How to Apply to Biology at Cal State Long Beach: B.S. in Biology (Four Options), Marine Biology and Microbiology in the Department of Biological Sciences, Starting as a Pre-Major and Declaring After General Chemistry and Calculus, for Domestic and International (Including Chinese) Applicants and Transfer Students

Undergraduate biology at California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) is offered by the Department of Biological Sciences in the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics (CNSM). This guide follows CSULB’s website and is organised for U.S. domestic applicants, international applicants, applicants from China and transfer students. Chemistry is taught by the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and is not covered here; medicine, nursing, pharmacy, public health and similar programs are also outside this guide, so see the university’s website for them.

1. Degrees and options

• Six undergraduate degrees and two minors (the department’s undergraduate programs page, 2026–2027 catalog):
  • B.S. in Biology, four options: General Biology, described as the most flexible option, which with the right electives can serve health professions or graduate study; Biology Education, designed solely for future secondary-school biology teachers; Molecular Cell Biology and Physiology, for careers involving biology at the cell, molecular and organ-system levels and suited to graduate work or health professions such as medicine and physical therapy; and Zoology, Botany, and Ecology, for careers in zoology, ecology and botany, suited to veterinary or graduate school and to environmental consulting firms and fish and wildlife agencies.
  • B.S. in Marine Biology: the biology and ecology of ocean organisms, described as a base for graduate school and for careers in environmental consulting, government, teaching and public aquaria.
  • B.S. in Microbiology: microorganisms and their interactions with humans, other organisms and the environment; described as appropriate for graduate work in microbiology or, with suitable classes, for pre-professional students.
  • Minors: Biology and Microbiology.
• Marine Biology program (program page): undergraduates take small upper-division lecture and lab classes taught by Ph.D.-level faculty, with frequent field trips to bay, estuary, rocky intertidal and open-ocean habitats and opportunities for original research.
• Biochemistry: the B.S. and B.A. in Biochemistry are offered by the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, not by Biological Sciences; see that department’s website.
• Course lists: apart from the General Biology option, the four-year plans for the other options and the full unit totals are not published on the pages read here (the department page links a four-year plan and a catalog entry for each option); check the website and the university catalog.

2. How admission works: you apply to the university, by major, as a pre-major

• You apply to the university and are considered by intended major: biology sits in CNSM. First-year applicants may pick a specific major or apply undeclared, and the application-process page says CSULB makes admission decisions based on the intended major only. The pages read do not describe a separate college application or admission line.
• Pre-major status: the department advising page says the Biology, Marine Biology and Microbiology majors “require that students begin as pre-majors and then meet precise major-specific criteria to officially declare the major.” The first-year admissions page says the same of STEM majors in general: admission is to pre-major status, and continuing depends on lower-division course and GPA requirements.
• STEM Index: STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) majors are ranked on a STEM Index that weights quantitative skills: 600 × high school math GPA + 600 × high school science GPA. These pages do not list which majors count as STEM; biology is in the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, so ask Admissions whether the STEM Index is applied to it.
• How the GPAs are calculated: from college-preparatory (A–G) courses taken after grade 9, with bonus points for up to eight honors-level grades in grades 10–12 (including up to two IB, AP or honors courses in grade 10). Initial decisions use the self-reported grades on the application, normally through grade 11, and all offers are provisional until final transcripts are verified.
• Minimums (first-year eligibility page): California high school graduates and other California residents need a 2.5 college-preparatory GPA and a STEM Index of at least 3,600 (higher than the CSU systemwide minimum); other non-California residents need a 3.0 GPA and the same 3,600 STEM Index. For non-STEM majors the minimum CSULB Index is 3,200 for California residents and 3,500 for non-residents. Meeting the minimum only makes you eligible to be considered.
• Local preference: applicants who are “local” by high school or military status are offered admission if they meet the 3,600 STEM Index; local applicants who fall short but have a 2.5 college-preparatory GPA and a 3,200 CSULB Index are offered undeclared admission. Other eligible applicants are ranked by the STEM Index and admitted as space allows in the major or college. The page says undeclared is not a route into the originally intended major. The boundaries are on the local-preference page.
• Testing: the CSU system does not use the SAT or ACT in admission decisions; scores may be sent after admission for English or math placement.
• Is biology “highly impacted”? In the Fall 2026 CNSM requirements and the Fall 2027 transfer requirements, the Biology (all options), Marine Biology and Microbiology entries are not marked highly impacted. The transfer-requirements index page, however, says all CSULB undergraduate majors continue to be “impacted” and have specific admission and declaration requirements.
• The university warns that many qualified applicants are not admitted and recommends a backup plan.

