Understanding the Undergraduate Calendar Prerequisites
BY JEREMY HAN, MACINSIDERS INSIDER AGENT
The Undergraduate Calendar Prerequisites are very confusing when seeing them for the first time. However, McMaster uses the same format for all their prerequisites in all their courses. So after you've read this article, you should be able to decode the Undergraduate Calendar.
I'll start from the basics.
1. Unless specified, when a course is listed as a prerequisite the default is that you have to have completed the prerequisite course before registering in the new course.
Example: Chem 1A03 is the prerequisite of Chem 1AA3. You can take Chem 1A03 in term 1 and Chem 1AA3 in term 2
Note: SOLAR assumes you have completed the course if you are taking the prerequisite the term before the new course.
2. "Credit or Registered in"
Example: "credit or registration in
BIOLOGY 2EE3"
This means that you have to have either completed Biology 2EE3 or you are registered in Biology 2EE3 at the same time as the course being taken.
3. "And/Or"
Example: "
CHEM 1AA3 or
ISCI 1A24; and
CHEM 2PC3 or
MATH 1B03"
This means that you have to take either Chem 1AA3 OR ISCI 1A23, PLUS on top of that you need to take either Chem 2PC3 OR Math 1B03.
4. "One of"
Example: "One of CHEM 2BB3,
2OB3,
2OD3,
CHEM BIO 2OB3"
It's exactly like "or" except with multiple courses. Variation of "One of" could be "Two of".
5. The Comma
Example: "
CHEM 2PD3,
3PA3"
The comma is like an "and". In the example above you are required to take both of these courses to complete prerequisites.
6. The Semi-Colon
The semi-colon is used to separate requirements because the previous requirement had multiple courses with "and" or "or".
There are two instances of the semi-colon. One followed by "and" and one followed by "or"
a) "; and"
Example: "
BIOCHEM 2L06 or 3L03; and registration in Honours Arts & Science and Biochemistry or an Honours Biochemistry Specialization"
This means that the previous requirement is needed AS WELL AS the following requirement.
b) "; or"
Example: "
BIOCHEM 3D03; or
BIOCHEM 2EE3 and
3G03; or a grade of at least C+ in
BIOCHEM 2EE3; or
HTH SCI 2E03"
This means you either need the previous requirement or the requirement after "; or". Let's separate the prerequisites above:
"
BIOCHEM 3D03;
or
BIOCHEM 2EE3 and
3G03;
or a grade of at least C+ in
BIOCHEM 2EE3;
or
HTH SCI 2E03"
So either 4 of these requirements is enough to complete the prerequisites.
