Santa Monica College to UC Berkeley
Biology Transfer Plan
Semester-by-semester courses, IGETC requirements, and major prerequisites — verified from real articulation data.
From
Santa Monica College
To
UC Berkeley
BiologyGPA Reality Check
UC Berkeley's minimum GPA to apply is 3.0, but admitted transfer students in 2025 had a mid-50% GPA range of 3.61–3.96. For Integrative Biology specifically, your science prerequisite GPA matters most — admissions reviewers look hard at your grades in BIOL 21, BIOL 22, CHEM 11, and CHEM 12. A 3.0 in those courses won't cut it; you need consistent A's and B's in your lab sciences to be competitive.
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 Santa Monica College that satisfy UC Berkeley's Biology major preparation, verified via ASSIST.org.
UC Berkeley splits its 'Biology' offerings across several distinct majors. Integrative Biology (IB) focuses on whole-organism biology, ecology, and evolution — it's the closest match to a traditional biology degree. Molecular & Cell Biology (MCB) is a separate major with a heavier biochemistry and genetics emphasis. There's also Genetics & Plant Biology and a separate Environmental Sciences major. Make sure you're applying to and preparing for Integrative Biology specifically, because the lower-division prep requirements differ across these programs.
| Course at Santa Monica College | Satisfies at UC Berkeley | Units |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 21 — Cell Biology and Evolution | IB 11 — Introductory Biology (lower-division biology sequence, first semester) | 4 |
| BIOL 22 — Multicellular Life | IB 12 — Introductory Biology (lower-division biology sequence, second semester) | 4 |
| CHEM 11 — General Chemistry I | CHEM 1A — General Chemistry | 5 |
| CHEM 12 — General Chemistry II | CHEM 1B — General Chemistry | 5 |
| MATH 7 — Calculus 1 | MATH 1A — Calculus | 5 |
| MATH 8 — Calculus 2 | MATH 1B — Calculus | 5 |
| PHYSCS 6 — Introductory Physics I | PHYSICS 8A — Introductory Physics (first semester) | 4 |
| PHYSCS 7 — Introductory Physics II | PHYSICS 8B — Introductory Physics (second semester) | 4 |
| No equivalent at Santa Monica College | CHEM 3A/3B — Organic Chemistry (lower-division prep; no SMC course fully articulates to both semesters of organic chemistry for IB transfer prep) | — |
Courses with no equivalent must be taken at UC Berkeley after transfer. Factor this into your first-year course plan.
General Education
Foundation GE at Santa Monica College
Complete these five courses at Santa Monica 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 10
Applied Ecology and Conservation Biology
CHEM 10
Introductory General Chemistry
ENGL C1001
Critical Thinking and Writing
ENGL C1000
Academic Reading and Writing
COMM C1000
Introduction to Public Speaking
| Area | Course at Santa Monica College | Units |
|---|---|---|
Life Science | BIOL 10 — Applied Ecology and Conservation Biology | 4 |
Physical Science | CHEM 10 — Introductory General Chemistry | 5 |
HumanitiesCCN | ENGL C1001 — Critical Thinking and Writing | 3 |
English CompositionCCN | ENGL C1000 — Academic Reading and Writing | 3 |
Oral CommunicationCCN | COMM C1000 — Introduction to Public Speaking | 3 |
BIOL 21 → BIOL 22 → BIOL 23
Each course in SMC's Biology majors sequence is a prerequisite for the next, and UC Berkeley expects all three to be completed (or in progress) by the time you transfer. Starting BIOL 21 any later than your first semester at SMC makes finishing the full sequence before your application almost impossible.
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
Start BIOL 21 and MATH 7 Your Very First Semester
SMC's Biology major prep for UC Berkeley is a long chain: BIOL 21 → BIOL 22 → BIOL 23, and MATH 7 → MATH 8, running in parallel with two semesters each of chemistry and physics. That's eight science and math courses across four semesters — meaning if you wait even one term to start, you'll run out of time before your transfer application is due. On a semester system you don't have a 'winter quarter' to catch up, so treat your very first fall at SMC as the point of no return.
