Pasadena City College to UCSD
Biology Transfer Plan
Semester-by-semester courses, IGETC requirements, and major prerequisites — verified from real articulation data.
From
Pasadena City College
To
UC San Diego
BiologyGPA Reality Check
UCSD's published minimum for transfer eligibility is a 2.4 GPA, but the middle 50% of admitted transfer students campus-wide falls between 3.46 and 3.92. Biology is explicitly listed as one of UCSD's most selective, capped majors — so the real competitive floor for Bio is at the higher end of that range or above it. The courses that matter most for your major prep GPA are the ones in UCSD's Transfer Major Preparation list: your Biology series, General and Organic Chemistry, and Calculus. You need a minimum 2.5 GPA in those TMP courses just to be considered, but to actually be competitive, aim for 3.5 or better in every one of them.
Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG)
UC TAG lets you lock in a guaranteed admission offer from UC San Diego before the main application cycle opens — a real psychological advantage when you're deep in a hard science courseload. The catch with Biology: because it's a capped, selective major, TAG guarantees your seat at UCSD but not your spot in Biology specifically. List a non-selective alternate major on your UC application just in case, and submit your TAG application each September through the UC TAP portal after meeting with a PCC transfer counselor to verify your coursework qualifies.
Major Requirements
General Biology (B.S.) — School of Biological Sciences Major Preparation
General Biology (B.S.) — School of Biological Sciences at UC San Diego
Courses at Pasadena City College that satisfy UC San Diego's Biology major preparation, verified via ASSIST.org.
UCSD's School of Biological Sciences actually offers seven distinct B.S. majors, not one. General Biology (BI31) is the broadest option, but students often discover mid-planning that they were really aiming for Molecular Biology, Biochemistry & Cell Biology, Ecology/Behavior/Evolution, Microbiology, or Bioinformatics — each with slightly different prep emphasis. Human Biology lives separately under a different major code. Check the UCSD School of Biological Sciences website early and pick the specific major before you finalize your ASSIST course plan.
| Course at Pasadena City College | Satisfies at UCSD | Units |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 1A — Principles of Biology: Cell Biology and Genetics | BILD 1 — The Cell | 4 |
| BIOL 1B — Principles of Biology: Ecology, Evolution, and Diversity | BILD 2 — Multicellular Life | 4 |
| BIOL 3 — Principles of Biology: Organismal Biology and Ecology | BILD 3 — Organismic and Evolutionary Biology | 4 |
| CHEM 1A — General Chemistry I | CHEM 6A — General Chemistry I | 5 |
| CHEM 1B — General Chemistry II | CHEM 6B — General Chemistry II | 5 |
| CHEM 1C — General Chemistry III | CHEM 6C — General Chemistry III | 5 |
| CHEM 21A — Organic Chemistry I | CHEM 140A — Organic Chemistry I | 5 |
| CHEM 21B — Organic Chemistry II | CHEM 140B — Organic Chemistry II | 5 |
| MATH 5 — Calculus I | MATH 10A — Calculus I (or MATH 20A) | 5 |
| MATH 6 — Calculus II | MATH 10B — Calculus II (or MATH 20B) | 5 |
| PHYS 1A — Mechanics | PHYS 1A — Mechanics | 4 |
| PHYS 1B — Electricity and Magnetism | PHYS 1B — Electricity and Magnetism | 4 |
| PHYS 1C — Waves, Optics, and Modern Physics | PHYS 1C — Waves, Optics, and Modern Physics | 4 |
General Education
Foundation GE at Pasadena City College
Complete these five courses at Pasadena City College to start your UCSD 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 |
General Chemistry → Organic Chemistry
You must finish all three semesters of General Chemistry (CHEM 1A, 1B, 1C) at PCC before you can enroll in Organic Chemistry I (CHEM 21A) — that's four consecutive semesters minimum. Start CHEM 1A in your very first semester or you will run out of time to complete UCSD's Transfer Major Preparation requirements before the application deadline.
PCC runs on semesters — UCSD runs on quarters
Your PCC semester courses generally map cleanly onto UCSD quarter equivalents via ASSIST, but once you arrive at UCSD you'll cover material roughly 50% faster per course — plan to spend the summer before transfer reviewing your chemistry and biology fundamentals so the pace doesn't catch you off guard.
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 Helps — But Not at Revelle
IGETC clears most of UCSD's lower-division general education requirements across seven of its eight residential colleges, making your post-transfer life much easier. But if you're admitted to Revelle College, IGETC alone won't cut it — Revelle adds its own math and natural science requirements on top of IGETC, which means extra coursework after you arrive. When you rank colleges on the UC application, factor in that choosing Revelle as your first choice could add a quarter or two to your graduation timeline, especially on UCSD's fast-moving quarter system.
