Santa Barbara City College to UC Berkeley
Molecular and Cell Biology Transfer Plan
SBCC has a match for every one of UC Berkeley's 7 Molecular and Cell Biology prep courses, so you can finish all of the listed prep at SBCC. Start with CHEM 101 and BIOL 101.
From
Santa Barbara City College
To
UC Berkeley
Molecular and Cell BiologyMajor Requirements
Molecular and Cell Biology Major Preparation
Courses at Santa Barbara City College that satisfy UC Berkeley's Molecular and Cell Biology major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at Santa Barbara City College | Satisfies at UC Berkeley | Units |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 101 + BIOL 102 + BIOL 103 — Plant Biology + Animal Biology + Cell and Molecular Biology | BIOLOGY 1A, BIOLOGY 1AL, BIOLOGY 1B | 14 |
| CHEM 155 — General Chemistry I | CHEM 1A, CHEM 1AL | 5 |
| CHEM 156 — General Chemistry II | CHEM 1B — General Chemistry | 5 |
| CHEM 211 + CHEM 221 — Organic Chemistry I + Organic Chemistry Laboratory I | CHEM 3A, CHEM 3AL | 5.3 |
| CHEM 212 + CHEM 222 — Organic Chemistry II + Organic Chemistry Laboratory II | CHEM 3B, CHEM 3BL | 5.5 |
| MATH 150 — Calculus with Analytic Geometry I | MATH 51 — Calculus I (choose 2) | 5 |
| MATH 160 — Calculus with Analytic Geometry II | MATH 52 — Calculus II (choose 2) | 5 |
| MATH 200 — Multivariable Calculus | MATH 53 — Multivariable Calculus (choose 2) | 4 |
| MATH 210 + MATH 220 — Linear Algebra + Differential Equations | MATH 54 — Linear Algebra and Differential Equations (choose 2) | 8 |
| CS 108 — Discrete Structures | MATH 55 — Discrete Mathematics (choose 2) | 4 |
| PHYS 110 — Introductory Physics | PHYSICS 8A — Introductory Physics (recommended) | 4 |
| PHYS 111 — Introductory Physics | PHYSICS 8B — Introductory Physics (recommended) | 4 |
| PHYS 121 — Mechanics of Solids and Fluids | PHYSICS 7A — Physics for Scientists and Engineers (recommended) | 5 |
| PHYS 122 — Electricity and Magnetism | PHYSICS 7B — Physics for Scientists and Engineers (recommended) | 5 |
General Education
Foundation GE at Santa Barbara City College
Complete these five courses at Santa Barbara City College to start your UC Berkeley 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.
BIOL 100
Concepts of Biology
CHEM 101
Introductory Chemistry
HIST 101
History of the U.S. to 1877
ENGL C1000
Academic Reading and Writing
ENGL C1001
Critical Thinking and Writing
| Area | Course at Santa Barbara City College | Units |
|---|---|---|
Life Science | BIOL 100 — Concepts of Biology | 4 |
Physical Science | CHEM 101 — Introductory Chemistry | 4 |
Humanities | HIST 101 — History of the U.S. to 1877 | 3 |
English CompositionCCN | ENGL C1000 — Academic Reading and Writing | 4 |
Critical ThinkingCCN | ENGL C1001 — Critical Thinking and Writing | 3 |
5 semesters minimum for CHEM 101 onward
CHEM 101 through CHEM 212: 5 courses, each needing the one before, so 5 semesters minimum, more than four fall and spring terms. Start CHEM 101 first or plan on summer. Placing higher shortens it.
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
SBCC covers all 7 listed courses
Every UC Berkeley Molecular and Cell Biology prep course in the transfer agreement has a SBCC match, so none of the listed prep has to wait. Take them all before you apply.
Start with CHEM 101 and BIOL 101
CHEM 101 and BIOL 101 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 Berkeley looks for
Admitted transfers who chose MCB go directly into the major. This has applied since fall 2023.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What classes should I take at SBCC for UC Berkeley Molecular and Cell Biology?
BIOL 101, BIOL 102, BIOL 103, CHEM 155, CHEM 156, CHEM 211 and CHEM 221, plus the rest in the table above. Together they match 7 of the 7 prep courses UC Berkeley lists for Molecular and Cell Biology.
What doesn't SBCC cover for UC Berkeley Molecular and Cell Biology?
Nothing in the transfer agreement. Every UC Berkeley Molecular and Cell Biology prep course listed has a SBCC match.
Does SBCC CHEM 156 transfer to UC Berkeley?
Yes, for Molecular and Cell Biology. SBCC CHEM 156 (General Chemistry II) is the match for UC Berkeley CHEM 1B (General Chemistry) in the transfer agreement.
What is UC Berkeley's transfer admit rate for Molecular and Cell Biology?
23% of all transfer applicants to UC Berkeley Molecular and Cell Biology were admitted in 2025. That figure covers applicants from every college, so it isn't specific to SBCC.
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Related Transfer Plans
Santa Barbara City College students transferring to UC Berkeley for Molecular and Cell Biology can match 7 of 7 lower-division prep courses at SBCC, including BIOL 101 and BIOL 102. Every listed course has a Santa Barbara City College equivalent in the 2025-2026 agreement. CHEM 101 and BIOL 101 are good first-semester picks. On Transfermatic, put in Santa Barbara City College and UC Berkeley, and you get the classes you need for Molecular and Cell Biology, semester by semester.
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