SMC Has No Organic Chemistry Articulation for IB Transfer Prep
UC Berkeley's Integrative Biology program expects applicants to have completed — or be in progress on — organic chemistry (CHEM 3A/3B at Berkeley). Santa Monica College does not have a course that fully articulates to that requirement for this specific transfer pathway. You'll need to flag this gap in your application, plan to complete organic chemistry at Berkeley after transfer, and make sure the rest of your major prep is exceptionally strong to compensate.
Integrative Biology Is Not the Same as MCB — Apply to the Right Major
Many SMC students list 'Biology' and assume Berkeley will route them correctly, but Integrative Biology (IB) and Molecular & Cell Biology (MCB) are entirely separate programs at UC Berkeley with different application pools and different lower-division prep emphasis. IB focuses on ecology, evolution, and whole-organism biology; MCB goes deep on biochemistry and genetics. Pick the one that matches your goals before you apply, because changing your stated major on the UC application after submission is not straightforward.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What GPA do I need to transfer from Santa Monica College to UC Berkeley for Biology?
The official minimum is 3.0, but that number is misleading. Admitted UC Berkeley transfer students in 2025 had a mid-50% GPA range of 3.61–3.96 across all majors. For Integrative Biology, your grades in BIOL 21, CHEM 11, and CHEM 12 at SMC carry the most weight — aim for A's in those courses.
What classes do I need to take at Santa Monica College to transfer to UC Berkeley as a Biology major?
The core lower-division prep includes BIOL 21 (Cell Biology and Evolution), BIOL 22, BIOL 23, two semesters of general chemistry (CHEM 11 and CHEM 12), two semesters of calculus (MATH 7 and MATH 8), and two semesters of physics (PHYSCS 6 and PHYSCS 7). Note that SMC has no articulated equivalent for UC Berkeley's organic chemistry requirement — that gap is unique to this pathway and worth discussing with a counselor.
Does UC Berkeley have a TAG or transfer guarantee program for Santa Monica College students?
No. UC Berkeley does not participate in the Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) program — it's one of only two UC campuses (along with UCLA) that does not offer TAG. SMC's Scholars Program provides priority consideration for some UC campuses and other universities, but Berkeley is not among them. You'll need to build a strong application on your own merits.
How many Santa Monica College students actually transfer to UC Berkeley each year?
According to 2023–2024 UC Information Center data, 133 SMC students enrolled at UC Berkeley — making it the second most popular UC destination after UCLA for SMC transfer students. SMC has been the number-one source of UC transfers in California for 34 consecutive years, so the pipeline to Berkeley is well-established, but it's still competitive.
Is IGETC worth completing if I'm transferring to UC Berkeley for Integrative Biology?
Yes — IGETC is accepted for Integrative Biology in the College of Letters & Science at UC Berkeley, and completing it at SMC saves you from having to fulfill Berkeley's breadth requirements course by course after you arrive. That said, your science prerequisites are more important than IGETC for your actual application competitiveness, so if you have to choose between finishing IGETC and getting a strong grade in BIOL 21 or CHEM 11, prioritize the major prep.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
Students at Santa Monica College (SMC) planning to transfer to UC Berkeley for Biology have one of the most traveled — and most competitive — pathways in the California community college system. SMC has sent transfer students to UC Berkeley for decades and transferred 133 students to Berkeley in the 2023–2024 academic year alone, making it the second most popular UC destination for SMC students. The specific program to target is Integrative Biology, a B.A. housed in UC Berkeley's College of Letters & Science, which focuses on ecology, evolution, and whole-organism biology. Transfer planning for this path requires serious attention to major prerequisites: the ASSIST articulation agreement identifies SMC courses including BIOL 21 (Cell Biology and Evolution), BIOL 22, MATH 7 (Calculus 1), MATH 8, CHEM 11, CHEM 12, and two semesters of physics as the foundational lower-division prep. Completing IGETC at SMC is accepted for this major and can fulfill Berkeley's breadth requirements before you arrive on campus. The challenge is that all of this major prep must be sequenced carefully across just four semesters — missing BIOL 21 in your first semester can create a domino effect that leaves your application incomplete. Admitted UC Berkeley transfer students in 2025 had a mid-50% GPA range of 3.61–3.96, which means a 3.0 minimum GPA won't make you competitive. Tools like Pipeline help SMC students build personalized semester-by-semester plans that map every prerequisite in the right order, flag articulation gaps like the organic chemistry requirement, and track IGETC completion alongside major prep — so nothing falls through the cracks before the November UC application deadline.
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