Pasadena City College to UCI
Biology Transfer Plan
Semester-by-semester courses, IGETC requirements, and major prerequisites — verified from real articulation data.
From
Pasadena City College
To
UC Irvine
GPA Reality Check
UCI's minimum transferable GPA is 2.4, but admitted Biology students typically land right around 3.77 — and that's the median, meaning half of admits are above it. For TAG, the floor jumps to 3.4 with no wiggle room. The courses that matter most for your GPA are CHEM 1A, 1B, and 1C — general chemistry is where Biology transfer hopes most often stall. Treat every chem grade like it's being reviewed under a microscope, because it is.
Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG)
Biology participates in UCI's Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) — one of the most valuable tools available to PCC students. Nail a 3.4 cumulative UC-transferable GPA, complete all your Biology prereqs with a C or better, and submit your TAG application through UC TAP between September 1–30. If you hit those marks, your spot at UCI is guaranteed — no holistic review, no uncertainty.
Major Requirements
Biology (School of Biological Sciences B.S.) Major Preparation
Biology (School of Biological Sciences B.S.) at UC Irvine
Courses at Pasadena City College that satisfy UC Irvine's Biology major preparation, verified via ASSIST.org.
UCI's School of Biological Sciences offers several related majors that students often confuse with Biology B.S.: Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Microbiology & Immunology, and Neurobiology. Each has its own upper-division track and some have slightly different lower-division prep emphases — but they all share the same core prerequisites (general bio, general chemistry, organic chemistry). Choose carefully, because switching majors after applying is complicated.
| Course at Pasadena City College | Satisfies at UCI | Units |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 3 — Principles of Biology I | BIO SCI 93 — Introduction to Organismal Biology and Evolution | 5 |
| BIOL 4 — Principles of Biology II | BIO SCI 94 — Introduction to Cells, Genes, and Inheritance | 5 |
| CHEM 1A — General Chemistry I | CHEM 1A — General Chemistry | 5 |
| CHEM 1B — General Chemistry II | CHEM 1B — General Chemistry | 5 |
| CHEM 1C — General Chemistry III | CHEM 1C / 1LC / 1LD — General Chemistry with Lab | 5 |
| CHEM 12A — Organic Chemistry I | CHEM 51A / 51LB — Organic Chemistry with Lab | 5 |
| CHEM 12B — Organic Chemistry II | CHEM 51B / 51C / 51LC — Organic Chemistry with Lab | 5 |
| MATH 5 — Calculus I | MATH 2A — Calculus of One Variable | 4 |
| MATH 6 — Calculus II | MATH 2B — Calculus of One Variable II (completes Mathematics Requirement option 1) | 4 |
General Education
IGETC at Pasadena City College
Complete IGETC at Pasadena City College to satisfy UC Irvine's lower-division GE requirements before transferring.
ENGL 1A
3 unitsENGL 1C or PHIL 4
3 unitsMATH 5 (Calculus I) — doubles as major prep
4 unitsART 1 or MUS 1 or THR 1
3 unitsENGL 5 or PHIL 1 or HIST 1
3 unitsPSYC 1 or SOC 1 or ECON 1
3 unitsCHEM 1A — doubles as major prep
5 unitsBIOL 3 — doubles as major prep
5 unitsSPAN 1, CHIN 1, JAPN 1, or FREN 1
5 units| Area | Course options at Pasadena City College | Units |
|---|---|---|
| 1A: English Composition | ENGL 1A | 3 |
| 1B: Critical Thinking and Composition | ENGL 1C or PHIL 4 | 3 |
| 2: Mathematical Concepts and Quantitative Reasoning | MATH 5 (Calculus I) — doubles as major prep | 4 |
| 3A: Arts | ART 1 or MUS 1 or THR 1 | 3 |
| 3B: Humanities | ENGL 5 or PHIL 1 or HIST 1 | 3 |
| 4: Social and Behavioral Sciences | PSYC 1 or SOC 1 or ECON 1 | 3 |
| 5A: Physical Sciences | CHEM 1A — doubles as major prep | 5 |
| 5B: Biological Sciences | BIOL 3 — doubles as major prep | 5 |
| 6: Language Other Than English | SPAN 1, CHIN 1, JAPN 1, or FREN 1 | 5 |
General Chemistry → Organic Chemistry
You cannot begin CHEM 12A (Organic Chemistry I) until you have finished all three semesters of general chemistry — CHEM 1A, 1B, and 1C. Students who underestimate how long this chain takes often find themselves applying to UCI with an incomplete organic chemistry sequence, which is a disqualifying gap for the Biology B.S.
UCI runs on quarters — PCC runs on semesters
Your semester-length courses at PCC are solid preparation, but once you're at UCI you'll face 10-week quarters that move roughly 50% faster, so hit the ground running and don't treat Week 1 like an adjustment period.
