Pasadena City College to UCI
Computer Science Transfer Plan
Semester-by-semester courses, IGETC requirements, and major prerequisites — verified from real articulation data.
From
Pasadena City College
To
UC Irvine
Computer ScienceGPA Reality Check
UCI sets a minimum 3.0 GPA for CS applicants, but admitted transfer students typically land between 3.57 and 3.93. With an admit rate of roughly 21%, CS is one of the most competitive majors on campus — you need more than the floor. The courses that matter most for your major prep GPA are your programming sequence (CS 2 and CS 3) and your full calculus chain (MATH 5A through 5C), since those are the courses UCI will scrutinize most closely.
Major Requirements
Computer Science (B.S.) — Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences Major Preparation
Computer Science (B.S.) — Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences at UC Irvine
Courses at Pasadena City College that satisfy UC Irvine's Computer Science major preparation, verified via ASSIST.org.
UCI's Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences also offers Computer Science and Engineering (B.S.), Informatics (B.S.), and Data Science (B.S.). CS is the most math-heavy and theory-focused of the four. If you're more interested in human-centered software design, Informatics might be a better fit — but it has its own separate prep requirements. Make sure ASSIST shows the exact major you're targeting, because prep courses differ across these programs.
| Course at Pasadena City College | Satisfies at UCI | Units |
|---|---|---|
| CS 2 — Introduction to Computer Science I | I&C SCI 31 — Introduction to Programming | 4 |
| CS 3 — Introduction to Computer Science II | I&C SCI 32 — Programming with Software Libraries | 4 |
| CS 8 — Discrete Structures | I&C SCI 6B — Boolean Logic and Discrete Structures | 3 |
| MATH 5A — Calculus with Analytic Geometry I | MATH 2A — Single-Variable Calculus | 5 |
| MATH 5B — Calculus with Analytic Geometry II | MATH 2B — Single-Variable Calculus | 5 |
| MATH 5C — Calculus with Analytic Geometry III | MATH 2D — Multivariable Calculus | 4 |
| MATH 55 — Linear Algebra | MATH 3A — Introduction to Linear Algebra | 4 |
| No equivalent at Pasadena City College | I&C SCI 6D — Introduction to Computing | — |
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 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 |
MATH 5A → MATH 5B → MATH 5C → MATH 55
These four courses must be taken strictly in order, and each is a prerequisite for the next — starting MATH 5A even one semester late compresses your timeline and can push your transfer date back by a full year.
PCC runs on semesters — UCI runs on quarters
When you transfer from PCC's semester system to UCI's quarter system, your course load and exam schedule will feel significantly more compressed — quarters move fast, so plan to hit the ground running from week one.
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 Helps — But Don't Let It Crowd Out Math
UCI accepts IGETC for CS, which sounds like a win — and it is, for covering breadth requirements. The trap is that your math sequence (MATH 5A → 5B → 5C → MATH 55) plus your CS courses already fills most of your semesters at PCC. If you spend early semesters loading up on IGETC electives before starting MATH 5A, you risk arriving at transfer time with incomplete calculus. Start MATH 5A your very first semester and layer IGETC courses around it, not instead of it.
TAG Does Not Cover This Major — Full Stop
UCI offers the Transfer Admission Guarantee to students from all California community colleges, and PCC students are eligible — but Computer Science is in the Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences, and that entire school is explicitly excluded from TAG. Do not rely on TAG as a safety net for this major. Apply through the regular transfer process, build the strongest GPA you can in CS 2, CS 3, and the calculus sequence, and treat the November 30 UC application deadline as your single most important date.
PCC's Course Renumbering Can Confuse Your Plan
Starting Fall 2025, Pasadena City College adopted the statewide Common Course Numbering system, which changes course codes across many subjects. Courses like MATH 5A and CS 2 may appear under new designations in current schedules. Always cross-check your current PCC schedule against the ASSIST agreement for UCI to confirm the course you're enrolled in is the one that articulates — older planning sheets you find online may use codes that no longer match.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What GPA do I need to transfer from Pasadena City College to UCI for Computer Science?
UCI requires a minimum 3.0 GPA in your UC-transferable coursework for CS, but that number is just the floor. Admitted transfer students typically show a GPA between 3.57 and 3.93, and the CS admit rate is around 21%, making it one of the most selective majors on campus. Aim for excellence in your major prep courses — particularly CS 2, CS 3, and the full MATH 5A–5C calculus sequence at PCC.
Can I use TAG to guarantee my transfer from PCC to UCI for Computer Science?
No — Computer Science is housed in UCI's Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences, and all majors in that school are explicitly excluded from the Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) program. This applies to every California community college, including Pasadena City College. You will need to apply through the standard UC transfer process by the November 30 deadline.
What courses do I need to take at Pasadena City College to prepare for UCI Computer Science?
UCI requires a full year of programming in Python, Java, or C++ — at PCC, that's CS 2 (Introduction to Computer Science I) followed by CS 3 (Introduction to Computer Science II). You'll also need the calculus sequence (MATH 5A, 5B, 5C), linear algebra (MATH 55), and discrete structures (CS 8). Always verify the current articulation on ASSIST.org since PCC adopted new course numbering starting Fall 2025.
Does UCI accept IGETC from Pasadena City College for the Computer Science major?
Yes, UCI accepts IGETC certification for the Computer Science B.S. — completing IGETC at PCC satisfies UCI's lower-division general education breadth requirements. That said, students who began at PCC in Fall 2025 or later should check whether they're following IGETC or the newer Cal-GETC pathway, as IGETC has been archived for new students. Talk to a PCC counselor to confirm which GE pattern applies to your catalog year.
How many units do I need to transfer from Pasadena City College to UCI?
You need a minimum of 60 UC-transferable semester units completed by the end of the spring term before your intended fall enrollment at UCI. For CS, completing the required programming sequence, the full calculus chain through MATH 5C, linear algebra (MATH 55), and IGETC courses will likely bring you close to or past 60 units naturally — but verify your unit count each semester with a PCC counselor.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
Students planning to transfer from Pasadena City College (PCC) to UC Irvine (UCI) for Computer Science are pursuing one of the most competitive pathways in the California community college transfer system. With an admit rate of approximately 21% for the CS major and a typical admitted GPA range of 3.57 to 3.93, transfer planning at PCC needs to start on day one. The Computer Science B.S. lives in UCI's Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences, and every major in that school is excluded from UCI's Transfer Admission Guarantee — so there is no TAG safety net here. That makes careful, proactive planning even more important. The core of your major prerequisites at PCC includes the programming sequence starting with CS 2 (Introduction to Computer Science I), continuing through CS 3, plus the full calculus chain from MATH 5A through MATH 5C, linear algebra in MATH 55, and discrete structures in CS 8. These courses form multi-semester prerequisite chains that must be started in your first semester at PCC — delaying MATH 5A by even one term can push your transfer date back an entire year. UCI accepts IGETC certification for this major, so completing your IGETC pattern alongside your major prerequisites is the right approach, but IGETC should never come at the expense of your math sequence. Students should confirm all current articulation agreements directly on ASSIST.org, especially since PCC adopted the statewide Common Course Numbering system in Fall 2025, which changed many course codes. Tools like Pipeline help students build personalized transfer plans that map every course to a specific semester, flag prerequisite conflicts before they happen, and track IGETC completion alongside major prep — the kind of integrated view that makes the difference between transferring on schedule and getting stuck.
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