De Anza College to UCSD
Biology Transfer Plan
Quarter-by-quarter courses, IGETC requirements, and major prerequisites — verified from real articulation data.
From
De Anza College
To
UC San Diego
GPA Reality Check
The published UC minimum GPA is 3.0, but the middle 50% of admitted UCSD transfer students lands between 3.45 and 3.92 — and Biology is explicitly listed as one of UCSD's most selective majors. For Biology specifically, UCSD screens your major prep GPA separately and requires a minimum 2.5 in those courses just to be considered, but competitive admitted students are earning closer to 3.7 or higher across their science coursework. Your grades in BIOL 6A, 6B, 6C, CHEM 1A, 1B, 1C, and MATH 1A, 1B carry the most weight — these are the exact courses UCSD evaluates for major prep screening, so a weak quarter in chemistry or biology hits your file harder than a bad grade in a humanities elective.
UC Transfer Admission Planner (UC TAP)
UC TAP (UC Transfer Admission Planner) is a free planning tool for all California community college students aiming at a UC. You log your coursework at De Anza, track your major prep and IGETC progress, and the tool maps your plan against each UC's requirements in real time. Set it up in your first quarter at De Anza — counselors can see your TAP account, which makes advising appointments faster and more specific.
Major Requirements
Biology, B.S. — School of Biological Sciences Major Preparation
Biology, B.S. — School of Biological Sciences at UC San Diego
Courses at De Anza College that satisfy UC San Diego's Biology major preparation, verified via ASSIST.org.
UCSD offers several distinct biology-adjacent majors that students frequently mix up: General Biology B.S., Human Biology B.S., Microbiology B.S., Molecular and Cell Biology B.S., and Neurobiology B.S. are all housed in the School of Biological Sciences and each has slightly different upper-division requirements — but all share the same lower-division transfer prep. Pick the specific major you want before you apply, because you'll be admitted (or not) to that specific major.
| Course at De Anza College | Satisfies at UCSD | Units |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 6A — Cell and Molecular Biology | BILD 1 — The Cell | 5 |
| BIOL 6B — Organismal Biology | BILD 2 — Multicellular Life | 5 |
| BIOL 6C — Molecular Evolution and Ecology | BILD 3 — Organismic and Evolutionary Biology | 5 |
| CHEM 1A — General Chemistry I | CHEM 6A — General Chemistry I | 5 |
| CHEM 1B — General Chemistry II | CHEM 6B — General Chemistry II | 5 |
| CHEM 1C — General Chemistry III | CHEM 6C — General Chemistry III | 5 |
| CHEM 12A — Organic Chemistry I | CHEM 140A — Organic Chemistry I | 5 |
| MATH 1A — Calculus I | MATH 20A — Calculus for Science and Engineering I | 5 |
| MATH 1B — Calculus II | MATH 20B — Calculus for Science and Engineering II | 5 |
| PHYS 4A — Calculus-Based Physics: Mechanics | PHYS 2A — Physics — Mechanics | 5 |
| PHYS 4B — Calculus-Based Physics: Electricity and Magnetism | PHYS 2B — Physics — Electricity and Magnetism | 5 |
| MATH 10 — Elementary Statistics | MATH 11 — Calculus-Based Probability and Statistics (statistics requirement) | 5 |
General Education
IGETC at De Anza College
Complete IGETC at De Anza College to satisfy UC San Diego's lower-division GE requirements before transferring.
