Take this gist
https://gist.github.com/wilsonwc/8358542

angular.module('stateMock',[]);

angular.module('stateMock').service($state, function($q){

    this.expectedTransitions = [];

    this.transitionTo = function(stateName){

        if(this.expectedTransitions.length > 0){

            var expectedState = this.expectedTransitions.shift();

            if(expectedState !== stateName){

                throw Error(Expected transition to state:  + expectedState +  but transitioned to  + stateName );

            }

        }else{

            throw Error(No more transitions were expected! Tried to transition to + stateName );

        }

        console.log(Mock transition to:  + stateName);

        var deferred = $q.defer();

        var promise = deferred.promise;

        deferred.resolve();

        return promise;

    }

    this.go = this.transitionTo;

    this.expectTransitionTo = function(stateName){

        this.expectedTransitions.push(stateName);

    }



    this.ensureAllTransitionsHappened = function(){

        if(this.expectedTransitions.length > 0){

            throw Error(Not all transitions happened!);

        }

    }

});

Add it to a file called stateMock in your test/mock folder, include that file in your karma config if it isn't already picked up.

The setup before your test should then look something like this:

beforeEach(module('stateMock'));



// Initialize the controller and a mock scope

beforeEach(inject(function ($state //other vars as needed) {

    state = $state;

    //initialize other stuff

}

Then in your test you should add

state.expectTransitionTo('project');