Prerequisites, Corequisites and Program Proficiencies

Prerequisites and Corequisites

Prerequisites and corequisites are listed in course descriptions and are subject to change with each new catalog. It is the student’s responsibility to meet the prerequisite and/or corequisites in effect for the term in which a course is taken, regardless of the catalog under which the student entered or will graduate. Students will be stopped from enrolling or will be disenrolled if prerequisites or corequisites are not met.

Prerequisite: A prerequisite is a requirement that must be successfully completed before a student may enroll in a course. Prerequisites are based on the essential skills or competencies to be successful in the next level course. All prerequisite courses must be completed with a “CR” or “C” or better grade.

Most entry-level courses have prerequisites for reading, writing, or math. See “How to Meet a Course Prerequisite” below.

Corequisite: A corequisite is a course that is required to be taken in combination with another course. If a course with a corequisite is taken for audit, the corequisite must also be taken for audit. When a course that has a corequisite is dropped, the corequisite must also be dropped.

How to Meet a Course Prerequisite

There are five ways to meet a course prerequisite:

1. Take the free Accuplacer placement exam at CNM (see Assessment Centers). Placement Exam Score Guide
2. Submit official ACT, SAT, or TOEFL scores to any CNM Admissions Office.
3. Take a placement or challenge exam for Biology, IT 1010 (IC3 or CLEP), Spanish or French.
4. Enroll in the required prerequisite course and pass it with a grade of CR or C or higher.
5. Complete the required prerequisite course at another institution with a grade of C or higher (official transcript must be on file at CNM Records Office).

Speak with an Academic Coach for further assistance with prerequisite and course placement.

Note: 
a. Students with an associate degree may have the following prerequisites overridden: all developmental courses (numbered below 1000) and ENG 1101.
b. Students with a bachelor’s degree or higher may have the following prerequisites overridden: all developmental courses (numbered below 1000) ENG 1101, IT 1010, MATH 1210, MATH 1310, BIO 1410, BIO 1492, CHEM 1410, CHEM 1492.

Students with an associate or bachelor’s degree do not receive credit for any of the overridden prerequisites.  Students must take these courses, or have them transferred from another institution, if they are required for the student’s degree program.

Students who enroll in classes without completing the prerequisite (regardless of the circumstance) must accept complete responsibility for the outcome and their final grade.

Prerequisite Overrides

Please be advised that prerequisite overrides do not waive certificate or degree requirements.  If your program of study requires the overridden class(es), you still need to obtain credit for the overridden class(es).  This can be accomplished by any one of the following:

1. Taking and successfully completing the course.
2. Taking and passing a challenge exam for the course, if available.
3. Passing an industry certification exam, if available.
4. Transferring an equivalent course from another institution.
5. Demonstrating your knowledge, skills and abilities related to the learning outcomes of the overridden class(es) through Prior Learning Assessment. 

Program Proficiencies

Most CNM programs require students to be proficient in reading, writing and math or a combination of these basic skills before they can begin most college courses in their program. Program proficiency requirements are listed with each program description. At CNM there are 2 Proficiency Levels for Math and 2 for Reading/Writing.

Proficiency requirements can be met through Accuplacer, CNM’s placement exam, SAT or ACT scores, PARCC level 4 or 5 (ELA/literacy at grade 11, Algebra II or Mathematics III), or by successfully completing appropriate level course work. (See the Proficiency Requirements table below.)

Students who present a High School Transcript may bypass developmental education courses 1000 or below in English and Reading provided the following conditions are met:               

1. High School GPA must be a 2.5 or greater.
2. Student must have graduated with a Diploma.
3. An official Transcript must be presented to Enrollment Services.
4. Math placement will be based on a recognized assessment tool approved by CNM.

