Prerequisite courses are courses that must be completed before students can enroll in subsequent courses. Corequisites are courses that must be taken at the same time as another course or prior to the course to be taken. Students must comply with catalog requirements, and courses may not be taken until all prerequisites have been met. (Exceptions may occur when students are in specially designed curricula that allow for meeting prerequisites and corequisites in an alternative manner. Such programs will have been approved by the appropriate faculty and academic dean/director and authorized by the executive vice president upon the presentation of specific documentation showing how the prerequisite skills or knowledge content are being met.) Advisors will assist, but it is the responsibility of students to check course prerequisite and corequisites requirements. Registering for a course without having the appropriate prerequisites and corequisites will result in students being dropped from courses when improper registrations are discovered. The removal from a course may have an effect on full-time status and/or financial aid. (Any refund will be based on the college’s current refund policy.) (Procedure 5.2.7.1)
The purpose of a prerequisite and/or a corequisite is to ensure student success in subsequent coursework. While successful completion of prerequisites and/or corequisites is the traditional way students demonstrate readiness, in exceptional circumstances, students may demonstrate readiness through other means. In such cases, prerequisites or corequisites may be waived with appropriate approvals and permission of the Executive Vice President. Documentation of the approved waiver will be maintained on file. (Policy 5.2.7)
If students feel that they have met a prerequisite or corequisite by one of the following procedures, they should work with their advisor and the appropriate division dean to initiate a prerequisite or corequisites waiver:
A course or combination of courses taken at another institution covering the knowledge and abilities equivalent to those specified in the prerequisite or corequisite course.
Documented knowledge and abilities through work experience, experiential learning, or formal assessment equivalent to those specified in the prerequisite or corequisites course.
Professional certification and/or licensure demonstrating the knowledge and abilities equivalent to those specified in the prerequisite course.
The Executive Vice President shall approve or deny prerequisite or corequisite waiver requests. The Executive Vice President’s decision is final.
Under no circumstances will prerequisites or corequisites be waived without completion of one of the above procedures.