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 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 Equations. 

Physics

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

Chemistry

  • CHEM 7L General Chemistry Laboratory. 

Mathematics

  • MATH 18 Linear Algebra
  • MATH 20E  Vector Calculus

Mechanical and 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 if offered. 
  • BENG 110. Musculoskeletal Biomechanics. 
    • Prerequisites include MATH 18,  MATH 20E and PHYS 2C. Transfer students are recommended to take this course in Fall Quarter of Junior Year.
  • BENG 130. Biotechnology Thermodynamics and Kinetics. 
    • Prerequisites include PHYS 2C. Transfer students should take this course in the Winter Quarter of Senior Year.
  • BENG 140A/B. Bioengineering Physiology. 
    • Prerequisites include BILD 1. Transfer students should  take these courses in the Winter Quarter and Spring Quarter of Junior Year. 

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

  • MAE 40. Linear Circuits. 
    • Prerequisites include MATH 18. 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 8. 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.

Recommended Bioengineering Transfer 2-year Course Plan - dated 5/8/2025

 

Bioengineering: Bioinformatics 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 Equations.

Physics

  • PHYS 2A. Physic - Mechanics
  • PHYS 2B. 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 1 The Cell
  • BILD 3 Organismic and Evolutionary Biology
  • BILD 4 Introductory Biology Lab

Computer Science and Engineering

  • CSE 11 Introduction to Programming and Computational Problem-Solving: Accelerated Pace
  • CSE 12 Basic Data Structures and Object-Oriented Design

Mathematics

  • MATH 18 Linear Algebra
  • MATH 20E Vector Calculus

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.

Computer Science and Engineering

  • CSE 21 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.
    • Transfer students are recommended to take this course in the Winter Quarter of Junior Year. Prerequisites include CSE 12 and CSE 21.
  • CSE 185 Advanced Bioinformatics Laboratory.
    • Transfer students are recommended to take this course in Spring Quarter of Junior Year. Prerequisites include CSE 11, CSE 12, and BILD 1 and BILD 4.

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

Recommended Bioengineering: Bioinformatics Transfer 2-year Course Plan - dated 5/8/2025

 

Bioengineering: Biosystems 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 Equations.

Physics

  • PHYS 2A. Physic - Mechanics
  • PHYS 2B. 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 2. Introductory Computer Programming and MATLAB.
    • Or MAE 8 MATLAB. Programming for Engineering Analysis. We take credit for either course.

Biological Science

  • BILD 1 The Cell. 
    • This course is not required, but see below.

Mathematics

  • MATH 18 Linear Algebra
  • MATH 20E Vector Calculus

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

  • MAE 8 MATLAB. Programming for Engineering Analysis 
  • Or BENG 2. Introductory Computer Programming and MATLAB. We take credit for either.

Physics

  • PHYS 2BL Physics Laboratory – Mechanics
  • 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 Spring Quarter of Junior Year – or in Summer Session if offered. 
  • BENG 110. Musculoskeletal Biomechanics. 
    • Prerequisites include MATH 18, MATH 20E, PHYS 2BL and PHYS 2C. Transfer students are recommended to take this course in Fall Quarter of Junior Year.
  • BENG 140A/B. Bioengineering Physiology. 
    • Prerequisites include BILD 1. Transfer students should take these courses in Winter Quarter and Spring Quarter of Senior Year. BENG 120 and BENG 102 are prerequisites; however, if BENG 140A and BENG 140B are taken early (some take them Junior Year), BILD 1 will be a satisfactory prerequisite.

Electrical and Computer Engineering 

  • ECE 35. Introduction to Analog Design. 
    • Prerequisites include MATH 18. 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.

Recommended Bioengineering: Biosystems Transfer 2-year Course Plan - dated 5/8/2025

 

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 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.

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

  • MAE 170. Experimental Techniques.
    • Prerequisites include PHYS 2C and PHYS 2CL. 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.

Recommended Bioengineering: Biotechnology Transfer 2-year Course Plan - dated 5/8/2025