Program Proficiencies are the basic reading/writing and math skills that students are required to have before beginning their program’s coursework. At CNM there are 2 Proficiency Levels for Math and 2 for Reading/Writing. Program proficiency requirements are listed with each program’s description in the Catalog. Below is a chart that shows ways you may demonstrate that you have met the minimum basic skills or proficiencies required for entry to your program.  Reading & Writing Proficiency Requirements (This is not a course placement guide. This chart lists ways students may demonstrate that they have met the minimum basic skills required for entry to their programs.)   Reading & Writing Proficiency 1 — Students with LEVEL 1 proficiency in reading and writing are able to identify, understand, and evaluate various work-related and academic texts. Students can write academic and workplace documents and effectively use technology for reading and writing tasks. Placement Scores Within This Range Accuplacer: Reading and Sentence Skills combined score 125–165 or ACT:  Reading score 16–17 and English score 14–15 or SAT:  Verbal/Critical Reading score 290–320 or Combined Accuplacer and ACT scores * ACT English 14-15 and Accuplacer Reading 69-79             OR ACT Reading 16-17 and Accuplacer Sentence Skills 69-84 Or Successfully completed IRW 0970   or ESOL 0971   *Please meet with an academic coach if you are using these scores to meet the proficiency. Reading & Writing Proficiency 2 — Students with LEVEL 2 proficiency in reading and writing are able to perform at level one proficiency and have developed reading, reasoning, and writing processes for academic success that also include critical reading and thinking skills. Students can determine the credibility and proper use of sources and can write organized, logical, and grammatically correct paragraphs. Placement Scores Within This Range Accuplacer:  Reading and Sentence Skills combined score 166 or higher or ACT: Reading score 18–36 English score 16–22 or SAT: Verbal/Critical Reading score 330–450 or TOEFL: Internet Based TOEFL score 61 * or Combined Accuplacer and ACT scores * ACT English 16 or above and Accuplacer Reading 80 or above OR ACT Reading 18 or above and Accuplacer Sentence Skills 85 or above Or Successfully completed IRW 0980  ​ or  ESOL 0981  or higher Or High School Transcript * High School GPA must be a 2.5 or greater. Student must have graduated with a Diploma. An official Transcript must be presented to Enrollment Services. Or PARCC * English and Reading-ELA/literacy Level 4 or 5 at grade 11 *Please meet with an academic coach if you are using these scores to meet the proficiency. Math Proficiency Requirements (This is not a course placement guide. This chart lists ways students may demonstrate that they have met the minimum basic skills required for entry to their programs.)   Math Proficiency 2 — Students with this level of proficiency are able to integrate arithmetic operations into the manipulation of algebraic expressions. They are able to solve linear equations and inequalities using math properties and rules, graphically represent solutions, and interpret the characteristics of lines. Students are able to solve systems of linear equations by the graphing, substitution, and elimination/addition methods. Students are also able to apply algebraic concepts and formulas to geometry and work with scientific notation. Placement Scores Within This Range Accuplacer: Elementary Algebra score 41-65 or ACT: Math score 17-18 or SAT: Quantitative/math score 350-390 Or Successfully completed   MATH 0970     Math Proficiency 3 — Students with this level of proficiency are able to do all required for Proficiency 2. Additionally students are able to work with exponents, perform arithmetic on polynomials, factor quadratic expressions, and solve quadratic equations using a variety of methods.  Students are also able to work with functions and function notation at an introductory level. Placement Scores Within This Range Accuplacer: Elementary Algebra score of 66-103 or ACT: Math score of 19-21 or SAT: Quantitative/math score of 400-430 Or Successfully completed   MATH 0980   Or PARCC * Mathematics–Algebra II or Mathematics III Level 4 or 5   *Please meet with an academic coach if you are using these scores to meet the proficiency. Biology Proficiency Requirements   Biology Proficiency — Students with this level of proficiency are able to enroll in BIO 2110 , BIO 2192 , BIO 2210 , BIO 2292 , and NUTR 2110 . Placement Scores Within This Range Biology Placement Exam * score of 64 or higher Or Successfully completed [(CHEM 1410   & CHEM 1492 )           or (CHEM 1710  &CHEM 1792 )] AND [(BIO 1410  & BIO 1492 )           or (BIO 1610  & BIO 1692 )] * The Biology Placement Exam is intended for students with significant prior experience in chemistry and biology. Passing the exam with a score of 64 will waive the prerequisites for BIO 2110/BIO 2192, BIO 2210 /BIO 2292 and NUTR 2110. It will not waive the prerequisites for any other courses. It does not award credit for BIO 1410 /BIO 1492 , BIO 1510 /BIO 1592  + BIO 1610 /BIO 1692 , BIO 1410 /BIO 1492  or CHEM 1710 /CHEM 1792   and does not meet degree requirements for those classes. * Transferring students should be aware that the CNM Biology Placement Exam will not be recognized by other institutions. A passing score on the Biology Placement Exam will not waive the Biology and Chemistry prerequisites at other institutions, and they will not award credit for BIO 1410 /BIO 1492 , BIO 1510 /BIO 1592  + BIO 1610 /BIO 1692 , CHEM 1410 /CHEM 1492  or CHEM 1710 /CHEM 1792  . Students will still need to take these courses if they are required by their degree program at another institution.