EWRT 1A — Composition and Reading
5 unitsEWRT 1B — Critical Reading, Literature, and Writing; PHIL 1C — Critical Thinking
5 unitsMATH 10 — Elementary Statistics; MATH 1A — Calculus I; MATH 1B — Calculus II
5 unitsART 1H — History of Western Art; MUS 1 — Introduction to Music; FILM 1 — Introduction to Film
3 unitsHUMI 1 — Introduction to Humanities; ENGL 1D — Introduction to Literature; PHIL 1 — Introduction to Philosophy
3-5 unitsPSYC 1 — General Psychology; SOC 1 — Introduction to Sociology; ECON 1 — Principles of Macroeconomics; ANTH 1 — Biological Anthropology
3-5 unitsCHEM 1A — General Chemistry I (with lab); PHYS 4A — Calculus-Based Physics: Mechanics (with lab)
5 unitsBIOL 6A — Cell and Molecular Biology (with lab); BIOL 6B — Organismal Biology (with lab)
5 unitsSPAN 1 — Elementary Spanish I; FREN 1 — Elementary French I; JAPN 1 — Elementary Japanese I; CNSL 1 — Elementary Chinese I
5 units| Area | Course options at De Anza College | Units |
|---|---|---|
| 1A: English Composition | EWRT 1A — Composition and Reading | 5 |
| 1B: Critical Thinking and Composition | EWRT 1B — Critical Reading, Literature, and Writing; PHIL 1C — Critical Thinking | 5 |
| 2: Mathematical Concepts and Quantitative Reasoning | MATH 10 — Elementary Statistics; MATH 1A — Calculus I; MATH 1B — Calculus II | 5 |
| 3A: Arts | ART 1H — History of Western Art; MUS 1 — Introduction to Music; FILM 1 — Introduction to Film | 3 |
| 3B: Humanities | HUMI 1 — Introduction to Humanities; ENGL 1D — Introduction to Literature; PHIL 1 — Introduction to Philosophy | 3-5 |
| 4: Social and Behavioral Sciences | PSYC 1 — General Psychology; SOC 1 — Introduction to Sociology; ECON 1 — Principles of Macroeconomics; ANTH 1 — Biological Anthropology | 3-5 |
| 5A: Physical Sciences | CHEM 1A — General Chemistry I (with lab); PHYS 4A — Calculus-Based Physics: Mechanics (with lab) | 5 |
| 5B: Biological Sciences | BIOL 6A — Cell and Molecular Biology (with lab); BIOL 6B — Organismal Biology (with lab) | 5 |
| 6: Language Other Than English | SPAN 1 — Elementary Spanish I; FREN 1 — Elementary French I; JAPN 1 — Elementary Japanese I; CNSL 1 — Elementary Chinese I | 5 |
CHEM 1A → 1B → 1C: Partial Series = Zero UCSD Credit
UCSD awards CHEM 6A/6B/6C credit only when you complete the entire three-course general chemistry series — CHEM 1A, 1B, and 1C — at De Anza. If you complete only two of the three courses before you transfer, UCSD will not grant partial equivalency, which creates a gap in your required major prep that you'll have to address after arriving on campus.
Preview
Your First Quarter
A preview of what Pipeline generates — exact courses, in the right order, every quarter.
Watch Out
Common Mistakes for This Transfer Path
Don't Split the Biology Series Across Applications
UCSD requires the full BIOL 6A → 6B → 6C series for BILD 1/2/3 equivalency — completing only two of the three courses earns you zero articulation credit, not partial credit. If you're applying in November of your second year, you need all three done by the end of that spring quarter. Plan to start BIOL 6A no later than your first Fall quarter.
IGETC Frees Up Your Time After Transfer
IGETC is accepted at UCSD's Muir, Marshall, Warren, Roosevelt, Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth Colleges — completing it at De Anza means you arrive at UCSD with your lower-division GE fully satisfied. The one exception is Revelle College, which has additional math and science requirements beyond standard IGETC. If you're placing yourself in Revelle, talk to a counselor before banking on IGETC alone.
Your Major Prep GPA Is Screened Separately
UCSD doesn't just look at your cumulative GPA — it calculates a separate major prep GPA from your science and math courses and requires a minimum of 2.5 to clear the initial screening. That means a C in CHEM 1A, 1B, or MATH 1A doesn't just pull down your overall GPA — it may cut you from consideration entirely. If you earn a grade below a B in any required prep course, seriously consider retaking it at De Anza before you apply.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What GPA do I need to transfer from De Anza College to UCSD for Biology?
