Community College to UC · Popular Majors
Community College to UC Economics:Prerequisites by Campus
Economics shares one Transfer Pathway across nine UC campuses, and the core prerequisites are microeconomics, macroeconomics, and one year of calculus. Grade thresholds differ by campus, and UC Irvine will close economics to TAG beginning in fall 2028.
- UC Transfer Pathway
- Yes, recognized by all 9 campuses and applicable to 12 economics degree programs
- Pathway prerequisites
- 1 microeconomics course, 1 macroeconomics course, one year of single variable calculus
- Statistics
- Not required at community college under the pathway; some campuses require it after transfer
- TAG for fall 2027
- Open at all six TAG campuses, with GPA thresholds from 2.8 to 3.4
- UC Irvine beginning fall 2028
- Economics, Business Economics, and Quantitative Economics no longer open to TAG
- UCLA fall 2025 Pre-Economics transfer admit rate
- 16% (UCLA transfer profile)
Transfer Admission Data for Economics at Each UC Campus (Fall 2025)
According to the University of California Information Center, admit rates for fall 2025 transfer applicants across the 10 campus majors in the table below range from 15.1% for UC Berkeley Economics to 86.7% for UC Riverside Economics. Of these, 4 fall below the overall transfer admit rate of their campus.
Major names follow the official UC wording; "Pre-" in UCLA major names indicates admission in pre-major status. An admit rate reflects how competitive a major is and does not represent the chance of admission for any individual student.
Admit rate for this majorOverall transfer admit rate of the campus
| Campus | Major (Official UC Name) | Applicants | Admits | Admit Rate | Admit GPA (Middle 50%) | 2016 to 2025 Admit Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UC Berkeley | Economics | 1,772 | 268 | 15.1% | 3.84 to 4.00 | |
| UCLA | Pre-Economics | 1,519 | 246 | 16.2% | 3.91 to 4.00 | |
| UC San Diego | Economics | 989 | 561 | 56.7% | 3.62 to 3.95 | |
| UC Irvine | Economics | 992 | 327 | 33.0% | 3.80 to 4.00 | |
| Quantitative Economics | 82 | 31 | 37.8% | 3.78 to 3.99 | ||
| UC Davis | Economics | 1,738 | 1,162 | 66.9% | 3.55 to 3.91 | |
| UC Santa Barbara | Economics | 2,160 | 1,383 | 64.0% | 3.52 to 3.91 | |
| UC Santa Cruz | Economics | 534 | 415 | 77.7% | 3.26 to 3.81 | |
| UC Riverside | Economics | 504 | 437 | 86.7% | 3.27 to 3.85 | |
| UC Merced | Economics | 272 | 192 | 70.6% | 3.27 to 3.79 |
Fall admission data. UC does not publish categories with fewer than 5 applicants or with fewer than 3 admits or enrollees; these appear as "—". GPA is the self-reported transfer GPA of applicants, and the range covers the middle 50 percent of admitted students. The trend charts use a fixed vertical axis from 0 to 100% for easier comparison; a line breaks in years when the major was renamed. The UC Information Center campus summary table does not yet list UCLA data for fall 2025, so the UCLA rows have no campus-wide admit rate marker. Campus names link to the corresponding transfer guide. Source: UC Infocenter · Transfers by major (visualizedata.ucop.edu, Transfersbymajor workbook, fall admission), retrieved September 27, 2026.
Economics is a popular social science major for community college students transferring to UC, and all 9 undergraduate campuses offer it. The campuses share one UC Transfer Pathway, and the number of prerequisites is small. The core courses are microeconomics, macroeconomics, and one year of calculus. The challenge is that each campus sets different grade thresholds for these courses. UCLA requires students to be admitted directly to economics; students cannot switch into the major after enrolling. Beginning in fall 2028, UC Irvine will no longer open economics to TAG. Community college students aiming for economics at UC should complete calculus early and treat the grades in these courses as a priority. The data section below shows transfer admission results for this major at each campus.
