Home / Getting Started in The Major / Transfers / Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Getting Started in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology - Transfers

🔙

Students are admitted to UC Santa Cruz with a "proposed major" in most cases, and later petition to officially declare the major. Admission does not guarantee acceptance into a particular major, although transfer students' records are screened for preparation for many majors at the time of admission. Junior transfer students must be formally declared by the deadline in their second quarter of enrollment.

Qualification requirements and/or prerequisites for the major:

Review Major Qualification Requirements in the General Catalog.

Transfer students who intend to pursue this major should do the following prior to the beginning of their first term…
  • Ensure your official transcripts arrive at UC Santa Cruz by July 1; all official test scores, including AP scores, must arrive by July 15.
  • Complete parts 1 & 2 of the Slug Orientation Course process to receive your enrollment appointment date.
  • Students who have taken college-level transferable classes that may apply to the requirements of this major should submit an unofficial transcript to the advisor prior to July 1, in addition to the official transcript that is required by the UCSC Admissions Office.
  • See the ‘Transfer Students and Transfer Credit Requests’ section on the BMB advising website.
  • Students are required to meet all qualification course equivalents as a condition of Admission into the major. In addition, students are strongly encouraged to complete courses equivalent to BIOE 20B, PHYS 6A/L, 6B/M and 6C/N, and STAT 5 prior to transfer. This will give added flexibility to academic planning.

...and should take these courses their first term:
  • BIOC 100A: Biochemistry 
  • BIOL 105: Genetics
  • This plan is based on completion of all required and recommended transfer course work.

Transfer students are also strongly encouraged to enroll in CHEM 139 during their first quarter at UCSC. This course is designed to assist in developing skills and strategies to solve problems in upper-division science courses and in scientific research. The course should assist in becoming a proficient problem-solver; performing well in challenging courses; developing scientific creativity; and gaining a competitive advantage for industry or graduate school. CHEM 139 also fulfills the Practice: Collaborative Endeavor (PR-E) general education graduation requirement. Email chemistryadvising@ucsc.edu for additional information.

If unable to enroll in the courses listed above:

Please email chemistryadvising@ucsc.edu. Include your first and last name, student and ID and issue you are experiencing. 

Special enrollment procedures:

Enroll in classes during your online enrollment appointment time. The advisor will be emailing transfer students in mid July with more information and recommended courses to take for Fall - please check your email/spam folder.

Skills important for success in this major:

Critical and logical thought, complex problem solving using scientific rules and methods, deductive and inductive reasoning.

Although not required for the major, students in this major might benefit from:

The suggested course load is two major classes per quarter; if students do not have additional general education requirements to satisfy, they can utilize the third course each quarter to pursue other interests and/or to meet graduate or medical school prerequisites

Other Information:

See the ‘Transfer Students and Transfer Credit Requests’ section of the BMB advising website.

Links to Review:

Program Description (Catalog)
Department Website
Visit assist.org for transfer course equivalencies.

Advisor Contact Information:

Marla Hesselink
Rexton Lynn

chemistryadvising@ucsc.edu
Physical Sciences Building (PSB) 230C
Chemistry & Biochemistry Advising Webpage

🔙