Riverside City College to UC Davis
Biological Sciences Transfer Plan
RCC has a match for every one of UC Davis's 11 Biological Sciences prep courses, so you can finish all of the listed prep at RCC. Start with BIO 60 and CHE 1A.
From
Riverside City College
To
UC Davis
Biological SciencesUC Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG)
UC Davis offers TAG for Biological Sciences for fall 2027 applicants, with a minimum 3.2 GPA. File during the TAG window the fall before you transfer, and check UC Davis's TAG page, since its list of eligible majors changes.
Major Requirements
Biological Sciences Major Preparation
Courses at Riverside City College that satisfy UC Davis's Biological Sciences major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at Riverside City College | Satisfies at UC Davis | Units |
|---|---|---|
| BIO 60 + BIO 61 — Introduction to Molecular and Cellular Biology + Introduction to Organismal and Population Biology | BIS 002A, BIS 002B, BIS 002C | 10 |
| CHE 1A + CHE 1B — General Chemistry, I + General Chemistry, II | CHE 002A, CHE 002B, CHE 002C (choose 1) | 10 |
| CHE 1AH + CHE 1BH — Honors General Chemistry, I + Honors General Chemistry, II | CHE 004A, CHE 004B, CHE 004C (choose 1) | 10 |
| MAT 1A — Calculus I | MAT 021A — Calculus | 4 |
| MAT 1B — Calculus II | MAT 021B — Calculus | 4 |
| MAT 1C — Calculus III | MAT 021C, MAT 021D | 4 |
| CHE 12A — Organic Chemistry, I | CHE 118A — Organic Chemistry for Health & Life Sciences | 5 |
| CHE 12A + CHE 12B — Organic Chemistry, I + Organic Chemistry, II | CHE 118B — Organic Chemistry for Health & Life Sciences | 10 |
| CHE 12B — Organic Chemistry, II | CHE 118C — Organic Chemistry for Health & Life Sciences | 5 |
| PHY 2A + PHY 2B — General Physics I + General Physics II | PHY 007A — General Physics | 8 |
| PHY 2A + PHY 2B — General Physics I + General Physics II | PHY 007B — General Physics | 8 |
| PHY 2A + PHY 2B — General Physics I + General Physics II | PHY 007C — General Physics | 8 |
General Education
Foundation GE at Riverside City College
Complete these five courses at Riverside City 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.
BIO 1
General Biology
AST 1A
Introduction to the Solar System
ENGL 14
American Literature I: Pre-Contact through Civil War
ENGL C1000
Academic Reading and Writing
COMM C1000
Introduction to Public Speaking
| Area | Course at Riverside City College | Units |
|---|---|---|
Life Science | BIO 1 — General Biology | 4 |
Physical Science | AST 1A — Introduction to the Solar System | 3 |
Humanities | ENGL 14 — American Literature I: Pre-Contact through Civil War | 3 |
English CompositionCCN | ENGL C1000 — Academic Reading and Writing | 4 |
Oral CommunicationCCN | COMM C1000 — Introduction to Public Speaking | 3 |
RCC semesters, UC Davis quarters
RCC runs on semesters and UC Davis on quarters. Your units convert when you transfer, one semester unit to 1.5 quarter units, and anything left runs on UC Davis's quicker quarter schedule.
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
RCC covers all 11 listed courses
Every UC Davis Biological Sciences prep course in the transfer agreement has a RCC match, so none of the listed prep has to wait. Take them all before you apply.
Start with BIO 60 and CHE 1A
BIO 60 and CHE 1A sit at the start of their sequences for this route, so they fit your first semester, next to ENGL C1000 for English composition.
What UC Davis looks for
All selective-major prep must be done by the end of spring before fall enrollment, for a letter grade.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What classes should I take at RCC for UC Davis Biological Sciences?
BIO 60, BIO 61, CHE 1A, CHE 1B, CHE 1AH, CHE 1BH and MAT 1A, plus the rest in the table above. Together they match 11 of the 11 prep courses UC Davis lists for Biological Sciences.
What doesn't RCC cover for UC Davis Biological Sciences?
Nothing in the transfer agreement. Every UC Davis Biological Sciences prep course listed has a RCC match.
Does RCC MAT 1A transfer to UC Davis?
Yes, for Biological Sciences. RCC MAT 1A (Calculus I) is the match for UC Davis MAT 021A (Calculus) in the transfer agreement.
What is UC Davis's transfer admit rate for Biological Sciences?
58% of all transfer applicants to UC Davis Biological Sciences were admitted in 2025. That figure covers applicants from every college, so it isn't specific to RCC.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
Riverside City College students transferring to UC Davis for Biological Sciences can match 11 of 11 lower-division prep courses at RCC, including BIO 60 and BIO 61. Every listed course has a Riverside City College equivalent in the 2025-2026 agreement. BIO 60 and CHE 1A are good first-semester picks. On Transfermatic, put in Riverside City College and UC Davis, and you get the classes you need for Biological Sciences, semester by semester.
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