The Prerequisite Office can assist you via email with your  prerequisite clearances, English and Math placements, and challenges as well as provide you with basic academic advisement, helping you determine whether or not you need to make an appointment with a counselor.

Contact the Prerequisite Office
  • We are fully online. For clearances, placements, and challenges, please complete the online form. For general questions, email us at prereqoffice@pasadena.edu.
  • M-F 8:00 am - 4:30 pm

What Are Prerequisites?


Some courses at Pasadena City College have prerequisites, which is a specific level of preparation that you must have before you can take the course. In order to register for a class with prerequisites, you will need to satisfy its prerequisites before your registration date.

You can satisfy prerequisites by successfully completing a course or placing into the course (determined by your Math and English placement).

If you satisfy the prerequisite through passing a course at PCC or your current PCC Math/English placement, the prerequisite will automatically be cleared and you will be allowed to enroll in the class. But, if you satisfied it elsewhere, then you will need to submit a request for a prerequisite clearance, using the directions below.


Placement


You may view your placements in LancerPoint 1-2 days after receiving your PCC/Lancer ID#.  

  • LancerPoint > Hamburger Menu > Discover > search "placement" > View Placement Results

If you are an ESL Student or International Student or you would like to get a new placement, complete the Directed Self-Placement within the online orientation. If you have already completed the online orientation, you may go back into the online orientation and only complete the placement section.  

Go to Online Orientation to take Directed Self-Placement


Prerequisite Clearance


Prerequisite Clearances are not automatic for:

  • Courses completed at another institution.
  • Placement into English/Math based on Early Assessment Program (EAP) exam results. 
  • Placement into English/Math based on high school coursework not previously provided.

For all general students, please se the information below to get clearance for these prerequisites.

If you are using credits from another college to satisfy the prerequisites for a course, you will need to have proof of eligibility for the course and submit a request for prerequisite clearance with each specific class (possibly each term).

Proof of Eligibility

We will grant approval for enrollment to the course if you provide official or unofficial transcripts from previous colleges with the following:

  • College/university name
  • Your name
  • Passing course grade (without manipulation on the transcript)

When printing from your college student portal, change your printer to PDF to save as an electronic copy or scan your unofficial transcript as a PDF.

Online Requests

Submit a request online by following the steps below.

1. Complete the online form and upload documents as needed with your request.

2. Check your PCC email for our reply email as confirmation that we received your request (sent immediately).

3. Your request will be reviewed within 2 business days (M-F, excluding holidays). During peak times (registration times) it may take longer than 2 days. If you need immediate assistance, sign-up for Express Phone Counseling

If you are currently satisfying the prerequisite at PCC, but need to register for classes before your final grades are available, please follow the steps below.

  1. Log in to LancerPoint
  2. Click on hamburger menu
  3. Click on "Discover" and search "schedule"
  4. Click on "View/Print Class Schedule"
  5. Click on "Return to Menu".
  6. Click on "Registration History" and look-up your midterm grade.
    • If the midterm grade is passing or there is no midterm grade, you will automatically be able to register for the next course in the sequence.
    • If the midterm grade is not passing, you will need a letter from your instructor (on PCC letterhead) indicating that you are now passing the course. Submit your letter to the Prerequisite Office using our our online Prerequisite Clearance/Challenge Request form.  

If you are currently taking a class at another institution to satisfy a prerequisite for a PCC course, but will need to register for classes before the final grade is available, please follow the steps below.

  1. Get an electronic copy of your transcript to verify your enrollment in the class (when printing from your college student portal, change your printer to PDF to save as an electronic copy or scan your unofficial transcript as a PDF).
  2. Get a signed letter from your instructor, on college letterhead with your instructor's contact information (phone # & email), indicating that you are passing the class and the date that the class ends.  During the current health crisis, we will also accept an electronic copy of your instructor's email as long as the instructor responds using their college/university email.
  3. Submit your transcript and letter through our online Prerequisite Clearance/Placement/Challenge Request formThis type of clearance is valid for one term.

