Mt. San Antonio College to UCI
Nursing Transfer Plan
Semester-by-semester courses, IGETC requirements, and major prerequisites — verified from real articulation data.
From
Mt. San Antonio College
To
UC Irvine
GPA Reality Check
The UC minimum to apply is 3.0, but UCI's Nursing Science program is one of the most competitive on any UC campus — accepted students routinely carry GPAs well above that floor. The median GPA for all CA community college transfers to UCI is 3.77, and nursing draws from the top of that pool. More importantly, UCI requires a letter grade of B or higher in all prerequisite courses completed at a California community college — so it's not just your cumulative GPA that matters, it's every single science grade. CHEM 10, 11, and 12 and your biology courses are the ones that will make or break your application.
Major Requirements
Nursing Science (Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing, B.S.) Major Preparation
Nursing Science (Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing, B.S.) at UC Irvine
Courses at Mt. San Antonio College that satisfy UC Irvine's Nursing major preparation, verified via ASSIST.org.
UCI's Nursing Science B.S. is the only direct-entry nursing degree on campus — but students sometimes confuse it with the Master's Entry Program in Nursing (MEPN), which is a graduate-level pathway for people who already hold a bachelor's degree in a non-nursing field. If you're transferring from a community college without a prior bachelor's degree, the B.S. transfer path is the one you want. Do not apply to UCI in a non-nursing major hoping to switch in later — students admitted to a different major are not eligible to change into Nursing Science.
| Course at Mt. San Antonio College | Satisfies at UCI | Units |
|---|---|---|
| CHEM 10 — General Chemistry I | CHEM 1A — General Chemistry | 5 |
| CHEM 11 — General Chemistry II | CHEM 1B — General Chemistry | 5 |
| CHEM 12 — General Chemistry III | CHEM 1C — General Chemistry | 5 |
| BIOL 1 — Cell and Molecular Biology | BIO SCI 93 — Introduction to Cell and Molecular Biology | 4 |
| BIOL 2 — Organismal Biology | BIO SCI 94 — Introduction to Organismal and Evolutionary Biology | 4 |
| ANAT 10 — Human Anatomy | Human Anatomy (lower-division prep requirement) | 4 |
| PHYSIO 1 — Human Physiology | Human Physiology (lower-division prep requirement) | 4 |
| MICRO 10 — General Microbiology | Microbiology (lower-division prep requirement) | 4 |
| MATH 110 — Statistics | Statistics (lower-division prep requirement) | 4 |
| ENGL 1A — Reading and Composition | English Composition (lower-division prep requirement) | 4 |
General Education
IGETC at Mt. San Antonio College
Complete IGETC at Mt. San Antonio College to satisfy UC Irvine's lower-division GE requirements before transferring.
ENGL 1A (Reading and Composition)
4 unitsENGL 1B (Literature and Composition), ENGL 1C (Argument and Research)
4 unitsMATH 110 (Statistics), MATH 150 (Calculus I)
4 unitsART 101 (Art History: Prehistoric to Gothic), MUS 20 (Music Appreciation)
3 unitsENGL 5 (Introduction to Literature), PHIL 1 (Introduction to Philosophy)
3 unitsPSYC 1A (Introduction to Psychology), SOC 1 (Introduction to Sociology), HIST 11 (History of the United States I)
3 unitsCHEM 10 (General Chemistry I), PHYS 1A (Physics)
3-5 unitsBIOL 1 (Cell and Molecular Biology), BIOL 2 (Organismal Biology), ANAT 10 (Human Anatomy)
3-4 unitsSPAN 1 (Elementary Spanish I), FREN 1 (Elementary French I), JAPN 1 (Elementary Japanese I)
4-5 units| Area | Course options at Mt. San Antonio College | Units |
|---|---|---|
| 1A: English Composition | ENGL 1A (Reading and Composition) | 4 |
| 1B: Critical Thinking and Composition | ENGL 1B (Literature and Composition), ENGL 1C (Argument and Research) | 4 |
| 2: Mathematical Concepts and Quantitative Reasoning | MATH 110 (Statistics), MATH 150 (Calculus I) | 4 |
| 3A: Arts | ART 101 (Art History: Prehistoric to Gothic), MUS 20 (Music Appreciation) | 3 |
| 3B: Humanities | ENGL 5 (Introduction to Literature), PHIL 1 (Introduction to Philosophy) | 3 |
| 4: Social and Behavioral Sciences | PSYC 1A (Introduction to Psychology), SOC 1 (Introduction to Sociology), HIST 11 (History of the United States I) | 3 |
| 5A: Physical Sciences | CHEM 10 (General Chemistry I), PHYS 1A (Physics) | 3-5 |
| 5B: Biological Sciences | BIOL 1 (Cell and Molecular Biology), BIOL 2 (Organismal Biology), ANAT 10 (Human Anatomy) | 3-4 |
| 6: Language Other Than English | SPAN 1 (Elementary Spanish I), FREN 1 (Elementary French I), JAPN 1 (Elementary Japanese I) | 4-5 |
CHEM 10 → CHEM 11 → CHEM 12
The full three-semester General Chemistry sequence at Mt. SAC must be completed before you transfer, and each course is a prerequisite for the next — meaning you cannot compress or skip any term. If you delay CHEM 10, you risk running out of semesters to finish the sequence, which leaves your UCI Nursing application incomplete.
