Orange Coast College to UCI
Biological Sciences Transfer Plan
OCC matches all nine of UC Irvine's Biological Sciences requirements, so every admission course transfers, including Molecular Biology through the honors option. The only chain to watch is chemistry: five semesters from CHEM A130 through the second organic lab, CHEM A225L.
From
Orange Coast College
To
UC Irvine
Biological SciencesUC Irvine TAG
Biological Sciences is TAG-eligible at UCI for fall 2027 applicants, with a 3.4 minimum GPA. Fall 2028 removes the major from TAG, so fall 2027 is the last cycle, and the admission prep is still due by the end of spring.
Major Requirements
Biological Sciences Major Preparation
Courses at Orange Coast College that satisfy UC Irvine's Biological Sciences major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at Orange Coast College | Satisfies at UCI | Units |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL A180 — Introduction to Biology for Majors 1: Cell and Molecular Biology | BIO SCI 93 — DNA to Organisms | 4 |
| BIOL A185 — Introduction to Biology for Majors 2: Ecology, Evolution, Diversity, and Physiology | BIO SCI 94 — Organisms to Ecosystems | 5 |
| CHEM A185 + CHEM A180 — General Chemistry B + General Chemistry A | CHEM 1A, CHEM 1B, CHEM 1C, CHEM 1LC, CHEM 1LD | 10 |
| CHEM A220L + CHEM A225L + CHEM A225 + CHEM A220 — Organic Chemistry A Lab + Organic Chemistry B Laboratory + Organic Chemistry B + Organic Chemistry A | CHEM 51A, CHEM 51B, CHEM 51LB, CHEM 51C, CHEM 51LC | 10 |
| BIOL A283 — Genetics | BIO SCI 97 — Genetics | 4 |
| BIOL A281 — Biochemistry | BIO SCI 98 — Biochemistry | 2 |
| BIOL A282 or BIOL A282H — Molecular Biology | BIO SCI 99 — Molecular Biology | 2 |
| PHYS A130 + PHYS A135 — University Physics 1: Mechanics with Lab + University Physics 2: Electricity/Magnetism with Lab | PHYSICS 3A, PHYSICS 3B, PHYSICS 3LB, PHYSICS 3C, PHYSICS 3LC (choose 1) | 8 |
| (PHYS A185 and PHYS A280) or (PHYS A185H and PHYS A280) — Calculus Based Physics: Mechanics with Lab | PHYSICS 7C, PHYSICS 7LC, PHYSICS 7D, PHYSICS 7LD, PHYSICS 7E (choose 1) | 5 |
| MATH A180H (or another listed option) — Calculus 1 Honors | Mathematics Requirement | 5 |
General Education
Foundation GE at Orange Coast College
UCI's Biological Sciences program uses its own GE pattern (see note below), but these five Orange Coast College courses cover foundation requirements every UC accepts. Start here.
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 |
UCI Biological Sciences: full GE notes
UCI says IGETC may not be recommended for science majors like Biological Sciences, so prioritize chemistry and biology over general-education breadth early on.
Chemistry sets your five-semester pace
Starting with CHEM A130, the path to the second organic lab runs five semesters: CHEM A130, CHEM A180, CHEM A185, CHEM A220, then CHEM A225L. Organic is due by spring for admission, so begin chemistry your first term.
OCC semesters cover five UCI quarter courses
UCI's chemistry runs in quarters, so OCC's CHEM A180 and CHEM A185 stand in for five UCI courses, CHEM 1A through CHEM 1LD. The same holds for organic: four OCC courses cover UCI's five-course sequence, CHEM 51A through CHEM 51LC.
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
Take both chemistry courses as a pair
UCI only accepts general chemistry as a full year, so both CHEM A180 and CHEM A185 have to be completed at OCC. Organic works the same way: CHEM A220, CHEM A220L, CHEM A225 and CHEM A225L together count as one requirement.
Molecular Biology has an honors option here
BIO SCI 99 is covered by BIOL A282, or by the honors version, BIOL A282H. Genetics, BIO SCI 97, comes from BIOL A283 and biochemistry from BIOL A281, so OCC clears the whole additional-approved group.
Two physics pairs are accepted
UCI accepts PHYS A130 with PHYS A135, or PHYS A185 with PHYS A280 (honors PHYS A185H counts too). Both open with a course that needs calculus such as MATH A180 first, so plan physics after you start calculus.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What OCC classes transfer to UCI for Biological Sciences?
All nine of UCI's admission and additional-approved courses have an OCC match: BIOL A180 and BIOL A185 for biology, CHEM A180 and CHEM A185 for general chemistry, and the four-course organic sequence, CHEM A220 through CHEM A225L. Genetics, biochemistry and molecular biology transfer too.
Is there anything OCC doesn't cover for UCI biology?
No. All nine of UCI's Biological Sciences requirements, including BIO SCI 99, Molecular Biology, have an OCC match, some with honors versions. You can finish every admission and additional course before you transfer.
Can I get TAG for UC Irvine Biological Sciences from OCC?
Yes, for fall 2027 only, with a 3.4 GPA. UCI drops Biological Sciences from its TAG list starting fall 2028, so this is the last admission cycle where it's available. The standard minimum GPA outside TAG stays at 3.0.
Does OCC's CHEM A180 count toward UCI biology admission?
Yes, but only alongside CHEM A185. UCI requires the complete general-chemistry year, equivalent to its own CHEM 1A through CHEM 1LD, so a single semester at OCC isn't enough on its own; both courses have to be finished.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
Orange Coast College students headed to UC Irvine's Biological Sciences, B.S. program can finish every admission requirement before transfer, from the full CHEM A180 and CHEM A185 chemistry year to Molecular Biology, BIO SCI 99, covered through BIOL A282 or its honors version. Nine of nine requirements have an OCC match. Transfermatic lays out the five-semester chemistry chain OCC students need to start early so organic chemistry is done by spring.
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