If you are using an AP score of 3 or higher to satisfy the prerequisite for a course or to request an english and math placement, you will need to submit your AP "Score Report" as a PDF file using the online Prerequisite Clearance/Placement/Challenge Request form

The score report is found in your College Board account > click on "Scores" > click on "AP Score Report" at the top right hand corner.

If you took the Early Assessment Program (EAP) exam and received “College Ready Status” in English and/or Math, you do not need to submit your high school transcript. Instead you need to request placement through the online Prerequisite Clearance/Placement/Challenge Request form

  1. Complete the Prerequisite Clearance/Placement/Challenge Request form online and upload documents as needed with your request.

  2. Check your PCC email for our reply email as confirmation that we received your request (sent immediately).

  3. Your request will be reviewed within 2 business days (M-F, excluding holidays). During peak times (registration times) it may take longer than 2 days. If you need immediate assistance, sign-up for Express Phone Counseling.

If you would like a higher placement in Math, you may also request for placement based on your high school grades. 

Placement into English/Math is required to improve your registration date.

You may not receive English and Math placement if you:

  • Are an international student or non-native English speaker.
  • Did not complete at minimum 11th grade of high school.
  • Were home schooled.

Instead, you may complete the Directed Self-Placement or request a challenge through the English/Math Division using our online Prerequisite Clearance/Placement/Challenge Request form.

For all other students, your placement is automatically determined by your High School courses and GPA.

  1. You can check your placement in LancerPoint 1-2 days after you receive your PCC/Lancer ID#. If you see your placement, no action is needed.

    • LancerPoint > Hamburger Menu > Discover > search "placement" > View Placement Results

  2. If you do not see your placement in LancerPoint 1-2 days after receiving your PCC/Lancer ID#, use your high school transcript to request for placement through our online Prerequisite Clearance/Placement/Challenge Request form.

Once your Placement is in LancerPoint, prepare for registration by reading more about what your placement means

If you have not completed the prerequisite requirement, but feel that you qualify for a class, you may request a Prerequisite Challenge. The Challenge process depends on the division of the course you wish to enroll in. 

Option 1: Online

Option 1 is only available for courses in the following Divisions:

  • Business, Engineering & Technology
  • English
  • ESL
  • Library
  • Math and Computer Science
  • Natural Science
  • Social Sciences

To challenge a prerequisite, submit your request online through the Online Prerequisite Clearance/Placement/Challenge Request Form. A challenge will require documentation to support your request. Once submitted an advisor will review and respond with results within 5 business days. If they are unable to approve the request, they will forward it to the Division Dean whom will provide the final decision. If approved, the prerequisite clearance is valid for one term.

Option 2: With Your Division Office

If the course does not belong to one of the Divisions listed in Option 1, you will need to request a Prerequisite Challenge through the Division of the course you wish to enroll in. A challenge will require documentation to support your request. If approved, the Division will enter the prerequisite clearance so that you can register (only valid for one term).

For more information or questions, please connect with the Division of the course you wish to enroll.

We no longer offer lower level Math and English classes. 

If you received an ENGL 1A placement, you are eligible for any class that has an ENGL 100 prerequisite.

If you received a STEM or SLAM placement, you are eligible for any class that has a MATH 125 or MATH 131 prerequisite.  

Prerequisite Clearance/Placement/Challenge Online Form

If you are in a special program, please connect with counselors in your special program for assistance with a prerequisite clearances and placement.


Please note that Prerequisite clearances are only valid for:

  • One term - if the class does not have a Math, English, Chemistry, or Language requirement (example: Psychology 2 has a Psychology 1 prerequisite requirement). If you do not enroll in the class in the term requested, you must request for the prerequisite clearance again the following term
  • Five Years - if the class has a Math, English, Chemistry, or Language requirement (example: Phys 1A has a Math 5A prerequisite requirement)
  • Prerequisite clearances enables students to enroll in requested class.  A prerequisite clearance is NOT an equivalency approval to meet major or general education requirements.  For equivalency information, please speak to a counselor in Counseling or submit an online counseling inquiry.