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What are Prerequisites, Corequisites and
Advisories?
The college is obligated to provide every possible condition for students to succeed
in their classes. There are courses in which students would be highly unlikely to
succeed without being prepared with certain skills and knowledge. As a result, the
college must limit enrollment in these courses to students who have demonstrated
that they have the foundation to succeed.
A Prerequisite is a course or skill level that a student must meet prior to
enrolling in a course or program.
Example: Students must complete English
1A before they can enroll in English 1B.
A Corequisite is a course that a
student is required to enroll in at the same time as enrolling in another course.
Example: Students must enroll in ESL 275
(English as a Second Language Skills Center) if they are enrolled in English as a
Second Language 270.
An Advisory is a suggested, but
not required, course or skill level that a student is advised to meet prior to enrolling
in a course or program.
Example: Psychology 28 (Psychology of Women)
has an advisory of English 4 or English 57 classes, assuring the student their critical
reading and writing skills improve their chances of success in the psychology class.
How are Prerequisites
Established?
Faculty determined through course review and research that students would be highly
unlikely to succeed without the prerequisites. Faculty review the requirements for
prerequisites every six years. The college cannot allow students to enroll in courses
without the prerequisite knowledge and skills needed to succeed in the course. If
you enroll in a class but do not meet the prerequisites, you may be dropped from
the course.
How can students
meet these requirements?
There are several ways for students to meet these requisites:
- Take the prerequisite course;
- Go through the assessment process and
place into the target course, if the prerequisite is in English, reading, or math;
or
- Apply for prerequisite verification through
a counselor, if the student has taken the requisite course at another institution
or if the student has taken an Advanced Placement Test at his/her high school (not
available for math).
How do I prove that
I have met the prerequisite requirements?
Your counselor can review your assessment records, your transcripts, discuss the
decision with you and provide you with a signed Prerequisite Verification Form. You
may also take transcripts and assessment records directly to class. You may challenge
the prerequisite through the course department.
Math Prerequisites: Take assessment results or transcripts directly to the
math class. Request transcript evaluation at the Mathematics, Statistics and Engineering
Division Office, South Gym, Room 220, (916) 558-2202.
Can I Challenge
a prerequisite?
You can challenge a prerequisite through the academic department by obtaining a Prerequisite
Challenge Form if you feel one of the following conditions exits:
1. You have knowledge or ability to succeed
in the course without the prerequisite. You must demonstrate to the department faculty
to their satisfaction that this is true.
2. You believe that the prerequisite is discriminatory or being applied in that manner.
You must demonstrate how this is true. Once you have completed the procedure, the
faculty will review your challenge evidence. You will be informed in writing of the
faculty's determination within five days. You may attend class during the five days
you are waiting for the determination.
How are Prerequisites
enforced?
Course requisites are enforced by faculty during the first week of instruction. No
single staff or faculty member can "waive" an enrollment requirement for
a student who wishes to enroll in a course that has an establish prerequisite. Once
a prerequisite has been legally established and adopted for a course, all students
wishing to enroll in the course must be required to meet the prerequisite, and this
requirement must be applied consistently. Students wishing to challenge the requisites
must follow college procedures as previously described.
Additionally, Allied Health faculty members enforce program requisites for the health
occupations during the program application period.
Do I need to bring
assessment results or college transcripts to every class?
If the course has a prerequisite, you will need to bring a transcript or assessment
results into class to demonstrate that you have met the prerequisite requirement.
If the course does not have a prerequisite, you are not required to show transcripts
or assessment results in class.
8 Oct. 06
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