Diablo Valley College to UCI
Biology Transfer Plan
Semester-by-semester courses, IGETC requirements, and major prerequisites — verified from real articulation data.
From
Diablo Valley College
To
UC Irvine
BiologyGPA Reality Check
UCI requires a minimum 3.0 GPA for Biology admission, but admitted transfer students typically come in with GPAs in the 3.70–4.00 range — that's a significant gap. For this major, your science courses carry the most weight: grades in CHEM 120, CHEM 121, CHEM 226, CHEM 227, BIOSC 130, and BIOSC 131 are what admissions is actually scrutinizing. If TAG is your goal, the bar is even higher — you need a 3.4 minimum across all UC-transferable coursework to lock in that guarantee.
Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG)
UCI's Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) is one of the most valuable tools available to DVC Biology students — it converts an uncertain admissions process into a guarantee, as long as you hold up your end. You need a 3.4 cumulative UC-transferable GPA and all required major prep courses completed or clearly in-progress by spring before transfer. The process starts in September: build your plan in UC TAP, submit your TAG application between September 1–30, and then file your regular UC application before December 1.
Major Requirements
Biological Sciences, B.S. (School of Biological Sciences) Major Preparation
Biological Sciences, B.S. (School of Biological Sciences) at UC Irvine
Courses at Diablo Valley College that satisfy UC Irvine's Biology major preparation, verified via ASSIST.org.
UCI offers several biology-adjacent majors that students frequently confuse with Biological Sciences: Developmental and Cell Biology, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology are all separate B.S. degrees in the School of Biological Sciences with different upper-division tracks and their own ASSIST articulation pages. If you have a specific career direction — say, med school vs. ecology vs. biotech — it's worth checking whether one of these specialized majors is a better fit before you commit your TAG.
| Course at Diablo Valley College | Satisfies at UCI | Units |
|---|---|---|
| BIOSC 130 — Principles of Cellular and Molecular Biology | BIO SCI 93 | 5 |
| BIOSC 131 — Principles of Organismal Biology, Evolution and Ecology | BIO SCI 94 | 5 |
| CHEM 120 — General College Chemistry I | CHEM 1A (part of General Chemistry year sequence) | 5 |
| CHEM 121 — General College Chemistry II | CHEM 1B/1C with labs (completes General Chemistry year sequence) | 5 |
| CHEM 226 — Organic Chemistry I | CHEM 51A (part of Organic Chemistry year sequence) | 5 |
| CHEM 227 — Organic Chemistry II | CHEM 51B/51C with labs (completes Organic Chemistry year sequence) | 5 |
| MATH 192 — Calculus I | MATH 2A / MATH 5A (Mathematics Requirement — Option 1 or 2) | 4 |
| MATH 193 — Calculus II | MATH 2B / MATH 5B (completes two-semester Calculus option for Mathematics Requirement) | 4 |
General Education
Foundation GE at Diablo Valley College
Complete these five courses at Diablo Valley College to start your UCI GE pattern. Finishing full IGETC/Cal-GETC at the CC is ideal — these five give you the broadest head start, and CCN-tagged courses stay portable if you switch community colleges.
ANTHR 115
Primate Evolution and Adaptation
CHEM 107
Integrated Inorganic, Organic, and Biological Chemistry
HIST 120
History of the United States before 1865
ENGL C1000
Academic Reading and Writing
ENGL C1001
Critical Thinking and Writing
| Area | Course at Diablo Valley College | Units |
|---|---|---|
Life Science | ANTHR 115 — Primate Evolution and Adaptation | 3 |
Physical Science | CHEM 107 — Integrated Inorganic, Organic, and Biological Chemistry | 5 |
Humanities | HIST 120 — History of the United States before 1865 | 3 |
English CompositionCCN | ENGL C1000 — Academic Reading and Writing | 3 |
Critical ThinkingCCN | ENGL C1001 — Critical Thinking and Writing | 3 |
CHEM 120 → CHEM 121 → CHEM 226 → CHEM 227
UCI requires the complete year of General Chemistry AND the complete year of Organic Chemistry for Biology admission — neither half-sequence articulates on its own. Start CHEM 120 in your very first semester at DVC; delay it even once and the entire four-course chain shifts, potentially pushing your transfer back by a full year.
DVC runs on semesters — UCI runs on quarters
Two DVC semesters of chemistry or biology typically convert to three UCI quarters of equivalent material, so your coursework will transfer — but the pace at UCI accelerates significantly, with 10-week quarters replacing your 18-week semesters.
Preview
Your First Semester
A preview of what Pipeline generates — exact courses, in the right order, every semester.
Watch Out
Common Mistakes for This Transfer Path
Start Chemistry Semester One — No Exceptions
The chemistry chain at DVC is four courses deep: CHEM 120 → CHEM 121 → CHEM 226 → CHEM 227. If you wait even one semester to start CHEM 120, you risk pushing CHEM 227 past your transfer application window. Biology transfer students who arrive without both organic chemistry courses completed may find themselves ineligible for admission or stuck finishing lower-division work at UCI on their own time and dime.
