Southwestern College to UC Davis
Biological Sciences Transfer Plan
Southwestern covers all 11 UC Davis Biological Sciences requirements, but biology takes five separate courses: BIOL 211 alone, then BIOL 145 with BIOL 180, then BIOL 212 with BIOL 210. Chemistry and the required calculus are two courses each: CHEM 200 and CHEM 210, MATH 250 and MATH 251.
From
Southwestern College
To
UC Davis
Biological SciencesUC Davis TAG
Southwestern students can use TAG for Biological Sciences at UC Davis with a 3.20 cumulative GPA. Each series also needs a 2.50, with no grade below C, and selective-major prep, all five biology courses included, still finishes by spring.
Major Requirements
Biological Sciences Major Preparation
Courses at Southwestern College that satisfy UC Davis's Biological Sciences major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at Southwestern College | Satisfies at UC Davis | Units |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 211 — Introduction to Cell and Molecular Biology | BIS 002A — Introduction to Biology: Essentials of Life on Earth | 4 |
| BIOL 145 + BIOL 180 — EcoMundo: Ecology and Environmental Science + Human Heredity, Evolution and Society | BIS 002B — Introduction to Biology: Principles of Ecology & Evolution | 6 |
| BIOL 212 + BIOL 210 — Biology of Plants + General Zoology | BIS 002C — Introduction to Biology: Biodiversity & the Tree of Life | 8 |
| CHEM 210 + CHEM 200 — General Chemistry II + General Chemistry I | CHE 002A, CHE 002B, CHE 002C | 10 |
| MATH 250 — Analytic Geometry and Calculus I | MAT 021A — Calculus | 5 |
| MATH 251 — Analytic Geometry and Calculus II | MAT 021B — Calculus | 4 |
| MATH 252 — Analytic Geometry and Calculus III | MAT 021C — Calculus | 4 |
| CHEM 240 — Organic Chemistry I | CHE 118A — Organic Chemistry for Health & Life Sciences | 5 |
| CHEM 240 + CHEM 242 — Organic Chemistry I + Organic Chemistry II | CHE 118B — Organic Chemistry for Health & Life Sciences | 10 |
| CHEM 242 — Organic Chemistry II | CHE 118C — Organic Chemistry for Health & Life Sciences | 5 |
| PHYS 153 + PHYS 152 + PHYS 150 + PHYS 151 — Fundamentals of Physics Laboratory II + Fundamentals of Physics II + Fundamentals of Physics I + Fundamentals of Physics Laboratory I | PHY 007A, PHY 007B, PHY 007C | 8 |
General Education
Foundation GE at Southwestern College
Complete these five courses at Southwestern 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.
BIOL 100
Principles of Biology
CHEM 100
Introduction to General Chemistry
HIST 104
Western Civilization I
ENGL C1000
Academic Reading and Writing
ENGL C1001
Critical Thinking and Writing
| Area | Course at Southwestern College | Units |
|---|---|---|
Life Science | BIOL 100 — Principles of Biology | 3 |
Physical Science | CHEM 100 — Introduction to General Chemistry | 4 |
Humanities | HIST 104 — Western Civilization I | 3 |
English CompositionCCN | ENGL C1000 — Academic Reading and Writing | 4 |
Critical ThinkingCCN | ENGL C1001 — Critical Thinking and Writing | 4 |
Five semesters from CHEM 170 to organic
CHEM 170, then CHEM 200, CHEM 210, CHEM 240 and CHEM 242, each gating the next: five semesters. General chemistry, the required part, ends at CHEM 210, so start CHEM 170 your first semester.
Southwestern semesters cover Davis quarters
Davis runs on quarters, so Southwestern's semester courses stand in for three-quarter series: CHEM 200 and CHEM 210 for CHE 002A-C, and the four-course physics bundle for PHY 007A-C.
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
Biology is five courses, not three
BIS 002A needs just BIOL 211, but BIS 002B needs both BIOL 145 and BIOL 180, and BIS 002C needs both BIOL 212 and BIOL 210. Plan on five Southwestern biology courses total.
Physics is one combined requirement
The recommended PHY 007A-C series isn't split by quarter here: ASSIST lists PHYS 150, PHYS 151, PHYS 152 and PHYS 153 together as one bundle covering all three.
Organic chemistry shares two courses
CHEM 240 alone covers CHE 118A, and CHEM 242 alone covers CHE 118C, but CHE 118B needs both together. It's recommended, not required, either way.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What classes should I take at Southwestern for UC Davis Biological Sciences?
BIOL 211, BIOL 145, BIOL 180, BIOL 212 and BIOL 210 for biology, CHEM 200 and CHEM 210 for general chemistry, and MATH 250 and MATH 251 for calculus. MATH 252 matches MAT 021C, which isn't required. Organic chemistry (CHEM 240, CHEM 242) and physics are recommended extras.
Does Southwestern BIOL 211 transfer to UC Davis Biological Sciences?
Yes, on its own. BIOL 211 alone satisfies BIS 002A, while the other two Davis biology requirements each need a pair of Southwestern courses instead of one.
Is anything for UC Davis Biological Sciences missing at Southwestern?
No. All 11 requirements ASSIST lists have a Southwestern match, including the recommended organic chemistry and physics series, so nothing required or suggested is missing.
What's the transfer admit rate for UC Davis Biological Sciences?
58% of all 2025 transfer applicants to the major were admitted, a figure for every applicant rather than a Southwestern-specific rate. A 2.8 cumulative GPA and a 2.50 minimum in each prep series are also part of selective major review.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
Southwestern College students can complete every required course for the UC Davis Biological Sciences B.S. without gaps. Biology takes five courses, BIOL 211, BIOL 145, BIOL 180, BIOL 212 and BIOL 210, while chemistry is just CHEM 200 and CHEM 210 and calculus is MATH 250 and MATH 251. Organic chemistry and physics are recommended, and Southwestern covers both. UC Davis admitted 58% of all 2025 transfer applicants to the major and offers TAG at a 3.2 GPA. Transfermatic can keep Southwestern's five-course biology plan on track.
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