Political Science transfer to UC Merced
What UC Merced expects political science transfers to finish before fall 2027. Below are Merced’s own preparation and selection rules, UC’s shared course list, the TAG terms and your odds.
Checked against official UC and campus sources in November 2026.
At a glance
- Fall 2026 campus admit rate
- 67.5%
- Screens applicants
- No
- TAG GPA line
- 2.80
- Admits transfers
- Yes
UC Merced’s fall 2026 snapshot covers all transfer applicants. It doesn’t publish admit rates by major.
What Merced expects
Political Science, B.A.
- Courses to finish
Fall 2027 preparation is POLI 001 plus POLI 003 or POLI 005 for the Law and Policy emphasis, POLI 001 and POLI 003 for Comparative Politics, and POLI 001 and POLI 005 for International Relations. Source
- Selection
Political Science is an SSHA Pilot major, so from the Fall 2025 through the Fall 2027 application cycles transfer applicants do not need to meet major-specific transfer selection criteria. Source
- Every Merced major
UC Merced's Fall 2027 major preparation page sets a minimum GPA of 2.4 for California residents and 2.8 for nonresidents in the Schools of Engineering, Natural Sciences, and Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts (SSHA). Source
UC Merced states that the primary selection criterion for junior-level transfer students is completion of the required major preparation, with GPA, grade trends, and other factors also considered. Source
Students entering UC Merced in fall 2027, 2028, or 2029 who complete an approved Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) in the major they apply to, meet the junior-level GPA requirement, and meet the other listed conditions may qualify for guaranteed admission and a $4,000 annual scholarship for up to two years. Listed ADT majors include Biological Sciences (B.A. and B.S.), Anthropology, History, Political Science, Liberal Studies, and Critical Race and Ethnic Studies. 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 Merced included. Where Merced’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.
TAG for this major
UC Merced’s TAG covers political science for fall 2027 at a 2.80 UC-transferable GPA. TAG filing runs September 1–30 of the year before you transfer.
Your odds
Move the GPA to see a regular-review range at UC Merced for political science.
The same major at other campuses
| Campus | Screens applicants | TAG |
|---|---|---|
| UC Berkeley | Not stated | No 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 |
Other majors at UC Merced
- Aerospace Engineering
- Anthropology
- Bioengineering
- Biological Sciences
- Business Administration
- Business Economics
- Chemical Engineering
- Chemistry
- Civil Engineering
- Cognitive Science
- Communication
- Computer Science
- Data Science
- Earth Science / Geology
- Economics
- Electrical Engineering
- English
- Environmental Engineering
- Environmental Science
- Film and Media Studies
- History
- Materials Science and Engineering
- Mathematics
- Mechanical Engineering
- Neuroscience
- Philosophy
- Physics
- Psychology
- Public Health
- Sociology
Official links
- UC Merced transfer admissionsadmissions.ucmerced.edu
- ASSIST: course agreements to UC Mercedassist.org
Questions
What GPA do you need to transfer to UC Merced for political science?
UC Merced doesn’t publish a GPA for this major. The middle half of admitted transfers had GPAs from 2.97 to 3.68 for fall 2024, the latest range published. A TAG needs at least a 2.80.
What classes do I need to transfer to UC Merced for political science?
Fall 2027 preparation is POLI 001 plus POLI 003 or POLI 005 for the Law and Policy emphasis, POLI 001 and POLI 003 for Comparative Politics, and POLI 001 and POLI 005 for International Relations. Check each course on ASSIST for your college.
Is political science selective or screened at UC Merced?
UC Merced’s pages don’t list extra screening for it. Admission still depends on your whole application.
Can I get a TAG for political science at UC Merced?
Yes, for fall 2027, with at least a 2.80 GPA. TAG filing runs September 1–30 of the year before you transfer.