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 Delay Starting General Chemistry
CHEM 1A, 1B, and 1C is a three-semester sequence, and CHEM 12A (Organic Chemistry I) can't start until it's done. If you wait until your second semester at PCC to begin CHEM 1A, you may run out of semesters before completing organic chemistry — a hard requirement for Biology admission. Start CHEM 1A in your very first semester.
IGETC Science Courses Double As Major Prep
CHEM 1A satisfies IGETC Area 5A (Physical Sciences) and BIOL 3 satisfies IGETC Area 5B (Biological Sciences) — both are also required major prep courses. Planning these overlaps carefully is how Biology students manage to hit 60 units without drowning in coursework. Talk to a PCC counselor early to map these double-dippers into your plan.
TAG Major Must Match Your UC Application Exactly
UCI requires that the major you list on your TAG application matches your primary major on the UC application exactly. If you file TAG under 'Biology' and then list 'Ecology & Evolutionary Biology' on your UC app, your guarantee is void. Lock in your program before September and don't change it.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What GPA do I need to transfer from Pasadena City College to UC Irvine for Biology?
The minimum UC-transferable GPA for Biology at UCI is 3.0, but the median GPA for admitted transfer students across all UCI majors is 3.77 — and Biology is competitive. If you want the TAG guarantee, you need at least a 3.4 cumulative GPA. Your grades in CHEM 1A, 1B, and 1C are especially scrutinized since they are required major prerequisites.
Which Pasadena City College courses count as Biology prerequisites for UC Irvine?
The required lower-division prep for Biology at UCI maps to the following PCC courses: BIOL 3 and BIOL 4 (introductory biology sequence), CHEM 1A, 1B, and 1C (general chemistry with lab), CHEM 12A and 12B (organic chemistry with lab), and MATH 5 (Calculus I). Every one of these must be completed with a grade of C or better.
Does Pasadena City College have a TAG agreement with UC Irvine for Biology?
Yes — Biology at UCI participates in the Transfer Admission Guarantee program, which is open to all California Community College students including those at PCC. You need a minimum 3.4 cumulative UC-transferable GPA, completed major prerequisites, and a TAG application submitted through UC TAP between September 1–30. Biology is one of the eligible majors; note that some UCI majors like Nursing Science and all ICS programs are excluded from TAG.
Can I use IGETC to transfer from Pasadena City College to UC Irvine Biology?
Yes, IGETC is accepted for Biology at UCI. Better yet, several of your required major prep courses — like CHEM 1A (Area 5A) and BIOL 3 (Area 5B) — also count toward IGETC requirements. Students who started at PCC before Fall 2025 should confirm their IGETC catalog rights with a counselor, since PCC has transitioned to the Cal-GETC pathway for newer students.
How many units do I need to transfer from PCC to UC Irvine?
You need a minimum of 60 UC-transferable semester units completed by the end of spring before your intended fall transfer. Biology is flagged as a high-unit major at PCC because the science prerequisites alone — BIOL 3, BIOL 4, CHEM 1A through 1C, and CHEM 12A and 12B — can total well over 30 units before you've touched a single GE course. Plan your unit count early and see a PCC counselor before your second semester.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
Students planning to transfer from Pasadena City College (PCC) to UC Irvine as Biology majors are navigating one of the most prerequisite-heavy pathways in the California Community College system. The Biology B.S. in UCI's School of Biological Sciences requires completion of a full year of introductory biology, a full year of general chemistry with lab, and a full year of organic chemistry with lab — all before you ever set foot on the Irvine campus. At PCC, that maps to courses like CHEM 1A, BIOL 3, and BIOL 4, among others, and the sequence is unforgiving: you cannot start organic chemistry until general chemistry is done. Careful transfer planning is essential from day one. For GE requirements, PCC students who have 2024–2025 or earlier catalog rights can follow IGETC, which UCI's Biology program accepts — and smart course selection lets major prep courses like CHEM 1A (Area 5A) and BIOL 3 (Area 5B) do double duty toward IGETC completion. The median GPA for admitted UCI transfer students is 3.77, with Biology admittees typically among the more competitive applicants. One major advantage PCC students have is access to UCI's Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG): meet a 3.4 GPA and finish your major prerequisites, and your admission is guaranteed — no holistic review required. In Fall 2024, UCI received over 25,000 transfer applications and admitted roughly 44% of Biology applicants, making it one of the more accessible Biology programs in the UC system for well-prepared students. Tools like Pipeline help PCC students build personalized semester-by-semester plans that account for prerequisite chains, IGETC overlap, and TAG deadlines — so nothing falls through the cracks on the road to becoming an Anteater.
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