Saddleback College to UCSD
General Biology Transfer Plan
Saddleback has a match for 17 of UCSD's 18 General Biology prep courses. BILD 5 has no Saddleback match, so plan for it before you apply.
From
Saddleback College
To
UC San Diego
General BiologyMajor Requirements
General Biology Major Preparation
Courses at Saddleback College that satisfy UC San Diego's General Biology major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at Saddleback College | Satisfies at UCSD | Units |
|---|---|---|
| BIO 4A + BIO 4B — Principles of Cellular Biology + Principles of Organismal Biology | BILD 1 — The Cell | 8 |
| BIO 4A + BIO 4B — Principles of Cellular Biology + Principles of Organismal Biology | BILD 2 — Multicellular Life | 8 |
| BIO 4B + BIO 4A — Principles of Organismal Biology + Principles of Cellular Biology | BILD 3 — Organismic and Evolutionary Biology | 8 |
| BIO 4B + BIO 4A — Principles of Organismal Biology + Principles of Cellular Biology | BILD 4 — Introductory Biology Lab | 8 |
| No Saddleback match | BILD 5 — Data Analysis and Design for Biologists | — |
| CHEM 1A — General Chemistry | CHEM 6A — General Chemistry I | 5 |
| CHEM 1B + CHEM 1A — General Chemistry + General Chemistry | CHEM 6B — General Chemistry II | 10 |
| CHEM 1B — General Chemistry | CHEM 6C — General Chemistry III | 5 |
| CHEM 1B — General Chemistry | CHEM 7L — Introductory Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory | 5 |
| CHEM 12A — Organic Chemistry | CHEM 41A — Organic Chemistry I: Structure and Reactivity | 5 |
| CHEM 12B + CHEM 12A — Organic Chemistry + Organic Chemistry | CHEM 41B — Organic Chemistry II: Reactivity and Synthesis | 10 |
| MATH 3A or MATH 3AH or MATH 11 — Analytic Geometry and Calculus | MATH 10A — Calculus I | 5 |
| MATH 3B — Analytic Geometry and Calculus | MATH 10B — Calculus II | 5 |
| STAT C1000 — Introduction to Statistics | MATH 11 — Calculus Based Elementary Probability and Statistics | 3 |
| PHYS 4A — General Physics | PHYS 2A — Physics - Mechanics | 5 |
| PHYS 4B — General Physics | PHYS 2B — Physics - Electricity and Magnetism | 5 |
| PHYS 4C — General Physics | PHYS 2C — Physics - Fluids, Waves, Thermodynamics, and Optics | 5 |
| PHYS 4A — General Physics | PHYS 2BL — Physics Laboratory - Mechanics | 5 |
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 Saddleback College
Complete these five courses at Saddleback 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 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, UCSD quarters
Saddleback 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 Saddleback match
Saddleback 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 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 MATH 10A
For UCSD MATH 10A, Saddleback accepts MATH 3A or MATH 3AH or MATH 11. You need only one of them, so pick whichever fits your schedule.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What classes should I take at Saddleback for UCSD General Biology?
BIO 4A, BIO 4B, CHEM 1A, CHEM 1B, CHEM 12A, CHEM 12B and MATH 3A or MATH 3AH or MATH 11, plus the rest in the table above. Together they match 17 of the 18 prep courses UCSD lists for General Biology.
What doesn't Saddleback cover for UCSD General Biology?
BILD 5. Saddleback lists no course for it, so check UCSD's General Biology page for whether it has to be finished before you transfer.
Does Saddleback CHEM 1A transfer to UCSD?
Yes, for General Biology. Saddleback CHEM 1A (General Chemistry) is the match for UCSD CHEM 6A (General Chemistry I) in the transfer agreement.
What should I take first at Saddleback for UCSD General Biology?
CHEM 3 and MATH 3A, plus ENGL C1000 for English composition. They sit at the start of their sequences.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
Saddleback College students transferring to UC San Diego for General Biology can match 17 of 18 lower-division prep courses at Saddleback, including BIO 4A and BIO 4B. BILD 5 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 San Diego, and you get the classes you need for General Biology, semester by semester.
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