Riverside City College to UCSD
General Biology Transfer Plan
RCC has a match for 19 of UCSD's 20 General Biology prep courses. BILD 5 has no RCC match, so plan for it before you apply.
From
Riverside City College
To
UC San Diego
General BiologyMajor Requirements
General Biology Major Preparation
Courses at Riverside City College that satisfy UC San Diego's General Biology major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at Riverside City College | Satisfies at UCSD | Units |
|---|---|---|
| BIO 61 + BIO 60 — Introduction to Organismal and Population Biology + Introduction to Molecular and Cellular Biology | BILD 1 — The Cell | 10 |
| BIO 61 + BIO 60 — Introduction to Organismal and Population Biology + Introduction to Molecular and Cellular Biology | BILD 2 — Multicellular Life | 10 |
| BIO 60 + BIO 61 — Introduction to Molecular and Cellular Biology + Introduction to Organismal and Population Biology | BILD 3 — Organismic and Evolutionary Biology | 10 |
| BIO 60 + BIO 61 — Introduction to Molecular and Cellular Biology + Introduction to Organismal and Population Biology | BILD 4 — Introductory Biology Lab | 10 |
| No RCC match | BILD 5 — Data Analysis and Design for Biologists | — |
| CHE 1A — General Chemistry, I | CHEM 6A — General Chemistry I | 5 |
| CHE 1A + CHE 1B — General Chemistry, I + General Chemistry, II | CHEM 6B — General Chemistry II | 10 |
| CHE 1B — General Chemistry, II | CHEM 6C — General Chemistry III | 5 |
| CHE 1B + CHE 1A — General Chemistry, II + General Chemistry, I | CHEM 7L — Introductory Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory | 10 |
| CHE 12A — Organic Chemistry, I | CHEM 41A — Organic Chemistry I: Structure and Reactivity | 5 |
| CHE 12B + CHE 12A — Organic Chemistry, II + Organic Chemistry, I | CHEM 41B — Organic Chemistry II: Reactivity and Synthesis | 10 |
| MAT 1A or MAT 1AH — Calculus I | MATH 20A — Calculus for Science and Engineering | 4 |
| MAT 1B — Calculus II | MATH 20B — Calculus for Science and Engineering | 4 |
| MAT 70B — Statistics for STEM | MATH 11 — Calculus Based Elementary Probability and Statistics | 4 |
| PHY 2A — General Physics I | PHYS 1A — Mechanics | 4 |
| PHY 2A — General Physics I | PHYS 1AL — Mechanics Laboratory | 4 |
| PHY 2B — General Physics II | PHYS 1B — Electricity and Magnetism | 4 |
| PHY 2B — General Physics II | PHYS 1BL — Electricity and Magnetism Laboratory | 4 |
| PHY 2B + PHY 2A — General Physics II + General Physics I | PHYS 1C — Waves, Optics, and Modern Physics | 8 |
| PHY 2B + PHY 2A — General Physics II + General Physics I | PHYS 1CL — Waves, Optics, and Modern Physics Laboratory | 8 |
Courses with no equivalent must be taken at UC San Diego after transfer. Factor this into your first-year course plan.
General Education
Foundation GE at Riverside City College
Complete these five courses at Riverside City College to start your UCSD 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, UCSD quarters
RCC runs on semesters and UCSD on quarters. Your units convert when you transfer, one semester unit to 1.5 quarter units, and anything left runs on UCSD'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
BILD 5 has no RCC match
RCC lists no course for BILD 5. Check UCSD's General Biology page for whether it has to be done before you transfer, and plan where you'll cover it.
Start with BIO 61 and CHE 1A
BIO 61 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.
More than one way to cover MATH 20A
For UCSD MATH 20A, RCC accepts MAT 1A or MAT 1AH. You need only one of them, so pick whichever fits your schedule.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What classes should I take at RCC for UCSD General Biology?
BIO 61, BIO 60, CHE 1A, CHE 1B, CHE 12A, CHE 12B and MAT 1A or MAT 1AH, plus the rest in the table above. Together they match 19 of the 20 prep courses UCSD lists for General Biology.
What doesn't RCC cover for UCSD General Biology?
BILD 5. RCC lists no course for it, so check UCSD's General Biology page for whether it has to be finished before you transfer.
Does RCC CHE 1A transfer to UCSD?
Yes, for General Biology. RCC CHE 1A (General Chemistry, I) is the match for UCSD CHEM 6A (General Chemistry I) in the transfer agreement.
What should I take first at RCC for UCSD General Biology?
BIO 61 and CHE 1A, plus ENGL C1000 for English composition. They sit at the start of their sequences.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
Riverside City College students transferring to UC San Diego for General Biology can match 19 of 20 lower-division prep courses at RCC, including BIO 61 and BIO 60. BILD 5 has no Riverside City College equivalent in the 2025-2026 agreement. BIO 61 and CHE 1A are good first-semester picks. On Transfermatic, put in Riverside City College and UC San Diego, and you get the classes you need for General Biology, semester by semester.
Build your Riverside City College → UCSD plan
Personalized, semester-by-semester. Free to start.
Get My Transfer Plan