Mt. San Antonio College to UCLA
Psychology 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 minimum GPA to apply as a transfer is 2.4, but admitted Psychology students in Fall 2024 had a mid-50th percentile GPA range of 3.81–4.00 — that's a massive gap. The courses that matter most for your competitiveness are PSYC C1000, MATH 110, PSYC 2, and PSYC 3, because UCLA reviewers focus heavily on how you performed in your major prep. An A in Research Methods (PSYC 3) carries more weight than an A in a general elective.
Transfer Alliance Program (TAP)
Mt. SAC's TAP-certified students are reported to be 2–3 times more likely to be admitted to UCLA compared to other Mt. SAC applicants going through the standard process. To get certified, you need 15 units of Honors coursework completed by the spring before you transfer, a 3.2 GPA in those Honors courses, and a 3.2 cumulative UC-transferable GPA. The critical step most students miss: you must sign your UCLA TAP Applicant Form online in late January through mid-February when Honors staff alerts you by email — skip that step and you won't be TAP-certified, period.
Major Requirements
Psychology (B.A., College of Letters and Science) Major Preparation
Psychology (B.A., College of Letters and Science) at UCLA
Courses at Mt. San Antonio College that satisfy UCLA's Psychology major preparation, verified via ASSIST.org.
UCLA has three related programs that students frequently confuse: Psychology (B.A.), Psychobiology (B.S.), and Cognitive Science (B.S.). If you're interested in brain biology and want a science-heavy degree, Psychobiology may be a better fit. Cognitive Science leans into computation, linguistics, and AI. The Psychology B.A. is the more traditional social-science path and the one this guide covers.
| Course at Mt. San Antonio College | Satisfies at UCLA | Units |
|---|---|---|
| PSYC C1000 — Introduction to Psychology | PSYCH 10 — Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
| MATH 110 — Elementary Statistics | STATS 10 — Introduction to Statistical Reasoning | 4 |
| PSYC 2 — Physiological Psychology | PSYCH 3 — Behavioral Neuroscience | 3 |
| PSYC 3 — Research Methods in Psychology | PSYCH 20A — Research Methods in Psychology | 4 |
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 C1000 (formerly ENGL 1A)
3 unitsENGL C1002 (formerly ENGL 1C), PHIL C1015
3 unitsMATH 110 (Elementary Statistics), MATH 150 (Calculus I)
3-4 unitsART C1010 (Art History Survey), MUS C1020 (Music Appreciation)
3 unitsPHIL C1010 (Introduction to Philosophy), ENGL C1010 (Introduction to Literature)
3 unitsPSYC C1000 (Introduction to Psychology), HIST C1020, HIST C1021 (U.S. History)
3 unitsCHEM C1100 (Introductory Chemistry), ASTR C1100 (Introductory Astronomy)
3 unitsBIOL C1010 (General Biology), BIOL C1020 (General Biology II)
3 unitsSPAN C1001 (Elementary Spanish I), ASL C1010 (American Sign Language I)
3-5 units| Area | Course options at Mt. San Antonio College | Units |
|---|---|---|
| 1A: English Composition | ENGL C1000 (formerly ENGL 1A) | 3 |
| 1B: Critical Thinking and Composition | ENGL C1002 (formerly ENGL 1C), PHIL C1015 | 3 |
| 2: Mathematical Concepts and Quantitative Reasoning | MATH 110 (Elementary Statistics), MATH 150 (Calculus I) | 3-4 |
| 3A: Arts | ART C1010 (Art History Survey), MUS C1020 (Music Appreciation) | 3 |
| 3B: Humanities | PHIL C1010 (Introduction to Philosophy), ENGL C1010 (Introduction to Literature) | 3 |
| 4: Social and Behavioral Sciences | PSYC C1000 (Introduction to Psychology), HIST C1020, HIST C1021 (U.S. History) | 3 |
| 5A: Physical Sciences | CHEM C1100 (Introductory Chemistry), ASTR C1100 (Introductory Astronomy) | 3 |
| 5B: Biological Sciences | BIOL C1010 (General Biology), BIOL C1020 (General Biology II) | 3 |
| 6: Language Other Than English | SPAN C1001 (Elementary Spanish I), ASL C1010 (American Sign Language I) | 3-5 |
PSYC C1000 + MATH 110 → PSYC 3 (Research Methods)
PSYC 3 has a hard prerequisite on both Introduction to Psychology (PSYC C1000) and Statistics (MATH 110) — you need both on your transcript before you can register. If you delay either of those courses, you can find yourself unable to complete Research Methods before you apply, which leaves your lower-division prep visibly incomplete to UCLA reviewers.
UCLA runs on quarters — Mt. SAC runs on semesters
You're used to 16-week semesters, but UCLA's quarter system moves much faster — 10 weeks per term — so plan to front-load your workload adjustments during your first quarter 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
Don't Wait to Take PSYC C1000
PSYC C1000 (Introduction to Psychology) is the gateway to your entire major prep sequence — both PSYC 2 and PSYC 3 require it as a prerequisite. Students who push it to their second semester end up running out of time to complete all four lower-division prep courses before their application deadline. Take it your very first semester at Mt. SAC.
