Political Science at UC Berkeley
What UC Berkeley expects political science transfers to finish before fall 2027. Below are Berkeley’s own preparation and selection rules, UC’s shared course list, the programs that give priority and your odds.
Checked against official UC and campus sources in November 2026.
At a glance
- Fall 2025 campus admit rate
- 27.8%
- Screens applicants
- Not stated
- TAG at Berkeley
- No TAG
- Admits transfers
- Yes
UC Berkeley admitted 27.8% of community college applicants for fall 2025, and it doesn’t publish admit rates by major. The middle half of admitted transfers had GPAs from 3.65 to 4.00 for fall 2025.
What Berkeley expects
Political Science B.A.
- Courses to finish
Declaration requires two of PS 1, 2, 4 and 5, ideally one in the intended subfield, with ASSIST listing approved community college lecture courses. PS 3 has no community college equivalent and must be taken at Berkeley. Source
- Selection
A 2.0 GPA overall and in major courses is required, and AP credit does not satisfy requirements except the AP American Government early-declaration exception. Source
- Also note
Starting Fall 2027, transfers who select Political Science on the UC application are automatically declared, and missing prerequisites must be completed in the first semester. Source
Starting Fall 2027, transfers offered admission to Letters and Science are admitted directly into the major selected on the UC application, with no separate declaration process. Source
Letters and Science requires the UC 7-course pattern and a minimum 3.0 UC-transferable GPA by the end of the fall term of application. IGETC, Cal-GETC and Essential Skills are not required for admission. Source
- Every Berkeley major
Every Berkeley college requires at least 60 semester (90 quarter) UC-transferable units by the end of the spring term before fall enrollment, and major preparation is listed on ASSIST and in the Berkeley Catalog. Source
UC’s shared course list
UC’s Political science Transfer Pathway lists the courses that prepare you for this major at every campus, UC Berkeley included. Where Berkeley’s own list above asks for more, follow the campus.
| Course | Status |
|---|---|
| Introduction to American government and politics | Choose 3 of 4: core |
| Introduction to political theory and thought | Choose 3 of 4: core |
| Introduction to comparative government and politics | Choose 3 of 4: core |
| Introduction to international relations | Choose 3 of 4: core |
| A fourth course from the core list | Recommended |
| Introduction to statistics (one course) | Recommended |
| One UC-transferable history or civilization course (e.g., Western civilization, U.S. history, East Asian civilization) | Recommended |
| Microeconomics or macroeconomics (one course) | Recommended |
Paste your course titles to see which items they cover.
No TAG at UC Berkeley
UC Berkeley doesn’t offer TAG, and no program guarantees transfer admission there. Every applicant goes through regular review, and each college sets its own GPA floor.
Your odds
Move the GPA to see a regular-review range at UC Berkeley for political science.
The same major at other campuses
| Campus | Screens applicants | TAG |
|---|---|---|
| UCLA | Yes | No TAG |
| UC San Diego | No | No TAG |
| UC Irvine | Yes | 3.40 |
| UC Davis | No | 3.20 |
| UC Santa Barbara | No | 3.40 |
| UC Santa Cruz | No | 3.00 |
| UC Riverside | Not stated | 2.80 |
| UC Merced | No | 2.80 |
Other majors at UC Berkeley
- Aerospace Engineering
- Anthropology
- Bioengineering
- Biological Sciences
- Business Administration
- Chemical Engineering
- Chemistry
- Civil Engineering
- Cognitive Science
- Communication
- Computer Engineering
- Computer Science
- Data Science
- Earth Science / Geology
- Economics
- Electrical Engineering
- English
- Environmental Engineering
- Environmental Science
- Film and Media Studies
- Global and International Studies
- History
- Linguistics
- Materials Science and Engineering
- Mathematics
- Mechanical Engineering
- Neuroscience
- Philosophy
- Physics
- Psychology
- Public Health
- Sociology
- Statistics
Official links
- UC Berkeley transfer admissionsadmissions.berkeley.edu
- ASSIST: course agreements to UC Berkeleyassist.org
Questions
What GPA do you need to transfer to UC Berkeley for political science?
A 2.0 GPA overall and in major courses is required, and AP credit does not satisfy requirements except the AP American Government early-declaration exception.
What classes do I need to transfer to UC Berkeley for political science?
Declaration requires two of PS 1, 2, 4 and 5, ideally one in the intended subfield, with ASSIST listing approved community college lecture courses. PS 3 has no community college equivalent and must be taken at Berkeley. Check each course on ASSIST for your college.
Can I get a TAG for political science at UC Berkeley?
UC Berkeley doesn’t offer TAG, and no program guarantees transfer admission there. Every applicant goes through regular review, and each college sets its own GPA floor.