Skip to main content

TRANSFER COURSE CRITERIA FOR

Food Science


Along with the general selection criteria, every major has required and recommended coursework for transfer students to have completed in order to be considered competitive during the selection process.

Required Courses

Before applying to a major, you should successfully complete or be in the process of completing the required courses to maximize (but not guarantee) your chance of selection. You must complete these units by the spring of the term before your intended fall enrollment to receive consideration during the selection process.

Desired Courses

Because Cal Poly is highly impacted and selection to all majors is very competitive, desired courses should also be successfully completed or in progress when you apply for admission.

Evaluating Your Courses

All the courses listed are Cal Poly Courses. You can use www.assist.org to identify the course equivalencies between Cal Poly and the California Community Colleges. Be sure to use the corresponding academic year in which you completed the course. If you are out-of-state or a transfer student from another four-year institution, you may have to compare your catalog course descriptions with Cal Poly’s catalog to identify the equivalent courses. Cal Poly is unable to evaluate transcripts for you prior to selection.

Course Listings

Fall 2024

Required Courses

English Language Communication and Critical Thinking

  • Oral Communication
  • Written Communication/English Composition
  • Critical Thinking

Mathematics

  • MATH 161/Calculus for the Life Sciences I
    or MATH 141/Calculus I

Statistics

  • STAT 218/Applied Statistics for the Life Sciences
    or STAT 217/Introduction to Statistical Concepts and Methods
    or STAT 251/Statistical Inference for Management I

Biology

  • BIO 111/General Biology
    or BIO 161/Introduction to Cell and Molecular Biology

Chemistry

  • CHEM 127/General Chemistry I
    or CHEM 124/General Chemistry for Physical Science and Engineering I
  • CHEM 128/General Chemistry II
    or CHEM 125/General Chemistry for Physical Science and Engineering II

Physics

  • PHYS 121/College Physics
    or PHYS 141/General Physics IA

Desired Courses

Microbiology

  • MCRO 221/Microbiology
    or MCRO 224/General Microbiology I

Major Related

  • FSN 125/Introduction to Food Science
    or FSN 230/Elements of Food Processing
  • FSN 202/Introduction to Human Nutrition
  • FSN 250/Food and Nutrition: Customs and Cultures
Fall 2025

Required Courses

English Language Communication and Critical Thinking

  • Oral Communication
  • Written Communication/English Composition
  • Critical Thinking

Mathematics

  • MATH 161/Calculus for the Life Sciences I
    or MATH 141/Calculus I

Statistics

  • STAT 218/Applied Statistics for the Life Sciences
    or STAT 217/Introduction to Statistical Concepts and Methods
    or STAT 251/Statistical Inference for Management I

Biology

  • BIO 111/General Biology
    or BIO 161/Introduction to Cell and Molecular Biology

Chemistry

  • CHEM 127/General Chemistry I
    or CHEM 124/General Chemistry for Physical Science and Engineering I
  • CHEM 128/General Chemistry II
    or CHEM 125/General Chemistry for Physical Science and Engineering II

Physics

  • PHYS 121/College Physics
    or PHYS 141/General Physics IA

Desired Courses

Microbiology

  • MCRO 221/Microbiology
    or MCRO 224/General Microbiology I

Major Related

  • FSN 125/Introduction to Food Science
    or FSN 230/Elements of Food Processing
  • FSN 202/Introduction to Human Nutrition
  • FSN 250/Food and Nutrition: Customs and Cultures

All information is subject to change without prior notice.