San Diego Mesa College to UCI
Biological Sciences Transfer Plan
Mesa covers eight of UC Irvine's nine Biological Sciences requirements, missing only Molecular Biology, BIO SCI 99, which has no Mesa equivalent. Chemistry and organic chemistry each need four separate Mesa courses, lecture and lab split apart.
From
San Diego Mesa College
To
UC Irvine
Biological SciencesUC Irvine TAG
Biological Sciences at UCI is TAG-eligible for fall 2027 applicants with a 3.4 minimum GPA. The major leaves UCI's TAG list starting fall 2028, making fall 2027 the final cycle, with admission prep still due by spring.
Major Requirements
Biological Sciences Major Preparation
Courses at San Diego Mesa College that satisfy UC Irvine's Biological Sciences major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at San Diego Mesa College | Satisfies at UCI | Units |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 210A — Introduction to the Biological Sciences I | BIO SCI 93 — DNA to Organisms | 4 |
| BIOL 210B — Introduction to the Biological Sciences II | BIO SCI 94 — Organisms to Ecosystems | 4 |
| CHEM 200 + CHEM 200L + CHEM 201 + CHEM 201L — General Chemistry I - Lecture + General Chemistry I - Laboratory + General Chemistry II - Lecture + General Chemistry II - Laboratory | CHEM 1A, CHEM 1B, CHEM 1C, CHEM 1LC, CHEM 1LD | 10 |
| CHEM 231 + CHEM 233 + CHEM 231L + CHEM 233L — Organic Chemistry I - Lecture + Organic Chemistry II - Lecture + Organic Chemistry I Laboratory + Organic Chemistry II Laboratory | CHEM 51A, CHEM 51B, CHEM 51LB, CHEM 51C, CHEM 51LC | 10 |
| BIOL 130 — Human Heredity | BIO SCI 97 — Genetics | 3 |
| CHEM 160 — Introductory Biochemistry | BIO SCI 98 — Biochemistry | 3 |
| No Mesa match | BIO SCI 99 — Molecular Biology | — |
| PHYS 181A + PHYS 180A + PHYS 181B + PHYS 180B — General Physics Laboratory I + General Physics I + General Physics Laboratory II + General Physics II | PHYSICS 3A, PHYSICS 3B, PHYSICS 3LB, PHYSICS 3C, PHYSICS 3LC (choose 1) | 10 |
| PHYS 195 + PHYS 196 — Mechanics + Electricity and Magnetism | PHYSICS 7C, PHYSICS 7LC, PHYSICS 7D, PHYSICS 7LD, PHYSICS 7E (choose 1) | 10 |
| MATH 121 (or another listed option) — Basic Techniques of Applied Calculus I | Mathematics Requirement | 3 |
Courses with no equivalent must be taken at UC Irvine after transfer. Factor this into your first-year course plan.
General Education
Foundation GE at San Diego Mesa College
UCI's Biological Sciences program uses its own GE pattern (see note below), but these five San Diego Mesa College courses cover foundation requirements every UC accepts. Start here.
BIOL 100
Natural History - Environmental Biology
CHEM 100
Fundamentals of Chemistry
HIST 100
World History I
ENGL C1000
Academic Reading and Writing
ENGL C1001
Critical Thinking and Writing
| Area | Course at San Diego Mesa College | Units |
|---|---|---|
Life Science | BIOL 100 — Natural History - Environmental Biology | 4 |
Physical Science | CHEM 100 — Fundamentals of Chemistry | 3 |
Humanities | HIST 100 — World History I | 3 |
English CompositionCCN | ENGL C1000 — Academic Reading and Writing | 3 |
Critical ThinkingCCN | ENGL C1001 — Critical Thinking and Writing | 3 |
UCI Biological Sciences: full GE notes
UCI says IGETC may not be recommended for science majors, Biological Sciences included, so Mesa students should sequence chemistry and biology ahead of general-education electives.
Four semesters of chemistry before organic ends
Mesa's chain runs CHEM 200, CHEM 201, CHEM 231, then CHEM 233: four semesters with no room to skip a term. Organic chemistry is required for admission by spring, so start general chemistry your first semester.
Mesa's four courses replace five UCI quarters
UCI's general chemistry runs as a year-long quarter sequence, so Mesa's four courses, CHEM 200 through CHEM 201L, stand in for CHEM 1A through CHEM 1LD. Organic follows the same four-for-five pattern.
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
Physics has a two-course option
UCI accepts PHYS 180A, PHYS 181A, PHYS 180B and PHYS 181B, four separate courses, or PHYS 195 and PHYS 196. PHYS 195 needs MATH 150 first, while PHYS 180A needs MATH 121, so your math decides which route fits.
Lecture and lab are separate courses here
Mesa splits general chemistry into CHEM 200, CHEM 200L, CHEM 201 and CHEM 201L, all four required for UCI's year-long CHEM 1A through CHEM 1LD sequence. Organic follows the same four-course pattern with CHEM 231 and CHEM 233.
Molecular Biology waits until UCI
BIO SCI 99 has no Mesa match, so it's the one additional-approved course you'll take after transfer. Genetics and biochemistry are covered, through BIOL 130 and CHEM 160, so only molecular biology is left.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What Mesa classes count for UCI Biological Sciences?
BIOL 210A and BIOL 210B for biology, CHEM 200 through CHEM 201L for general chemistry, and CHEM 231 through CHEM 233L for organic. BIOL 130 covers genetics and CHEM 160 covers biochemistry, leaving only Molecular Biology for UCI.
Which UCI biology requirement has no Mesa match?
BIO SCI 99, Molecular Biology. ASSIST lists no Mesa course for it, so it's the one course you'd take after you arrive at UCI. It isn't required for admission, so it doesn't hold up your application.
Can Mesa students get TAG for UCI Biological Sciences?
Yes, for fall 2027 applicants, with a 3.4 GPA. UCI removes Biological Sciences from TAG the following year, starting fall 2028, so this cycle is the last chance. The regular minimum GPA without TAG is 3.0.
Does Mesa's CHEM 200 transfer to UCI as general chemistry?
Yes, but only combined with CHEM 200L, CHEM 201 and CHEM 201L. UCI counts general chemistry only as a complete year, equivalent to CHEM 1A through CHEM 1LD, so all four Mesa courses have to be finished together.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
San Diego Mesa College students transferring into UC Irvine's Biological Sciences, B.S. program can complete eight of nine requirements locally, from CHEM 200 through the organic sequence ending in CHEM 233L. Molecular Biology, BIO SCI 99, has no Mesa equivalent and waits until after transfer. The chemistry chain, CHEM 200 through CHEM 233, runs four semesters with no slack for a late start. Transfermatic maps that timeline against Mesa's own course rotation so students can plan chemistry from their very first semester.
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