American River College to UC Davis
Biological Sciences Transfer Plan
ARC has a match for every one of UC Davis's 11 Biological Sciences prep courses, so you can finish all of the listed prep at ARC. Start with CHEM 310.
From
American River College
To
UC Davis
Biological SciencesUC Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG)
UC Davis offers TAG for Biological Sciences for fall 2027 applicants, with a minimum 3.2 GPA. File during the TAG window the fall before you transfer, and check UC Davis's TAG page, since its list of eligible majors changes.
Major Requirements
Biological Sciences Major Preparation
Courses at American River College that satisfy UC Davis's Biological Sciences major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at American River College | Satisfies at UC Davis | Units |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 400 — Principles of Biology | BIS 002A — Introduction to Biology: Essentials of Life on Earth | 5 |
| BIOL 400 (or another listed option) — Principles of Biology | BIS 002B — Introduction to Biology: Principles of Ecology & Evolution | 5 |
| (BIOL 420 and BIOL 410) or BIOL 415 — Principles of Zoology | BIS 002C — Introduction to Biology: Biodiversity & the Tree of Life | 5 |
| CHEM 400 + CHEM 401 — General Chemistry I + General Chemistry II | CHE 002A, CHE 002B, CHE 002C | 10 |
| MATH 400 — Calculus I | MAT 021A — Calculus | 5 |
| MATH 401 — Calculus II | MAT 021B — Calculus | 5 |
| MATH 401 + MATH 402 — Calculus II + Calculus III | MAT 021C — Calculus | 10 |
| CHEM 423 — Organic Chemistry - Short Survey | CHE 008A, CHE 008B (choose 1) | 5 |
| CHEM 420 + CHEM 421 — Organic Chemistry I + Organic Chemistry II | CHE 118A, CHE 118B, CHE 118C (choose 1) | 10 |
| PHYS 350 + PHYS 360 — General Physics + General Physics | PHY 007A — General Physics | 8 |
| PHYS 350 + PHYS 360 — General Physics + General Physics | PHY 007B — General Physics | 8 |
| PHYS 350 + PHYS 360 — General Physics + General Physics | PHY 007C — General Physics | 8 |
General Education
Foundation GE at American River College
Complete these five courses at American River College to start your UC Davis 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 300
The Foundations of Biology
CHEM 305
Introduction to Chemistry
HIST 300
History of Europe and the Mediterranean to 1500
ENGL C1000
Academic Reading and Writing
ENGL C1001
Critical Thinking and Writing
| Area | Course at American River College | Units |
|---|---|---|
Life Science | BIOL 300 — The Foundations of Biology | 3 |
Physical Science | CHEM 305 — Introduction to Chemistry | 5 |
Humanities | HIST 300 — History of Europe and the Mediterranean to 1500 | 3 |
English CompositionCCN | ENGL C1000 — Academic Reading and Writing | 3 |
Critical ThinkingCCN | ENGL C1001 — Critical Thinking and Writing | 3 |
4 semesters minimum for CHEM 310 onward
CHEM 310 through BIOL 420: 4 courses, each needing the one before, so 4 semesters minimum. Start CHEM 310 in your first semester. Placing higher shortens it.
ARC semesters, UC Davis quarters
ARC runs on semesters and UC Davis on quarters. Your units convert when you transfer, one semester unit to 1.5 quarter units, and anything left runs on UC Davis's quicker quarter schedule.
Preview
Your First Semester
A preview of what Transfermatic generates — exact courses, in the right order, every semester.
Watch Out
Common Mistakes for This Transfer Path
ARC covers all 11 listed courses
Every UC Davis Biological Sciences prep course in the transfer agreement has a ARC match, so none of the listed prep has to wait. Take them all before you apply.
Start with CHEM 310
CHEM 310 sits at the start of its sequence for this route, so it fits your first semester, next to ENGL C1000 for English composition.
What UC Davis looks for
All selective-major prep must be done by the end of spring before fall enrollment, for a letter grade.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What classes should I take at ARC for UC Davis Biological Sciences?
BIOL 400, BIOL 420, CHEM 400, CHEM 401, MATH 400, MATH 401 and MATH 402, plus the rest in the table above. Together they match 11 of the 11 prep courses UC Davis lists for Biological Sciences.
What doesn't ARC cover for UC Davis Biological Sciences?
Nothing in the transfer agreement. Every UC Davis Biological Sciences prep course listed has a ARC match.
Does ARC MATH 400 transfer to UC Davis?
Yes, for Biological Sciences. ARC MATH 400 (Calculus I) is the match for UC Davis MAT 021A (Calculus) in the transfer agreement.
What is UC Davis's transfer admit rate for Biological Sciences?
58% of all transfer applicants to UC Davis Biological Sciences were admitted in 2025. That figure covers applicants from every college, so it isn't specific to ARC.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
American River College students transferring to UC Davis for Biological Sciences can match 11 of 11 lower-division prep courses at ARC, including BIOL 400 and BIOL 420. Every listed course has a American River College equivalent in the 2025-2026 agreement. CHEM 310 is a good first-semester pick. On Transfermatic, put in American River College and UC Davis, and you get the classes you need for Biological Sciences, semester by semester.
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