Common Prerequisites
This section explains which courses the UC Transfer Pathway for economics requires. UC Transfer Pathways are standardized prerequisite lists that UC has compiled for popular majors. Following the list satisfies the transfer course requirements for that major at the participating campuses. The UC website states that some campuses may require fewer courses than the pathway, but none will require more.
| Course type | Number of courses | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Microeconomics | 1 course | Pathway requirement |
| Macroeconomics | 1 course | Pathway requirement |
| Single Variable Calculus | One-year sequence | STEM version recommended |
| Statistics | Not required | Some campuses require it after transfer |
The economics pathway applies to 12 degree programs across all 9 undergraduate campuses. Business Management Economics, Economics/Mathematics, and Global Economics at UC Santa Cruz are also included. The UC website notes that a complete calculus sequence takes two to four semesters or quarters, depending on the academic calendar of the college. Which community college course corresponds to which campus requirement should be verified course by course in the articulation system described in the ASSIST guide.
Requirements by Campus
This section compares economics transfer thresholds across the 9 campuses. Most campuses require prerequisites to be completed by the end of the spring term before transfer.
| Campus | Major threshold | Grade requirements | Required prerequisites |
|---|---|---|---|
| UC Berkeley | College of Letters and Science major; direct admission to the chosen major beginning fall 2027 | College minimum transferable GPA 3.0 | One year of calculus, introductory microeconomics and macroeconomics |
| UCLA | Direct admission as Pre-Economics required; no switching in after enrollment | No published minimum | 1 course each in microeconomics and macroeconomics, one year of calculus |
| UC San Diego | Screening major | Prerequisite GPA of at least 2.3, C- or better in each course | 1 course each in microeconomics and macroeconomics, two calculus courses |
| UC Irvine | Prerequisites required | Transferable GPA 2.8, B or better in prerequisites | 1 course each in microeconomics and macroeconomics, two semesters of calculus |
| UC Davis | Selective major | Campus minimum 2.80, prerequisite group GPA 2.50 | Introductory microeconomics and macroeconomics, one calculus series |
| UC Santa Barbara | Selective major | GPA 2.75 in 4 prerequisites, no grade below C | 1 course each in microeconomics and macroeconomics, two calculus courses |
| UC Santa Cruz | Screening major | GPA 2.8 in 3 prerequisites | One calculus course, introductory microeconomics and macroeconomics |
| UC Riverside | Prerequisites required | College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences minimum 2.4 | One calculus course |
| UC Merced | Designated prerequisites required | Not listed separately on this page | See ASSIST |
The UCLA fall 2025 transfer profile shows a Pre-Economics admit rate of 16%. The 25th to 75th percentile GPA range of admitted students was 3.91 to 4.00. The UC Berkeley Department of Economics requires transfer students to complete calculus and introductory economics before enrolling. Intermediate theory courses must be taken at UC Berkeley, and statistics is usually completed there as well. UC San Diego recommends a third calculus course, and Quantitative Economics at UC Irvine adds a linear algebra course. Requirements for Business Economics and Managerial Economics are covered on the business major page.
Is TAG Available?
This section describes economics at the six TAG campuses. The Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) rules are covered in full in TAG: Transfer Admission Guarantee. UC Berkeley, UCLA, and UC San Diego do not participate in TAG.
| Campus | Fall 2027 | Minimum TAG GPA | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| UC Davis | Open | College of Letters and Science 3.2 | Course and GPA requirements for the selective major must be met |
| UC Irvine | Open | 3.4 | Economics, Business Economics, and Quantitative Economics excluded beginning fall 2028 |
| UC Merced | Open | School of Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts 2.8 | Designated prerequisites required |
| UC Riverside | Open | College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences 2.8 | Economics and Business Economics require major preparation courses |
| UC Santa Barbara | Open | 3.4 | Economics has an additional prerequisite GPA requirement |
| UC Santa Cruz | Open | 3.0 | Screening majors have additional prerequisite GPA requirements |
Students who enter community college in fall 2026 and plan to transfer in fall 2028 will no longer be able to use TAG for economics at UC Irvine.
