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10 Easiest Transfer Majors: UCI, UCD, UCSB

All About Majors
1. Guide to Business, Econ, Math and Finance Majors by UC
2. Best Majors for Criminology and Law at a UC
3. 10 Easiest Transfer Majors: UC Berkeley, UCLA, UCSD
4. 10 Easiest Transfer Majors: UCI, UCD, UCSB
5. 10 Easiest Transfer Majors: UCSC, UCR, UC Merced
6. Capped + Selective Majors by UC Campus 2018
7. 12 New Majors at the University of California, 2018
8. A Multi-Career Approach to 9 UC Majors

Transferring to Your Dream UC

As part of a series on the Top Ten easiest majors for transfer students at each of the UCs, the following covers Irvine, Davis and Santa Barbara.

As previously noted, these lists do not include the following:

  • Language:  All language majors have higher admits and lower admitted GPAs
  • Creative arts, which usually have lower GPAs but include a portfolio (and often have low admit rates)
  • STEM majors because of the high number of required prep courses.

If you are not clear about Mid-Range GPA or Admit Rate, see 10 Easiest Majors at UC Berkeley for details.
You may also view the 10 Easiest Majors at Santa Cruz, Riverside and Merced.

10 Easiest Majors to Transfer into UC Irvine

MAJORMID-RANGE GPAADMIT RATE
Social Ecology3.07 - 3.6374%
Comparative LIterature3.29 - 3.7268%
Global Cultures3.31 - 3.6266%
International Studies3.25 - 3.7168%
English3.33 - 3.7964%
History3.34 - 3.8264%
Philosophy3.26 - 3.7366%
Psychology and Social Behavior3.25 - 3.7366%
Public Health Policy3.25 - 3.7071%
Anthropology3.20 - 3.6466%

10 Easiest Majors to Transfer into UC Davis

MJAORMID-RANGE GPAADMIT RATE
1.Women's Stduies3.20 - 3.6573%
2.Entomology3.11 - 3.8879%
3.Managerial Economics3.30 - 3.7675%
4.Art History3.28 - 3.7180%
5.Comparative Literature3.32 - 3.8579%
6.Science and Technology Studies3.26 - 3.5091%
7.Economics3.37 - 3.8274%
8.Sociology/Organizational Studies3.35 - 3.7874%
9.Chicano Studies3.07 - 3.3770%
10.Technocultural Studies*3.60 - 3.6975%

*Technocultural Studies may still be listed by its former name Cinema and Digital Media on Assist.

10 Easiest Majors to Transfer into UC Santa Barbara

MAJORMID-RANGE GPAADMIT RATE
1.Actuarial Science3.49 - 3.8977%
2.Art History3.22 - 3.5060%
3.Comparative Studies - Language, Society, Culture3.26 - 3.6464%
4.Statistical Science3.43 - 3.8178%
5.Geography3.32 - 3.7671%
6.Mathematics3.39 - 3.8461%
7.Financial Mathematics and Statistics3.48 - 3.8071%
8.Mathematical Sciences3.38 - 3.7673%
9.English3.34 - 3.8160%
10.Feminist Studies3.33 - 3.6061%

source: https://universityofcalifornia.edu/infocenter/transfers-major

This Post Has 21 Comments

  1. Hi I went to the source for uci and I couldn’t find social ecology. I was hoping you could explain to me how to do it.

  2. Hi, Lindy 🙂 My major is Child Development in CCSF, and I want to transfer to UC Davis, but I didn’t find any major that’s related to Child Development in UC Davis. Can you please help me find it? Many thanks 🙂

  3. Hi Lindy I am trying to transfer from uc Davis to uc Berkeley as a african American studies major and then later switch to sociology as a transfer. My gpa with my Davis record is between a 2.9 and 3.0 currently but uc calculate units differently from community colleges so it might vary. what are my chances at uc Berkeley. Also what major are usually very easy to get into with a gpa range of 3.1-3.3. I know for ucla african American studies is easy to get into because I was accepted with a 3.18

  4. Hi Lindy,
    I got admitted to both UC Davis and UC Santa Barbara for undergrad psychology major. However, I’m having trouble with deciding which school to go to.
    Thanks in advance!

