Major-Specific Course Recommendations for Transfer Students

The following recommendations have been made with the Academic Pathway for each CNMS major and the coursework that is typically available to community college transfer students in mind. Transfer students from four-year institutions and from STEM-focused community colleges may find a greater selection of coursework available to take prior to transfer – see the bottom of the page (or the major’s Academic Pathway) for additional recommendations for students with those opportunities.
UMBC course numbers are shown in parentheses after each course title, so that students using Artsys or the TES Course Articulation Database can identify relevant courses more easily.

 

Major Entering UMBC with 30 transfer credits? Have these courses complete: Entering UMBC with 60 transfer credits? Complete all of the recommended courses for transfers with 30 credits, plus: Other Things to Know
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, BS (BIOC BS)
  • Principles of Chemistry 1 & 2 (CHEM101/102/102L)
  • Calculus & Analytic Geometry 1 & 2 (MATH151/152)
  • English Composition (ENGL100)
  • At least two (2) General Education Courses
  • Organic Chemistry 1 & 2 (CHEM351/351L/352/352L)
  • Foundations of Biology 1 & 2 (BIOL141/142)
  • Introductory Physics 1 & 2 (PHYS121/122)
  • At least three (3) General Education courses
  • Comprehensive Biochemistry 1 & 2 (CHEM437/438) and  Biochemistry Laboratory (CHEM437L) must be taken at UMBC.
  • Offered only at Main Campus
Bioinformatics & Computational Biology, BS (BINF BS)
  • Principles of Chemistry 1* & 2 (CHEM101/102/102L)
  • Calculus & Analytic Geometry 1* & 2 (MATH151/152)
  • Introductory Physics 1 (PHYS121)
  • English Composition (ENGL100)
  • At least two (2) General Education courses
  • Foundations of Biology 1* & 2* (BIOL141/142)
  • Linear Algebra (MATH221)
  • Organic Chemistry 1 (CHEM351)
  • Computer Science for Majors 1* & 2* (CMSC201/202)
  • At least three (3) General Education courses

Students should investigate whether Organic Chemistry 2 (CHEM352/352L) will be required for their post-Bachelor’s-Degree plans. If so, complete the Orgo “pair”  before transferring. Pre-Health Professions and Pre-Allied Health Professions students should be particularly aware of this potential need.
  • Courses with an * are part of the 6-course BINF Gateway. Students who complete more than three (3) of the BINF Gateway courses outside UMBC must submit a petition for verification of their eligibility to continue in the BINF major. Students who follow the recommendations listed here for 60-credit transfers, and some who transfer more than 30 credits will fall into this petition-required category.
  • Offered only at Main Campus
Biological Sciences, BA or BS (BIOL BA or BS)
  • Applied Calculus (MATH155, BA only) or Calculus & Analytic Geometry 1 (MATH151, BA or BS)
  • Principles of Chemistry 1 & 2 (CHEM101/102/102L)
  • Foundations of Biology 1 & 2 (BIOL141/142)
  • English Composition (ENGL100)
  • At least two (2) General Education courses
  • Organic Chemistry 1 (CHEM351/351L)
  • Basic Physics 1 & 2 (PHYS111/112)
  • At least three (3) General Education courses

Students should investigate whether Organic Chemistry 2 (CHEM352/352L) will be required for their post-Bachelor’s-Degree plans. If so, complete the Orgo “pair”  before transferring. Pre-Health Professions and Pre-Allied Health Professions students should be particularly aware of this potential need.
  • The Biological Sciences Department requires that students complete at least half of the courses fulfilling the BIOL coursework requirements for the BIOL BA (4 out of 8 required courses) and BIOL BS (6 out of 11 required courses) at UMBC. Students whose transfer coursework exceeds the maximum allowable number of transferred courses applicable to BIOL course requirements (including Organic Chemistry 2 with lab for BIOL BS students) will be required to take additional upper-level BIOL electives in order to meet the BIOL courses-in-residency minimum. There are no limits on the institutional origin of CHEM (through Organic Chemistry 1), MATH, PHYS, or STAT coursework.
  • Offered only at Main Campus
Biology Education, BA (BIOE BA)
  • Applied Calculus (MATH155)
  • Principles of Chemistry 1 & 2 (CHEM101/102/102L)
  • Foundations of Biology 1 & 2 (BIOL141/142)
  • English Composition (ENGL100)
  • Introduction to Psychology (PSYC100)
  • Organic Chemistry 1 (CHEM351)
  • Basic Physics 1 & 2 (PHYS111/112)
  • If available, Molecular & General Genetics (BIOL302) and Cell Biology (BIOL303)
  • Psychology of Learning (PSYC210)

