Transfer Students

Transfer students interested in pursuing a degree in Bioengineering at UC San Diego are advised to complete specific courses prior to enrollment, including calculus, physics, and chemistry. The Department of Bioengineering recommends that transfer students take equivalents for certain preparation courses, such as introductory biology and programming, to ensure a smooth transition into the program.

Admission into the Bioengineering major is competitive, and transfer students are selected based on their community college GPA, with a minimum GPA of 3.2 in transfer courses and 3.4 in math, physics, and computer science courses. Once admitted, transfer students can expect to take a range of courses, including biotechnology thermodynamics and kinetics, bioengineering physiology, and computational methods in engineering. It is essential for transfer students to consult the Bioengineering curriculum and flowchart to plan their course sequence and ensure timely graduation. 

UC San Diego Admissions Website Transfer Major Preparation for Bioengineering 

UC San Diego General Catalog

Bioengineering Transfer Student

Required Screening Courses

 

Chemistry

  • CHEM-006A. General Chemistry I.
  • CHEM-006B. General Chemistry II.

Mathematics

  • MATH-020A. Calculus for Science and Engineering.
  • MATH-020B. Calculus for Science and Engineering.
  • MATH-020C. Calculus and Analytic Geometry for Science and Engineering.
  • MATH-020D. Introduction to Differential Equations.

. Physics

  • PHYS-002A. Physics - Mechanics.
  • PHYS-002B. Physics - Electricity and Magnetism.
  • PHYS-002BL. Physics Laboratory - Mechanics.
  • PHYS-002CL. Physics Laboratory—Electricity and Magnetism.

 

Recommended Preparation Courses

 

In addition to the screening courses, transfer students are advised to take equivalents for as many of the following recommended preparation courses as possible:

Biological Science

  • BILD-001. The Cell.

Chemistry

  • CHEM-007L. General Chemistry Laboratory. 

Mathematics

  • MATH-018. Linear Algebra.
  • MATH-020E.  Vector Calculus.

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

  • MAE-008. Matlab Programming for Engineering Analysis.

Physics

  • PHYS-002C. Physics - Fluids, Waves, Thermodynamics, and Optics.

 

Entering credit for the recommended preparation courses will affect enrollment in the following courses:

Bioengineering

  • BENG-100. Introduction to Probability and Statistics for Bioengineers. 
    • Prerequisites include Math-018. Transfer students are recommended to take this course in Fall Quarter of Junior Year.
  • BENG-110. Musculoskeletal Biomechanics. 
    • Prerequisites include MATH-018,  MATH-020E and PHYS-002C. Transfer students are recommended to take this course in Fall Quarter of Junior Year.
  • BENG-130. Biotechnology Thermodynamics and Kinetics. 
    • Prerequisites include PHYS-002C. Transfer students are recommended to take this course in the Winter Quarter of Senior Year.
  • BENG-140A. Bioengineering Physiology. 
    • Prerequisites include BILD-001. Transfer students are recommended to take this course in Winter Quarter of Junior Year. 
  • BENG-140B. Bioengineering Physiology. 
    • Prerequisites include BILD-001. Transfer students are recommended to take this course in Spring Quarter of Junior Year. 
  • BENG-186A. Principles of Biomaterials Design. 
    • Prerequisites include BILD-001. Transfer students are recommended to take this course in Spring Quarter of Senior Year.

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

  • MAE-040. Linear Circuits. 
    • Prerequisites include MATH-018. This course is a critical prerequisite for BENG-122A, BENG-152, and BENG-186B. Transfer students are recommended to take this course in Fall Quarter of Junior Year.
  • MAE-107. Computational Methods in Engineering. 
    • Prerequisites include MATH-18 and MAE-008. Transfer students are recommended to take this course in Fall Quarter of Junior Year.

Please note that time to degree is affected by credit for lower division STEM courses. Please consult the BS Bioengineering Curriculum and Flowchart. 

See chart with the recommended Bioengineering Transfer 2-year Course Plan (rev.04/30/2026)

 

Bioengineering: Bioinformatics Transfer Student

Required Screening Courses

 

Chemistry

  • CHEM-006A. General Chemistry I.
  • CHEM-006B. General Chemistry II.
     

Mathematics

  • MATH-020A. Calculus for Science and Engineering.
  • MATH-020B. Calculus for Science and Engineering.
  • MATH-020C. Calculus and Analytic Geometry for Science and Engineering.
  • MATH-020D. Introduction to Differential Equations.

Physics

  • PHYS-002A. Physic - Mechanics.
  • PHYS-002B. Physics - Electricity and Magnetism.

