Pasadena City College to UCSB
Biology Transfer Plan
Semester-by-semester courses, IGETC requirements, and major prerequisites — verified from real articulation data.
From
Pasadena City College
To
UC Santa Barbara
BiologyGPA Reality Check
UCSB's minimum UC-transferable GPA is 3.0, but the middle 50% of admitted transfer students ranged from 3.46 to 3.91 — and Biology is explicitly listed as a selective major, meaning the real bar sits at the higher end of that range. The grades that matter most are the ones in your science prep: CHEM 1A, 1B, 1C and BIOL 11, 12 are reviewed closely, and UCSB's Biology departments require a minimum 2.7 GPA in all preparatory science courses just to be considered. A B average in those courses gets you to the door; you generally need A's to be genuinely competitive.
Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG)
UCSB's Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) is one of the most powerful tools available to Pasadena City College students — if you meet all the conditions, admission is locked in. The catch for Biology is that it's a 'selective major,' which means you must complete all required major prep courses listed on ASSIST and hold at least a 3.4 cumulative UC-transferable GPA before the fall semester you apply. File your TAG application through UC TAP each September, then submit your full UC application in October or November — both must list the same major or the guarantee is void.
Major Requirements
Biology — Pre-Biology (College of Letters & Science) Major Preparation
Biology — Pre-Biology (College of Letters & Science) at UC Santa Barbara
Courses at Pasadena City College that satisfy UC Santa Barbara's Biology major preparation, verified via ASSIST.org.
UCSB splits its biology offerings across two departments: Ecology, Evolution & Marine Biology (EEMB) and Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology (MCDB). All transfer students are admitted as Pre-Biology and formally declare one of these tracks — plus a specific emphasis like Zoology, Physiology, or Biochemistry — only after completing two quarters on campus. Know which track you want before you arrive so you can target the right upper-division advising.
| Course at Pasadena City College | Satisfies at UCSB | Units |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 11 — Principles of Biology I | EEMB 2 / MCDB 1A — Introductory Biology (General Biology sequence, part 1) | 4 |
| BIOL 12 — Principles of Biology II | EEMB 3 / MCDB 1B — Introductory Biology (General Biology sequence, part 2) | 4 |
| 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 — General Chemistry | 5 |
| MATH 5 — Calculus I | MATH 3A — Calculus with Applications | 4 |
| No equivalent at Pasadena City College | MATH 3B — Calculus with Applications (second term) | — |
Courses with no equivalent must be taken at UC Santa Barbara after transfer. Factor this into your first-year course plan.
General Education
Foundation GE at Pasadena City College
Complete these five courses at Pasadena City College to start your UCSB 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 1C
General Chemistry at PCC is a three-semester chain — you cannot skip ahead or take courses out of order — so if you delay starting CHEM 1A past your first semester, the entire sequence gets pushed back and you risk not completing it before your transfer application deadline.
PCC runs on semesters — UCSB runs on quarters
One semester at PCC covers roughly the same ground as one and a half quarters at UCSB, so pace yourself when planning your first quarter's courseload — the quarter system moves faster than you're used to.
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 Saves Time But Has a Biology Trap
IGETC covers UCSB's lower-division general education requirements and is accepted for Biology — but completing it takes real planning at PCC because your biology major prep (CHEM 1A through 1C, BIOL 11 and 12) already consumes most of your semester units. Trying to complete both IGETC and full major prep in two years is tight; talk to a PCC counselor early about prioritizing IGETC courses that double-count toward your science breadth requirement so you're not piling on extra units in your final semester.
PCC Has No Second-Term Calculus Articulation
UCSB's Biology prep expects students to have calculus, but Pasadena City College does not have an articulated equivalent for UCSB's second-term calculus (MATH 3B) in the ASSIST agreement — meaning MATH 5 (Calculus I) at PCC covers only the first term. Check your specific ASSIST agreement and confirm with a PCC counselor whether you need to complete additional math coursework or whether MATH 5 alone satisfies the requirement for your intended Biology track.