Statistics Unlocks Research Methods — Plan Accordingly
PSYC 3 (Research Methods in Psychology) requires both PSYC C1000 and a statistics course like MATH 110 before you can enroll. If you put off MATH 110, you effectively block yourself out of PSYC 3. The good news: MATH 110 also satisfies IGETC Area 2, so it's doing double duty for you.
Sign Your TAP Form — It's Not Automatic
Being enrolled in the Mt. SAC Honors Program doesn't make you TAP-certified. UCLA sends an email alert in late January through mid-February, and you must sign the TAP Applicant Form online during that window. Missing the form means you lose the priority consideration advantage entirely — even if you've done every other requirement correctly.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What GPA do I need to transfer from Mt. San Antonio College to UCLA for Psychology?
The official UC minimum is 2.4, but admitted Psychology transfer students at UCLA in Fall 2024 had a mid-50th percentile GPA range of 3.81–4.00. TAP certification at Mt. SAC requires at minimum a 3.2 cumulative UC-transferable GPA, but the Honors Program strongly recommends aiming higher — Psychology is listed among UCLA's most competitive majors, with a 3.7+ GPA recommended.
What classes do I need to take at Mt. SAC to transfer to UCLA as a Psychology major?
The core lower-division prep courses you'll complete at Mt. SAC are PSYC C1000 (Introduction to Psychology), MATH 110 (Elementary Statistics), PSYC 2 (Physiological Psychology), and PSYC 3 (Research Methods in Psychology). These articulate directly to UCLA's lower-division Psychology preparation requirements per the ASSIST agreement. Note that PSYC 3 requires both PSYC C1000 and MATH 110 as prerequisites, so sequence those early.
Does IGETC work for UCLA Psychology, or do I need to do something different?
Yes, IGETC is accepted for the Psychology B.A. in UCLA's College of Letters and Science. Completing IGETC at Mt. SAC means you won't need additional lower-division general education courses after you transfer. Just make sure your IGETC Certification is sent with your final transcript — it doesn't happen automatically.
What is the Transfer Alliance Program (TAP) and how do I get TAP-certified at Mt. SAC?
TAP is UCLA's priority consideration program for students at partner community colleges — and Mt. SAC is a participating school. To get certified, you need to complete at least 15 units of Honors coursework at Mt. SAC with a 3.2 GPA in those courses and hold a 3.2 cumulative UC-transferable GPA. The most important thing to remember: you must sign the UCLA TAP Applicant Form online in the late January–mid-February window after you apply, or you will not be TAP-certified.
How competitive is the UCLA Psychology transfer from Mt. San Antonio College compared to other majors?
Psychology at UCLA had a 22% transfer admit rate in Fall 2024 with a GPA range of 3.81–4.00 for admitted students — making it more competitive than many College of Letters and Science programs but less brutal than Computer Science (3% admit rate) or Film (2.6%). Mt. SAC's TAP program gives you a meaningful edge: TAP-certified Mt. SAC students are reported to be 2–3 times more likely to be admitted compared to non-TAP Mt. SAC applicants.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
Transferring from Mt. San Antonio College (Mt. SAC) to UCLA as a Psychology major is one of the most well-trodden transfer pathways in Southern California — and one of the most competitive. The Psychology B.A. in UCLA's College of Letters and Science had a 22% transfer admit rate in Fall 2024, with admitted students carrying a mid-50th percentile GPA range of 3.81–4.00. That gap between UCLA's published 2.4 minimum and actual admitted GPAs is why careful transfer planning matters so much. At Mt. SAC, the lower-division major prerequisites you need to complete before applying include PSYC C1000 (Introduction to Psychology), MATH 110 (Elementary Statistics), PSYC 2 (Physiological Psychology), and PSYC 3 (Research Methods in Psychology) — and that's not the order you can take them in randomly, since PSYC 3 requires both PSYC C1000 and a statistics course as prerequisites. On the general education side, Mt. SAC students can satisfy UCLA's lower-division GE requirements through IGETC, which is accepted for Psychology in the College of Letters and Science; completing IGETC at Mt. SAC means you arrive at UCLA with those requirements already cleared. Mt. SAC is also a member of UCLA's Transfer Alliance Program (TAP), which gives Honors Program students who complete 15 units of Honors coursework priority consideration for admission — TAP-certified Mt. SAC students are reportedly 2–3 times more likely to gain admission than non-TAP applicants from the same school. Tools like Pipeline help students at Mt. SAC map out exactly when to take each major prerequisite and IGETC course so nothing slips through the cracks during the two-year transfer window. With the right sequence, a strong GPA in your major prep courses, and TAP certification, this pathway is very achievable — but the students who succeed are the ones who plan from day one.
Build your Mt. San Antonio College → UCLA plan
Personalized, semester-by-semester. Free to start.
Get My Transfer Plan