UCI runs on quarters — Mt. SAC runs on semesters
You're used to 18-week semesters, but at UCI every course moves at quarter speed — roughly 10 weeks — so expect the same material to hit faster and plan to hit the ground running the moment you arrive.
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
Don't wait to start General Chemistry
CHEM 10, CHEM 11, and CHEM 12 must all be completed before you transfer — that's three consecutive semesters of chemistry alone. If you don't start CHEM 10 in your very first semester at Mt. SAC, you'll either need a summer course or you'll run out of time. Plan chemistry first, everything else around it.
TAG does not cover Nursing Science at UCI
UC Irvine's Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) program explicitly excludes Nursing Science — it's listed by name as a non-participating major. Don't plan your transfer timeline around a TAG guarantee that doesn't exist for this major. You'll need to apply through the standard UC transfer application process and compete in the regular applicant pool.
A C in a prereq course is not enough for nursing
UCI's Nursing Science admissions require a letter grade of B or higher in all prerequisite courses completed at a California community college — not just a passing C. If you earn a C in ANAT 10 or MICRO 10, you may technically complete the course but still be disqualified from admission. Aim for an A in every science class from day one.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What GPA do I need to transfer from Mt. San Antonio College to UCI Nursing?
The published minimum cumulative GPA for UCI transfer applicants is 3.0, but Nursing Science is one of UCI's most selective programs — the median GPA for all CA community college transfers to UCI overall is around 3.77, and nursing draws from the top of that pool. More critically, UCI requires a B or higher in every prerequisite course completed at a California community college, including Mt. SAC's CHEM 10, ANAT 10, and MICRO 10.
Does UCI Nursing participate in the TAG program from Mt. SAC?
No — Nursing Science is explicitly excluded from UC Irvine's Transfer Admission Guarantee program. UCI's own admissions page lists Nursing Science by name as a major that does not participate in TAG. You'll need to apply through the standard UC application process and compete in the general transfer applicant pool.
Can I use IGETC to satisfy GE requirements for UCI Nursing Science?
Yes. The official UCI Nursing Science course planner confirms that incoming transfer students may satisfy all GE requirements with full IGETC certification. Completing IGETC at Mt. SAC — including ENGL 1A, MATH 110, and the language requirement — is a smart and efficient way to clear your general education before you transfer.
What science courses do I need to take at Mt. SAC before transferring to UCI Nursing?
You'll need to complete the three-semester General Chemistry sequence (CHEM 10, CHEM 11, CHEM 12), two biology courses (BIOL 1 and BIOL 2), Human Anatomy (ANAT 10), Human Physiology (PHYSIO 1), and General Microbiology (MICRO 10). All of these must be completed with letter grades — UCI requires B or better in prereqs taken at California community colleges.
How many applicants apply to transfer to UCI each year and what are my chances for nursing?
For Fall 2024, UC Irvine received 25,094 total transfer applications campus-wide. Nursing Science is one of the most selective programs at UCI — described by the school itself as 'competitive and highly selective,' with a program goal of graduating only about 50 students per year. The overall acceptance rate for UCI's Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing is reported to be well under 10%, making strong science grades and a clean academic record essential.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
Students at Mt. San Antonio College planning to transfer into the Nursing Science B.S. program at UC Irvine are stepping into one of the most competitive transfer pathways in the California community college system. The UCI Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing is highly selective — with an acceptance rate reported to be well under 10% for the nursing major specifically — so transfer planning needs to start on day one at Mt. SAC, not semester three. The foundation of this pathway is the full three-semester General Chemistry sequence: CHEM 10, CHEM 11, and CHEM 12 must all be completed before you transfer, along with Human Anatomy, Human Physiology, General Microbiology, and both semesters of biology. UCI also requires a letter grade of B or higher in all major prerequisites completed at a California community college, which raises the bar well above a standard passing grade. On the general education side, incoming transfer students may satisfy all GE requirements with full IGETC certification, meaning courses like ENGL 1A, MATH 110 (Statistics), and a language course from Mt. SAC's IGETC-approved list can be double-counted toward both admission and GE. Unlike some other UCI majors, Nursing Science does not participate in the Transfer Admission Guarantee, so every applicant competes in the open pool. The median GPA of all California community college students admitted to UCI sits around 3.77 — and nursing applicants tend to come from the top of that range. Tools like Pipeline help Mt. San Antonio College students map out all major prerequisites and IGETC requirements into a semester-by-semester plan, so nothing falls through the cracks on the road to UC Irvine.
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