Check with your institution for the availability of transferable Education (EDUC) coursework. UMBC’s EDUC310 is typically taken by sophomores in the Secondary Science Teaching Certification programs (and, if possible, EDUC311), but confer with UMBC’s Department of Education for additional recommendations.
  •  Offered only at Main Campus
Chemistry, BA or BS (CHEM BA or BS)
  • Principles of Chemistry 1 & 2 (CHEM101/102/102L)
  • Calculus & Analytic Geometry 1 & 2 (MATH151/152)
  • English Composition (ENGL100)
  • At least two (2) General Education courses
  • Organic Chemistry 1 & 2 (CHEM351/351L/352/352L)
  • Introductory Physics 1 & 2 (PHYS121/122)
  • Mulitvariable Calculus (MATH251, BS degree only)
  • At least three (3) General Education courses
  •  Offered only at Main Campus
Chemistry Education, BA (CHED BA)
  • Principles of Chemistry 1 & 2 (CHEM101/102/102L)
  • Calculus & Analytic Geometry 1 & 2 (MATH151/152)
  • English Composition (ENGL100)
  • Introduction to Psychology (PSYC100)
  • Foundations of Biology 1 (BIOL141)
  • Organic Chemistry 1 & 2 (CHEM351/351L/352/352L)
  • Introductory Physics 1 & 2 (PHYS121/122)
  • Western Civilizations 1 or 2 (HIST110 or 111)
  • Geography/Environmental Science elective

Check with your institution for the availability of transferable Education (EDUC) coursework. UMBC’s EDUC310 is typically taken by sophomores in the Secondary Science Teaching Certification programs (and, if possible, EDUC311), but confer with UMBC’s Department of Education for additional recommendations.
  •  Offered only at Main Campus
Mathematics, BA or BS (MATH BA or BS)
  • Calculus & Analytic Geometry 1 & 2 (MATH151/152)
  • Linear Algebra (MATH221)
  • Computer Science for Majors 1 (CMSC201)
  • English Composition (ENGL100)
  • At least two (2) General Education courses
  • Mulitvariable Calculus (MATH251)
  • Introduction to Differential Equations (MATH225)
  • Introductory Physics 1 & 2 (PHYS121/122)
  • At least three (3) General Education courses
  •  Offered only at Main Campus
Physics, BS (PHYS BS)
  • Calculus & Analytic Geometry 1 & 2 (MATH151/152)
  • Principles of Chemistry 1 (CHEM101)
  • English Composition (ENGL100)
  • Computer Science for Majors 1 (CMSC201)
  • Either both Introductory Physics 1 & 2 (PHYS121/122) or neither course (don’t split the pair between institutions)
  • At least two (2) General Education courses
  • Introductory Physics 1 & 2 (PHYS121/122, if not already complete)
  • Multivariable Calculus (MATH251)
  • Introduction to Differential Equations (MATH225)
  • At least three (3) General Education courses
  • Due to the limited availability of required sophomore-level PHYS courses at many community colleges, completion of a PHYS degree within two years of transfer is very challenging for students who transfer in at the 60-credit point. Students in this scenario should consider taking PHYS122L and/or PHYS224 in Summer session prior to entering UMBC, in order to ease their first-semester workload. More information about STEM courses routinely offered in summer can be found on the Summer STEM at UMBC program web site.
  • Students who transfer from a community college to UMBC prior to the 60-credit point in order to avoid delays in time-to-degree should learn more about the “Credit When It’s Due” program, an opportunity to complete their Associate’s Degree requirements through UMBC coursework.
  • Offered only at Main Campus
Physics Education, BA (PHSE BA)
  • Calculus & Analytic Geometry 1 & 2 (MATH151/152)
  • English Composition (ENGL100)
  • Computer Science for Majors 1 (CMSC201)
  • Either both Introductory Physics 1 & 2 (PHYS121/122) or neither course (don’t split the pair between institutions)
  • Introduction to Psychology (PSYC100)
  • Ideas in Astronomy (PHYS105) or Introduction to Astrobiology (PHYS106)
  • Two (2) to four (4) General Education Courses (depending on whether you choose to complete the Introductory Physics sequence prior to transfer)

