Transfer Credits

Courses taken at California Community Colleges (CCCs) may have formal articulation as a UCSD Physics course - follow these steps to find out: 

1. Go to ASSIST


2. Look for the box labeled "Search below for articulation agreements"


3. In the "Academic Year" dropdown, select the academic year corresponding to when your CCC


4. In the ""Institution" dropdown, select your CCC


5. In the "Agreements with Other Institutions" dropdown, select "To: University of California, San Diego"


6. Click the blue button labeled "View Agreements"


7. Change the "View Agreement by" bubble to "Department"


8. Leave the "at University of California, San Diego" bubble marked


9. From the list of Departments, click "Physics"


10. Please review and comply with the agreement exactly as listed - it is the only way to be awarded the posted articulation. The example and explanation provided below will assist you in understanding how to properly interpret an articulation agreement.

Example

Explanation of Example

In the articulation above we see that:

(1) Though SD Mesa's courses have unique titles, units, and are taught a bit differently than UCSD (eg. with combined lecture and lab components in one course), they have been reviewed and approved for equivalency.

• SD Mesa's PHYS 195 covers all of UCSDs PHYS 2A (Mechanics Lecture) and all of UCSds PHYS 2BL (Mechanics Lab). A student who takes SD Mesa's PHYS 195 will receive equivalency for UCSDs PHYS 2A and 2BL.

(2) A combo of courses taken at SD Mesa are required for a particular equivalency.

• SD Mesa's PHYS 195 covers only some of UCSDs PHYS 2C. SD Mesa's PHYS 195 includes only some of UCSDs PHYS 2C content.  SD Mesa's PHYS 196 includes only some of UCSDs PHYS 2C content. SD Mesa's PHYS 197 includes only some of UCSDs PHYS 2C content. A student who does not take SD Mesa's PHYS 195 + 196 + 197 will not receive a PHYS 2C equivalency at UCSD. 


• PHYS 195 + 196 + 197 must be taken at San Diego Mesa College to earn a PHYS 2C equivalency at UCSD.

(3) You cannot combine a UCSD course, and/or an AP/IB/A-Level exam, with SD Mesa courses to receive an equivalency because they do not contain material from other UCSD couses. 

• UCSDs PHYS 2A, 2B, and 2D do not include any content from UCSDs PHYS 2C. 


• AP Physics C exams do not include any content from UCSDs PHYS 2C. 


• IB Physics exams do not include any content from UCSDs PHYS 2C. 


• A-Level Physics exams do not include any content from UCSDs PHYS 2C.

Courses taken at another UC may have formal articulation as a UCSD Physics course - follow these steps to find out: 

1. Go to the Physics 1 & 2 series Frequently Asked Questions


2. Open the section called "TRANSFER PHYSICS COURSES / PETITIONS FOR COURSE EQUIVALENCY"


3. Select the question that asks "What courses at other UC campuses (UCs) are equivalent to the 1 series or 2 series?"


4. Review the info. and chart to see what must be taken to receive a PHYS 1 or 2 Series equivalency at UCSD and policies on courses without articulation.

Example

Explanation of Example

The chart is only a portion of the UC-to-UC chart. To see the complete chart, you must follow the steps above. Notice:

• UCBs PHYS 8A, alone, must be completed to earn UCSD PHYS 1A course equivalency. All of UCSDs PHYS 1A is covered in UCBs PHYS 8A.
  • UCBs PHYS 8A also covers all of UCSDs PHYS 1AL, so the student who takes UCBs PHYS 8A will also earn an equivalency for UCSDs PHYS 1AL.

• UCI does not offer a course that is equivalent to UCSDs PHYS 1AL.

• UCD splits up their content differently than UCSD does:

  • UCDs PHYS 7B includes only some of UCSDs PHYS 1B content, only some of UCSDs PHYS 1BL content, only some of UCSDs PHYS 1C content, and only some of UCSDs PHYS 1BL content. A student who takes only UCDs PHYS 7B will not receive any equivalency at UCSD. 

  • UCDs PHYS 7C includes only some of UCSDs PHYS 1B content, only some of UCSDs PHYS 1BL content, only some of UCSDs PHYS 1C content, and only some of UCSDs PHYS 1BL content. A student who takes only UCDs PHYS 7C will not receive any equivalency at UCSD. 

  • The combo of UCDs PHYS 7B & 7C cover all of UCSDs PHYS 1B, 1BL, 1C, and 1CL. Students must take PHYS 7B & 7C at UCD to receive equivalency for UCSDs PHYS 1B, 1BL, 1C, and 1CL. 

You may pursue physics courses at a private college and/or institution outside of California that allows you to enroll. However, there are additional steps you must follow:

1. Confirm UC Transferability – See the University of California policies on UC transfer credit eligibility. 

2. Submit a Course Equivalency Petition – If the course is UC-transferable, you must submit a petition to determine whether it can be considered equivalent to a specific UC San Diego physics course. Please note that UC San Diego does not have pre-established equivalencies with non-UC or non-CCC institutions, so approval is not guaranteed.

You are responsible for identifying a course that appears to be equivalent, and initiating the petition process. For detailed instructions on how and when to submit a Physics Course Equivalency Request—and to understand the review timeline—please visit our Petitions & Forms webpage.

Please Note: "Remote" lower and upper division physics lecture courses, as well as "remote" lower division physics lab courses (but not upper division lab courses), offered in real-time during COVID (AY2020-2021) may be considered for course equivalency at UCSD. However, "online" and "hybrid" courses (eg. courses that are conducted online, via independent study, with/without the exception of exams, and/or were self-paced) are ineligible for equivalency at UCSD unless the courses were taken within the UC-system (See UC Online). At this time, the exception is courses that are already articulated on ASSIST.

Please proceed to your Academic History Report and look to see if you have a section called Transfer Courses with your work. If so, check the "UCSD Approx" column to see which physics courses have been granted equivalency. 

Read subsequent FAQs if one/more physics courses have not yet been posted.

Read subsequent FAQs if one/more physics courses have been posted but are missing one/more equivalencies.

The Office of Admissions receives and posts transfer courses to UCSD records (academic departments do not receive officail transcripts and/or post transfer courses to UCSD records. Students must send official transcripts to the UCSD Office of Admissions. UCSD Admissions typically posts transfer coursework within 8 weeks of receiving a transcript. If your transfer coursework is not posted to your UCSD record 8 weeks after UCSD Admissions confirms receipt of your transcript, please contact UCSD Admissions (not the Physics Department) using the appropriate email:

• For students in their first term at UCSD or those who haven’t yet started, email: admissions@ucsd.edu
• For students who have completed their first term at UCSD, email: academicrecords@ucsd.edu

Check TritonLink to confirm receipt. If received, contact UCSD Admissions for an update. If not, contact the sending school to verify submission.

Determine which category on the chart below that you fit into and follow instructions for that category: