Diablo Valley College to UCI
Nursing Transfer Plan
Semester-by-semester courses, IGETC requirements, and major prerequisites — verified from real articulation data.
From
Diablo Valley College
To
UC Irvine
GPA Reality Check
UCI's minimum transfer GPA is 2.4, but the median GPA for admitted community college transfers is 3.77 — and that's across all majors. Nursing Science is one of UCI's most selective programs, with a program goal of graduating just 50 students per year, so the realistic bar sits considerably higher. The courses that matter most are your science prerequisites: UCI explicitly requires a grade of B or higher in all prerequisite courses completed at a California public college or university. A C in CHEM 121 or BIOL 120 isn't just risky — it may be grounds for rejection.
Major Requirements
Nursing Science (B.S.) — Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing Major Preparation
Nursing Science (B.S.) — Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing at UC Irvine
Courses at Diablo Valley College that satisfy UC Irvine's Nursing major preparation, verified via ASSIST.org.
Students sometimes confuse UCI's Nursing Science B.S. with UCI's Public Health or Biological Sciences programs. Only Nursing Science leads directly to NCLEX-RN eligibility at UCI — you cannot switch into it after being admitted to a different major as a transfer student, so applying directly to Nursing Science is the only path.
| Course at Diablo Valley College | Satisfies at UCI | Units |
|---|---|---|
| CHEM 120 — General Chemistry I | CHEM 1A — General Chemistry | 5 |
| CHEM 121 — General Chemistry II | CHEM 1B — General Chemistry | 5 |
| CHEM 122 — General Chemistry III | CHEM 1C — General Chemistry | 5 |
| CHEM 230 — Organic Chemistry I | CHEM 51A — Organic Chemistry | 5 |
| CHEM 231 — Organic Chemistry II | CHEM 51B — Organic Chemistry | 5 |
| BIOL 120 — General Biology I | BIO SCI 93 — Introduction to Cell and Molecular Biology | 4 |
| BIOL 121 — General Biology II | BIO SCI 94 — Introduction to Organismal Biology | 4 |
| MATH 120 — Introduction to Statistics | STATS 7 — Introduction to Statistics | 4 |
| BIOL 138 — Human Anatomy | Anatomy prerequisite for Nursing Science transfer preparation | 4 |
| BIOL 139 — Human Physiology | Physiology prerequisite for Nursing Science transfer preparation | 4 |
General Education
IGETC at Diablo Valley College
Complete IGETC at Diablo Valley College to satisfy UC Irvine's lower-division GE requirements before transferring.
ENGL 122 (English Composition)
4 unitsENGL 123 (Composition and Critical Thinking)
3 unitsMATH 120 (Introduction to Statistics) — also satisfies major prep
4 unitsART 100 (Art Appreciation), MUSIC 120 (Music Appreciation)
3 unitsENGL 115 (Introduction to Literature), PHIL 120 (Introduction to Philosophy)
3 unitsPSYCH 120 (Introduction to Psychology), SOCI 120 (Introduction to Sociology), POLS 120 (American Government)
3 unitsCHEM 120 (General Chemistry I) — double-counts with major prep
5 unitsBIOL 120 (General Biology I) — double-counts with major prep
4 unitsSPAN 120 (Elementary Spanish I), FREN 120 (Elementary French I), JAPN 120 (Elementary Japanese I)
5 units| Area | Course options at Diablo Valley College | Units |
|---|---|---|
| 1A: English Composition | ENGL 122 (English Composition) | 4 |
| 1B: Critical Thinking and Composition | ENGL 123 (Composition and Critical Thinking) | 3 |
| 2: Mathematical Concepts and Quantitative Reasoning | MATH 120 (Introduction to Statistics) — also satisfies major prep | 4 |
| 3A: Arts | ART 100 (Art Appreciation), MUSIC 120 (Music Appreciation) | 3 |
| 3B: Humanities | ENGL 115 (Introduction to Literature), PHIL 120 (Introduction to Philosophy) | 3 |
| 4: Social and Behavioral Sciences | PSYCH 120 (Introduction to Psychology), SOCI 120 (Introduction to Sociology), POLS 120 (American Government) | 3 |
| 5A: Physical Sciences | CHEM 120 (General Chemistry I) — double-counts with major prep | 5 |
| 5B: Biological Sciences | BIOL 120 (General Biology I) — double-counts with major prep | 4 |
| 6: Language Other Than English | SPAN 120 (Elementary Spanish I), FREN 120 (Elementary French I), JAPN 120 (Elementary Japanese I) | 5 |
CHEM 120 → CHEM 230: A Five-Semester Chain
Before you can enroll in Organic Chemistry I (CHEM 230), you must complete all three semesters of General Chemistry at DVC (CHEM 120, 121, and 122) — that's a minimum five-semester chain from start to finish of organic chemistry. Starting CHEM 120 even one semester late can leave critical prerequisites incomplete when UCI applications open in October of your second year.
