USC Biological Sciences (Marine Biology)
Transfer Requirements and Classes
The major preparation USC lists for Biological Sciences (Marine Biology) 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.
Your community college
Which classes count at your community college?
Pick your college to see its class for each USC requirement.
Major Requirements
USC Biological Sciences (Marine Biology) Major Preparation
The courses USC lists as Biological Sciences (Marine Biology) 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 (16 units)
Complete all of these
- BISC 320Lg Molecular Biology
- BISC 325 Genetics
- BISC 330L Biochemistry
- BISC 469L Marine Biology
Research-Based Learning Requirement (2 to 8 units)
Complete 1 of these
- BISC 419L Microbiology for a Sustainable Future
- BISC 431L Aquatic Microbiology
- BISC 457L Methods in Marine Biology and Biological Oceanography
- BISC 473L Biological Oceanography
- ENST 298aL Introduction to Scientific Diving
- ENST 298bL Introduction to Scientific Diving
Marine Biology Seminar Requirement (2 units)
Required
- BISC 460 Seminar in Ecology, Evolution and Environment
Marine Biology Capstone Course Requirement (4 units)
Complete all of these
- BISC 427 The Global Environment
- BISC 473L Biological Oceanography
Also listed by USC
USC lists these under the headings shown, apart from the list above.
Upper-Division Electives (4 to 8 units)
- BISC 315L Introduction to Ecology
- BISC 326L Urban Conservation Biology
- BISC 369L Ecology and the Natural History of California
- BISC 379L Our Future Changing Ocean
- BISC 404L Biodiversity Data Analytics
- BISC 419L Microbiology for a Sustainable Future
- BISC 427 The Global Environment
- BISC 431L Aquatic Microbiology
- BISC 444 Practical Analysis of Biological Data in R
- BISC 457L Methods in Marine Biology and Biological Oceanography
- BISC 483 Geobiology and Astrobiology
- BISC 491L Practical Aquaculture
- BISC 493x Honors Seminar
- BISC 494x Honors Thesis
- ENST 310 Sustainable Fisheries Management
- ENST 413 Sustainable Aquaculture and Food Security
- ENST 483L Coastal Zone Sustainability
- GEOL 412 Oceans, Climate, and the Environment
- HBIO 301L Human Anatomy
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Does USC have a Biological Sciences major for transfer students?
Yes. USC offers Biological Sciences (Marine Biology) 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 (Marine Biology) 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.
Explore More
Related Transfer Requirements
Build your USC Biological Sciences (Marine Biology) plan
Pick your community college and see which of its classes count, term by term.
Pick your college