The UC Davis Earth and Planetary Sciences department welcomes prospective transfer students.
UC Davis is a wonderful place to study Geology, with plenty of opportunities for transfer students and a thriving transfer community. Watch this presentation to California Community College students for more information about applying, joining the Geology major, and resources for success as a Geology major at UC Davis.
UC Davis: a Best Value College
In 2019, money.com ranked UC Davis 5th in the nation for Best Value Colleges; over half of our students graduated debt-free.
Prior to transferring into UC Davis, students must meet the Transfer Admission requirements. For the Bachelor of Science degree program in Geology at UC Davis, we strongly recommend that transfer students complete preparatory coursework equivalent to the following:
- Calculus with Linear Algebra (MAT 16A-B-C-22A or 17A-B-C or 19A-B-C or 21A-B-22A or MAT 21A-B-C)
- Three quarters of Chemistry (CHE 2A-B-C)
- Three quarters of Physics (PHY 7A-B-C or 9A-B-C)
- Physical Geology with Laboratory (GEL 50, 50L)
- Statistics (STA 13)
Once arriving at UC Davis, students will take a series of Geology classes. While it is preferred that students take these classes at UC Davis, the following substitutions (available at most community colleges) are also allowed:
- Geobiology (GEL 53). Also allow History of Life (GEL 3).
- Geochemistry (GEL 55). Also allow General Chemistry (CHE 2C)
- Geophysics (GEL 56). Also allow General Physics (PHY 7C) or Classical Physics (PHY 9C)
In order to complete two quarters of coursework, you may have to take a full year of that subject at community college. If you have not completed some or all of the preparatory coursework, you may need more than 2 years here. Many Geology major classes are taught in sequence and only once per year. It is not recommended to take preparatory coursework and prerequisites at the same time as upper division Geology major coursework. Contact the geology major advisor if you would like to discuss your specific preparation for transfer.
- Transfer credit evaluation
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If you are an incoming student who has transfer credit from another 4-year university (including other UC's), out-of-state community college, or from A-Levels, you likely have coursework that needs to be evaluated. While there are transfer agreements in place already with the California community colleges*, which can be reviewed on assist.org, this is not the case for any school that is not a California community college. A-Levels need to be evaluated for course equivalence as well. Please note that this evaluation does not apply to General Education (GE) attributes such as Science & Engineering (SE) or Social Science (SS). To have any courses evaluated for GE attributes, please contact the College of Agriculture & Environmental Sciences dean's office.
*California community college students who took only a partial series at their community college or completed a series at multiple schools, even if they are in the same district, will need to have that course work evaluated.
Common subjects for evaluation
Biology: For each biology course you would like evaluated, please email a complete syllabus that also includes a lecture schedule to cbsundergrads@ucdavis.edu.
Chemistry: Email the syllabi for any chemistry classes that you want evaluated to chemundergrads@ucdavis.edu. Include a detailed syllabus of the class (showing week-to-week topics covered in lectures and labs). Course descriptions from the website or catalog are not sufficient. Also the following information about each class: Name of college or university, Course name and number, Course description, Textbook information, UCD chemistry course that is being proposed as equivalent. Once this is sent in, students can expect a response within 2-4 weeks
Geology: Email the syllabi for any geology classes that you want evaluated to geology-advisors@ucdavis.edu.
Economics: Email the syllabi for any economics classes that you want evaluated to eheadvisingcenter@ucdavis.edu. You can also check their transfer database for pre-existing articulations for non-Assist schools.
Math: Math has an equivalency request form. You can also check their transfer database for pre-existing articulations.
Physics: Physics has an equivalency request form. You can also check their transfer database for pre-existing articulations.
Political Science: Email the syllabi for any political science classes that you want evaluated to poladvising@ucdavis.edu.
Statistics: Statistics has an equivalency request form.