3. Declaring a biology major after you enrol

• Major-Specific Degree Requirements (MSDR): for Biology (B.S., all options), Marine Biology (B.S.) and Microbiology (B.S.), the Fall 2026 CNSM page requires a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5; lower-division preparation with a C or better in CHEM 111A and 111B (General Chemistry) and MATH 119A (Survey of Calculus I) or MATH 122 (Calculus I); English composition, critical thinking and oral communication; and, as an additional requirement for CSULB students, BIOL 211 (Introduction to Evolution and Diversity) with a C or better. That page gives no separate GPA figure for the biology preparation courses.
• The B.S. in Biology four-year plan says courses marked MSDR must be completed to declare the major and that all students need a GPA of 2.5 or higher in the STEM MSDR suite. The courses marked MSDR on the plan are MATH 119A, CHEM 111A, English composition, BIOL 211, CHEM 111B, oral communication and critical thinking.
• One-year deadline: the plan says pre-biology first-time freshmen must complete CHEM 111A and MATH 119A or higher within one year of matriculation, which may require summer session; students who have not done so must declare another major or meet an advisor to decide whether an extra semester is merited.
• Process: every undergraduate must have a declared major by 60 units, and declaration also requires a progressively successful academic record. Pre-majors see CNSM academic advisors; once declared they see the department’s faculty advisors (General Biology advisors are split by last name, and the other options each have an advisor; appointments are booked through Beach Connect).
• Changing into biology: the same major-specific requirements apply; the number of places and the process are not stated on the pages read, so see the Student Records change-of-major page or ask a department advisor.

4. Prerequisites and coursework

• CSU college-preparatory pattern (15 year-units, C or better in each): history/social science 2, English 4, mathematics 3 (4 recommended; algebra I, geometry, algebra II or higher), laboratory science 2 (one biological, one physical), one language other than English 2, visual and performing arts 1, college-preparatory elective 1.
• Advice for STEM majors: Admissions “strongly recommends that STEM applicants complete additional math courses beyond the CSU minimum.” A specific high school biology or chemistry requirement is not stated by the department or college on the pages read.
• General Biology B.S. four-year plan: Year 1: MATH 119A, CHEM 111A, English composition; BIOL 211 (Introduction to Evolution and Diversity, 5 units), CHEM 111B, oral communication, critical thinking; NSCI 190A (Experience Success Program, fall only). Year 2: BIOL 212 (Cell and Molecular Biology), BIOL 260 (Biostatistics), Organic Chemistry I with lab; BIOL 213 (Ecology and Physiology), BIOL 340 (Molecular Cell Biology), Organic Chemistry II with lab. Year 3: BIOL 312 (Evolutionary Biology), one physiology course (human, comparative animal or molecular plant), PHYS 100A or 151; BIOL 350 (General Ecology), BIOL 370 (General Genetics), PHYS 100B or 152. Year 4: biology diversity courses, biological science electives, a 400-level elective, and BIOL 480 (Seminars), which must be taken in the last semester with department consent. The plan says students need at least 120 units to graduate, and “elective (1)” entries are placeholders for extra units.
• Entry to calculus and chemistry: MATH 119A lists “appropriate placement” plus MATH 112B or 113 as prerequisites; CHEM 111A lists appropriate placement and MATH 112B or higher as a pre- or corequisite, with CHEM 95 if needed. The chemistry placement procedure itself is not published on the pages read here (the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry has a placement page for continuing students).
• Labs and research: the plan includes lab courses (BIOL 211, CHEM 111A/B, organic chemistry labs, and the physiology labs). Thesis or research-credit requirements for undergraduates are not stated on the pages read; the department website also has student research, internships and experiential learning pages.
• Microbiology degree (programs page): its learning outcomes refer to the areas prescribed by the American Society for Microbiology, including general principles of microbiology, microbial genetics, microbial ecology, immunology, virology, and cell and molecular biology.
• AP and IB credit: Admissions says AP scores of 3 or higher with an official score report earn up to 6 units per exam, and credit is awarded once per course. IB Higher Level exams with a 4 or higher earn up to 12 units per exam, but a later note on the same page says a minimum IB score of 5 is required unless otherwise noted; both statements are on the site, so rely on the catalog’s credit table. Which AP or IB biology or chemistry exam maps to which required course is in that table, which is not among the pages read here.
• Competitions: how biology olympiads or similar contests are viewed in admissions is not stated on the pages read.