UCI runs on quarters — DVC runs on semesters
When you transfer to UCI, your 16-week semester rhythm gets replaced by 10-week quarter terms that move fast, so plan to hit the ground running — the science coursework in Nursing Science leaves zero room for a slow start.
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
TAG Does Not Cover Nursing Science
A lot of DVC students know about the Transfer Admission Guarantee and assume it applies to their major — it doesn't for Nursing Science. UCI's official TAG page explicitly lists Nursing Science as one of the few programs excluded. You'll need to apply through the standard UC application process, which means your GPA and completed prerequisites do all the heavy lifting.
Start CHEM 120 Your Very First Semester
General Chemistry at DVC is a three-semester sequence (CHEM 120 → 121 → 122), and you can't touch Organic Chemistry until you've finished all three. If you wait one semester to start, you risk still being in CHEM 231 when UCI applications open in October — with an unfinished prerequisite that can sink your application. There is no workaround: put CHEM 120 in your first fall semester.
Cs Won't Cut It in Your Science Classes
UCI's nursing transfer requirements state that prerequisites completed at a California public college must be passed with a B or higher — not the typical C. That standard applies to CHEM 120 through CHEM 231, BIOL 120, BIOL 121, and your anatomy and physiology courses. If you're borderline in any of these, seriously consider retaking the course rather than moving forward with a low grade on your transcript.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use TAG to get into UC Irvine Nursing Science from Diablo Valley College?
No — Nursing Science is one of a small number of UCI majors explicitly excluded from the Transfer Admission Guarantee program. This is confirmed on UCI's own admissions website. You'll apply through the regular UC application process, so your GPA in courses like CHEM 120 and BIOL 120 becomes your entire case for admission.
What GPA do I need to transfer from Diablo Valley College to UCI Nursing?
UCI's technical minimum for California residents is a 2.4 transferable GPA, but that number is essentially irrelevant for Nursing Science. The median GPA of admitted UC Irvine transfer students across all majors is 3.77, and Nursing is one of the most competitive programs on campus with an acceptance rate well under 10%. Beyond overall GPA, UCI specifically requires a B or higher in all prerequisite science courses completed at a California public college.
Does UC Irvine accept IGETC for Nursing Science transfers?
Yes, UCI generally accepts IGETC as a substitute for its General Education requirement, and Nursing Science is not formally excluded. The smart move is to double-count your science prerequisites: CHEM 120 satisfies IGETC Area 5A and BIOL 120 satisfies Area 5B, both while also fulfilling major prep. Note that starting Fall 2025, IGETC has transitioned to the new Cal-GETC pattern — confirm your plan with a DVC counselor.
What science classes do I need to take at Diablo Valley College before transferring to UCI Nursing?
UCI's nursing transfer prerequisites include a full year of general chemistry with lab (CHEM 120, 121, 122 at DVC), a full year of organic chemistry with lab (CHEM 230 and 231), a year of general biology (BIOL 120 and 121), human anatomy (BIOL 138), human physiology (BIOL 139), and a statistics course (MATH 120). That is a substantial course load — start mapping it out in your first semester at DVC.
What happens if I transfer to UCI in a different major and then try to switch into Nursing Science?
This is a path that is officially closed. UCI's School of Nursing states explicitly that transfer students admitted to a non-nursing major are not eligible to apply to change their major to Nursing Science. If nursing is your goal, you must apply directly to the Nursing Science major on your original UC application — there is no backdoor.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
Planning to transfer from Diablo Valley College (DVC) to UC Irvine (UCI) as a Nursing Science major is one of the most demanding transfer pathways in the California community college system, and getting the details right from day one makes the difference between graduating as a registered nurse and spending an extra year patching together prerequisites. UCI's Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing offers a Bachelor of Science in Nursing Science — a direct-entry program that prepares graduates to sit for the NCLEX-RN — but admits a very small cohort each year, with an acceptance rate well under 10%. The median GPA of admitted UCI transfer students across all majors is 3.77, and Nursing Science sits at the competitive end of that range. Transfer planning for this pathway starts with major prerequisites: DVC students need to complete a three-semester general chemistry sequence (starting with CHEM 120), two semesters of organic chemistry, two semesters of general biology, human anatomy (BIOL 138), human physiology (BIOL 139), and statistics (MATH 120) — all with grades of B or higher as required by UCI for prerequisite courses completed at California public colleges. IGETC remains a viable general education path, and the good news is that CHEM 120 and BIOL 120 double-count toward both major prep and IGETC area requirements, helping you stay on pace to hit 60 transferable units. One critical thing DVC students must know: Nursing Science is explicitly excluded from UCI's Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) program, so there is no guaranteed admission shortcut for this major. Every application lives or dies by GPA and completed coursework. Tools like Pipeline help students at Diablo Valley College build personalized semester-by-semester plans that account for prerequisite chains, IGETC completion, and UCI's specific admissions requirements — so nothing slips through the cracks on the way to UCI.
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