Orange Coast College to UCLA
Psychology Transfer Plan
OCC has a match for all five UCLA Psychology prep areas: PSYC C1000, a biology course, a chemistry or physics course, a philosophy course and a quantitative course. UCLA admitted 21% of 2025 transfer applicants to the major, and you must be admitted straight into Psychology since you can't switch in later.
From
Orange Coast College
To
UCLA
PsychologyUCLA TAP via OCC's Honors Program
OCC's Honors Program certifies students for UCLA's Transfer Alliance Program, which adds priority review for Psychology and a backup look at an alternate major if the first choice falls through. TAP doesn't guarantee admission, and UCLA stopped certifying one-year transfer students in May 2026.
Major Requirements
Psychology Major Preparation
Courses at Orange Coast College that satisfy UCLA's Psychology major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at Orange Coast College | Satisfies at UCLA | Units |
|---|---|---|
| PSYC C1000 — Introduction to Psychology | PSYCH 10 — Introductory Psychology | 3 |
| BIOL A180 — Introduction to Biology for Majors 1: Cell and Molecular Biology | LIFESCI 7A — Cell and Molecular Biology (choose 1) | 4 |
| BIOL A100 — Principles of Biology | LIFESCI 15 — Life: Concepts and Issues (choose 1) | 4 |
| BIOL A225 — Human Physiology | PHYSCI 3 — Introduction to Human Physiology (choose 1) | 5 |
| BIOL A180 — Introduction to Biology for Majors 1: Cell and Molecular Biology | Lower Division Biology Courses (choose 1) | 4 |
| CHEM A180 — General Chemistry A | CHEM 20A — Chemical Structure (choose 1) | 5 |
| CHEM A110 or CHEM A130 — Introduction to Chemistry | Introductory Chemistry Courses (choose 1) | 5 |
| PHYS A110 or PHYS A120 — Conceptual Physics | PHYSICS 10 — Physics (choose 1) | 3 |
| PHYS A185 or PHYS A185H — Calculus Based Physics: Mechanics with Lab | PHYSICS 1A — Physics for Scientists and Engineers: Mechanics (choose 1) | 5 |
| PHYS A130 — University Physics 1: Mechanics with Lab | PHYSICS 5A — Physics for Life Sciences Majors: Mechanics and Energy (choose 1) | 4 |
| PHIL A165 — The Theory of Knowledge | PHILOS 7 — Introduction to Philosophy of Mind (choose 1) | 3 |
| PHIL A120 — Ethics | PHILOS 22 — Introduction to Ethical Theory (choose 1) | 3 |
| PHIL A220 — Introduction to Symbolic Logic | PHILOS 31 — Logic, First Course (choose 1) | 3 |
| PHIL A100 (or another listed option) — Introduction to Philosophy | Introductory Philosophy Courses (choose 1) | 3 |
| STAT C1000 or PSYC A160 — Introduction to Statistics | Introductory Statistics Courses (choose 1) | 4 |
| STAT C1000 or PSYC A160 — Introduction to Statistics | STATS 10 — Introduction to Statistical Reasoning (choose 1) | 4 |
| CS A150 + CS A250 — C++ Programming Language 1 + C++ Programming Language 2 | COMPTNG 10A — Introduction to Programming (choose 1) | 8 |
| MATH A140 or MATH A180 or MATH A180H or MATH A182H — Business Calculus | Calculus Requirement (choose 1) | 5 |
General Education
Foundation GE at Orange Coast College
Complete these five courses at Orange Coast College to start your UCLA 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 |
Semester units don't map 1-to-1
OCC teaches on semesters, UCLA on quarters, so credits don't convert one to one. A 4-unit BIOL A100 counts for about six quarter units once it transfers. Plan around OCC's own semester calendar for the spring-before-transfer deadline.
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 A180 carries a long prerequisite list
BIOL A180 needs CHEM A180, ESL A031 and ESL A035, among others, before you enroll. BIOL A100 fills the biology requirement through LIFESCI 15 with no prerequisite listed, so it's the faster route.
Skip the two-course programming route
COMPTNG 10A needs both CS A150 and CS A250, and CS A150 itself needs CS A100, CS A122, CS A131 or CS A170 first. STAT C1000 or PSYC A160 fills quantitative reasoning in a single course.
AP exams can clear four of five areas
A 4 on AP Psychology replaces PSYC C1000. A 3 on AP Biology, Chemistry or Physics covers the science slots, and a 3 on AP Statistics or Calculus covers quantitative reasoning. Philosophy has no AP option.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What classes do I need at OCC for UCLA psychology?
PSYC C1000, one biology course such as BIOL A100 or BIOL A180, one chemistry or physics course such as CHEM A180 or PHYS A130, one philosophy course such as PHIL A120, and one quantitative course such as STAT C1000 or a MATH A180 calculus course. Finish everything by the spring before you transfer.
Does OCC BIOL A100 count for UCLA psychology?
Yes. BIOL A100 covers UCLA's LIFESCI 15 requirement, one of four biology options along with BIOL A180, BIOL A225 or the lower-division biology slot. You only need one, and BIOL A100 has no chemistry or ESL prerequisite listed.
Is anything missing from OCC for UCLA psychology?
No requirement is left open. Specific UCLA courses like CHEM 17, PHYSICS 11 and most named philosophy titles have no OCC match, but each sits inside a choose-one group that other OCC courses, such as CHEM A180 or PHIL A120, fill instead.
What is UCLA's psychology transfer admit rate?
UCLA admitted 21% of all 2025 transfer applicants to Psychology, a figure for everyone who applied to the major rather than an OCC-specific one. You need direct admission into the major itself, and UCLA strongly encourages finishing prep by fall rather than waiting until spring.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
Orange Coast College students applying to UCLA for Psychology can cover all five lower-division prep areas at OCC: PSYC C1000 for intro psychology, a biology course such as BIOL A100, a chemistry or physics option like CHEM A180, one of several philosophy courses including PHIL A120, and a quantitative course such as STAT C1000. UCLA requires direct admission into Psychology and wants prep finished by the spring before transfer. Transfermatic can sequence these OCC courses so nothing gets left for the last term.
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