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 may be stopped from enrolling or may 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 “C” or better grade.

Most entry-level courses have prerequisites for math, English or reading. 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). Accuplacer scores cannot be more than five years old. Placement Exam Score Guide

2. Submit official ACT or SAT scores (no more than five years old) 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 advisor for further assistance with prerequisite and course placement.

Note: Students with an associate degree or higher may have the following prerequisites waived: all developmental courses (numbered below 1000) and ENG 1101 .

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 3 Proficiency Levels for Math, 2 for English, and 2 for Reading.

Proficiency requirements can be met through Accuplacer, CNM’s placement exam, SAT or ACT scores, or by successfully completing appropriate level course work. (See the Prerequisite and Program Proficiency Guide below.)

* 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 1510/1592  + BIO 1610/1692 , CHEM 1410 /CHEM 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 1510/1592  + BIO 1610/1692 , CHEM 1410 /CHEM 1492  or CHEM 1710 /CHEM 1792 . A student will still need to take these courses if they are required by their degree program at another institution.