American River College to UCLA
Biology Transfer Plan
ARC has a match for 10 of UCLA's 12 Biology prep courses. A UCLA choose-1 requirement and CHEM 153A have no ARC match, so plan for them before you apply.
From
American River College
To
UCLA
BiologyMajor Requirements
Biology Major Preparation
Courses at American River College that satisfy UCLA's Biology major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at American River College | Satisfies at UCLA | Units |
|---|---|---|
| CHEM 400 + CHEM 401 — General Chemistry I + General Chemistry II | CHEM 20A, CHEM 20B, CHEM 20L, CHEM 30AL | 10 |
| CHEM 421 + CHEM 420 — Organic Chemistry II + Organic Chemistry I | CHEM 30A, CHEM 30B | 10 |
| MATH 356 + MATH 355 — Calculus for Biology and Medicine II + Calculus for Biology and Medicine I | MATH 3A — Calculus for Life Sciences Students | 8 |
| MATH 355 + MATH 356 — Calculus for Biology and Medicine I + Calculus for Biology and Medicine II | MATH 3B — Calculus for Life Sciences Students | 8 |
| MATH 355 + MATH 356 — Calculus for Biology and Medicine I + Calculus for Biology and Medicine II | MATH 3C — Ordinary Differential Equations with Linear Algebra for Life Sciences Students | 8 |
| No ARC match for any of 2 options | LIFESCI 40 — Statistics of Biological Systems and others (choose 1) | — |
| BIOL 400 — Principles of Biology | LIFESCI 7A — Cell and Molecular Biology | 5 |
| BIOL 420 + BIOL 400 — Principles of Zoology + Principles of Biology | LIFESCI 7B — Genetics, Evolution, and Ecology | 10 |
| BIOL 420 — Principles of Zoology | LIFESCI 7C — Physiology and Human Biology | 5 |
| BIOL 400 — Principles of Biology | LIFESCI 7L — Introduction to Laboratory and Scientific Methodology | 5 |
| PHYS 431 + PHYS 421 + PHYS 410 — Heat, Waves, Light and Modern Physics + Electricity and Magnetism + Mechanics of Solids and Fluids | PHYSICS 1A, PHYSICS 1B, PHYSICS 1C, PHYSICS 4AL, PHYSICS 4BL (choose 1) | 13 |
| No ARC match | CHEM 153A — Biochemistry: Introduction to Structure, Enzymes, and Metabolism | — |
Courses with no equivalent must be taken at UCLA 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 UCLA 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, UCLA quarters
ARC runs on semesters and UCLA on quarters. Your units convert when you transfer, one semester unit to 1.5 quarter units, and anything left runs on UCLA'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
2 UCLA requirements have no ARC match
ARC lists no course for a UCLA choose-1 requirement and CHEM 153A. Check UCLA's Biology page for whether they have to be done before you transfer, and plan where you'll cover them.
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 UCLA looks for
Required prep: a year of biology with lab, a year of calculus, a year of general chemistry with lab and one semester of organic chemistry with lab. It must be complete by the end of spring before transfer.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What classes should I take at ARC for UCLA Biology?
CHEM 400, CHEM 401, CHEM 421, CHEM 420, MATH 356, MATH 355 and BIOL 400, plus the rest in the table above. Together they match 10 of the 12 prep courses UCLA lists for Biology.
What doesn't ARC cover for UCLA Biology?
A UCLA choose-1 requirement and CHEM 153A. ARC lists no course for them, so check UCLA's Biology page for whether they have to be finished before you transfer.
Does ARC BIOL 400 transfer to UCLA?
Yes, for Biology. ARC BIOL 400 (Principles of Biology) is the match for UCLA LIFESCI 7A (Cell and Molecular Biology) in the transfer agreement.
What is UCLA's transfer admit rate for Biology?
17% of all transfer applicants to UCLA Biology 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 UCLA for Biology can match 10 of 12 lower-division prep courses at ARC, including CHEM 400 and CHEM 401. A UCLA choose-1 requirement and CHEM 153A have no 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 UCLA, and you get the classes you need for Biology, semester by semester.
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