5. Rounds, materials and costs

• U.S. first-year filing period: October 1 to November 30 for the following fall (Cal State Apply opens August 1 for most sections and the academic history section on October 1); only one application per academic year. The page shows no year, so confirm it is fall 2027 entry.
• Materials: decisions rest on the grades self-reported on the application; send documents only when asked, do not send a transcript before graduation unless requested. Admitted students submit official transcripts; the final high school transcript is due by July 15. Offers are normally made in early spring and are provisional (all senior-year courses with a C or better, all A–G courses done, graduation on time). Admitted students must accept and pay a non-refundable enrollment deposit by May 1; it is waived for students receiving need-based state or federal grants or full aid.
• Application fee, essays, recommendations: the pages read give no application fee amount and no essay or recommendation requirement specific to biology; check Cal State Apply and the Admissions pages.

6. U.S. domestic applicants

• Testing: the SAT and ACT are not used for admission.
• Tuition (fee page, 2026–2027; check the 2027–2028 figures): undergraduate tuition and mandatory fees per semester for California residents are $2,938 part-time (0–6 units) and $4,376 full-time (7+ units) by the itemised table; non-residents pay an extra $471 per unit. The page contradicts itself: its non-resident example uses $4,365 for the resident full-time total and gives $10,017 for 12 units, which does not match the $4,376 in the table; rely on your bill. Some courses carry extra course fees (whether biology labs do is not stated on the pages read).
• Local preference: see above; local applicants with a 3,600 STEM Index are offered admission.
• Department funding (scholarships page): continuing students apply through the BeachScholarships system with one general application that automatically considers them for dozens of scholarships; the deadline shown is March 2, 2026, so check the 2027 date, and the system can be filtered to “Biological Sciences.” The page also lists CNSM Summer Research Assistantships for continuing students with a mentor-signed research plan (the 2026 cycle is shown as closed; one listed assistantship, the Richard Thomas Dunlop Parker award, is for undergraduates), funded research programs and campus funding. The Handloser Graduate Tuition Grant in Marine Biology is for entering master’s students and does not apply to undergraduates. Biology-department scholarships specific to entering undergraduates are not stated on the pages read.
• Support: SAS Peer Mentors tutors CNSM pre-majors and majors in science and math; the Lindgren Math Tutoring Center and The Learning Center also offer free tutoring.

7. International applicants

• CSULB’s pages written for international applicants (grade requirements, English-language scores and waivers, deadlines, cost estimates, international scholarships) are not published on the pages read here; check the university’s international admissions pages.
• The first-year eligibility page sets, for “other non-California residents,” a college-preparatory GPA of at least 3.0 and, for STEM majors, a STEM Index of at least 3,600. It does not address international students separately, so confirm with International Admissions how this applies.
• Tuition: non-residents pay an extra $471 per unit (above). The tuition and financial-proof requirements that apply to international students are not stated on the pages read.
• Whether biology sets extra requirements for international applicants is not stated on the pages read.

8. Applicants from China

• Gaokao: none of the pages read mention China or say whether gaokao results are considered or how; contact International Admissions.
• Transcripts, huikao records, credential evaluation and English requirements: not published on the pages read; check the international pages.
• Math, chemistry and biology: how Chinese high school courses map to CHEM 111A placement, MATH 119A/122 or the college-preparatory pattern is not stated. After admission you can ask a CNSM academic advisor.

