weight because they are the exact courses reviewers look at for this major. A 3.2 gets your application read; anything below a 3.7 puts you at a serious disadvantage for a major with a reported 10% admit rate.
Transfer Alliance Program (TAP)
Mt. SAC is a UCLA Transfer Alliance Program (TAP) partner, which means you have access to a real edge in the application process. TAP-certified Mt. SAC students are reportedly 2–3 times more likely to be admitted to UCLA compared to non-certified Mt. SAC applicants. To get certified, enroll in the Mt. SAC Honors Program, complete 15 units of Honors coursework with at least a 3.2 GPA in those courses and a 3.2 overall transferable GPA, then sign your TAP Applicant Form online in late January or mid-February during your application year — missing that signature step means you don't get certified, even if you've done everything else right.
Major Requirements
Business Economics (College of Letters and Science, B.A.) Major Preparation
Business Economics (College of Letters and Science, B.A.) at UCLA
Courses at Mt. San Antonio College that satisfy UCLA's Business Administration major preparation, verified via ASSIST.org.
UCLA does not offer a traditional 'Business Administration' degree. The closest program is Business Economics (B.A.) in the College of Letters and Science — it blends economics theory with business applications. Students sometimes confuse it with Economics (B.A.), which is more theory-focused and less applied, or with the Anderson School of Management, which only admits graduate students. If you want a more quantitative path, Data Theory (B.S.) or Applied Mathematics (B.S.) are worth exploring, but they have entirely different prep requirements.
| Course at Mt. San Antonio College | Satisfies at UCLA | Units |
|---|---|---|
| MATH 180 — Calculus I | MATH 31A — Differential Calculus | 5 |
| MATH 185 — Calculus II | MATH 31B — Integration and Infinite Series | 5 |
| MATH 110 — Statistics | STATS 10 — Introduction to Statistical Reasoning | 4 |
| ECON 1 — Principles of Microeconomics | ECON 1 — Principles of Economics I (Microeconomics) | 3 |
| ECON 2 — Principles of Macroeconomics | ECON 2 — Principles of Economics II (Macroeconomics) | 3 |
General Education
IGETC at Mt. San Antonio College
Complete IGETC at Mt. San Antonio College to satisfy UCLA's lower-division GE requirements before transferring.
ENGL 1A — Reading and Composition
4 unitsENGL 1C — Critical Thinking and Composition; PHIL 1A — Critical Thinking
3–4 unitsCOMM 1 — Oral Communication (CSU only)
3 unitsMATH 110 — Statistics; MATH 160 — Finite Mathematics (also satisfies major prep for Business Economics if taking stats separately)
3–5 unitsART 101 — Art Appreciation; MUSIC 100 — Introduction to Music; THTR 100 — Introduction to Theater
3 unitsENGL 2 — Critical Inquiry and Literature; HIST 7 — History of World Civilizations I; PHIL 3 — Introduction to Philosophy
3 unitsECON 1 — Principles of Microeconomics; PSYC 1A — General Psychology; SOC 1 — Introduction to Sociology; POLI 1 — Introduction to Political Science
3 unitsCHEM 10 — Introduction to General Chemistry; GEOL 10 — Physical Geology; PHYS 1A — Introduction to Physics
3–4 unitsBIOL 3 — Introduction to Biology; BIOL 10 — Introduction to Human Biology
3–4 unitsSatisfied by lab component of CHEM 10L, GEOL 10L, BIOL 3, or PHYS 1A when taken with lab section
1 unitsSPAN 1A — Elementary Spanish I; FREN 1A — Elementary French I; CHIN 1A — Elementary Chinese I; ASL 1 — American Sign Language I
5 units| Area | Course options at Mt. San Antonio College | Units |
|---|---|---|
| 1A: English Composition | ENGL 1A — Reading and Composition | 4 |
| 1B: Critical Thinking and Composition | ENGL 1C — Critical Thinking and Composition; PHIL 1A — Critical Thinking | 3–4 |
| 1C: Oral Communication (CSU only — not required for UC) | COMM 1 — Oral Communication (CSU only) | 3 |
| 2: Mathematical Concepts and Quantitative Reasoning | MATH 110 — Statistics; MATH 160 — Finite Mathematics (also satisfies major prep for Business Economics if taking stats separately) | 3–5 |
| 3A: Arts | ART 101 — Art Appreciation; MUSIC 100 — Introduction to Music; THTR 100 — Introduction to Theater | 3 |
| 3B: Humanities | ENGL 2 — Critical Inquiry and Literature; HIST 7 — History of World Civilizations I; PHIL 3 — Introduction to Philosophy | 3 |
| 4: Social and Behavioral Sciences | ECON 1 — Principles of Microeconomics; PSYC 1A — General Psychology; SOC 1 — Introduction to Sociology; POLI 1 — Introduction to Political Science | 3 |
| 5A: Physical Science | CHEM 10 — Introduction to General Chemistry; GEOL 10 — Physical Geology; PHYS 1A — Introduction to Physics | 3–4 |
| 5B: Life Science | BIOL 3 — Introduction to Biology; BIOL 10 — Introduction to Human Biology | 3–4 |
| 5C: Laboratory Activity | Satisfied by lab component of CHEM 10L, GEOL 10L, BIOL 3, or PHYS 1A when taken with lab section | 1 |
| 6: Language Other Than English | SPAN 1A — Elementary Spanish I; FREN 1A — Elementary French I; CHIN 1A — Elementary Chinese I; ASL 1 — American Sign Language I | 5 |
MATH 180 → MATH 185: Both Required, Can't Take Together
Business Economics requires both Calculus I (MATH 180) and Calculus II (MATH 185) as lower-division prep, and MATH 185 has MATH 180 as a strict prerequisite — meaning you need at least two full semesters just for the calculus sequence. Start MATH 180 in your first semester at Mt. SAC, or you risk arriving at UCLA application time with an incomplete transcript.
