USC Biological Sciences (Ecology, Evolution and Environment)
Transfer Requirements and Classes
The major preparation USC lists for Biological Sciences (Ecology, Evolution and Environment) transfers starts with BISC 120Lg, BISC 121Lg and BISC 220Lg; the full list is below.
81 California community colleges have a current transfer agreement with USC for this major. Pick yours below to see which of its classes count.
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Which classes count at your community college?
Pick your college to see its class for each USC requirement.
Major Requirements
USC Biological Sciences (Ecology, Evolution and Environment) Major Preparation
The courses USC lists as Biological Sciences (Ecology, Evolution and Environment) major preparation for transfer applicants, for the 2026-27 academic year. Course numbers are USC's own; pick your community college above to see the matching class there.
Lower-Division BISC Core Courses (8 units)
Complete 1 of these
- BISC 120Lg General Biology: Organismal Biology and Evolution
- BISC 121Lg Advanced General Biology: Organismal Biology and Evolution
Complete 1 of these
- BISC 220Lg General Biology: Cell Biology and Physiology
- BISC 221Lg Advanced General Biology: Cell Biology and Physiology
Collateral Sciences Courses (32 units)
Required
- MATH 125g Calculus I
Complete 1 of these
- CHEM 105aLg General Chemistry
- CHEM 107Lg General Chemistry for Chemistry Majors
- CHEM 115aLg Advanced General Chemistry
Complete 1 of these
- CHEM 105bL General Chemistry
- CHEM 108L General Chemistry for Chemistry Majors: Kinetics and Equilibrium
- CHEM 115bL Advanced General Chemistry
Complete 1 of these
- CHEM 322aL Organic Chemistry
- CHEM 325aL Organic Chemistry
Complete 1 of these
- CHEM 322bL Organic Chemistry
- CHEM 325bL Organic Chemistry
Complete 1 of these
- MATH 208x Elementary Probability and Statistics
- QBIO 305g Statistics for Biological Sciences
- QBIO 310 Statistical Thinking for Quantitative Biology
Complete 1 of these
- PHYS 135aLg Physics for the Life Sciences
- PHYS 151Lg Fundamentals of Physics I: Mechanics, Oscillations and Waves
Complete 1 of these
- PHYS 135bL Physics for the Life Sciences
- PHYS 152L Fundamentals of Physics II: Electricity and Magnetism
Introduction to Research-Active Faculty (1 to 2 units)
Complete all of these
- BISC 193 Introduction to Research I
- BISC 194 Introduction to Research II
- BISC 199 Neuroscience Colloquium
Upper-Division Core Courses (12 units)
Complete 1 of these
- BISC 313L Evolution and Population Genetics
- BISC 315L Introduction to Ecology
- BISC 404L Biodiversity Data Analytics
- BISC 326L Urban Conservation Biology
Research-Based Learning Requirement (2 units)
Complete all of these
- BISC 444 Practical Analysis of Biological Data in R
- BISC 460 Seminar in Ecology, Evolution and Environment
Also listed by USC
USC lists these under the headings shown, apart from the list above.
Upper-Division Electives (10 to 12 units)
- BISC 303L The Kingdom Plantae: An Introduction to Botany
- BISC 315L Introduction to Ecology
- BISC 320Lg Molecular Biology
- BISC 325 Genetics
- BISC 330L Biochemistry
- BISC 363L Mammalogy
- BISC 364L Advanced Techniques in Field Mammalogy
- BISC 365 Phylogenetics and Evolution
- BISC 369L Ecology and the Natural History of California
- BISC 379L Our Future Changing Ocean
- BISC 404L Biodiversity Data Analytics
- BISC 434 Introduction to Genome Science
- BISC 445L Fundamentals of Vertebrate Biology
- BISC 480L Developmental Biology
- BISC 491L Practical Aquaculture
- BISC 493x Honors Seminar
- BISC 494x Honors Thesis
- HBIO 301L Human Anatomy
- QBIO 401 Introduction to Computational Analysis of Biological Data
- QBIO 475 Statistical and Evolutionary Genetics
- QBIO 482 Systems Biology: Modeling the Dynamics of Life
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Does USC have a Biological Sciences major for transfer students?
Yes. USC offers Biological Sciences (Ecology, Evolution and Environment) and lists the major preparation it expects transfer applicants to complete.
What classes do I need to transfer to USC for Biological Sciences?
USC's Biological Sciences (Ecology, Evolution and Environment) major preparation includes BISC 120Lg, BISC 121Lg, BISC 220Lg, BISC 221Lg, MATH 125g and CHEM 105aLg, with more courses in the list on this page. Pick your community college on this page to see which of its classes match.
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Related Transfer Requirements
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