Prerequisite Enforcement Information
Click
here for Power Point Presentation on Prerequisite Enforcement
Click here for Official Prerequisite Policy
Prerequisite Checking Q&A:
Definitions:
- Prerequisite - a course(s) that must be satisfactorily completed before enrolling in another course.
- Concurrent - a prerequisite course that could be taken at the same time as the other course.
- Co-requisite - a course that must be simultaneously taken at the same time as another course.
What prerequisites will be checked during registration?
Only those courses—selected by the departments—with a specific subject prefix and number, such as MTH 111, that
have been completed with a passing grade of D– or better prior to enrollment or concurrent with the course being registered for.
How does course prerequisite checking work during
registration?
Banner checks the student's academic record, including transfer
credit, to see if the prerequisite
course has been successfully completed with a passing grade. If the course was not successfully completed, the student will be told the prerequisite has not been met and
he or she will not be allowed to register for that course. Prerequisite checking
will occur for all students who wish to take the course, regardless of level,
rank, or college.
Banner also counts as "satisfied" any prerequisite that the student is
currently enrolled in. However, if the student fails to satisfactorily complete
the currently enrolled prerequisite course after registration, he or she will
not be disenrolled from the next term's course.
What course prerequisites CAN Banner enforce?
- Specific courses with subject and number, e.g. SOC 204, that are satisfactorily
completed.
- Transfer equivalents to OSU courses articulated by the Office of
Admissions.
- Standardized placement test scores that have been recorded in Banner.
What course prerequisites CANNOT be enforced by Banner?
- Generic courses, such as a "social science course"
- Courses not offered by OSU
- Transfer credit that has not been articulated to a specific OSU subject/number,
such as LDT and UDT course numbers
- Older OSU courses (pre 1990) no longer contained in our Banner catalog
- Courses for which the student received a mark of N, W, I, F, U, AU,
Y
- Undergraduate-level prereqs for graduate-level courses (The system does not search undergraduate transcripts of graduate students.)
Will we still have prerequisites that are not enforced?
Yes, departments may continue to list prereqs that are not enforced during registration.
Such prereqs may be enforced at the instructor's or department's discretion after registration. Both types of prereqs will be listed in the General
Catalog and online Schedule of Classes (SOC) and labeled as "PREREQS:"
How do transfer credits satisfy prerequisites?
Transfer credits are brought into a student's OSU record when the Office
of Admissions articulates those credits to OSU equivalents as directed by
departments. Where there are no direct equivalents, the transfer
credit will not count toward prerequisite compliance during registration
without an override exception being granted by the department.
How will we handle exceptions and appeals?
Some students who do not meet prerequisites may wish to appeal to the
offering department for an exception. Departments will be able to grant
exceptions by entering overrides into Banner. Overrides will then allow
the student to continue with their registration. If desired, override permissions
may be entered into Banner in advance to the start of registration, with
an override code of PREQ.
Remember:
- All sections of the same course will
carry the same prerequisite. Prerequisites should only be enforced
where there is substantial evidence that a specific prerequisite course
is essential for success in a given class. Departments should
be selective and targeted in their decisions.
- Enforcing prerequisites for 100- or 200-level courses (with the exception
of certain courses such as math or foreign language) should be greatly
limited. Students will have real difficulty fulfilling bacc core requirements
in a timely manner if many of these courses require the completion of
course prerequisites. Also, students who are dually enrolled will be at
a disadvantage because their partner school enrollments are not entered
into their Banner records until after the next term begins.
- Departments are encouraged to review their decisions regarding OSU
equivalents for transfer courses and make certain they are up-to-date
and complete. Revisions and changes coded into Banner, by submission to
the Office of Admission, will help reduce the number of students who are
seeking exceptions and the amount of time all concerned have to spend
dealing with special permissions. Keep in mind, most students have transfer
credit as part of their academic history.
- Be prepared to handle exceptions and appeals from students in a rapid
manner. Students register 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and often must
compete for available space in classes. A delay of 2 or 3 days could mean
the student loses his/her one window of opportunity to claim a seat in
a class.
- Expect slightly lower enrollments in courses with enforced prerequisites.
Drops in enrollment may be temporary for the first few terms of enforcement
or they may indicate permanent patterns as well. Some students will shy
away from elective courses that have enforced prerequisites.
Questions?
Contact Larry Bulling at
7-9889 or e-mail larry.bulling@oregonstate.edu.
Updated 2/27/08