UCLA Runs on Quarters — Mt. SAC Runs on Semesters
Your two semesters at Mt. SAC cover roughly the same ground as three UCLA quarters, so don't panic when course numbering looks different — one Mt. SAC semester course often maps cleanly to one UCLA quarter course, but the pace at UCLA accelerates significantly once you're 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
UCLA Has No 'Business Administration' Major
If you search for 'Business Administration' at UCLA, you won't find it — the university doesn't offer that degree. The program you're aiming for is Business Economics (B.A.) in the College of Letters and Science, which blends applied business coursework with economics theory. Applying to the wrong major or misreading ASSIST is an easy mistake that can cost you a whole application cycle.
Don't Wait to Start the Calculus Chain
Business Economics requires both MATH 180 (Calculus I) and MATH 185 (Calculus II) as prep, and you can't take them at the same time. If you start MATH 180 in your second semester instead of your first, you push MATH 185 to your third semester — and suddenly you're applying without both courses finished, which is a red flag for a 10% admit rate major. Get into MATH 180 your very first semester at Mt. SAC.
Complete Major Prep Before Fall of Application Year
Most transfer students assume they can finish major prep courses in the spring before transfer. For Business Economics that technically meets the deadline, but UCLA's own Transfer Admission Guide strongly encourages completing all prep for this major by the fall term prior to admission. Reviewers actively favor applicants who've already finished ECON 1, ECON 2, MATH 180, MATH 185, and MATH 110 by the time they apply in November.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What GPA do I need to transfer from Mt. San Antonio College to UCLA for Business Economics?
The official minimum transferable GPA for UCLA is 3.2, but Business Economics is one of the most competitive majors on campus. Admitted students in Fall 2024 had GPAs ranging from 3.84 to 4.00, so realistically you want to be at 3.7 or above — and your grades in major prep courses like ECON 1, ECON 2, and MATH 180 are the ones reviewers scrutinize most closely.
Does the TAP Honors program at Mt. SAC actually help you get into UCLA?
Yes, and meaningfully so. Mt. SAC's Honors Program is a participating UCLA Transfer Alliance Program (TAP) partner, and TAP-certified Mt. SAC students are reportedly 2–3 times more likely to be admitted to UCLA than non-certified applicants from the same school. To get certified, you need 15 units of Honors coursework with at least a 3.2 GPA in those courses and a 3.2 cumulative transferable GPA — and you must sign the TAP Applicant Form online in late January or mid-February of your application year.
Can I use IGETC to satisfy general education requirements when transferring from Mt. SAC to UCLA Business Economics?
Yes — Business Economics is housed in UCLA's College of Letters and Science, and IGETC is accepted for all College majors. Completing IGETC at Mt. SAC means you won't have to take additional lower-division GE courses after you transfer. Just make sure every IGETC course earns a C or better — a C-minus doesn't count.
What courses do I need to take at Mt. SAC to prepare for UCLA Business Economics?
The core lower-division prep you need to complete at Mt. SAC includes ECON 1 (Principles of Microeconomics), ECON 2 (Principles of Macroeconomics), MATH 180 (Calculus I), MATH 185 (Calculus II), and MATH 110 (Statistics). These map directly to the lower-division requirements for UCLA's Business Economics major per the ASSIST articulation agreement. For a major with a 10% admit rate, you want to finish all of them — ideally with A's — before you apply in November.
How many applicants apply to transfer to UCLA from Mt. San Antonio College each year?
In Fall 2024, UCLA received 27,167 total transfer applications across all majors and source schools — Mt. SAC is consistently ranked among the top community colleges sending transfers to the UC system, and was ranked 7th in California for UC transfers in Fall 2023. Business Economics specifically draws a large applicant pool given its career relevance, which is one reason the major's admit rate is around 10%.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
Planning to transfer from Mt. San Antonio College (Mt. SAC) to UCLA for Business Economics is one of the most competitive transfer pathways in California — and knowing the specifics of how it works can make or break your application. The Business Economics B.A. in UCLA's College of Letters and Science had a reported admit rate of around 10% for Fall 2024, with admitted students' GPAs concentrated between 3.84 and 4.00. That means transfer planning at Mt. SAC needs to start on day one, not the semester before you apply. The first thing to understand is that UCLA does not offer a 'Business Administration' degree — the major you're aiming for is Business Economics, and it lives in the College, not a business school. Your major prerequisites, per the ASSIST.org articulation agreement for Mt. San Antonio College to UCLA, include ECON 1 (Principles of Microeconomics), ECON 2 (Principles of Macroeconomics), MATH 180 (Calculus I), MATH 185 (Calculus II), and MATH 110 (Statistics). The calculus sequence alone takes two semesters because MATH 185 requires MATH 180 as a prerequisite — which is why you need to start MATH 180 your very first semester at Mt. SAC. For general education, IGETC is accepted for this major, and completing it at Mt. SAC means you arrive at UCLA without any lingering lower-division GE requirements. Mt. SAC is also a Transfer Alliance Program (TAP) partner with UCLA, and TAP-certified students from Mt. SAC are reportedly 2–3 times more likely to gain admission — certification requires 15 Honors units and a 3.2 GPA. Tools like Pipeline help students map out a personalized semester-by-semester plan that sequences all of this correctly — major prerequisites, IGETC, and TAP certification — so nothing falls through the cracks on one of the most demanding transfer paths in the UC system.
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