Mt. San Antonio College to UC Davis
Biological Sciences Transfer Plan
Mt. SAC covers all 12 UC Davis Biological Sciences requirements, and BIOL 4 alone fulfills two of the three biology courses, BIS 002A and BIS 002B. Math is the long runway: MAT 021B needs MATH 181 and MATH 280 together, so calculus runs five semesters from MATH 150.
From
Mt. San Antonio College
To
UC Davis
Biological SciencesUC Davis TAG
Mt. SAC students can use TAG for Biological Sciences at UC Davis, which asks for a 3.20 overall GPA. Beyond that, each prep series needs at least a 2.50 with no grade under C, and the prep deadline stays the end of spring.
Major Requirements
Biological Sciences Major Preparation
Courses at Mt. San Antonio College that satisfy UC Davis's Biological Sciences major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at Mt. San Antonio College | Satisfies at UC Davis | Units |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 4 or BIOL 4H — Biology for Majors | BIS 002A — Introduction to Biology: Essentials of Life on Earth | 4 |
| BIOL 4 or BIOL 4H — Biology for Majors | BIS 002B — Introduction to Biology: Principles of Ecology & Evolution | 4 |
| BIOL 2 — Plant and Animal Biology | BIS 002C — Introduction to Biology: Biodiversity & the Tree of Life | 4 |
| CHEM 51 + CHEM 50 — General Chemistry II + General Chemistry I | CHE 002A, CHE 002B, CHE 002C (choose 1) | 10 |
| CHEM 50H + CHEM 51H — General Chemistry I - Honors + General Chemistry II - Honors | CHE 004A, CHE 004B, CHE 004C (choose 1) | 10 |
| MATH 180 — Calculus and Analytic Geometry I | MAT 021A — Calculus | 4 |
| MATH 181 + MATH 280 — Calculus and Analytic Geometry II + Calculus and Analytic Geometry III | MAT 021B, MAT 021C, MAT 021D | 9 |
| CHEM 80 — Organic Chemistry I | CHE 118A — Organic Chemistry for Health & Life Sciences | 5 |
| CHEM 81 + CHEM 80 — Organic Chemistry II + Organic Chemistry I | CHE 118B — Organic Chemistry for Health & Life Sciences | 10 |
| CHEM 81 — Organic Chemistry II | CHE 118C — Organic Chemistry for Health & Life Sciences | 5 |
| PHYS 2BG + PHYS 2AG — General Physics + General Physics | PHY 007A — General Physics | 8 |
| PHYS 2AG + PHYS 2BG — General Physics + General Physics | PHY 007B — General Physics | 8 |
| PHYS 2BG + PHYS 2AG — General Physics + General Physics | PHY 007C — General Physics | 8 |
General Education
Foundation GE at Mt. San Antonio College
Complete these five courses at Mt. San Antonio College to start your UC Davis 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 1
General Biology
CHEM 10
Chemistry for Allied Health Majors
HIST 1
History of the United States
ENGL C1000
Academic Reading and Writing
ENGL C1001
Critical Thinking and Writing
| Area | Course at Mt. San Antonio College | Units |
|---|---|---|
Life Science | BIOL 1 — General Biology | 4 |
Physical Science | CHEM 10 — Chemistry for Allied Health Majors | 5 |
Humanities | HIST 1 — History of the United States | 3 |
English CompositionCCN | ENGL C1000 — Academic Reading and Writing | 4 |
Critical ThinkingCCN | ENGL C1001 — Critical Thinking and Writing | 4 |
Seven semesters from MATH 150 to CHEM 81
MATH 150, MATH 160 and MATH 180, then CHEM 50, CHEM 51, CHEM 80 and CHEM 81: seven semesters. Organic chemistry is optional, but math opens both calculus and CHEM 50, so start math your first semester.
Mt. SAC semesters cover Davis quarters
Davis runs on quarters, so Mt. SAC's semester courses often stand in for a full quarter series: BIOL 4 alone covers two Davis biology quarters, and two physics courses cover all three PHY 007A-C quarters.
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
BIOL 4 counts twice
BIOL 4, or honors BIOL 4H, satisfies both BIS 002A and BIS 002B on its own. Add BIOL 2 for BIS 002C and Mt. SAC's biology series is finished in two courses.
Pick one full chemistry track
General chemistry is a real choice: CHEM 50 and CHEM 51 cover CHE 002A-C, or the honors pair CHEM 50H and CHEM 51H covers CHE 004A-C. Davis accepts either series, so honors isn't required to move forward.
Math starts below calculus
MATH 150 and MATH 160 come before MATH 180 even starts, stretching Mt. SAC's calculus runway to five semesters. Start math right away if you haven't already reached MATH 160.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What classes should I take at Mt. SAC for UC Davis Biological Sciences?
BIOL 4 and BIOL 2 for biology, either CHEM 50-51 or honors CHEM 50H-51H for chemistry, and MATH 180, MATH 181 and MATH 280 for calculus. Organic chemistry (CHEM 80, CHEM 81) and physics are recommended additions.
Does Mt. SAC BIOL 4 transfer to UC Davis Biological Sciences?
Yes, and it counts twice. BIOL 4, or honors BIOL 4H, matches both BIS 002A and BIS 002B, so you don't repeat coursework to cover two separate Davis requirements.
Is anything for UC Davis Biological Sciences missing at Mt. SAC?
No. All 12 requirements ASSIST lists have a Mt. SAC match, including the recommended organic chemistry and physics series, so nothing waits until after transfer.
What's the transfer admit rate for UC Davis Biological Sciences?
58% of all 2025 transfer applicants to the major were admitted, the same figure for every community college, not just Mt. SAC. Selective major review also holds every applicant to a 2.8 cumulative GPA, with 2.50 as the floor in each prep series.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
Mt. San Antonio College students can finish every required course for the UC Davis Biological Sciences B.S. without gaps. Biology takes just BIOL 4 and BIOL 2, general chemistry is CHEM 50 and CHEM 51 (or the honors pair), and calculus runs from MATH 180 through MATH 280. Organic chemistry and physics are recommended, and Mt. SAC covers both. UC Davis admitted 58% of all 2025 transfer applicants to the major and offers TAG at a 3.2 GPA. Transfermatic can plan the five-semester math runway so calculus doesn't fall behind.
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