Orange Coast College to UC Davis
Biological Sciences Transfer Plan
OCC covers all 11 UC Davis Biological Sciences requirements: BIOL A180, A280 and A185 for biology, CHEM A180 and A185 for general chemistry, and a three-course MATH A180-A280 series, regular or honors, for calculus. Organic chemistry pairs lecture and lab courses separately for each quarter.
From
Orange Coast College
To
UC Davis
Biological SciencesUC Davis TAG
UC Davis offers TAG for Biological Sciences at a 3.20 cumulative GPA, with a 2.50 floor in every series and no grade below C. TAG doesn't replace selective-major review, so biology, chemistry and math still finish by spring.
Major Requirements
Biological Sciences Major Preparation
Courses at Orange Coast College that satisfy UC Davis's Biological Sciences major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at Orange Coast College | Satisfies at UC Davis | Units |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL A180 — Introduction to Biology for Majors 1: Cell and Molecular Biology | BIS 002A — Introduction to Biology: Essentials of Life on Earth | 4 |
| BIOL A280 — Evolutionary Ecology | BIS 002B — Introduction to Biology: Principles of Ecology & Evolution | 4 |
| BIOL A185 — Introduction to Biology for Majors 2: Ecology, Evolution, Diversity, and Physiology | BIS 002C — Introduction to Biology: Biodiversity & the Tree of Life | 5 |
| CHEM A180 + CHEM A185 — General Chemistry A + General Chemistry B | CHE 002A, CHE 002B, CHE 002C | 10 |
| MATH A180 (or another listed option) — Calculus 1 | MAT 021A, MAT 021B, MAT 021C, MAT 021D | 5 |
| CHEM A220L + CHEM A220 — Organic Chemistry A Lab + Organic Chemistry A | CHE 118A — Organic Chemistry for Health & Life Sciences | 5 |
| CHEM A220L + CHEM A225 + CHEM A220 + CHEM A225L — Organic Chemistry A Lab + Organic Chemistry B + Organic Chemistry A + Organic Chemistry B Laboratory | CHE 118B — Organic Chemistry for Health & Life Sciences | 10 |
| CHEM A225 + CHEM A225L — Organic Chemistry B + Organic Chemistry B Laboratory | CHE 118C — Organic Chemistry for Health & Life Sciences | 5 |
| (PHYS A125 and PHYS A120) or (PHYS A130 and PHYS A135) — Algebra-Based Physics 2:Electricity/Magnetism with Lab | PHY 007A — General Physics | 4 |
| (PHYS A120 and PHYS A125) or (PHYS A130 and PHYS A135) — Algebra-Based Physics 1: Mechanics with Lab | PHY 007B — General Physics | 4 |
| (PHYS A120 and PHYS A125) or (PHYS A130 and PHYS A135) — Algebra-Based Physics 1: Mechanics with Lab | PHY 007C — General Physics | 4 |
General Education
Foundation GE at Orange Coast College
Complete these five courses at Orange Coast 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 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 semesters of math from MATH A070
MATH A070, then A170, A180, A185 and A280, each course gating the next: five semesters total. Start MATH A070 immediately if you haven't reached A170 or above yet.
OCC semesters cover Davis quarter series
Davis runs on quarters, so OCC's semester pairs stand in for three-quarter series: CHEM A180 and A185 for CHE 002A-C, and either physics pairing for PHY 007A-C.
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
Biology numbers skip around
OCC's biology numbering doesn't follow Davis's letter order: BIOL A280 covers BIS 002B and BIOL A185 covers BIS 002C, so don't assume the higher course number comes later in your plan.
Math and biology share numbers
MATH A180 and BIOL A180 are different courses that satisfy different Davis requirements. Check the subject prefix on ASSIST before registering, since the course numbers themselves repeat across departments.
Organic chemistry needs labs too
The CHE 118A-C route runs through CHEM A220, A220L, A225 and A225L, lecture and lab paired for each course. It's recommended, not required, but plan on four OCC courses if you take it.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What classes should I take at OCC for UC Davis Biological Sciences?
BIOL A180, BIOL A280 and BIOL A185 for biology, CHEM A180 and CHEM A185 for general chemistry, and the MATH A180, A185 and A280 series, or its honors version, for calculus. Organic chemistry and physics are recommended, not required.
Does OCC CHEM A180 transfer to UC Davis Biological Sciences?
Yes, paired with CHEM A185. Together they cover CHE 002A, CHE 002B and CHE 002C, the full general chemistry series, in just two OCC courses instead of three.
Is anything for UC Davis Biological Sciences missing at OCC?
No. OCC matches all 11 requirements ASSIST lists, including the recommended organic chemistry and physics series, so nothing required or suggested is unavailable at OCC.
What's the transfer admit rate for UC Davis Biological Sciences?
58% of all 2025 transfer applicants to the major were admitted, a rate covering every applicant rather than OCC students specifically. Davis also requires a 2.8 cumulative GPA and 2.50 in each prep series.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
Orange Coast College students can complete every required course for the UC Davis Biological Sciences B.S. without gaps. Biology is BIOL A180, BIOL A280 and BIOL A185, general chemistry is CHEM A180 and CHEM A185, and calculus runs through a three-course MATH A180-A280 series. Organic chemistry and physics are recommended, and OCC covers both. UC Davis admitted 58% of all 2025 transfer applicants to the major and offers TAG at a 3.2 GPA. Transfermatic can keep OCC's biology and math course numbers from getting mixed up.
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