Request prerequisite waiver

Prerequisite waivers are used to declare that you have the necessary knowledge to complete a course at the Faculty of Engineering without having successfully completed the prerequisite course.

Procedure to submit a prerequisite waiver request

  • Prerequisites are required in order to ensure that you have acquired the necessary knowledge to complete the course successfully and to satisfy the requirements of your program of study.
  • If you believe that you have the necessary knowledge to complete a course offered by the Faculty of Engineering without having successfully completed the missing prerequisite course, you must justify the reasons in the form and ensure that you respect the eligibility criteria.

The following prerequisite waiver requests will not be accepted if:

  • You have not yet completed a minimum of 30 course units at the University of Ottawa for all programs
  • You are currently on academic probation
  • There is a financial hold on your student record
  • You are enrolled as a non-degree student

Students in MCG/MGB cannot request a prerequisite waiver for all 2000-level MCG courses.

Eligibility criteria

Department/programCGPA minimum requiredOther requirements
Civil Engineering (CVG)5.0

Must have only one missing prerequisite for the requested course except for the course CVG4001. 

A maximum of two missing prerequisites for the course CVG 4001 if the student can demonstrate that not taking the course CVG4001 will delay graduation. However, the student will not be allowed to participate in a civil engineering design project that includes a topic related to the missing prerequisites.

Chemical and Biological Engineering (CHG)5.0Must have only one missing prerequisite for the requested course.
Electrical Engineering (ELG)5.0

Must have only one missing prerequisite for the requested course.

Prerequisite waiver is refused for: ELG 4912.

Computer Engineering (CEG)5.0Must have only one missing prerequisite for the requested course
Software Engineering (SEG)5.0Must have only one missing prerequisite for the requested course except for the course SEG4910. Use the Prerequisite waiver form for SEG 4910 (PDF, 183KB).
Mechanical Engineering (MCG) and Biomedical Engineering (MGB)5.0Varies depending on requested course.
Computer Science (CSI)5.0

Must have only one missing prerequisite for the requested course.

Exceptions:

  • Prerequisite waiver is refused for CSI 3140 without the prerequisite CSI 2132.
  • Prerequisite waiver is refused for CSI 2110.

Instructions

Prerequisite waiver (PDF, 278 KB)

Acceptable supporting documentation includes

  • Your unofficial transcripts, which is available in uoZone, under the Applications tab.
  • Unofficial transcript if the course was taken at another institution.
  • Course description or syllabus. 
  • Fill out the prerequisite waiver request form and submit it with your supporting documentation at [email protected]
  • You must indicate only one course on each form.

Deadline dates for submitting a prerequisite waiver request

  • Fall - First Friday in September following Labour Day
  • Winter - First Friday in January
  • Summer - April 15

Processing time for your request

  • Please allow 5 to 10 working days to process your request.
  • Should we receive a request after the specified deadlines, we cannot guarantee the outcome of the evaluation.
  • Your request will be forwarded to the relevant department who will conduct the assessment. The Undergraduate Studies Office (USO) will send you the decision by email.