Biology's Three-Course Series Eats Your Semesters Fast
PCC's Biology prep for UCSD spans three separate courses — BIOL 1A, BIOL 1B, and BIOL 3 — meaning if you don't start in your very first semester, you physically cannot finish all three before you apply. Many students at PCC assume two bio courses are enough (as they are for some other UCs), but UCSD's Transfer Major Preparation requires the equivalent of BILD 1, BILD 2, and BILD 3. Start BIOL 1A your first semester without exception.
TAG Doesn't Lock In Your Major — Have a Backup Ready
The Transfer Admission Guarantee secures your place at UC San Diego, not your place in the Biology major. Because Biology is a capped, selective program, UCSD screens TMP applicants separately — and if you don't clear that screen, you'd be admitted under your alternate major instead. Pick a non-selective alternate major you could genuinely live with, list it on your UC application, and don't treat TAG as a Biology guarantee.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What GPA do I need to transfer from Pasadena City College to UC San Diego for Biology?
The official minimum to be eligible for UCSD transfer is a 2.4 GPA, but Biology is one of UCSD's most selective capped majors — the middle 50% of all admitted UCSD transfers had GPAs between 3.46 and 3.92, and Bio applicants typically need to be at or above that range. More critically, UCSD's Transfer Major Preparation policy requires a minimum 2.5 GPA specifically in your TMP courses like CHEM 1A, BIOL 1A, and MATH 5, but competitive applicants far exceed that floor.
Does IGETC count for UC San Diego Biology if I transfer from Pasadena City College?
Yes, IGETC is accepted at UCSD and satisfies lower-division general education at most of its residential colleges, letting you focus on major coursework after you arrive. The one exception is Revelle College, which requires additional math and natural science courses beyond IGETC even for students who transfer with a certified IGETC. If you're targeting Revelle as your college choice, talk to a PCC counselor about what extra coursework you'll need.
What courses do I need to take at Pasadena City College to prepare for UCSD Biology?
UCSD requires Transfer Major Preparation covering the full Biology series (BIOL 1A, BIOL 1B, BIOL 3 at PCC), all three semesters of General Chemistry (CHEM 1A, 1B, 1C), both semesters of Organic Chemistry (CHEM 21A, 21B), two semesters of Calculus (MATH 5 and 6), and all three semesters of Physics (PHYS 1A, 1B, 1C). Every one of these must be completed with a C- or better, and you need at least a 2.5 GPA across the group to be considered for admission.
Does UC TAG guarantee me a spot in Biology at UC San Diego if I'm at Pasadena City College?
Not exactly. UC TAG guarantees you admission to UC San Diego as a transfer student, but Biology is a capped selective major — the university screens Biology applicants separately based on Transfer Major Preparation coursework and GPA. If you don't clear that screening, you'd be redirected to your alternate major rather than Biology, so always list a non-selective alternate on your UC application. Submit your TAG through the UC TAP portal each September before the fall you plan to transfer.
How competitive is it to transfer from Pasadena City College to UC San Diego?
UCSD's overall transfer admit rate was approximately 52.7% for Fall 2025, which sounds encouraging — but that number covers all majors and all community colleges. Biology is specifically listed by UCSD as one of its most selective, capped programs, meaning the actual admit rate for Biology is significantly lower than the campus average. With 23,441 total transfer applicants campus-wide that cycle, the competition is real, and Biology students from PCC need to treat their CHEM 1A, BIOL 1A, and MATH 5 grades as the most important numbers on their transcript.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
Planning to transfer from Pasadena City College to UC San Diego as a Biology major is one of the most coursework-intensive transfer paths in the California community college system, and the earlier you start building your plan the better. Pasadena City College (PCC) offers a strong set of articulated courses for UCSD's Transfer Major Preparation requirement, but the Biology pathway requires completing three semesters of general chemistry, two semesters of organic chemistry, three semesters of physics, two semesters of calculus, and the full three-course biology series — including BIOL 1A, BIOL 1B, and BIOL 3 — before you can be considered for admission. That's a lot to fit into the roughly four semesters most PCC students have before they apply, which is why transfer planning really does need to start on day one. UC San Diego's overall transfer admit rate was approximately 52.7% for Fall 2025, but the School of Biological Sciences operates a capped, selective major with its own screening process on top of the main admissions review. Admitted UCSD transfers campuswide had a mid-50th percentile GPA range of 3.46 to 3.92, and Biology applicants need a minimum 2.5 GPA in their major prerequisites just to pass the initial screen. IGETC is accepted at UCSD and helps you knock out lower-division general education requirements so you can hit the ground running on upper-division coursework once you arrive — just note that Revelle College has additional requirements beyond IGETC. The Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) program offers PCC students a formal pathway to lock in a UCSD offer, though it does not guarantee placement in a selective major like Biology. Tools like Pipeline help students map out a personalized, semester-by-semester course plan that accounts for prerequisite chains, IGETC certification, and Transfer Major Preparation deadlines all at once — so nothing falls through the cracks on the way from PCC to UCSD.
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