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Prerequisite Policy

Students wanting to enroll in a course with a prerequisite must satisfactorily complete that prerequisite before they are allowed to register.  A course has a prerequisite to ensure that a student has the appropriate body of knowledge to successfully take the course.  Courses with a co-requisite ensure that a student either has taken the co-requisite before or is taking it at the same time as the course.

Usually, a prerequisite is a course from a lower sequence of courses.  For example:  You may not enroll in Math 142 (Elementary Statistics) without passing Math 120 (Intermediate Algebra) with a "C" grade or better, or the equivalent.  Usually, a co-requisite course is a lab.  For example:  Computer Science 100 (Introduction to Computers and Information Systems) has a co-requisite lab class, Computer Science 100L (Introduction to Computer Software).  A student must enroll in both, or have taken the lab prior to the course.

Please refer to individual course offerings in the catalog or our web site at www.dvc.edu for specific course prerequisites and/or co-requisites.

To Clear Prerequisites or Co-requisites

1.  You must have taken the prerequisite or co-requisite course at Diablo Valley College.

or

2.  You may submit, in person, an unofficial transcripts (high school and/or college/university) to the DVC Admissions/Records Office along with a prerequisite form listing the prerequisite or co-requisite course(es).  You may fax your transcript along with a completed prerequisite form to the Admissions Office (925) 609-8085.

Please note:  You will still need to request official transcripts to be sent to the Admissions Office before you register.  Official transcripts usually take 2-6 weeks to arrive at DVC.

or

3.  You must have taken an Assessment test within the last two years and received the appropriate score.  Scores from assessment tests taken at other colleges/universities must be sent to the DVC Assessment Center and must equate to the DVC Assessment Test.

Challenging a Prerequisite

To challenge a prerequisite you must fill out the "Prerequisite Challenge" form from the Admissions Office.  After you fill out this form, turn it into the Admissions/Records Office with supporting documentation.  You will then will be allowed to register for the class.  If the challenge is not approved, you will be administratively dropped from the course.

You can challenge a prerequisite on one or more grounds:
    a.  You learned the necessary prerequisite skills some other way.
    b.  The prerequisite course was not reasonably available.
    c.  A prerequisite based on health and/or safety requirements is
         either not valid nor applies.
    d.  The prerequisite is discriminatory.

Timeline

The challenge must be acted on no later than five working days (this excludes semester breaks) after you submit it to the Admissions/Records Office.  If the process takes longer, you will be allowed to stay in the class.