Watch How DVC Numbers Its Math Courses
DVC uses MATH 192 and MATH 193 for Calculus I and II — not the MATH 1A/1B numbering you'll see at many other CCs. If you're searching ASSIST or reading transfer guides written for other schools, don't get confused by the different codes. Verify that MATH 192 and MATH 193 are the correct DVC courses that articulate to UCI's MATH 2A and MATH 2B before you enroll.
IGETC Works Here — But Don't Let It Crowd Out Science
UCI accepts IGETC for Biological Sciences, which means you can knock out general education requirements at DVC and arrive at Irvine cleared for upper-division coursework. That said, every semester you spend on IGETC electives is a semester you're not completing a required chemistry or biology course. Prioritize BIOSC 130, CHEM 120, and the sequences that follow — then fill IGETC around them, not the other way around.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What GPA do I need to transfer from Diablo Valley College to UCI for Biology?
UCI requires a minimum 3.0 cumulative UC-transferable GPA to be considered for the Biological Sciences major, but admitted transfer students typically have GPAs in the 3.70–4.00 range. If you want to use TAG to guarantee your admission, that minimum jumps to 3.4 across all UC-transferable coursework. Your grades in core science courses like CHEM 120 and BIOSC 130 carry the most weight.
Does Diablo Valley College have a TAG agreement with UC Irvine for Biology?
Yes — Biological Sciences at UCI participates in the Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) program, and DVC students are eligible to apply. You'll need a 3.4 minimum GPA and all required major prep courses (including both the General Chemistry and Organic Chemistry sequences) completed or clearly on track. Submit your TAG application through UC TAP between September 1–30, then follow up with your regular UC application by December 1.
What courses do I need to take at DVC to prepare for the UCI Biology major?
For the Biological Sciences B.S. at UCI, ASSIST shows you need to complete BIOSC 130 (Principles of Cellular and Molecular Biology) and BIOSC 131 (Principles of Organismal Biology, Evolution and Ecology), the full General Chemistry sequence (CHEM 120 and CHEM 121 with labs), and the full Organic Chemistry sequence (CHEM 226 and CHEM 227 with labs). You also need to satisfy a Math Requirement, which you can meet with two semesters of calculus — MATH 192 and MATH 193 at DVC.
Is IGETC accepted for the Biology major at UC Irvine?
Yes, UCI accepts IGETC for the Biological Sciences B.S., which means completing your general education requirements at DVC can satisfy UCI's breadth requirements upon transfer. That's a real advantage — it lets you arrive at UCI ready to focus on upper-division science coursework. Just make sure you're not sacrificing science prep semesters to knock out GE courses; prioritize BIOSC 130 and CHEM 120 first.
How competitive is the Biology transfer from Diablo Valley College to UC Irvine?
Biology at UCI has an approximately 44% transfer admit rate, making it more accessible than highly impacted majors like Computer Science (around 21%) but still very competitive given the science prerequisites involved. UCI received over 25,000 total transfer applications for Fall 2024, and successful applicants typically show GPAs between 3.70 and 4.00. Your strongest asset as a DVC student is using the TAG program to lock in your admission before the regular cycle even opens.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
Students at Diablo Valley College (DVC) pursuing a transfer to UC Irvine for the Biological Sciences B.S. are navigating one of the more demanding — but very achievable — pathways in the California community college transfer system. Transfer planning for this route requires careful attention to major prerequisites, a science-heavy course sequence, and strategic use of UCI's Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) program. UCI's Biological Sciences major, housed in the School of Biological Sciences, requires completion of a full year of general chemistry with laboratory (CHEM 120 and CHEM 121 at DVC), a full year of organic chemistry with laboratory (CHEM 226 and CHEM 227), and the two-course introductory biology sequence — BIOSC 130, Principles of Cellular and Molecular Biology, and BIOSC 131, Principles of Organismal Biology, Evolution and Ecology. These requirements are confirmed through the ASSIST.org articulation agreement between DVC and UCI. Students who complete IGETC at Diablo Valley College will have their general education requirements certified upon transfer, freeing up bandwidth for upper-division science at UCI. Biology at UCI admits approximately 44% of transfer applicants, but admitted students typically carry GPAs in the 3.70–4.00 range — far above the published 3.0 minimum — meaning your grades in science courses are the real deciding factor. UCI received more than 25,000 transfer applications for Fall 2024, and the median GPA for admitted community college transfers was 3.77. The TAG program, which requires a 3.4 GPA and completed major coursework, is the smartest move DVC Biology students can make — it replaces uncertainty with a guarantee. Tools like Pipeline help students map out exactly which semesters to take CHEM 120, when to stack BIOSC 130, and how to sequence four years' worth of requirements into a two-year plan at DVC.
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