<p>I’m currently a sophomore, trying to get my schedule in line for the upcoming semester. I’m interested in taking Cognitive neuroscience next semester, however I have not taken one of the prerequisites (cognitive psychology). If I can handle the course work, is it okay if I take this course without the prerequisite? Are prerequisites simply recommendations to prepare you for the class? I know quite a few people that have taken courses without the necessary prerequisites.</p>
<p>@Laura: I am surprised that you know people who have taken courses at BC without prereqs because, as I recall, sometimes students couldn’t even register for the class if they didn’t have the prereq or permission from the professor. But, maybe things have changed!</p>
<p>In some cases, prerequisites are set by individual professors and not by the department. Whether or not you can actually register for this course, my advice would be to get in touch with the individual professor. Professors set prerequisites for a reason, so my guess is that there is some content in the prereq. course that you will need for this course. You have nothing to lose by talking to the professor, as you don’t want to be in a course over your head, and it will show initiative and interest on your part. If he recommends that you don’t take the course, it may have nothing to do with your ability to handle the workload, but rather your need to first pick up some content that, in his years of teaching this course, he knows students need prior to taking his course. Good luck!</p>
<p>The short answer is ‘No’, not for that class. Prof. Slotnick has already ‘de-enrolled’ several students from the Spring who had not completed the pre-reqs.</p>