American River College to UCSD
General Biology Transfer Plan
ARC has a match for 17 of UCSD's 18 General Biology prep courses. BILD 5 has no ARC match, so plan for it before you apply.
From
American River College
To
UC San Diego
General BiologyMajor Requirements
General Biology Major Preparation
Courses at American River College that satisfy UC San Diego's General Biology major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at American River College | Satisfies at UCSD | Units |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 420 (or another listed option) — Principles of Zoology | BILD 1 — The Cell | 5 |
| BIOL 400 (or another listed option) — Principles of Biology | BILD 2 — Multicellular Life | 5 |
| BIOL 420 (or another listed option) — Principles of Zoology | BILD 3 — Organismic and Evolutionary Biology | 5 |
| BIOL 400 (or another listed option) — Principles of Biology | BILD 4 — Introductory Biology Lab | 5 |
| No ARC match | BILD 5 — Data Analysis and Design for Biologists | — |
| CHEM 400 — General Chemistry I | CHEM 6A — General Chemistry I | 5 |
| CHEM 401 + CHEM 400 — General Chemistry II + General Chemistry I | CHEM 6B — General Chemistry II | 10 |
| CHEM 401 — General Chemistry II | CHEM 6C — General Chemistry III | 5 |
| CHEM 400 + CHEM 401 — General Chemistry I + General Chemistry II | CHEM 7L — Introductory Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory | 10 |
| CHEM 420 — Organic Chemistry I | CHEM 41A — Organic Chemistry I: Structure and Reactivity | 5 |
| CHEM 421 + CHEM 420 — Organic Chemistry II + Organic Chemistry I | CHEM 41B — Organic Chemistry II: Reactivity and Synthesis | 10 |
| MATH 355 — Calculus for Biology and Medicine I | MATH 10A — Calculus I | 4 |
| MATH 356 — Calculus for Biology and Medicine II | MATH 10B — Calculus II | 4 |
| STAT C1000 or ECON 310 or STAT C1000H or PSYC 330 — Introduction to Statistics | MATH 11 — Calculus Based Elementary Probability and Statistics | 4 |
| PHYS 410 — Mechanics of Solids and Fluids | PHYS 2A — Physics - Mechanics | 5 |
| PHYS 421 — Electricity and Magnetism | PHYS 2B — Physics - Electricity and Magnetism | 4 |
| PHYS 431 — Heat, Waves, Light and Modern Physics | PHYS 2C — Physics - Fluids, Waves, Thermodynamics, and Optics | 4 |
| PHYS 410 — Mechanics of Solids and Fluids | PHYS 2BL — Physics Laboratory - Mechanics | 5 |
Courses with no equivalent must be taken at UC San Diego after transfer. Factor this into your first-year course plan.
General Education
Foundation GE at American River College
Complete these five courses at American River College to start your UCSD 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 |
5 semesters minimum for CHEM 310 onward
CHEM 310 through CHEM 421: 5 courses, each needing the one before, so 5 semesters minimum, more than four fall and spring terms. Start CHEM 310 first or plan on summer. Placing higher shortens it.
ARC semesters, UCSD quarters
ARC runs on semesters and UCSD on quarters. Your units convert when you transfer, one semester unit to 1.5 quarter units, and anything left runs on UCSD'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
BILD 5 has no ARC match
ARC lists no course for BILD 5. Check UCSD's General Biology page for whether it has to be done before you transfer, and plan where you'll cover it.
Start with CHEM 310 and STAT C1000
CHEM 310 and STAT C1000 sit at the start of their sequences for this route, so they fit your first semester, next to ENGL C1000 for English composition.
More than one way to cover MATH 11
For UCSD MATH 11, ARC accepts STAT C1000 or ECON 310 or STAT C1000H or PSYC 330. You need only one of them, so pick whichever fits your schedule.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What classes should I take at ARC for UCSD General Biology?
BIOL 420, BIOL 400, CHEM 400, CHEM 401, CHEM 420, CHEM 421 and MATH 355, plus the rest in the table above. Together they match 17 of the 18 prep courses UCSD lists for General Biology.
What doesn't ARC cover for UCSD General Biology?
BILD 5. ARC lists no course for it, so check UCSD's General Biology page for whether it has to be finished before you transfer.
Does ARC CHEM 400 transfer to UCSD?
Yes, for General Biology. ARC CHEM 400 (General Chemistry I) is the match for UCSD CHEM 6A (General Chemistry I) in the transfer agreement.
What should I take first at ARC for UCSD General Biology?
CHEM 310 and STAT C1000, plus ENGL C1000 for English composition. They sit at the start of their sequences.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
American River College students transferring to UC San Diego for General Biology can match 17 of 18 lower-division prep courses at ARC, including BIOL 420 and BIOL 400. BILD 5 has no American River College equivalent in the 2026-2027 agreement. CHEM 310 and STAT C1000 are good first-semester picks. On Transfermatic, put in American River College and UC San Diego, and you get the classes you need for General Biology, semester by semester.
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