---
title: How to Use the Prerequisite Feature in a Course?
description: Prerequisites are requirements that students must meet before they can enroll in a particular course. They serve as a roadmap for students, ensuring they have the foundational knowledge and skills nec
---
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# How to Use the Prerequisite Feature in a Course?
## Control Learner Progression Using Course and Content Prerequisites
### Overview
Prerequisites ensure that learners have mastered specific foundational content before moving on to more advanced topics. You can set requirements at the **Course level** (requiring completion of a previous course) or the **Subsection level** (requiring completion of a specific part of the current course).
**Tip: **Ensure you are logged into **Open edX Studio** before starting, and that the subsection prerequisites are enabled from the Course Advanced Settings
### 
### Part 1: Setting a Prerequisite Course
Use this if you want to prevent learners from starting "Course B" until they have passed "Course A."
1. Open your course in **Studio**.
2. Navigate to **Settings** \> **Schedule & Details**.
3. Search for the field **"Prerequisite Courses."
**
4. For **Entrance Exam**, set the value to `true` if you want a specific exam to gate the course.
5. For **Prerequisite Courses**, enter the Course ID of the required course in the bracketed list format (e.g., `["course-v1:Edly+CS101+2025"]`).
6. Click **Save Changes**.
### Part 2: Setting Subsection Prerequisites
This allows you to lock "Subsection 2" until the learner passes "Subsection 1."
#### Step 1: Designate the "Required" Subsection
1. Go to your **Course Outline**.
2. Locate the **Subsection** that must be completed first.
3. Click the three dots **(⋮)** and then **Configure** from the drop-down menu for that subsection.
4. Select the **Advanced** tab.
5. Locate the setting **Use as a Prerequisite** and toggle on: **"Make this subsection available as a prerequisite to other content."**
6. Click **Save**.
### ****
#### Step 2: Lock the "Gated" Subsection
1. Locate the **Subsection** you want to hide/lock until the requirement is met.
2. Click its **Configure (gear icon)** and go to the **Advanced** tab.
3. Scroll to the **Limit Access** section.
4. In the **Prerequisite** dropdown, select the name of the subsection you designated in Step 1.
5. **Set Achievement Thresholds:**
- **Minimum Score:** Enter the percentage (e.g., `70`) the learner must earn in the prerequisite problems.
- **Minimum Completion Percentage:** Enter the percentage of content the learner must view/interact with.
6. Click **Save**.
### Learner Experience in the LMS
When a prerequisite is active, the gated content is hidden or locked in the learner's sidebar.
- A message will appear stating: *"This section is hidden because you have not yet completed the prerequisite: \[Subsection Name\]."*
- As soon as the learner meets the Minimum Score or Completion criteria, the locked subsection becomes available instantly.
### Important Rules
- **Visibility:** Prerequisites are generally only supported for **Graded** subsections.
- **Order of Operations:** Ensure your prerequisites follow a logical flow. Avoid "Circular Prerequisites" (e.g., Subsection A requiring B, and B requiring A), as this will lock the content permanently for learners.
- **Point Values:** You cannot use components with a point value of `0` as a scoring prerequisite.
- **Portability:** Note that subsection prerequisite settings are **not** preserved when you export/import a course or create a course re-run. You must re-configure them in the new course run.
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