Saddleback College to UC Davis
Biological Sciences Transfer Plan
Saddleback has a match for 11 of UC Davis's 12 Biological Sciences prep courses. BIS 002B has no Saddleback match, so plan for it before you apply.
From
Saddleback 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 Saddleback College that satisfy UC Davis's Biological Sciences major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at Saddleback College | Satisfies at UC Davis | Units |
|---|---|---|
| BIO 4A — Principles of Cellular Biology | BIS 002A — Introduction to Biology: Essentials of Life on Earth | 4 |
| No Saddleback match | BIS 002B — Introduction to Biology: Principles of Ecology & Evolution | — |
| BIO 4B — Principles of Organismal Biology | BIS 002C — Introduction to Biology: Biodiversity & the Tree of Life | 4 |
| CHEM 1A + CHEM 1B — General Chemistry + General Chemistry | CHE 002A, CHE 002B, CHE 002C | 10 |
| MATH 3A or MATH 3AH — Analytic Geometry and Calculus | MAT 021A — Calculus | 5 |
| (MATH 3A and MATH 3B) or (MATH 3AH and MATH 3B) — Analytic Geometry and Calculus | MAT 021B — Calculus | 5 |
| MATH 3B + MATH 3C — Analytic Geometry and Calculus + Analytic Geometry and Calculus | MAT 021C — Calculus | 10 |
| CHEM 12A — Organic Chemistry | CHE 008A — Organic Chemistry: Brief Course | 5 |
| CHEM 12B — Organic Chemistry | CHE 008B — Organic Chemistry: Brief Course | 5 |
| PHYS 2B + PHYS 2A — Introduction to Physics + Introduction to Physics | PHY 007A — General Physics | 10 |
| PHYS 2B + PHYS 2A — Introduction to Physics + Introduction to Physics | PHY 007B — General Physics | 10 |
| PHYS 2B + PHYS 2A — Introduction to Physics + Introduction to Physics | PHY 007C — General Physics | 10 |
Courses with no equivalent must be taken at UC Davis after transfer. Factor this into your first-year course plan.
General Education
Foundation GE at Saddleback College
Complete these five courses at Saddleback 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 11
Human Anatomy
CHEM 12A
Organic Chemistry
HIST 16
History of the United States to 1876
ENGL C1000
Academic Reading and Writing
ENGL C1001
Critical Thinking and Writing
| Area | Course at Saddleback College | Units |
|---|---|---|
Life Science | BIO 11 — Human Anatomy | 4 |
Physical Science | CHEM 12A — Organic Chemistry | 5 |
Humanities | HIST 16 — History of the United States to 1876 | 3 |
English CompositionCCN | ENGL C1000 — Academic Reading and Writing | 4 |
Critical ThinkingCCN | ENGL C1001 — Critical Thinking and Writing | 3 |
5 semesters minimum for CHEM 3 onward
CHEM 3 through CHEM 12B: 5 courses, each needing the one before, so 5 semesters minimum, more than four fall and spring terms. Start CHEM 3 first or plan on summer. Placing higher shortens it.
Saddleback semesters, UC Davis quarters
Saddleback 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
BIS 002B has no Saddleback match
Saddleback lists no course for BIS 002B. Check UC Davis's Biological Sciences page for whether it has to be done before you transfer, and plan where you'll cover it.
Start with CHEM 3 and MATH 3A
CHEM 3 and MATH 3A 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 MAT 021A
For UC Davis MAT 021A, Saddleback accepts MATH 3A or MATH 3AH. You need only one of them, so pick whichever fits your schedule.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What classes should I take at Saddleback for UC Davis Biological Sciences?
BIO 4A, BIO 4B, CHEM 1A, CHEM 1B, MATH 3A or MATH 3AH, MATH 3B and MATH 3C, plus the rest in the table above. Together they match 11 of the 12 prep courses UC Davis lists for Biological Sciences.
What doesn't Saddleback cover for UC Davis Biological Sciences?
BIS 002B. Saddleback lists no course for it, so check UC Davis's Biological Sciences page for whether it has to be finished before you transfer.
Does Saddleback BIO 4B transfer to UC Davis?
Yes, for Biological Sciences. Saddleback BIO 4B (Principles of Organismal Biology) is the match for UC Davis BIS 002C (Introduction to Biology: Biodiversity & the Tree of Life) 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 Saddleback.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
Saddleback College students transferring to UC Davis for Biological Sciences can match 11 of 12 lower-division prep courses at Saddleback, including BIO 4A and BIO 4B. BIS 002B has no Saddleback College equivalent in the 2025-2026 agreement. CHEM 3 and MATH 3A are good first-semester picks. On Transfermatic, put in Saddleback College and UC Davis, and you get the classes you need for Biological Sciences, semester by semester.
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