The minimum UC GPA to apply is 3.0, but the middle 50% of admitted UCSD transfer students earns between 3.45 and 3.92 — and Biology is one of UCSD's most selective majors. UCSD also screens your major prep GPA separately, requiring at least a 2.5 across courses like BIOL 6A, CHEM 1A, and MATH 1A. Aiming for a 3.7 or higher in those science and math courses gives you the most competitive shot.
Does IGETC work for UCSD Biology transfers from De Anza College?
Yes — IGETC is accepted for Biology transfers at most UCSD colleges, including Muir, Marshall, Warren, Roosevelt, Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth. Revelle College is the exception and requires additional math and natural science coursework beyond standard IGETC. Complete IGETC at De Anza before you transfer and your lower-division GE is essentially done, letting you focus entirely on upper-division biology at UCSD.
Which De Anza courses count as major prep for UCSD Biology?
The core transfer prep courses are BIOL 6A, 6B, and 6C (the full intro biology series), CHEM 1A, 1B, and 1C (general chemistry), CHEM 12A (organic chemistry), MATH 1A and 1B (calculus), PHYS 4A and 4B (calculus-based physics), and a statistics course like MATH 10. All three courses in each series must be completed — UCSD does not grant partial articulation credit for incomplete sequences.
Is UCSD Biology a capped or selective major for transfer students?
Yes — all biology majors in UCSD's School of Biological Sciences are selective, meaning there's a hard enrollment cap. UCSD screens transfer applicants by the number of major prep courses completed, the grades in those courses, and cumulative GPA. In 2019, only about 237 of 900 Biology transfer applicants were admitted (roughly 26%), so completing your prep courses early and maintaining a strong science GPA matters a lot.
How does UC TAP help De Anza students applying to UCSD Biology?
UC TAP (UC Transfer Admission Planner) is a free online tool where you log your De Anza coursework, grades, and planned classes so you can see exactly where you stand against UCSD's transfer requirements. Your De Anza counselor can view your TAP account directly, which makes advising appointments much more targeted. Set it up in your first quarter — it's one of the clearest ways to stay on track with major prep and IGETC simultaneously.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
Transferring from De Anza College to UC San Diego as a Biology major is one of the most well-traveled STEM pathways in California — but it's also one of the most demanding to execute correctly. De Anza College sends more students to UCSD each year than nearly any other community college in the state, and students who succeed in this pathway treat transfer planning like a second major starting day one. The Biology B.S. at UCSD's School of Biological Sciences is a selective, capped program that screens applicants on both cumulative GPA and a separate major prep GPA — with the middle 50% of all admitted UCSD transfers earning between 3.45 and 3.92. Major prerequisites include the full BIOL 6A, 6B, 6C intro biology sequence, the CHEM 1A, 1B, 1C general chemistry series, CHEM 12A organic chemistry, MATH 1A and 1B calculus, PHYS 4A and 4B calculus-based physics, and a statistics course like MATH 10 — and UCSD only grants articulation credit when full sequences are completed, not partial ones. On the general education side, IGETC is accepted for Biology transfers at most UCSD colleges, so completing IGETC at De Anza means you arrive at UCSD with your lower-division GE finished and can dive straight into upper-division coursework. Tools like Pipeline help students map out exactly which quarter to take each course, so they can sequence BIOL 6A before 6B, start MATH 1A early enough to unlock PHYS 4A, and finish IGETC without doubling up unnecessarily. With Biology among UCSD's most competitive transfer majors, there's no margin for guesswork — a personalized, quarter-by-quarter plan built from the real ASSIST articulation data between De Anza College and UC San Diego is the difference between a complete application and one that gets screened out at the first review.
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