Los Angeles Pierce College to UCLA
Biology Transfer Plan
Pierce matches every course on UCLA's Biology prep list, all 12, including CHEM 221 for CHEM 153A. The catch is a five-semester chemistry chain, and UCLA wants biology, general chemistry, calculus and one organic course done by spring before transfer.
From
Los Angeles Pierce College
To
UCLA
BiologyUCLA Transfer Alliance Program (TAP)
Pierce's Honors Transfer Program certifies students into UCLA's TAP, covering Letters and Science majors including Biology. Certification means priority consideration, plus a review for an alternate major if you're not admitted to your first choice. It's not a guarantee.
Major Requirements
Biology Major Preparation
Courses at Los Angeles Pierce College that satisfy UCLA's Biology major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at Los Angeles Pierce College | Satisfies at UCLA | Units |
|---|---|---|
| CHEM 102 + CHEM 101 — General Chemistry II + General Chemistry I | CHEM 20A, CHEM 20B, CHEM 20L, CHEM 30AL | 10 |
| CHEM 212 + CHEM 211 — Organic Chemistry for Science Majors II + Organic Chemistry for Science Majors I | CHEM 30A, CHEM 30B | 10 |
| MATH 261 — Calculus I | MATH 31A — Differential and Integral Calculus | 5 |
| MATH 262 — Calculus II | MATH 31B — Integration and Infinite Series | 5 |
| MATH 263 — Calculus III | MATH 32A — Calculus of Several Variables | 5 |
| STAT C1000 or MATH 228B or STAT 101 — Introduction to Statistics | STATS 13 — Introduction to Statistical Methods for Life and Health Sciences (choose 1) | 4 |
| BIOLOGY 006 — General Biology I | LIFESCI 7A — Cell and Molecular Biology | 5 |
| BIOLOGY 007 + BIOLOGY 006 — General Biology II + General Biology I | LIFESCI 7B — Genetics, Evolution, and Ecology | 10 |
| BIOLOGY 007 + BIOLOGY 006 — General Biology II + General Biology I | LIFESCI 7C — Physiology and Human Biology | 10 |
| (BIOLOGY 007 and BIOLOGY 110) or BIOLOGY 006 — General Biology II | LIFESCI 7L — Introduction to Laboratory and Scientific Methodology | 5 |
| PHYSICS 066 + PHYSICS 067 — Physics with Calculus for Life Science Majors I + Physics with Calculus for Life Science Majors II | PHYSICS 5A, PHYSICS 5B, PHYSICS 5C (choose 1) | 10 |
| PHYSICS 102 + PHYSICS 101 + PHYSICS 103 — Physics for Engineers and Scientists II + Physics for Engineers and Scientists I + Physics for Engineers and Scientists III | PHYSICS 1A, PHYSICS 1B, PHYSICS 1C, PHYSICS 4AL, PHYSICS 4BL (choose 1) | 15 |
| CHEM 221 — Biochemistry for Science Majors | CHEM 153A — Biochemistry: Introduction to Structure, Enzymes, and Metabolism | 5 |
General Education
Foundation GE at Los Angeles Pierce College
Complete these five courses at Los Angeles Pierce 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.
ANATOMY 001
Introduction to Human Anatomy
CHEM 051
Fundamentals of Chemistry I
A S L 003
American Sign Language III
ENGL C1000
Academic Reading and Writing
ENGL C1001
Critical Thinking and Writing
| Area | Course at Los Angeles Pierce College | Units |
|---|---|---|
Life Science | ANATOMY 001 — Introduction to Human Anatomy | 4 |
Physical Science | CHEM 051 — Fundamentals of Chemistry I | 5 |
Humanities | A S L 003 — American Sign Language III | 4 |
English CompositionCCN | ENGL C1000 — Academic Reading and Writing | 3 |
Critical ThinkingCCN | ENGL C1001 — Critical Thinking and Writing | 3 |
Five semesters to finish chemistry
The chain runs CHEM 060, CHEM 101, CHEM 102, CHEM 211, then CHEM 212: five semesters minimum, and CHEM 221 needs CHEM 211 done first too. Start chemistry your first term.
Pierce semesters, UCLA quarters
UCLA's chemistry runs on the quarter system, so Pierce's semester courses cover more ground per class. CHEM 101 and CHEM 102 together clear all four of UCLA's general chemistry quarter 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
CHEM 221 covers CHEM 153A
Pierce's CHEM 221 matches CHEM 153A, UCLA's upper-division biochemistry course. UCLA doesn't require it for admission, but you can take it before you transfer. It needs CHEM 211 first.
Two ways to cover the lab requirement
BIOLOGY 006 alone satisfies LIFESCI 7L, UCLA's lab methodology course. So does BIOLOGY 007 paired with BIOLOGY 110, if you'd rather take genetics and biotechnology on the way.
Three courses fill the statistics slot
STAT C1000, MATH 228B or STAT 101: any one of these three Pierce courses meets UCLA's STATS 13 requirement. LIFESCI 40, the other option, has no Pierce match.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What Pierce classes do I need for UCLA biology?
UCLA wants a year each of biology, general chemistry and calculus, plus one semester of organic chemistry with lab, by spring before transfer. At Pierce that means BIOLOGY 006 and BIOLOGY 007, CHEM 101 and CHEM 102, MATH 261 and MATH 262, and CHEM 211.
What doesn't Pierce cover for UCLA biology?
Nothing. Pierce matches all 12 courses on UCLA's Biology prep list, including CHEM 221 for the biochemistry requirement. You still need the required prep finished by spring before you transfer.
What is the UCLA biology transfer admit rate?
17%. That's UCLA's 2025 rate for every transfer applicant to Biology, not a number specific to Pierce. Because it's highly selective and switching majors after admission isn't allowed, apply to Biology from the start.
Does Pierce's CHEM 221 count for UCLA biology?
Yes, it matches CHEM 153A, UCLA's upper-division biochemistry course. It isn't required for admission, but Pierce students can take it before transfer once CHEM 211 is done.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
Los Angeles Pierce College students transferring into the Biology B.S. at UCLA can complete the entire lower-division prep list before they leave, all 12 courses. General chemistry runs CHEM 101 and CHEM 102, organic adds CHEM 211 and CHEM 212, and CHEM 221 even covers CHEM 153A, the biochemistry course. Because the chemistry chain runs five semesters, Transfermatic sequences Pierce's schedule so nothing is left for after transfer.
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