El Camino College to UCI
Biological Sciences Transfer Plan
El Camino covers eight of UC Irvine's nine Biological Sciences requirements; the gap is Genetics, BIO SCI 97, which isn't required for admission. Honors versions of both biology courses, BIOL 110H and BIOL 120H, are also accepted.
From
El Camino College
To
UC Irvine
Biological SciencesUC Irvine TAG
El Camino students can use TAG for Biological Sciences at UCI for fall 2027 with a 3.4 GPA. UCI drops the major from TAG starting fall 2028. TAG doesn't lift the prep rule: the biology, general chemistry and organic years still finish by spring.
Major Requirements
Biological Sciences Major Preparation
Courses at El Camino College that satisfy UC Irvine's Biological Sciences major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at El Camino College | Satisfies at UCI | Units |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 110 or BIOL 110H — Cell and Molecular Biology | BIO SCI 93 — DNA to Organisms | 5 |
| BIOL 120 or BIOL 120H — Ecology Evolution, Diversity, and Physiology | BIO SCI 94 — Organisms to Ecosystems | 5 |
| CHEM 1A + CHEM 1B — General Chemistry I + General Chemistry II | CHEM 1A, CHEM 1B, CHEM 1C, CHEM 1LC, CHEM 1LD | 10 |
| CHEM 7A + CHEM 7B — Organic Chemistry I + Organic Chemistry II | CHEM 51A, CHEM 51B, CHEM 51LB, CHEM 51C, CHEM 51LC | 10 |
| No El Camino match | BIO SCI 97 — Genetics | — |
| CHEM 21B — Survey of Organic and Biochemistry | BIO SCI 98 — Biochemistry | 4 |
| BIOL 130 — Fundamentals of Molecular Biology | BIO SCI 99 — Molecular Biology | 3 |
| PHYS 3B + PHYS 3A — General Physics with Calculus + General Physics with Calculus | PHYSICS 3A, PHYSICS 3B, PHYSICS 3LB, PHYSICS 3C, PHYSICS 3LC (choose 1) | 10 |
| PHYS 1A + PHYS 1C — Mechanics of Solids + Electricity and Magnetism | PHYSICS 7C, PHYSICS 7LC, PHYSICS 7D, PHYSICS 7LD, PHYSICS 7E (choose 1) | 8 |
| MATH 190 (or another listed option) — Single Variable Calculus and Analytic Geometry I | Mathematics Requirement | 5 |
Courses with no equivalent must be taken at UC Irvine after transfer. Factor this into your first-year course plan.
General Education
Foundation GE at El Camino College
UCI's Biological Sciences program uses its own GE pattern (see note below), but these five El Camino College courses cover foundation requirements every UC accepts. Start here.
BIOL 10
Fundamentals of Biology
CHEM 1A
General Chemistry I
HIST 101
United States History to 1877
ENGL C1000
Academic Reading and Writing
ENGL C1001
Critical Thinking and Writing
| Area | Course at El Camino College | Units |
|---|---|---|
Life Science | BIOL 10 — Fundamentals of Biology | 4 |
Physical Science | CHEM 1A — General Chemistry I | 5 |
Humanities | HIST 101 — United States History to 1877 | 3 |
English CompositionCCN | ENGL C1000 — Academic Reading and Writing | 4 |
Critical ThinkingCCN | ENGL C1001 — Critical Thinking and Writing | 4 |
UCI Biological Sciences: full GE notes
UCI says IGETC may not be recommended for science majors like Biological Sciences, so El Camino students should place chemistry and biology ahead of general education.
Chemistry takes five semesters from start to organic
The chain runs CHEM 4, CHEM 1A, CHEM 1B, CHEM 7A, then CHEM 7B: five semesters, every course gating the next. Organic chemistry is required for admission by the end of spring, so start CHEM 4 your first term.
Two El Camino courses cover five UCI quarters
UCI's general-chemistry sequence spans five quarter courses, CHEM 1A through CHEM 1LD, but El Camino covers it in just CHEM 1A and CHEM 1B. Organic compresses the same way, CHEM 7A and CHEM 7B for five UCI courses.
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
Genetics is the one course to plan around
BIO SCI 97 has no El Camino match, unlike Molecular Biology, which El Camino covers through BIOL 130. Save room in your schedule to take genetics at UCI after you transfer.
Honors sections cover both biology courses
BIOL 110H and BIOL 120H, the honors versions of BIOL 110 and BIOL 120, both satisfy UCI's BIO SCI 93 and BIO SCI 94 requirements. Neither honors section is required, just an option.
Two accepted physics options
UCI takes one physics option: PHYS 3A with PHYS 3B, General Physics with Calculus, or PHYS 1A, Mechanics of Solids, with PHYS 1C, Electricity and Magnetism. Pick whichever fits your schedule and math.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What El Camino classes count for UCI biology?
BIOL 110 and BIOL 120 for biology, CHEM 1A and CHEM 1B for general chemistry, and CHEM 7A and CHEM 7B for organic. Molecular Biology, BIO SCI 99, comes from BIOL 130, and CHEM 21B covers biochemistry.
Which UCI biology course has no El Camino match?
BIO SCI 97, Genetics. ASSIST lists no El Camino course for it, so you'd take it at UCI once you transfer. It's outside the admission requirements, so this gap won't hold up your application.
Can El Camino students get TAG for UCI Biological Sciences?
Yes, for fall 2027, with a 3.4 GPA. UCI takes Biological Sciences off its TAG list starting fall 2028, making fall 2027 the last eligible cycle. Without TAG, the standard minimum GPA stays 3.0.
Does El Camino's CHEM 1A transfer to UCI as general chemistry?
Yes, but only with CHEM 1B completed too. UCI treats general chemistry as one full-year requirement matching its own CHEM 1A through CHEM 1LD, so a single El Camino semester isn't enough by itself.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
El Camino College students transferring into UC Irvine's Biological Sciences, B.S. program can complete eight of nine requirements locally, including honors options BIOL 110H and BIOL 120H for the biology year. Genetics, BIO SCI 97, is the one course with no El Camino match and gets finished at UCI. The chemistry chain, CHEM 4 through CHEM 7B, runs five semesters with each course required before the next. Transfermatic lines up that sequence against El Camino's own schedule so students start chemistry on time.
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