Pasadena City College to UCI
Business Administration Transfer Plan
Semester-by-semester courses, IGETC requirements, and major prerequisites — verified from real articulation data.
From
Pasadena City College
To
UC Irvine
Business AdministrationGPA Reality Check
UCI requires a 3.0 minimum GPA for Business Administration — but admitted students in recent cycles showed a 25th–75th percentile range of 3.74 to 3.98. That gap is not a typo. Your accounting and economics courses carry the most weight because they're the ones UCI can directly evaluate for major readiness. If you slip in ACCT 1A or ECON 1B, it will be visible and costly.
Major Requirements
Business Administration — Paul Merage School of Business (B.S.) Major Preparation
Business Administration — Paul Merage School of Business (B.S.) at UC Irvine
Courses at Pasadena City College that satisfy UC Irvine's Business Administration major preparation, verified via ASSIST.org.
UCI also offers Business Information Management (BIM) in the Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences — that's a tech-heavy program blending business and computing. If you're drawn to data analytics or information systems, BIM might fit better. But if you want the full Merage School experience — finance, marketing, accounting emphases — stick with Business Administration. They are separate majors with different prep requirements and different schools.
| Course at Pasadena City College | Satisfies at UCI | Units |
|---|---|---|
| MATH 5 — Calculus I | MATH 2A — Single-Variable Calculus | 4 |
| ECON 1A — Principles of Macroeconomics | ECON 20A — Principles of Economics I (Macroeconomics) | 3 |
| ECON 1B — Principles of Microeconomics | ECON 20B — Principles of Economics II (Microeconomics) | 3 |
| MATH 15 — Introduction to Statistics | STATS 7 — Introduction to Probability and Statistics | 4 |
| ACCT 1A — Financial Accounting | MGMT 30A — Financial Accounting | 4 |
| ACCT 1B — Managerial Accounting | MGMT 30B — Managerial Accounting | 4 |
General Education
Foundation GE at Pasadena City College
Complete these five courses at Pasadena City 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 002
Animal Biology
CHEM 001A
General Chemistry and Chemical Analysis I
HIST 001A
History of European Civilization to 1715
ENGL C1000
Academic Reading and Writing
ENGL C1001
Critical Thinking and Writing
| Area | Course at Pasadena City College | Units |
|---|---|---|
Life Science | BIOL 002 — Animal Biology | 4 |
Physical Science | CHEM 001A — General Chemistry and Chemical Analysis I | 5 |
Humanities | HIST 001A — History of European Civilization to 1715 | 3 |
English CompositionCCN | ENGL C1000 — Academic Reading and Writing | 4 |
Critical ThinkingCCN | ENGL C1001 — Critical Thinking and Writing | 4 |
ACCT 1A → ACCT 1B
Financial Accounting (ACCT 1A) is a hard prerequisite for Managerial Accounting (ACCT 1B) at PCC. If you don't start ACCT 1A in your first semester, you can't complete both before you apply — and both are expected as transfer prep for UCI's Merage School.
PCC runs on semesters — UCI runs on quarters
When you land at UCI, your course load will move faster and hit more frequently — build your first-quarter schedule light until you find your rhythm.
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
IGETC Saves Units — But Read the Fine Print
IGETC is accepted for Business Administration at UCI's Merage School, and completing it at PCC before you transfer is genuinely useful — it clears most of your lower-division GE obligations in one shot. The catch: if you started at PCC in Fall 2025 or later, you're on the new Cal-GETC pathway, not the archived IGETC. Talk to a PCC counselor immediately to confirm which GE pattern you have rights to — the answer changes what courses you actually need.
Business Admin Is Locked Out of UCI's TAG Program
The Transfer Admission Guarantee program exists at UCI, but Business Administration in the Merage School is explicitly excluded from it — it does not participate. Don't spend time trying to certify a TAG for this major; there is none. Your path to UCI Business Admin runs entirely through the standard fall application, which means your GPA and major prep completion do all the heavy lifting.
PCC Uses Semesters — UCI Runs on Quarters
You'll finish two full semesters of coursework at PCC for every three quarters at UCI — so the pacing shifts dramatically once you transfer. A semester-length course in Financial Accounting (ACCT 1A) covers roughly what UCI spreads across a quarter-length MGMT 30A. Expect a faster tempo at UCI and plan your first quarter schedule conservatively while you adjust.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What GPA do I need to transfer from Pasadena City College to UC Irvine for Business Administration?
UCI requires a minimum 3.0 GPA for Business Administration, but that's the floor — not the target. Admitted transfer students in recent years showed a middle-50% GPA range of 3.74 to 3.98. Strong grades in your major prep courses at PCC, especially ACCT 1A and ECON 1B, are what admissions will scrutinize most closely.
Does the UC Irvine TAG program apply to Business Administration transfers from Pasadena City College?
No — Business Administration in the Paul Merage School of Business is explicitly excluded from UCI's Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) program. PCC students targeting this major must apply through the standard UC application during the October–November filing window. There is no shortcut admission pathway available for this specific major.
Which PCC courses count as major prep for UCI Business Administration?
The core lower-division prep includes MATH 5 (Calculus I), ECON 1A (Principles of Macroeconomics), ECON 1B (Principles of Microeconomics), MATH 15 (Introduction to Statistics), ACCT 1A (Financial Accounting), and ACCT 1B (Managerial Accounting). Verify the current articulation on ASSIST.org before registering, since agreements can update year to year.
Should I complete IGETC at Pasadena City College before transferring to UCI Business Administration?
Yes — IGETC is accepted by UCI's Merage School and completing it at PCC saves you from taking lower-division GE courses after you transfer. One important detail: students who started at PCC in Fall 2025 or later are on the new Cal-GETC pathway, not IGETC. Confirm your catalog rights with a PCC counselor to make sure you're following the right pattern.
What is the difference between Business Administration and Business Information Management at UC Irvine?
Business Administration is offered through the Paul Merage School of Business and prepares students for careers in finance, marketing, accounting, and management. Business Information Management (BIM) lives in the Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences and is oriented toward technology-driven business roles. They have separate transfer prep requirements, different admit rates, and different campus homes — so choose intentionally based on your career direction.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
Students planning to transfer from Pasadena City College (PCC) to UC Irvine for Business Administration are navigating one of the more competitive pathways in the California community college transfer system. UCI's overall transfer admit rate was approximately 39.9% for Fall 2024, but Business Administration in the Paul Merage School of Business draws a stronger pool — admitted students in recent cycles showed a mid-range GPA of 3.74 to 3.98. Transfer planning for this path starts with knowing your major prerequisites: PCC students need to complete MATH 5 (Calculus I), ECON 1A, ECON 1B, MATH 15 (Introduction to Statistics), ACCT 1A, and ACCT 1B before applying. These articulate directly to lower-division Merage School requirements per the ASSIST.org agreement between Pasadena City College and UC Irvine. One critical note: Business Administration does not participate in UCI's Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) program, so there is no guaranteed admission pathway — every applicant competes through the regular process. On the GE side, IGETC remains accepted by the Merage School for eligible PCC students, and completing it before transfer removes significant coursework pressure at UCI. Because UCI operates on a quarter system and PCC operates on semesters, students should expect a noticeable pace shift after enrolling. Tools like Pipeline help students at Pasadena City College map out a personalized semester-by-semester plan that sequences major prerequisites correctly, identifies IGETC completion checkpoints, and flags potential pitfalls like the ACCT 1A → ACCT 1B chain — so nothing falls through the cracks on the road to UC Irvine.
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