9. Transfer students

• University level (transfer eligibility page): 60 transferable semester units (or 90 quarter units); at least a 2.00 GPA in all transferable work; good standing at the last college attended; at least 30 semester units of CSU general education; and a C or better in English composition, critical thinking, oral communication and mathematical concepts and quantitative reasoning. For fall entry these must be done by the end of the previous spring, for spring entry by the end of the previous summer. You must choose a major when you apply, and if you do not qualify for it you are not considered for another.
• Fall 2027 transfer requirements for the biology majors (CNSM page, stated to apply to fall 2027 and spring 2028 only):
  • Biology B.S. (all options): minimum cumulative GPA 2.5; preparation courses CHEM 111A, CHEM 111B, MATH 119A or 122 and BIOL 211, each with a C or better; English composition, critical thinking and oral communication; and, for transfer applicants only, recommended additional courses (C or better): BIOL 212, BIOL 213, organic chemistry CHEM 220A/220B with labs 223A/223B.
  • Marine Biology B.S.: the same preparation courses and 2.5 GPA; recommended additions BIOL 212 and BIOL 213.
  • Microbiology B.S.: the same preparation courses and 2.5 GPA; recommended additions BIOL 212 and organic chemistry CHEM 220A/220B with labs 223A/223B.
  • None of these is marked highly impacted. Applicants with a California community college Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) are evaluated on the ADT instead of the course list, with 0.1 added to their GPA in ranking. Admitted students who have not finished the recommended additions must complete them in their first year at CSULB.
• How applicants are considered (transfer requirements page): “local” eligible applicants who meet the major GPA and preparation are offered admission to majors that are not highly impacted; other eligible applicants who meet them are admitted as space allows, ranked by GPA and any extra preparation courses; applicants without the preparation are considered only if space remains. The index page also says its criteria are for Fall 2026 and Spring 2027 while linking to the Fall 2027 pages, so confirm on the site.
• Dates (transfer eligibility page): fall applications can be started August 1, with submission October 1 to November 30; spring July 1 to August 31. No year is shown, so confirm fall 2027.
• Credit transfer: courses at California public institutions are matched in ASSIST. How specific biology and chemistry courses map is not stated on the pages read.
• International transfer students: not published on the pages read; check the university’s international pages.

10. Outcomes

• The programs page describes career directions for each degree: General Biology for health professions or biological-science graduate study; Zoology, Botany, and Ecology for veterinary or graduate school and for environmental consulting firms and fish and wildlife agencies; Marine Biology for environmental consulting, government, teaching and public aquaria; Microbiology for graduate work or, with suitable classes, pre-professional study. These are the department’s own descriptions, and the department site also has an internships page. No placement rate or salary data appears on the pages read.

Checklist

U.S. domestic applicants:

• File through Cal State Apply October 1–November 30 (confirm fall 2027), choosing a biology major; math and science grades drive the STEM Index, with a 3,600 minimum
• Within a year of enrolling finish CHEM 111A and MATH 119A or higher; to declare, complete CHEM 111A/B, MATH 119A or 122, BIOL 211 and three general education courses with a C or better and a 2.5 cumulative GPA

International applicants (including China):

• Check deadlines, English scores and costs on CSULB’s international pages; ask International Admissions how the gaokao and Chinese courses are treated

Transfer students:

• 60 transferable units and a 2.0 GPA overall; for fall 2027 the biology majors need CHEM 111A/B, MATH 119A or 122 and BIOL 211 (C or better) and a 2.5 cumulative GPA, with BIOL 212 and others recommended

Sources: California State University, Long Beach website, Biological Sciences; Undergraduate programs; Department advising; B.S. in Biology four-year plan; Marine Biology program; Department scholarships and funded support; Major-Specific Degree Requirements; Fall 2026 CNSM requirements; First-year eligibility; CSULB Index and STEM Index; First-year application process; Test and transfer credit; Local preference; Transfer eligibility; Transfer major requirements; Fall 2027 transfer requirements (CNSM); Tuition and fees. Several of these pages show no year (the first-year filing period, department scholarship deadlines), and the fee page lists 2026–2027; confirm the versions that apply to fall 2027 entry.