You Transfer as Pre-Biology, Not the Full Major
Every Biology transfer student arrives at UCSB as a Pre-Biology major — you declare your specific track (EEMB or MCDB) and emphasis after completing two full quarters on campus. This isn't a red flag, but it does mean you should research which track fits your goals before you even apply, because your upper-division advising in that first year will move fast and you want to walk in with a plan.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What GPA do I need to transfer from Pasadena City College to UCSB for Biology?
The minimum UC-transferable GPA is 3.0, but Biology is a selective major at UCSB and the middle 50% of admitted transfer students campus-wide ranged from 3.46 to 3.91. UCSB's Biology departments also require at least a 2.7 GPA specifically in your preparatory science courses — so grades in CHEM 1A, 1B, 1C and BIOL 11 and 12 at PCC carry extra weight. For the TAG guarantee, you need a minimum 3.4 cumulative GPA.
Does Pasadena City College have a TAG agreement with UCSB for Biology?
Yes — PCC participates in the UC Transfer Admission Guarantee, and UCSB offers TAG. However, because Biology is classified as a selective major, you must complete all required major preparation courses listed on ASSIST and hold a minimum 3.4 cumulative UC-transferable GPA to activate the guarantee. Submit your TAG application through UC TAP in September, and make sure your UC application lists the exact same major.
What classes should I take at PCC to prepare for UCSB Biology?
The core lower-division prep you need to complete at PCC includes the three-semester General Chemistry sequence (CHEM 1A, 1B, 1C — each with lab) and the two-semester General Biology sequence (BIOL 11 and BIOL 12 — each with lab). You should also complete MATH 5 (Calculus I) since calculus is expected preparation for UCSB Biology. Check the current ASSIST agreement at assist.org for the official articulation before you register.
Is IGETC worth doing if I'm transferring to UCSB for Biology from PCC?
IGETC is accepted for Biology at UCSB and can satisfy lower-division general education requirements, which saves you from fulfilling them after you arrive on campus. The challenge at PCC is that Biology is a high-unit major — CHEM 1A through 1C and BIOL 11 through 12 alone represent 18+ units of prep — so completing full IGETC on top of that in two years requires careful planning. A PCC counselor can help you identify IGETC courses that double-count toward your science breadth to reduce the total load.
How many people apply to transfer to UCSB and what are my odds as a Biology major?
For fall 2024, UCSB received 18,421 total transfer applications and admitted 11,386 students, for an overall transfer admit rate of about 61.8%. Biology is explicitly listed as a selective major at UCSB, meaning its admit rate is lower than the campus average. Your best move as a PCC student is to pursue the TAG program and build a strong science GPA — particularly in CHEM 1A, 1B, 1C and BIOL 11 and 12 — to be genuinely competitive.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
Students planning to transfer from Pasadena City College (PCC) to UC Santa Barbara (UCSB) as Biology majors are navigating one of the more demanding transfer pathways in the California community college system. UCSB admitted roughly 61.8% of its 18,421 transfer applicants in fall 2024, but Biology is classified as a selective major, meaning the real competition is steeper than that headline number suggests — admitted transfer students campus-wide showed a mid-50% GPA range of 3.46 to 3.91. Effective transfer planning starts in your first semester at PCC: the lower-division major prerequisites form a sequential chain that can't be rushed. CHEM 1A (General Chemistry I) must come before CHEM 1B and then CHEM 1C, while BIOL 11 (Principles of Biology I) must precede BIOL 12 — and all of these courses must be completed with no grade below a C and a minimum 2.7 science GPA for UCSB's Biology departments to consider you ready. IGETC is accepted for Biology at UCSB and can reduce your general education burden once you're on campus, but because Biology is a high-unit major, coordinating IGETC completion alongside major prerequisites takes deliberate planning. PCC students also have access to the Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG), which provides a guaranteed admission offer to UCSB for students who meet all conditions — including a 3.4 minimum GPA and completion of all required major preparation — making it one of the most valuable tools available to PCC transfer applicants targeting UCSB Biology. Tools like Pipeline help students map out a personalized semester-by-semester plan that accounts for prerequisite chains, TAG deadlines, and IGETC completion so nothing falls through the cracks. Whether your goal is the Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology track or the Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology track at UCSB, starting early and building a clean science record at Pasadena City College is the clearest path forward.
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