 

Recommended Preparation Courses

 

In addition to the screening courses, transfer students are advised to take equivalents for as many of the following recommended preparation courses as possible:

Biological Science

  • BILD-001. The Cell.
  • BILD-003. Organismic and Evolutionary Biology.
  • BILD-004. Introductory Biology Lab.

Computer Science and Engineering

  • CSE-011. Introduction to Programming and Computational Problem-Solving: Accelerated Pace.
  • CSE-012. Basic Data Structures and Object-Oriented Design.

Mathematics

  • MATH-018. Linear Algebra.
  • MATH-020E. Vector Calculus.

Physics 

  • PHYS-002C. Fluids, Waves, Thermodynamics, and Optics.

Entering credit for the recommended preparation courses will affect enrollment in the following courses:

Bioengineering

  • BENG-100. Introduction to Probability and Statistics for Bioengineers. 
    • Prerequisites include Math-018. 
    • Transfer students are recommended to take this course in Fall Quarter of Junior Year 
  • BENG-130. Biotechnology Thermodynamics and Kinetics. 
    • Prerequisites include PHYS-002C. 
    • Transfer students are recommended to take this course in Winter Quarter of Junior Year
  • BENG-168 Biomolecular Engineering. 
    • Prerequisites include BILD-001. 
    • Transfer students are recommended to take this course in Winter Quarter of Junior Year.

Biological Science

  • BICD-100 Genetics.
    • Prerequisites include BILD-001 and BILD-003.
    • Transfer students are recommended to take this course in Fall Quarter of Junior Year. 
  • BIMM-100 Molecular Biology
    • Prerequisites include BILD-001 and BILD-004.
    • Transfer students are recommended to take this course in Spring Quarter of Junior Year.

Computer Science and Engineering

  • CSE-021 Mathematics for Algorithms and Systems. 
    • Transfer students are recommended to take this course in Fall Quarter of Junior Year, as it is a prerequisite for CSE-100. 
  • CSE-100 Advanced Data Structures. 
    • Prerequisites include CSE-012 and CSE-021.
    • Transfer students are recommended to take this course in the Winter Quarter of Junior Year.
  • CSE-101 Design and Analysis of Algorithms. 
    • Prerequisites include CSE-012 and CSE-021. 
    • Transfer students are recommended to take this course in Fall Quarter of Senior Year. 
  • CSE-185 Advanced Bioinformatics Laboratory. 
    • Prerequisites include CSE-011, CSE-012, and BILD-001 and BILD-004.
    • Transfer students are recommended to take this course in Spring Quarter of Junior Year.

Please note that time to degree is affected by credit for lower division STEM courses. Please consult the BS Bioengineering: Bioinformatics curriculum and flowchart.

See the chart with the recommended Bioengineering: Bioinformatics Transfer 2-year Course Plan (rev.04/30/2025)

 

Bioengineering: Biosystems Transfer Student

Required Screening Courses

 

Chemistry

  • CHEM-006A. General Chemistry I.
  • CHEM-006B. General Chemistry II.

Mathematics

  • MATH-020A. Calculus for Science and Engineering.
  • MATH-020B. Calculus for Science and Engineering.
  • MATH-020C. Calculus and Analytic Geometry for Science and Engineering.
  • MATH-020D. Introduction to Differential Equations.

Physics

  • PHYS-002A. Physics - Mechanics.
  • PHYS-002B. Physics - Electricity and Magnetism.

Recommended Preparation Courses

 

In addition to the screening courses, transfer students are advised to take equivalents for as many of the following recommended preparation courses as possible:

Bioengineering

  • ​​​​​​​BENG-002. Introductory Computer Programming and MATLAB.
    • Or MAE-008 MATLAB. Programming for Engineering Analysis. We take credit for either course.

Biological Science

  • BILD-001 The Cell. 
    • This course is not required, but see below.

Mathematics

  • MATH-018. Linear Algebra.
  • MATH-020E. Vector Calculus.

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

  • ​​​​​​​MAE-008 MATLAB. Programming for Engineering Analysis 
    • Or BENG-002. Introductory Computer Programming and MATLAB. We take credit for either.

Physics

  • PHYS-002BL. Physics Laboratory - Mechanics.
  • PHYS-002C. Physics - Fluids, Waves, Thermodynamics, and Optics.

