Pasadena City College to SDSU
Biology Transfer Plan
Pasadena City College covers cell and molecular biology, general chemistry, organic chemistry, calculus and both physics sequences for SDSU's Biology major. PCC has no match for organismal biology, BIOL 204, or for Biostatistics, BIOL 215.
From
Pasadena City College
To
San Diego State University
BiologyMajor Requirements
Biology Major Preparation
Courses at Pasadena City College that satisfy San Diego State University's Biology major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at Pasadena City College | Satisfies at SDSU | Units |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 010A + BIOL 010C — Cellular Biology, Genetics and Evolution + Genetics | BIOL 203, BIOL 203L | 8 |
| No PCC match | BIOL 204, BIOL 204L | — |
| No PCC match | BIOL 215 — Biostatistics | — |
| CHEM 001A — General Chemistry and Chemical Analysis I | CHEM 200 — General Chemistry | 5 |
| CHEM 001B — General Chemistry and Chemical Analysis II | CHEM 201 — General Chemistry | 5 |
| CHEM 008A — Organic Chemistry I | CHEM 232, CHEM 232L | 5 |
| MATH 005A or MATH 005AH — Single Variable Calculus I | MATH 150 — Calculus I (choose 1) | 5 |
| PHYS 002A — General Physics I: Mechanics and Thermal Physics | PHYS 180A, PHYS 182A | 4 |
| PHYS 002B — General Physics II: Electromagnetism, Optics, and Modern Physics | 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 Pasadena City College
Complete these five courses at Pasadena City 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 002
Animal Biology
CHEM 001A
General Chemistry and Chemical Analysis I
HIST 001A
History of European Civilization to 1715
ENGL C1000
Academic Reading and Writing
ENGL C1001
Critical Thinking and Writing
| Area | Course at Pasadena City College | Units |
|---|---|---|
Life Science | BIOL 002 — Animal Biology | 4 |
Physical Science | CHEM 001A — General Chemistry and Chemical Analysis I | 5 |
Humanities | HIST 001A — History of European Civilization to 1715 | 3 |
English CompositionCCN | ENGL C1000 — Academic Reading and Writing | 4 |
Critical ThinkingCCN | ENGL C1001 — Critical Thinking and Writing | 4 |
Four semesters from chemistry to genetics
CHEM 022 feeds CHEM 001A, which feeds BIOL 010A, which feeds BIOL 010C. Four semesters minimum, so start general chemistry as soon as you enroll at PCC.
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 is a PCC gap
BIOL 204 and BIOL 204L, organismal biology and its lab, have no PCC match on ASSIST, even though BIOL 203 does. SDSU requires all catalog major prep by the end of spring 2027, so this gap counts.
Honors calculus counts the same
MATH 005AH, PCC's honors calculus, satisfies SDSU's MATH 150 requirement exactly like the standard MATH 005A. Take whichever section fits your schedule; ASSIST treats them as equivalent.
Chemistry, then biology, four terms deep
CHEM 022 leads to CHEM 001A, then BIOL 010A, then BIOL 010C. That's four semesters minimum before you've finished PCC's cell and molecular biology sequence.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Does PCC's BIOL 010A transfer to SDSU?
Yes. BIOL 010A and BIOL 010C together satisfy SDSU's BIOL 203 and BIOL 203L, cell and molecular biology with lab. Both PCC courses are required; one alone doesn't complete the match.
What doesn't PCC cover for SDSU Biology?
PCC has no match for BIOL 204, organismal biology, or for BIOL 215, Biostatistics. SDSU wants all catalog major prep finished by the end of spring 2027. Everything else, cell and molecular biology, general and organic chemistry, calculus and both physics courses, is covered.
What minimum GPA does SDSU set for Biology?
SDSU sets its fall 2027 Biology B.A./B.S. GPA floor at 2.80, and every SDSU major is impacted by demand. Scoring above that number, or applying from SDSU's local admission area, gives an applicant priority; PCC is outside that local area.
How long does PCC's chemistry-to-biology chain take?
Four semesters: CHEM 022, then CHEM 001A, then BIOL 010A, then BIOL 010C, each a prerequisite for the next. Falling behind in general chemistry pushes the whole biology sequence, and your transfer date, back with it.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
Pasadena City College students planning to transfer into Biology, B.A. and B.S. at San Diego State University finish cell and molecular biology, both semesters of general chemistry, organic chemistry, calculus and both physics sequences before they leave PCC. Organismal biology, BIOL 204, and Biostatistics, BIOL 215, are the two pieces with no PCC match on ASSIST. Transfermatic checks PCC's catalog against SDSU's exact requirement list so you know which two courses are still ahead of you.
Build your Pasadena City College → SDSU plan
Personalized, semester-by-semester. Free to start.
Get My Transfer Plan