If equivalents to PHYS105 or PHYS106 are not available at your institution, consider taking Principles of Chemistry 1 (CHEM101) during your first year, and planning to take PHYS105/106 when you transfer to UMBC.
  • Introductory Physics 1 & 2 (PHYS121/122, if not already complete)
  • Multivariable Calculus (MATH251)
  • Introduction to Differential Equations (MATH225) or Linear Algebra (MATH221)
  • Foundations of Biology 1 (BIOL141)
  • At least two (2) General Education courses

Check with your institution for the availability of transferable Education (EDUC) coursework. UMBC’s EDUC310 is typically taken by sophomores in the Secondary Science Teaching Certification programs (and, if possible, EDUC311), but confer with UMBC’s Department of Education for additional recommendations.
  • Due to the limited availability of required sophomore-level PHYS courses at many community colleges, and the timing of the Field Experience (student teaching) requirements for certification (which have some Fall-to-Spring course sequencing), completion of a PHSE degree within two years of transfer is very challenging for students who transfer in at the 60-credit point. Students in this scenario should consider taking PHYS122L and/or PHYS224 in Summer session prior to entering UMBC, in order to ease their first-semester workload. More information about STEM courses routinely offered in summer can be found on the UMBC Summer STEM program web site.
  • Students who transfer from a community college to UMBC prior to the 60-credit point in order to avoid delays in time-to-degree should learn more about the “Credit When It’s Due” program, an opportunity to complete their Associate’s Degree requirements through UMBC coursework.
  • Offered only at Main Campus
Statistics, BS (STAT BS)
  • Calculus & Analytic Geometry 1 & 2 (MATH151/152)
  • English Composition (ENGL100)
  • At least five (5) General Education courses
  • Multivariable Calculus (MATH251)
  • Linear Algebra (MATH221)
  • Public Communication (SPCH100)
  • At least three (3) General Education Courses

Students may also wish to consider taking Computer Science for Majors 1 (CMSC201), which may be used toward STAT major elective requirements
  •  Offered only at Main Campus
Translational Life Sciences Technology, BS (TLST BS) Students cannot enter this program without a minimum of 60 credits, to include ALL of the coursework listed in the “60 credits or more” column.
  • Applied Calculus (MATH155) or Calculus & Analytic Geometry 1 (MATH151)
  • Principles of Chemistry 1 & 2, with labs (CHEM101/102/102L)
  • Organic Chemistry 1 with lab (CHEM351/351L)
  • Foundations of Biology 1 & 2, with labs (BIOL141/142, BIOL300L)
  • Microbiology (BIOL275)
  • Molecular & General Genetics (BIOL302)
  • Basic Physics 1 (PHYS111)
  • English Composition (ENGL100)
  • At least five (5) General Education courses
  • Offered only at Shady Grove Campus
  • General Education courses in the Social Sciences (SS) and Culture (C) categories are more readily available at the Shady Grove Campus. Students are encouraged to fulfill as much of the the Foreign Language Proficiency requirement (equivalent to the 201-level in a language other than English) and Arts & Humanities requirement (3 courses, from at least 2 different disciplines) prior to transfer.

Additional courses for transfers to consider, particularly those students coming from Four-Year institutions and technically-oriented Community Colleges:

  • BIOL302 – Molecular & General Genetics (BIOC, BIOE, and BINF majors. Some BIOL majors may also wish to take it, with the understanding of the BIOL degree transfer course limits indicated above)
  • BIOL303 – Cell Biology (BIOC, BIOE, and BINF majors. Some BIOL majors may also wish to take it, with the understanding of the BIOL degree transfer course limits indicated above)
  • CHEM300 – Analytical Chemistry (BIOC, CHEM, and CHED majors)
  • CHEM301/302 – Physical Chemistry 1/Physical Chemistry 2 (CHEM and CHED majors)