Pasadena City College to UC Berkeley
Biology Transfer Plan
Semester-by-semester courses, IGETC requirements, and major prerequisites — verified from real articulation data.
From
Pasadena City College
To
UC Berkeley
BiologyGPA Reality Check
UC Berkeley's minimum transfer GPA is 3.0, but admitted transfer students in 2024 landed in the 3.61–3.96 mid-50% range — meaning a 3.0 barely gets you in the door to apply. For Integrative Biology specifically, the science prerequisite GPA matters most: reviewers pay close attention to how you performed in CHEM 1A, CHEM 1B, CHEM 12A, CHEM 12B, BIOL 3, and your calculus sequence. One bad grade in a lab science is fixable; a pattern of Cs in chemistry prerequisites is a hard conversation to have with yourself by application time.
Transfer Alliance Project (TAP)
The Transfer Alliance Project (TAP) is run by UC Berkeley's Center for Educational Partnerships and is designed specifically for first-generation and historically underrepresented community college students. Historically, about 80% of TAP participants who applied to UC Berkeley were admitted — compared to the 24% overall transfer rate. To get started, fill out the CCTS intake form at cep.berkeley.edu and indicate you're a Pasadena City College student interested in the TAP cohort program.
Major Requirements
Integrative Biology (College of Letters & Science, B.A.) Major Preparation
Integrative Biology (College of Letters & Science, B.A.) at UC Berkeley
Courses at Pasadena City College that satisfy UC Berkeley's Biology major preparation, verified via ASSIST.org.
UC Berkeley has two distinct biology pathways that students often confuse. Integrative Biology (L&S B.A.) emphasizes organisms, ecology, and evolution — great for pre-med, field biology, or graduate research. Molecular & Cell Biology (MCB, L&S B.A. or B.S.) focuses on biochemistry, genetics, and cell biology at the molecular level. The prep courses overlap heavily, but the upper-division curriculum and career trajectories diverge. Declare intentionally — switching between them after transfer requires re-petitioning the major.
| Course at Pasadena City College | Satisfies at UC Berkeley | Units |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 3 — Principles of Cell Biology | BIOLOGY 1A — General Biology | 3 |
| BIOL 3L — Principles of Cell Biology Laboratory | BIOLOGY 1AL — General Biology Laboratory | 1 |
| BIOL 11 — Principles of Genetics | BIOLOGY 1B — General Biology (Genetics/Evolution/Ecology section) | 3 |
| CHEM 1A — General Chemistry I | CHEM 1A — General Chemistry | 5 |
| CHEM 1B — General Chemistry II | CHEM 1B — General Chemistry | 5 |
| CHEM 12A — Organic Chemistry I | CHEM 3A — Chemical Structure and Reactivity | 5 |
| CHEM 12B — Organic Chemistry II | CHEM 3B — Chemical Structure and Reactivity | 5 |
| MATH 5A — Calculus I | MATH 1A — Calculus | 4 |
| MATH 5B — Calculus II | MATH 1B — Calculus | 4 |
| PHYS 1A — Mechanics | PHYSICS 8A — Introductory Physics | 4 |
| PHYS 1B — Electricity and Magnetism | PHYSICS 8B — Introductory Physics | 4 |
| MATH 57 — Elementary Statistics | STAT 2 — Introduction to Statistics (recommended prep for IB upper-division) | 4 |
General Education
Foundation GE at Pasadena City College
Complete these five courses at Pasadena City College to start your UC Berkeley 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.
BIOL 002
Animal Biology
CHEM 001A
General Chemistry and Chemical Analysis I
HIST 001A
History of European Civilization to 1715
ENGL C1000
Academic Reading and Writing
ENGL C1001
Critical Thinking and Writing
| Area | Course at Pasadena City College | Units |
|---|---|---|
Life Science | BIOL 002 — Animal Biology | 4 |
Physical Science | CHEM 001A — General Chemistry and Chemical Analysis I | 5 |
Humanities | HIST 001A — History of European Civilization to 1715 | 3 |
English CompositionCCN | ENGL C1000 — Academic Reading and Writing | 4 |
Critical ThinkingCCN | ENGL C1001 — Critical Thinking and Writing | 4 |
CHEM 1A → CHEM 1B → CHEM 12A → CHEM 12B
General Chemistry I and II must be completed before you can enroll in Organic Chemistry I — creating a four-course chain that spans at least four consecutive semesters. If you delay the start of this sequence, you risk arriving at your transfer application with organic chemistry still unfinished, which is a red flag for a Biology major at a competitive school like UC Berkeley.
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
IGETC Works for IB — But Plan It Tightly
IGETC is accepted for Integrative Biology in the College of Letters & Science, and it can clear your lower-division breadth requirements in one clean sweep. However, Biology is a high-unit major — Pasadena City College even flags it in its catalog as a 'high-unit major' requiring counselor advising — meaning your 60 transferable units fill up fast with science prerequisites like CHEM 1A, CHEM 12A, PHYS 1A, and MATH 5A. If you try to squeeze a full IGETC on top of all that prep, you may blow past 60 units without finishing both. Sit down with a PCC counselor early and map which IGETC areas can double-count with your major prep courses.
