Orange Coast College to SDSU
Biology Transfer Plan
Orange Coast College covers 10 of SDSU's 11 Biology requirements, including organismal biology's full lecture-and-lab combination with an honors zoology substitute. BIOL 215, Biostatistics, is OCC's only gap on ASSIST.
From
Orange Coast College
To
San Diego State University
BiologyMajor Requirements
Biology Major Preparation
Courses at Orange Coast College that satisfy San Diego State University's Biology major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at Orange Coast College | Satisfies at SDSU | Units |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL A180 — Introduction to Biology for Majors 1: Cell and Molecular Biology | BIOL 203, BIOL 203L | 4 |
| (BIOL A182 and BIOL A183) or (BIOL A183 and BIOL A182H) — Zoology | BIOL 204 — Principles of Organismal Biology | 3 |
| BIOL A183L + BIOL A182L — Botany Lab + Zoology Lab | BIOL 204L — Principles of Organismal Biology Laboratory | 2 |
| No OCC match | BIOL 215 — Biostatistics | — |
| CHEM A180 — General Chemistry A | CHEM 200 — General Chemistry | 5 |
| CHEM A185 — General Chemistry B | CHEM 201 — General Chemistry | 5 |
| CHEM A220 — Organic Chemistry A | CHEM 232 — Organic Chemistry | 3 |
| CHEM A220L — Organic Chemistry A Lab | CHEM 232L — Organic Chemistry Laboratory | 2 |
| MATH A180 or MATH A180H — Calculus 1 | MATH 150 — Calculus I (choose 1) | 5 |
| PHYS A120 or PHYS A130 — Algebra-Based Physics 1: Mechanics with Lab | PHYS 180A, PHYS 182A | 4 |
| PHYS A125 or PHYS A135 — Algebra-Based Physics 2:Electricity/Magnetism with Lab | PHYS 180B, PHYS 182B | 4 |
Courses with no equivalent must be taken at San Diego State University after transfer. Factor this into your first-year course plan.
General Education
Foundation GE at Orange Coast College
Complete these five courses at Orange Coast College to start your SDSU 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 A100
Principles of Biology
CHEM A100
Principles of Chemistry
HIST A101
Afro-American History
ENGL C1000
Academic Reading and Writing
ENGL C1001
Critical Thinking and Writing
| Area | Course at Orange Coast College | Units |
|---|---|---|
Life Science | BIOL A100 — Principles of Biology | 4 |
Physical Science | CHEM A100 — Principles of Chemistry | 3 |
Humanities | HIST A101 — Afro-American History | 3 |
English CompositionCCN | ENGL C1000 — Academic Reading and Writing | 4 |
Critical ThinkingCCN | ENGL C1001 — Critical Thinking and Writing | 4 |
Five terms of math before physics finishes
On the calculus-based PHYS A130 track, MATH A070 leads to MATH A170, MATH A180, PHYS A130, then PHYS A135. That's five terms minimum, so start the math sequence your first term.
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
Organismal biology needs four OCC courses
BIOL A182 and BIOL A183 cover the lecture, then BIOL A183L and BIOL A182L cover the lab, all required together for SDSU's BIOL 204 and BIOL 204L. Honors zoology, BIOL A182H, can swap in for BIOL A182.
Two physics tracks both count
PHYS A120, algebra-based, or PHYS A130, university physics, each satisfy the first physics pairing, and the same choice repeats later with PHYS A125 or PHYS A135. Pick the track that matches your math background.
Biostatistics is the one true gap
Every OCC science course lines up with an SDSU Biology requirement except BIOL 215. SDSU still wants all catalog major prep done by the end of spring 2027, Biostatistics included.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Does OCC's BIOL A180 transfer to SDSU?
Yes. BIOL A180 alone satisfies SDSU's BIOL 203 and BIOL 203L, the cell and molecular biology course with lab. It's a single OCC course covering the full requirement.
What doesn't OCC cover for the SDSU Biology major?
BIOL 215, Biostatistics, is the only SDSU Biology requirement with no OCC match on ASSIST. Both biology courses, general chemistry, organic chemistry, calculus and both physics sequences all have an OCC equivalent, several with more than one accepted path.
What's the minimum GPA SDSU sets for Biology?
SDSU's Biology B.A./B.S. GPA floor for fall 2027 is 2.80, and every SDSU major is impacted. A GPA above that floor, or applying from SDSU's local admission area, moves an applicant up the ranking; OCC isn't in that area.
How long is OCC's chain to university physics?
Five terms: MATH A070 leads to MATH A170, then MATH A180, then PHYS A130, then PHYS A135. Each step is a prerequisite for the next, so a slow start in that math sequence pushes physics, and your transfer plan, back with it.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
Orange Coast College students headed into Biology, B.A. and B.S. at San Diego State University cover nearly the entire major on campus, including organismal biology's full lecture-and-lab combination, BIOL A182, BIOL A183, BIOL A183L and BIOL A182L, with an honors zoology substitute. General chemistry, organic chemistry, calculus and both physics sequences all have OCC matches too. The single gap is Biostatistics, BIOL 215. Transfermatic lines up OCC's full catalog against SDSU's requirements so you can see every accepted substitute, not just one.
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