Prerequisite Enforcement

The College of Marin enforces satisfactory completion of prerequisites at the time of registration.

Prerequisite as defined in Title 5 of the California Code of Regulations:

Prerequisites are conditions of enrollment that students are required to meet prior to enrollment in particular courses or programs. The assignment of a prerequisite to a course signifies that the course, skills, or body of knowledge described in the course are essential to the success of the student in that course and that it is highly unlikely that a student who has not met the prerequisite will earn a satisfactory grade in the course (or at least one course in the program) for which the prerequisite has been established.

Methods for Satisfactorily Completing a Prerequisite

Satisfactorily completing the prerequisite course at College of Marin:

• If you have earned a satisfactory grade (C or better for letter graded courses or Pass/P/Credit/CR) in a prerequisite at College of Marin our computer system will check your academic history for satisfactory completion of the prerequisite, and will allow you to enroll in the course for which the prerequisite was established.

Currently enrolled in the prerequisite course at College of Marin and wishing to register for the course for which the prerequisite was established.

• If you are currently enrolled in the prerequisite course at College of Marin and final grades have not been processed, you will be allowed to register in the course for which the prerequisite was established.

NOTE: Once grades are processed, if you have not satisfactorily completed the prerequisite course you will be dropped.

Currently enrolled in the prerequisite course at another accredited college/university and wishing to register for the course for which the prerequisite was established.

• If you are currently enrolled in the prerequisite course at another accredited college/university and final grades have not been processed, you will not be allowed to register in the course for which the prerequisite was established until a final grade has been posted. Once you have satisfactorily completed the prerequisite and a grade has been posted, you may complete a Prerequisite Equivalency/Challenge Form and submit it to either the Counseling Department or Office of Admissions and Records with an official or unofficial transcript and catalog course description. You may download the Prerequisite Equivalency/Challenge Form by clicking on this link: PEC Form

Placement test scores from College of Marin:

• If you took the placement test at College of Marin and placed in the course for which the prerequisite was established, you will be allowed to enroll in that course.

Placement test scores from another accredited college/university:

• If you took the placement test at another accredited college/university, you will need to submit a "Student Petition" form along with a copy of your placement test scores. You may download the Student Petition Form by clicking on this link: Student Petition Form

NOTE: Only English placement scores from other accredited colleges/universities will be accepted by the College of Marin. The Mathematics Department will only accept ACCUPLACER test raw scores and students will be placed according to College of Marin Mathematics Department standards.

Equivalency from another accredited college/university:

• If you feel that you have satisfactorily completed the prerequisite at another accredited college/university you may complete a Prerequisite Equivalency/Challenge Form and submit it to either the Counseling Department or Office of Admissions and Records with a transcript and catalog course description. You may download the Prerequisite Equivalency/Challenge Form by clicking on this link: PEC Form

Deadlines for Submitting a Prerequisite Equivalency Form:

Summer 2012 Deadline:

The Prerequisite Equivalency Form along with all supporting documentation, must be submitted for approval/denial to the Office of Admissions by Monday, June 11, 2012.

Fall 2012 Deadline:

The Prerequisite Equivalency Form along with all supporting documentation, must be submitted for approval/denial to the Office of Admissions by Friday, August 10, 2012 for full-term courses, and 5 working days prior to the start of instruction for short-term classes.

NOTE: Prerequisite equivalencies are reviewed by the Counseling Department, Academic Evaluator and in some cases the Department Chairperson or Divisional Dean. You will be notified by your MyCOM Portal email account within a reasonable amount of time whether your equivalency has been approved or denied.

Prerequisite Challenge Process

Students have the right to challenge a prerequisite under the following conditions:

• Knowledge or ability to succeed: You believe you can succeed in the course without meeting the prerequisite based on knowledge or ability outside the classroom.
• Invalid prerequisite: You believe the prerequisite is not valid because it is not necessary for success in the course for which it is required. Understand the faculty of the department and the college’s Curriculum Committee has considered and approved the prerequisite.
• Prerequisite course not available: You believe the prerequisite course was not made reasonably available.
• Prerequisite is discriminatory: You believe the prerequisite is discriminatory or is applied in a discriminatory manner.
• District process: You believe the prerequisite was not established in accordance with district’s process for establishing prerequisites.  

You may download the Prerequisite Equivalency/Challenge Form by clicking on this link: PEC Form

Deadlines for Submitting a Prerequisite Challenge Form:

Summer 2012 Deadline:

The Prerequisite Challenge Form along with all supporting documentation, must first be submitted to the department chairperson to have the challenge approved or denied. If the challenge is approved, the student must then submit the Prerequisite Challenge form with signed approval from the department chairperson to the Office of Admissions and Records for processing. The deadline to apply for the challenge is Monday, June 11, 2012.

Fall 2012 Deadline:

The Prerequisite Challenge Form along with all supporting documentation, must first be submitted to the department chairperson to have the challenge approved or denied.   If the challenge is approved, the student must then submit the Prerequisite Challenge form with signed approval from the department chairperson to the Office of Admissions and Records for processing. The deadline to apply for the challenge is Friday, August 10, 2012 for full-term courses, and 5 working days prior to the start of instruction for short-term classes.

Exception to Prerequisite Enforcement during the Summer and Fall Registration Cycle:

An exception to Prerequisite Enforcement will allow students who are completing the prerequisite class in one discipline in Summer to enroll in the Fall course prior to completing the Summer course.  The form is necessary only when the prerequisite course is in another discipline.  (Example:  Math 101 is the prerequisite for CHEM 110 so the form is required.  A form is not required if the prerequisite course is MATH 101 which is the prerequisite for MATH 103.) The system can track courses in the same discipline.

Procedure:

• Enroll in the prerequisite course in Summer.
• Submit a Prerequisite Exception Request Form to the Office of Admissions and Records for enrollment in the Fall course.
• An email confirmation of enrollment will be sent to you.

Example:  Enroll in MATH 101 for the Summer Term.  Complete the form requesting enrollment in CHEM 110 for the Fall Term and submit to the Office of Admissions and Records. 

If the Summer course is not satisfactorily completed, the Fall course will be dropped.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does establishing a prerequisite for a course mean that colleges must restrict the enrollment in the course to students who meet the prerequisite?
Yes, a course that has an established prerequisite signifies that a district has carefully reviewed course content and requirements, entrance and exit skills, and the knowledge necessary for the student to achieve a satisfactory grade in the course for which the prerequisite is obligatory. In the basis of the review, a determination has been made that a student without this prerequisite would not have a high expectation of success in the course. Moreover, the very definition of the term “prerequisite” makes clear that it is a condition of enrollment that a student is required to meet. Consequently, once a prerequisite has been established, it must be uniformly enforced.

Does an instructor have the authority to “waive” an established prerequisite?
No, once a prerequisite has been established, all students wishing to enroll in the course for which the prerequisite was established must satisfactorily complete the prerequisite.

Can I appeal if I do not want to enroll in the prerequisite?
No, there is no appeal. As stated above you may provide evidence that you have the equivalent of the prerequisite course offered at the College of Marin, or you may challenge the prerequisite under the conditions as stated above.

Who can I speak to if I have any questions?
Email prerequisites@marin.edu or leave a message at 415.457.8811 ext. 7700 and your call will be returned.

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Admissions webpage
Technical Contact: Gina Longo, Admin. Assist. Dean/Dir, 415-485-9417
Content Responsible: Bob Balestreri, Dean of Enrollment Services, 415-485-9414