Prerequisites

NOTE: Unless otherwise noted, a minimum 'C-' or 'S' grade in the prerequisite course is required.

PREREQUISITE INFORMATION

A prerequisite is a requirement that must be on your student file before you can register into some courses. For a complete listing of course prerequisites, please visit the course index and select the desired course.

When you register, the system will search your file for required prerequisites. If it does not find the required prerequisite(s), you will not be able to register for the course. If you are currently registered into a Langara course that is the prerequisite for the course you want to register into, the system will use that course as the prerequisite. You will need to check your registrations after final grades are run for the current semester. If you have not met the minimum grade requirement, you will be dropped from your requested course.

If you have questions regarding prerequisites or would like to discuss what options are available to you, you may contact the following:

• The relevant department. Phone numbers can be found at Advising Schedule and Departmental Contacts.

• The Counselling Department at 604-323-5289.

• The Helpline (during registration) at 604-323-5595.

Prerequisites include the following:

COURSES, both secondary and post-secondary

Mathematics and Sciences Division courses are valid for only three years.

Credit from other post-secondary institutions must be requested at least 10 weeks before registration starts. Note: You must apply for transfer credit; it is not automatically entered on your file.

BC Secondary school courses are entered into your file upon receipt of your transcript.

Outside BC secondary school courses:

• Graduates of Canadian institutions: You must provide Registrar and Enrolment Services with an official secondary school transcript if you want to use secondary school courses as prerequisites. Please see the Secondary School Prerequisite Equivalency Table for more information about prerequisites taken at VCC or in secondary schools outside of BC.

• Graduates from outside Canada: You will need to consult with the relevant department regarding your secondary school courses. Department phone numbers are listed beside the course name in the schedule.

DEPARTMENT PERMISSION

If you believe you have the prerequisite for a course but do not have the prerequisite on your file, you may contact the department to request department permission.

In some instances, departments need to speak with the student regarding their educational background to determine eligibility for registration into the course.

DIAGNOSTIC TESTS

To meet prerequisite requirements for some courses, you may be required to write a placement or diagnostic test. Placement/Diagnostic Tests must be taken well in advance (at least 7 days) of registration. See Diagnostic Tests for more information. These tests are designed to assist in placing you in the appropriate course and include:

CHEMISTRY DIAGNOSTIC TEST

Please consult here for the test schedule. There is no pre-registration for the Chemistry Diagnostic Test.

LANGARA ENGLISH TEST (LET)

The Langara English Test (LET) is an alternative to the Language Proficiency Index (LPI)

Please consult here for the test schedule.

1. You must write the test well in advance (at least 7 days) of your registration time if you need the results to meet prerequisite requirements.

2. Registration forms are available at the Registrar and Enrolment Services, Counselling Department, Information Kiosk and the Continuing Studies Office.

3. You must pre-register by appearing in person at the Continuing Studies Office, by phoning 604-323-5322, or by using the online registration system. You must already have a Langara ID number to register online. Instructions for registering online can be found here.

4. You must include your Langara Identification Number on your LET application form if you wish to have your results posted automatically to your student file.

5. You must present your Registration Receipt and photo I.D. before you may write the test.

6. You may check the results on your file by logging into myLangara.

The LPI and LET are treated as equivalents for prerequisite purposes. Whether you write the LPI or the LET or both placement tests, the most recent placement test score will be used for prerequisite purposes.

LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY INDEX (LPI) TEST

Test date and registration information can be obtained from the Counselling Department or at www.lpitest.ca.

1. You must write the test well in advance (at least 30 days) of your registration time if you need the results to meet prerequisite requirements.

2. You must write your Langara Identification Number on the test form and must indicate that you want your test results sent to Langara.

3. If you have not included your Langara Identification Number on the test form, you must provide Registrar and Enrolment Services with a copy of your results well in advance of your registration time. You must log into myLangara to confirm that your results have been received and your file updated.

4. If you write the examination more than once, the most recent score counts, not the highest score.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE UPGRADING

If your marks on the LET or LPI are not high enough to allow you to take a first-semester English course or other course that requires the LET or LPI, you may upgrade your skills through one of the following courses:

1. ENGL 1107 and 1108 are upgrading courses in grammar and composition for students of English as a Second Language. If you wish to take these courses, you must score a level 2 on the LET or LPI minimum 24 on essay.
2. ENGL 1110 - upgrading course in grammar and essay writing for native speakers of English who have an LETN 02 or by permission of the department. If you have an LPI score of 22 (essay), please contact the English Department Chair at 604-323-5391 for appropriate placement.
3. English Upgrading and Composition Writing through Continuing Studies at Langara (for both native and non-native speakers of English).

MATH-STATS DIAGNOSTIC TEST (MDT) PROCESS

Please consult here for the test schedule.

1. Students who do not have recent appropriate prerequisites for Mathematics and Statistics courses must write the Math-Stats Diagnostic Test (MDT).

2. The Diagnostic Process will consider your mathematical background as well as your most recent relevant transcripts, your overall academic background and goals, and your results from a diagnostic test (MDT).

3. You will meet with an advisor from the Math/Stats Department immediately after writing the test.

4. You must bring your most recent relevant transcript(s) with you to the testing and advising session.

5. Students from out-of-province or those who have been away from mathematics for three or more years must write the MDT to assess their level of preparedness.

6. Information regarding registration for the Math-Stats Diagnostic Process can be obtained from the Langara Counselling Department, Registrar and Enrolment Services, the Information Kiosk, or the Continuing Studies Office. Preregistration at the Continuing Studies Office is required. The non-refundable and non-transferable registration fee is $42.00.

7. Results of the MDT will be automatically transferred to your file if you have provided your Langara Identification Number on the MDT application form.

8. Langara students may access results, using their Langara ID Number and PIN, by logging into myLangara, usually within two days after the test date.

9. Please refer to the MDT registration form for more information or call the Mathematics/Statistics Information Line at 604-323-5583 or visit the Department's website.

PHYSICS DIAGNOSTIC TEST (PDT)

Please consult here for the test schedule.

There is no fee or pre-registration for the Physics Diagnostic Test. For further information, go to the Physics Diagnostic Test section of the website.

 

IMPORTANT: The College reserves the right to cancel the registration in a course for a student who does not have the required prerequisite. Please carefully read the following. Not all courses are offered every semester.

Registering for the same course for the third time.
Students may not register for the same course in the following Arts and Science courses more than twice without receiving departmental permission: Art History, Biology, Chemistry, Chinese, English, French, Geography, Japanese, Mathematics, Physics, Spanish, and Statistics.

Registering for Chemistry courses for the second time.
The Department of Chemistry does not allow back-to-back repeat of courses during priority registration. If you are registered in, or have withdrawn from one or more of the above Chemistry courses in the current semester and you would like to repeat one or more of the above courses in the next, you may attempt to register in these courses at 1600 hours on Thursday, April 5, 2012.

Registering for Biology 1115, 1116, 1215, and 1216 for the second time.
The Department of Biology does not allow back-to-back repeat of the above courses during priority registration. If you are registered in, or have withdrawn from one or more of the above Biology courses in the current semester and you would like to repeat one or more of the above courses in the next semester, you may attempt to register in these courses at 1600 hours Thursday, April 5, 2012.