The Chemistry Chain Eats Your First Four Semesters
The CHEM 1A → CHEM 1B → CHEM 12A → CHEM 12B sequence is four consecutive semesters with no shortcuts. At Pasadena City College, that chain occupies a straight line from your first semester through your fourth — and you cannot start Organic Chemistry (CHEM 12A) until you've cleared both general chemistry courses. Students who delay starting CHEM 1A by even one semester often arrive at transfer applications with CHEM 12B still in progress, which Berkeley accepts as 'in-progress' — but it's a risk. Start chemistry in your first semester, full stop.
Integrative Biology vs. MCB: Pick Before You Apply
UC Berkeley's Integrative Biology (L&S B.A.) and Molecular & Cell Biology are two different majors with overlapping prep but very different upper-division paths. You must designate your intended major on the UC application — and switching after admission requires a separate petition process once you're on campus. If your goal is organisms, ecology, evolution, or pre-med with a broad bio foundation, Integrative Biology is likely your target. If you're drawn toward biochemistry, cell signaling, or molecular genetics research, MCB is the better fit. Research both programs at guide.berkeley.edu before you hit submit.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What GPA do I need to transfer from Pasadena City College to UC Berkeley for Biology?
The official minimum is 3.0, but admitted transfer students at UC Berkeley in 2024 had a mid-50% GPA range of 3.61–3.96 — so treat 3.0 as the floor, not the target. For Integrative Biology, your grades in the science prerequisites matter the most: CHEM 1A, CHEM 1B, CHEM 12A, BIOL 3, and MATH 5A are the courses reviewers will look at hardest. Anything below a B in those courses is worth addressing in your personal statement.
Does Pasadena City College have an articulation agreement with UC Berkeley for Biology?
Yes — Pasadena City College has a full articulation agreement with UC Berkeley for Integrative Biology, published on ASSIST.org. PCC courses like BIOL 3 (Principles of Cell Biology), CHEM 12A (Organic Chemistry I), and MATH 5A (Calculus I) directly satisfy UC Berkeley's lower-division major preparation requirements. Always check the current year's ASSIST agreement because articulation can change from one academic year to the next.
What is the Transfer Alliance Project and can PCC students join?
The Transfer Alliance Project (TAP) is a cohort-based program run by UC Berkeley's Center for Educational Partnerships for first-generation and historically underrepresented community college students. Historically, around 80% of TAP participants who applied to UC Berkeley were admitted, compared to the 24% overall transfer rate. Pasadena City College students can apply by filling out the CCTS intake form at cep.berkeley.edu and indicating interest in the TAP cohort.
Should I complete IGETC at Pasadena City College before transferring to UC Berkeley Biology?
IGETC is accepted for Integrative Biology in the College of Letters & Science, and completing it will satisfy Berkeley's lower-division breadth requirements so you can focus on upper-division coursework after transfer. That said, Biology is considered a high-unit major at PCC, so you'll need to plan carefully — CHEM 1A, CHEM 12A, PHYS 1A, BIOL 3, and MATH 5A already consume most of your 60 transferable units. Meet with a PCC counselor to identify which courses double-count toward both IGETC areas and your major prep.
How many units do I need to transfer from Pasadena City College to UC Berkeley?
UC Berkeley requires a minimum of 60 UC-transferable semester units completed by the end of the spring term before you enroll. At PCC, courses numbered 001–099 are generally UC-transferable, and the Biology major prep alone — including courses like CHEM 1A through CHEM 12B, BIOL 3, BIOL 11, MATH 5A, MATH 5B, and two semesters of physics — can easily account for 35–40 of those units. Plan your electives and IGETC courses carefully so you hit 60 without going significantly over.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
Students at Pasadena City College (PCC) planning to transfer to UC Berkeley for Biology face one of the most course-intensive prep sequences in the California community college transfer system. The target program — Integrative Biology, a B.A. offered through UC Berkeley's College of Letters & Science — requires completing a rigorous set of lower-division science prerequisites before transfer, including two semesters of general chemistry, two semesters of organic chemistry, introductory biology with lab, calculus, and introductory physics. On ASSIST.org, the official articulation database for PCC to UC Berkeley, courses like BIOL 3 (Principles of Cell Biology), CHEM 1A (General Chemistry I), CHEM 12A (Organic Chemistry I), and MATH 5A (Calculus I) are mapped directly to Berkeley's major preparation requirements. Transfer planning for this pathway requires careful sequencing — the chemistry chain alone spans four consecutive semesters, which means students who delay starting CHEM 1A can run out of time before their application is due. UC Berkeley admitted transfer students in 2024 with a mid-50% GPA range of 3.61–3.96 against a 24% overall transfer admit rate, which makes a strong major prep GPA non-negotiable. IGETC is accepted for Integrative Biology in L&S, but because Biology is a high-unit major, students should map which IGETC areas overlap with their major prerequisites rather than treating them as entirely separate workstreams. The Transfer Alliance Project (TAP), a cohort-based program for first-generation and underrepresented students, has historically seen around 80% of its participants admitted to UC Berkeley — a powerful resource for eligible PCC students. Tools like Pipeline help students at Pasadena City College build personalized transfer plans that account for prerequisite chains, IGETC completion, unit caps, and program-specific requirements, so nothing slips through the cracks on the path from PCC to UC Berkeley Biology.
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