What is a Prerequisite Course?

Some courses in University College require a prerequisite. This is a course you must take before you can take the next course in a series of courses.

If a course requires a prerequisite, you may not enroll in it unless you have satisfied its prerequisites as described on MyUI. Some prerequisite courses have a minimum grade that must be met before the prerequisite is considered completed (such as a C or a B-). Be sure to read a course's MyUI information carefully to learn which prerequisites you must complete before you are allowed to enroll in the course. All departments are responsible for accurately describing their courses’ prerequisites on MyUI.

Students who do not satisfy a prerequisite requirement will be stopped from enrolling in the course on MyUI. That is, your registration in the course will automatically be blocked if the system does not find the prerequisite course on your student record.

What if you're currently enrolled in a prerequisite and wish to register for the next course?

If you are currently enrolled in a prerequisite course at the University of Iowa, MyUI assumes that you will meet the requirement and allow you to register for the next course. However, students should be cautioned that once final grades are approved, they will be dropped from a course if they did not end up meeting the prerequisite requirement.

If you are enrolled in a prerequisite course at another institution, you will be prompted to provide documentation through MyUI when you try to register for the course. The department will review your request and decide whether or not to grant you conditional or full approval. Conditional approval will require final documentation; not providing this will result in you being dropped from the course. 

Course Requirements

Many courses also have requirements that must be fulfilled. If you enroll in a course without having first completed its requirements, as listed on MyUI, the department or instructor may administratively drop you from the course at the start of the semester. You will not receive a “W” if you are dropped because of unsatisfied requirements.