Santa Barbara City College to UCSD
General Biology Transfer Plan
SBCC has a match for 19 of UCSD's 20 General Biology prep courses. BILD 5 has no SBCC match, so plan for it before you apply.
From
Santa Barbara City College
To
UC San Diego
General BiologyMajor Requirements
General Biology Major Preparation
Courses at Santa Barbara City College that satisfy UC San Diego's General Biology major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at Santa Barbara City College | Satisfies at UCSD | Units |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 103 + BIOL 101 + BIOL 102 — Cell and Molecular Biology + Plant Biology + Animal Biology | BILD 1 — The Cell | 14 |
| BIOL 102 + BIOL 103 + BIOL 101 — Animal Biology + Cell and Molecular Biology + Plant Biology | BILD 2 — Multicellular Life | 14 |
| BIOL 103 + BIOL 102 + BIOL 101 — Cell and Molecular Biology + Animal Biology + Plant Biology | BILD 3 — Organismic and Evolutionary Biology | 14 |
| BIOL 101 + BIOL 103 + BIOL 102 — Plant Biology + Cell and Molecular Biology + Animal Biology | BILD 4 — Introductory Biology Lab | 14 |
| No SBCC match | BILD 5 — Data Analysis and Design for Biologists | — |
| CHEM 155 — General Chemistry I | CHEM 6A — General Chemistry I | 5 |
| CHEM 155 + CHEM 156 — General Chemistry I + General Chemistry II | CHEM 6B — General Chemistry II | 10 |
| CHEM 156 — General Chemistry II | CHEM 6C — General Chemistry III | 5 |
| CHEM 155 + CHEM 156 — General Chemistry I + General Chemistry II | CHEM 7L — Introductory Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory | 10 |
| CHEM 211 — Organic Chemistry I | CHEM 41A — Organic Chemistry I: Structure and Reactivity | 3 |
| CHEM 211 + CHEM 212 — Organic Chemistry I + Organic Chemistry II | CHEM 41B — Organic Chemistry II: Reactivity and Synthesis | 6 |
| MATH 130 — Calculus for Biological Sciences, Social Sciences and Business I | MATH 10A — Calculus I | 5 |
| MATH 131 — Calculus for Biological Sciences, Social Sciences and Business II | MATH 10B — Calculus II | 3 |
| STAT C1000 — Introduction to Statistics | MATH 11 — Calculus Based Elementary Probability and Statistics | 4 |
| PHYS 111 + PHYS 110 — Introductory Physics + Introductory Physics | PHYS 1A — Mechanics | 8 |
| PHYS 110 + PHYS 111 — Introductory Physics + Introductory Physics | PHYS 1AL — Mechanics Laboratory | 8 |
| PHYS 110 + PHYS 111 — Introductory Physics + Introductory Physics | PHYS 1B — Electricity and Magnetism | 8 |
| PHYS 111 + PHYS 110 — Introductory Physics + Introductory Physics | PHYS 1BL — Electricity and Magnetism Laboratory | 8 |
| PHYS 110 + PHYS 111 — Introductory Physics + Introductory Physics | PHYS 1C — Waves, Optics, and Modern Physics | 8 |
| PHYS 111 + PHYS 110 — Introductory Physics + Introductory Physics | 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 Santa Barbara City College
Complete these five courses at Santa Barbara 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.
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.
SBCC semesters, UCSD quarters
SBCC 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 SBCC match
SBCC 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 101 and BIOL 102
CHEM 101 and BIOL 102 sit at the start of their sequences for this route, so they fit your first semester, next to ENGL C1000 for English composition.
What UCSD looks for
Minimum major prep must be complete by the end of spring before fall admission. AP/IB credit counts toward the courses but not the GPA.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What classes should I take at SBCC for UCSD General Biology?
BIOL 103, BIOL 101, BIOL 102, CHEM 155, CHEM 156, CHEM 211 and CHEM 212, plus the rest in the table above. Together they match 19 of the 20 prep courses UCSD lists for General Biology.
What doesn't SBCC cover for UCSD General Biology?
BILD 5. SBCC lists no course for it, so check UCSD's General Biology page for whether it has to be finished before you transfer.
Does SBCC CHEM 155 transfer to UCSD?
Yes, for General Biology. SBCC CHEM 155 (General Chemistry I) is the match for UCSD CHEM 6A (General Chemistry I) in the transfer agreement.
What should I take first at SBCC for UCSD General Biology?
CHEM 101 and BIOL 102, plus ENGL C1000 for English composition. They sit at the start of their sequences.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
Santa Barbara City College students transferring to UC San Diego for General Biology can match 19 of 20 lower-division prep courses at SBCC, including BIOL 103 and BIOL 101. BILD 5 has no Santa Barbara City College equivalent in the 2025-2026 agreement. CHEM 101 and BIOL 102 are good first-semester picks. On Transfermatic, put in Santa Barbara City College and UC San Diego, and you get the classes you need for General Biology, semester by semester.
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