MiraCosta College to UCSB
Biological Sciences Transfer Plan
MiraCosta has a match for every one of UCSB's 8 Biological Sciences prep courses, so you can finish all of the listed prep at MiraCosta. Start with CHEM 140 and MATH 150.
From
MiraCosta College
To
UC Santa Barbara
Biological SciencesUC Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG)
UCSB offers TAG for Biological Sciences for fall 2027 applicants, with a minimum 3.4 GPA. File during the TAG window the fall before you transfer, and check UCSB's TAG page, since its list of eligible majors changes.
Major Requirements
Biological Sciences Major Preparation
Courses at MiraCosta College that satisfy UC Santa Barbara's Biological Sciences major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at MiraCosta College | Satisfies at UCSB | Units |
|---|---|---|
| CHEM 150 + CHEM 151 — General Chemistry I: For Science Majors + General Chemistry II: For Science Majors | CHEM 1A, CHEM 1B, CHEM 1C, CHEM 2AL, CHEM 2BL (choose 1) | 10 |
| CHEM 150 + CHEM 151 — General Chemistry I: For Science Majors + General Chemistry II: For Science Majors | CHEM 1A, CHEM 1AL, CHEM 1B, CHEM 1BL, CHEM 1C, CHEM 1CL (choose 1) | 10 |
| BIO 204 + BIO 202 — Foundations of Biology: Biochemistry, Cell Biology, Genetics and Molecular Biology + Foundations of Biology: Evolution, Biodiversity and Organismal Biology | MCDB 1A, MCDB 1B, MCDB 1LL, EEMB 2, EEMB 2LL, EEMB 3 | 8 |
| CHEM 210 + CHEM 211 — Organic Chemistry I: For Science Majors + Organic Chemistry II: For Science Majors | CHEM 6AL — Laboratory Methods of Organic Chemistry | 10 |
| CHEM 210 + CHEM 211 — Organic Chemistry I: For Science Majors + Organic Chemistry II: For Science Majors | CHEM 109A, CHEM 109B | 10 |
| MATH 150 or MATH 150H or MATH 150S — Calculus and Analytic Geometry I | MATH 3A — Calculus with Applications, First Course (choose 1) | 5 |
| MATH 115 — Calculus with Applications | MATH 34A — Calculus for Social and Life Sciences (choose 1) | 5 |
| MATH 155 — Calculus and Analytic Geometry II | MATH 3B — Calculus with Applications, Second Course (choose 1) | 4 |
| MATH 115 — Calculus with Applications | MATH 34B — Calculus for Social and Life Sciences (choose 1) | 5 |
| BUS 204 (or another listed option) — Business Statistics | PSTAT 5A — Understanding Data (choose 1) | 3 |
| BTEC 180 — Biostatistics | PSTAT 5LS — Statistics for Life Sciences (choose 1) | 4 |
| MATH 270 — Linear Algebra | MATH 4A — Linear Algebra with Applications (choose 1) | 4 |
| PHYS 112 + PHYS 111 — Introductory Physics II + Introductory Physics I | PHYS 6A, PHYS 6AL, PHYS 6B, PHYS 6BL, PHYS 6C, PHYS 6CL | 8 |
General Education
Foundation GE at MiraCosta College
Complete these five courses at MiraCosta College to start your UCSB 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.
BIO 102
Introductory Biology: Ecology and Environmental Biology
CHEM 103
Chemistry and Society: For Non-Science Majors
HIST 100
World History to 1500
ENGL C1000
Academic Reading and Writing
ENGL C1001
Critical Thinking and Writing
| Area | Course at MiraCosta College | Units |
|---|---|---|
Life Science | BIO 102 — Introductory Biology: Ecology and Environmental Biology | 4 |
Physical Science | CHEM 103 — Chemistry and Society: For Non-Science Majors | 3 |
Humanities | HIST 100 — World History to 1500 | 3 |
English CompositionCCN | ENGL C1000 — Academic Reading and Writing | 4 |
Critical ThinkingCCN | ENGL C1001 — Critical Thinking and Writing | 4 |
5 semesters minimum for CHEM 140 onward
CHEM 140 through CHEM 211: 5 courses, each needing the one before, so 5 semesters minimum, more than four fall and spring terms. Start CHEM 140 first or plan on summer. Placing higher shortens it.
MiraCosta semesters, UCSB quarters
MiraCosta runs on semesters and UCSB on quarters. Your units convert when you transfer, one semester unit to 1.5 quarter units, and anything left runs on UCSB'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
MiraCosta covers all 8 listed courses
Every UCSB Biological Sciences prep course in the transfer agreement has a MiraCosta match, so none of the listed prep has to wait. Take them all before you apply.
Start with CHEM 140 and MATH 150
CHEM 140 and MATH 150 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 3A
For UCSB MATH 3A, MiraCosta accepts MATH 150 or MATH 150H or MATH 150S. You need only one of them, so pick whichever fits your schedule.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What classes should I take at MiraCosta for UCSB Biological Sciences?
CHEM 150, CHEM 151, BIO 204, BIO 202, CHEM 210, CHEM 211 and MATH 150 or MATH 150H or MATH 150S, plus the rest in the table above. Together they match 8 of the 8 prep courses UCSB lists for Biological Sciences.
What doesn't MiraCosta cover for UCSB Biological Sciences?
Nothing in the transfer agreement. Every UCSB Biological Sciences prep course listed has a MiraCosta match.
Does MiraCosta MATH 115 transfer to UCSB?
Yes, for Biological Sciences. MiraCosta MATH 115 (Calculus with Applications) is the match for UCSB MATH 34A (Calculus for Social and Life Sciences) in the transfer agreement.
What is UCSB's transfer admit rate for Biological Sciences?
45% of all transfer applicants to UCSB Biological Sciences were admitted in 2025. That figure covers applicants from every college, so it isn't specific to MiraCosta.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
MiraCosta College students transferring to UC Santa Barbara for Biological Sciences can match 8 of 8 lower-division prep courses at MiraCosta, including CHEM 150 and CHEM 151. Every listed course has a MiraCosta College equivalent in the 2025-2026 agreement. CHEM 140 and MATH 150 are good first-semester picks. On Transfermatic, put in MiraCosta College and UC Santa Barbara, and you get the classes you need for Biological Sciences, semester by semester.
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