Registration can be an overwhelming time. In addition to your general education course requirements for your degree program, some courses or programs have prerequisite requirements – or courses you need to complete to prepare for more advanced coursework.
If you don’t plan properly, your prerequisites can delay your program and set you back. Knowing what your prerequisites are and your options to complete them early in your program can help you progress steadily toward your goal.
Can you take prerequisites online? Are there accredited online prerequisite courses? What is a prerequisite? Here’s everything you need to know.
What Is a Prerequisite Class?
A prerequisite, or prereq, is a course or other requirement that you must take prior to enrolling in a specific course or program. Some prerequisites are just for one course to ensure you have the skill set for a more advanced course, like taking Spanish I before Spanish II or pre-calculus before Calculus I. Some are high school courses that allow you to jump right into a college-level course, such as taking college algebra or trigonometry in high school.
Other prerequisites are for specific programs, such as nursing or professional school tracks like law, medical, or dental school. These are a group of courses that are designed to give you the foundational knowledge you will need to prepare for the rigorous coursework involved in these undergraduate programs. These prerequisites also show that you’ve completed the coursework necessary to apply for professional school.
Can You Take Online Prerequisite Courses?
Yes! With the popularity of online learning, many colleges and universities developed online prerequisite courses and began to accept online prereqs from other learning platforms. This even applies to science courses with a lab component, which have traditionally been on-campus only.
There are plenty of options for online prerequisites. Your preferred school or university may offer online prereqs that you can take to give your schedule more flexibility. You can also look into the local community college and online learning platforms like Sophia. With self-paced courses spanning a range of gen ed and prereqs that are designed to transfer for credit, Sophia allows you to complete the courses you need on your own schedule.
How Long Do Prereqs Take?
The time for prereqs can vary widely by the course itself and the program. Generally, prereqs will follow the school’s format for terms or semesters, regardless of course level. For example, if a standard course is an eight-week term, prerequisites will be the same.
If you’re taking prereqs in an accelerated program or a summer session, which has a compressed schedule, prereqs can be completed quickly. Another option is self-paced courses like those at Sophia, which allow you to complete your prereqs on your own schedule.
For programs that have a list of prereqs, such as nursing, it can take one to two years to complete the prerequisite program. You can speed this up by optimizing your course schedule, taking summer courses, and including innovative solutions like online self-paced courses.
Do All Programs Require Prerequisites?
Prerequisites can be required at the undergraduate and graduate levels, as well as for specific courses. Some graduate programs may require prerequisites, while others may be more flexible. However, many students enter graduate programs related to their undergraduate coursework, such as a master’s in clinical or forensic psychology after a bachelor’s in psychology.
Most professional schools and health or science-based programs require prerequisites to ensure you have the skillset and aptitude to complete the advanced coursework. For example, medical school, nursing school, and veterinary school require science courses like biology, chemistry, psychology, and anatomy and physiology, as these form the basis of the medical sciences.
Nursing Program Prerequisites
Different nursing schools and programs have different entrance requirements, but the programs will share similar prerequisites that you must complete with a grade C or better at the college level. This is because nursing programs are preparing you for the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX), which is the standard for licensing of nurses in the US, Canada, and Australia.
Here are some common nursing prereqs:
- Anatomy and Physiology (A&P): This course covers the structure and function of the human body, as well as introductory laboratory skills. Most nursing programs require A&P I and A&P II, comprising two semesters.
- Biology: This course covers life science, cell structures, reproduction, evolution, ecology, and genetics, lab work, and biological samples. There are generally two semesters of biology for nursing.
- Microbiology: This course studies organisms that are not visible to the naked eye, such as bacteria, fungi, and parasites, which are important in understanding infection and disease. Microbiology is typically one semester.
- Chemistry: This course covers the processes that take place in the body at the cellular level and the structures and properties of atoms, molecules, ions, and biological substances. There’s a lab component and chemistry comprise at least one semester.
- Nutrition: This course provides a foundation in nutritional science and an understanding of the dietary principles that affect the quality of patient care. Nutrition is typically one semester.
- Psychology: This course explores the basic principles in the science of psychology, including behavior, growth and development, and psychological disorders. Psychology is usually one semester.
- Statistics: This course covers the basics of statistics and data collection and analysis to help nurses apply evidence-based practice to patient care. Statistics is usually one semester.
To simplify the process, Sophia offers our Nursing Pathway, a curated collection of nursing prerequisite courses to optimize your course schedule and prepare for nursing school.
Law School Prerequisites
Law school admission requirements vary, but many students entering law school have undergraduate degrees in related disciplines like criminology, economics, political science, English, psychology, and pre-law that cover the required coursework.
According to the American Bar Association, the specific courses aren’t important, but prospective law students should focus on courses that develop key areas for the study of law. These include problem solving, critical thinking, oral and written communication, research, and organization. This is important not just for the coursework in law school but the Law School Admission Test (LSAT).
Dental, Veterinary, and Medical School Prerequisites
Dental, medical, and veterinary school have similar prerequisites. Like law school, many students preparing for admission to these professional schools have related undergraduate degrees like pre-med/pre-vet or biology that will cover many prerequisites.
The prereqs for medical, dental, and veterinary school are similar to nursing, as they’re all in the healthcare fields. They may be similar for other healthcare programs, such as optometry, physician’s assistant, physical and occupational therapy, and pharmacy programs.
Most of these schools agree on the foundation of medical education, including biology, general chemistry, physics, and related lab work. These schools also require math courses through calculus and two semesters of organic chemistry.
Keep in mind that even if these prerequisites are not required for your major or listed on the admission requirements for your professional school, they are important for admissions testing. The Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), Dental School Admission Test (DAT), and Graduate Record Examination (GRE) required for these schools will cover material from these commonly required courses.
Complete Your Prerequisites with Sophia
Whether you’re planning on nursing school or you need specific prerequisites to complete courses in your program, Sophia can help! Complete your prereqs online at your own pace to ensure you’re prepared for advanced coursework. Start your free trial today!