Planning Two Years of Courses
This section gives a sample plan for a community college on the semester system, assuming the student enters in fall 2026 and transfers in fall 2028.
| Term | Major prerequisites | General education and core courses |
|---|---|---|
| Fall 2026 | Calculus I, Microeconomics | English Composition I |
| Spring 2027 | Calculus II, Macroeconomics | English Composition II, general education |
| Fall 2027 | Statistics, depending on target campuses | Two or three general education courses |
| Spring 2028 | Courses recommended by target campuses | Remaining general education courses |
At community colleges on the quarter system, the academic year has three quarters and the same sequence is split into more courses, so students should check ASSIST by quarter. Because economics has few prerequisites, most students can also complete Cal-GETC general education certification. The UC Berkeley College of Letters and Science does not make it an admission requirement but strongly recommends it. None of the six TAG campuses requires Cal-GETC for economics; details are in Cal-GETC general education.
EDUBUS advice: UC Irvine requires grades of B or better in economics prerequisites, and UC Santa Barbara and UC San Diego also set prerequisite GPA thresholds. Students should start calculus in the first semester to leave time for retaking a course if needed. UCLA strongly recommends completing the three prerequisites by the fall term of the year before transfer, and students whose targets include UCLA should follow that timeline. Students transferring in fall 2028 cannot use TAG at UC Irvine and can instead choose UC Davis, UC Santa Cruz, or another campus that remains open.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which courses does a community college student need to transfer to UC in economics?
The UC Transfer Pathway requires 1 microeconomics course, 1 macroeconomics course, and one year of single variable calculus. Statistics is not required at community college, but some campuses require it after transfer. UC recommends the STEM version of calculus to keep more options open.
What does transferring to UCLA economics require?
UCLA requires microeconomics, macroeconomics, and one year of calculus to be completed by the end of the spring term before transfer, and strongly recommends completing them by the end of the fall term. Students must be admitted directly as Pre-Economics and cannot switch into the major after enrolling. The UCLA fall 2025 transfer profile shows an admit rate of 16% for this major.
Can TAG still be used for economics at UC Irvine?
It can still be used for fall 2027 admission. TAG requires a transferable GPA of 3.4 by the end of fall 2026, with grades of B or better in the prerequisites. Beginning with fall 2028 admission, Economics, Business Economics, and Quantitative Economics are no longer open to TAG.
Can AP Economics scores satisfy economics prerequisites?
Rules differ by campus. UC Santa Barbara states that AP Microeconomics and AP Macroeconomics cannot be used for major preparation requirements. UC Santa Cruz counts an AP Economics score of 5 as an A and a 4 as a B toward the major threshold, and does not count a score of 3. The UC Berkeley Department of Economics allows exam scores to be combined with transfer courses.
Sources and Verification Date13 official sources · last verified September 27, 2026
- Transfers by major, fall 2025 and earlier years (UC Infocenter, retrieved September 27, 2026)universityofcalifornia.edu
- UC Transfer Pathways: Economics (UC Admissions)admission.universityofcalifornia.edu
- UC TAG Matrix, Fall 2027 and Spring 2028 Cycle (June 9, 2026 version)admission.universityofcalifornia.edu
- Incoming Transfer Students (UC Berkeley Department of Economics)econ.berkeley.edu
- Transfer admission information by college (UC Berkeley Office of Undergraduate Admissions)admissions.berkeley.edu
- Transfer Preparation Requirements: Economics (UCLA Undergraduate Admission)admission.ucla.edu
- Transfer Profile by Major, Fall 2025 (UCLA Undergraduate Admission)admission.ucla.edu
- Transfer Major Preparation (UC San Diego Undergraduate Admissions)admissions.ucsd.edu
- Transfer Requirements by School (UC Irvine Office of Undergraduate Admissions)admissions.uci.edu
- Major requirements for the College of Letters and Science (UC Davis Undergraduate Admissions)ucdavis.edu
- Selective Majors for Transfer (UC Santa Barbara Undergraduate Admissions)admissions.sa.ucsb.edu
- Economics B.A. (UC Santa Cruz General Catalog)catalog.ucsc.edu
- Majors Preparation Guide (UC Riverside Undergraduate Admissions)admissions.ucr.edu
Major requirements, TAG conditions, and admission data change every year. Before applying, confirm the figures published by UC and each campus for the current year.