 

Entering credit for the recommended preparation courses will affect enrollment in the following courses:

Bioengineering

  • BENG-100. Introduction to Probability and Statistics for Bioengineers. 
    • Prerequisites include Math 18. 
    • Transfer students are recommended to take this course in Spring Quarter of Junior Year – or in Summer Session if offered. 
  • BENG-110. Musculoskeletal Biomechanics. 
    • Prerequisites include MATH-018, MATH-020E, PHYS-002BL and PHYS-002C. 
    • Transfer students are recommended to take this course in Fall Quarter of Junior Year.
  • BENG-133. Numerical Analysis and Computational Engineering.
    • Prerequisites include MATH-018. 
    • Transfer students are recommended to take this course in Fall Quarter of Senior Year. 
  • BENG-140A. Bioengineering Physiology. 
    • Prerequisites include BILD-001. 
    • Transfer students are recommended to take this course in Winter Quarter of Senior Year. 
  • BENG-140B. Bioengineering Physiology. 
    • Prerequisites include BILD-001. 
    • Transfer students are recommended to take this course in Spring Quarter of Senior Year. 
  • BENG-141. Biomedical Optics and Imaging.
    • Prerequisites include PHYS-002C. 
    • Transfer students are recommended to take this course in Fall Quarter of Junior Year.

Electrical and Computer Engineering 

  • ECE-035. Introduction to Analog Design. 
    • Prerequisites include MATH-018. This course is a critical prerequisite for BENG-152 and BENG- 186B. 
    • Transfer students are recommended to take this course in Fall Quarter of Junior Year, otherwise key courses will be delayed by a year.

Please note that time to degree is affected by credit for lower division STEM courses. Please consult the BS Bioengineering: Biosystems curriculum and flowchart.

See the recommended Bioengineering: Biosystems Transfer 2-year Course Plan - dated 4/30/2026

 

Bioengineering: Biotechnology Transfer Student 

Required Screening Courses

 

Chemistry

  • CHEM 6A. General Chemistry I.
  • CHEM 6B. General Chemistry II.

Mathematics

  • MATH 20A. Calculus for Science and Engineering.
  • MATH 20B. Calculus for Science and Engineering.
  • MATH 20C. Calculus and Analytic Geometry for Science and Engineering.
  • MATH 20D. Introduction to Differential Equation

Physics

  • PHYS 2A. Physic - Mechanics
  • PHYS 2B. Physics - Electricity and Magnetism
  • PHYS 2CL. Physics Laboratory—Electricity and Magnetism

 

Recommended Preparation Courses

 

In addition to the screening courses, transfer students are advised to take equivalents for as many of the following recommended preparation courses as possible:

Biological Science

  • BILD 1. The Cell.
  • BILD 3. Organismic and Evolutionary Biology. 
    • This course is not required but must also be taken as a prerequisite for BICD 100.

Chemistry 

  • CHEM 6C. General Chemistry III.
  • CHEM 7L. General Chemistry Laboratory.
  • CHEM 41A/B. Organic Chemistry for Life Sciences I/II.

Mathematics

  • MATH 18. Linear Algebra.
  • MATH 20E. Vector Calculus.

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering

  • MAE 8 Matlab. Programming for Engineering Analysis. 

Physics

  • PHYS 2C. Physics Fluids, Waves, Thermodynamics, and Optics.

Entering credit for the recommended preparation courses will affect enrollment in the following courses:

Bioengineering

  • BENG 100. Introduction to Probability and Statistics for Bioengineers. 
    • Prerequisites include Math 18. Transfer students are recommended to take this course in Fall Quarter of Junior Year – or in Summer Session if offered.
  • BENG 123. Dynamic Simulation in Bioengineering. 
    • Prerequisites include MATH 18 and CHEM 41AB. Transfer students are recommended to take this course Winter Quarter of Senior Year.
  • BENG 130. Biotechnology Thermodynamics and Kinetics. 
    • Prerequisites include PHYS 2C.  Transfer students are recommended to take this course in the Winter Quarter of Junior Year.
  • BENG 158 Biomaterials Laboratory for BTEC
    • Prerequisites include CHEM 40A and CHEM 40B or CHEM 41A and CHEM 41B. Transfer students are recommended to take this in the Winter Quarter of Junior Year.
  • BENG 166A. Cell and Tissue Engineering. 
    • Prerequisites include BILD 1, CHEM 6C, and PHYS 2C. Transfer students are recommended to take this course in Fall Quarter of Junior Year.
  • BENG 168. Biomolecular Engineering. 
    • Prerequisites include BILD 1. Transfer students are recommended to take this course in the Winter Quarter of Junior Year.

Biological Science

  • BICD 100. Genetics. 
    • Prerequisites are BILD 1 and BILD 3. Transfer students are recommended  to take this course in the Winter Quarter of Junior Year.

Chemical Engineering

  • CENG 101A. Introductory Fluid Mechanics.  
    • Prerequisites include MATH 20E. Transfer students are recommended to take this course in Fall Quarter of Junior Year.

Please note that time to degree is affected by entering credit for lower division STEM courses. Please consult the BS Bioengineering: Biotechnology curriculum and flowchart.

See the recommended Bioengineering: Biotechnology Transfer 2-year Course Plan chart- dated 4/30/2026