    1. Either one is great. I think you need to decide which campus atmosphere you prefer: beach life or more rural. Davis is a great college town, and Sacramento is about 20 minutes away. It’s fun and has great architecture, but you are a bit more isolated. There is a shuttle that departs daily for UC Berkeley – about an hour or so away. If you really like water, surfing, the beach, a more crazy party scene, you would probably prefer UCSB. Keep in mind the city of SB does not have much industry; Davis doesn’t either but I believe Silicon Valley recruits more from Davis, and there are internship opportunities in Sacramento.

  5. What will be the easiest major to get admitted into UC Davis as a freshman? My Unweighted GPA is 3.67 with 8/9 AP courses. ACT 31. please advise soon application deadline is Nov 30th.

  6. hey lindy, so when i first started community college I wasn’t too sure about my major and i wasn’t serious at all but from spring 2020 i’ve been serious about my studies and im trying to get an A or B in my classes. however i do have only 2.75gpa right now and i’ll be applying for fall 2021 to ucsb as mathematical science. so to apply to UCSB do i already have to have 3.0 gpa or i can’t apply?

    1. Your GPA is admissible with these stipulations from the UCSB math dept:

      ADMISSION SELECTION CRITERIA
      To be admitted to the Pre-Mathematics major, transfer applicants must complete the following (in addition to general admission requirements):
      1. CalculuscoursearticulatingwithUCSB’sMATH3A
      2. CalculuscoursearticulatingwithUCSB’sMATH3B
      3. AcumulativeGPAof2.75orbetterintherequiredcourseslistedabovewithnoindividualgradelowerthan”C”.
      This is a minimum requirement – students are advised to take.

      I’m sorry top is jumbled. That’s how it keeps pasting in and it will take too long to rewrite.

  7. Hi Lindy!

    I am a transfer about to apply for UCLA. My GPA has suffered as I’ve juggled school with work (am 25 years old), but my job history and essay writing are very strong.

    I would like to stay in the social sciences and humanities department. Which major would you recommend for highest chances of admission?

    Thank you so much for your guidance and support, it’s much appreciated!!

  8. Hi there, my number one choice is to transfer to UCI as an Anthropology major. However, my gpa is a 2.98 because I have received a D in a course that I will not make it on time to retake before submitting my transcripts. What are my chances of getting accepted? Do UC’s consider insight questions as well? Please assist.

  9. Hi, I’m currently waiting on transfer admissions decisions. My top school is UCI as a psychology major but I failed a class in the fall and my gpa went down from a 3.04 to a 2.87. I retook the 5 unit class in the winter and received an A. I’m assuming my gpa will jump back up to maybe a 3.1. I was able to update that I had that winter class in progress but not update the grade I received. What are my chances for admission this fall?

    1. Too many unknowns. They only calculate GPA through fall so wouldn’t adjust the GPA in your favor. They may take the A grade into consideration but it’s at their discretion. Since it’s a 5-unit course I’m assuming calculus? If so you cannot get lower than a C. Hope for the best but prepare for the worst.

  10. Hello,
    I’m currently a senior and unfortunately UC Irvine rejected me. I’m planing to transfer my sophomore year to Irvine and the major I want to study is criminology. What gpa should I have for them to accept me? Any advice ?

  11. What is the best path or schools to attend in order to plan for a transfer into UCSB, UCI or UC Davis from a JC?

  12. Hello,
    How easy is it to change your major at a UC (ex.: UCI)? If I were to apply as having an easy major, could I possibly change my major after a semester or a year?
    Thanks,
    Ofelia

    1. It depends on the major. If it is highly selective you probably cannot — although there is a caveat. If you got into a major in the same college (say College of Engineering), you probably can switch to another within that college). This will not necessarily apply to College of Letters and Sciences, which might have Computer Science, Econ or another similar highly selective major. You will need to ask each college as to its rules and don’t rely on this answer.

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Lindy is an independent UC admissions consultant, who works with both transfers and freshmen. She also has just completed her first novel, a supernatural thriller set in San Francisco.

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