The advising glossary contains definitions of selected terms utilized at The University of Akron. Some of these terms are linked to further descriptions. Links may be accessed by clicking on the term.

Academic Course Load:

The number of credit hours in which a student is enrolled during a semester.

Academic Program:

A series of credit courses designed to lead to a degree, diploma or certificate in a field of study or occupation.

Add:

The process of increasing an academic course load.

Advanced Placement (AP):

A program administered by the College Board through which a student can earn college credit for examinations taken in high school. Students can earn AP credit for art, biology, history, mathematics, foreign languages, and other UA courses. See page 46+, 2004-2005 Undergraduate Bulletin.

Adviser:

A university professional who has been assigned to each student to facilitate his/her successful course toward a college degree.

Associate Degree:

The degree typically awarded by a community or junior college (UA's Summit College, for example) following the completion of a two-year program of study or approximately sixty-five credits.

Audit:

The process by which a student can register for classes on a no-grade, non-credit basis. Must be done at the time of registration.

Baccalaureate Degree:

An academic program generally of 128+ credits, of which at least 42 credits must be general education credits. Programs are designed for a full-time student to complete in four years, provided the student enrolls in and successfully completes 16 credits per regular academic term, or 32 credits per year which may include credits earned in summer sessions.

Bachelor's Degree:

Same as a baccalaureate degree. B.S.= Bachelor of Science degree; B.A.= Bachelor of Arts degree.

CAS (Course Applicability System):

The Course Applicability System or (CAS) is used to determine course equivalencies. CAS was designed to provide a Web-based advising system for potential transfer students and University of Akron students taking courses as guests at other institutions.

Catalog Number:

The 3-digit number that appears after the department/subject code and before the section code as in 7600:106-003. This number identifies the specific course, in this case, Effective Oral Communication.

Certificate:

An academic program generally of 9-30 credits that can be completed in a year or less by a full-time student. Some certificate programs are designed to provide specialized programs for people who already have diplomas or degrees; others are for people who want to complete a program that leads directly to a specific job quickly. UA's certificate programs are listed on page 186+ of the 2004/2005 Undergraduate Bulletin.

Class Number:

The 5-digit number that appears in parentheses before the subject number (department/subject code) in the Schedule of Classes listing each registration term.

College:

One of UA's degree-granting administrative units. There are eight undergraduate degree-granting colleges at the Akron campus. An additional college, Wayne College, is a branch of The University of Akron located in Orrville, Ohio.

Co-Requisite:

Course or courses that a student is required to take along with another course in which the student is enrolled.

Credit or Credit Hour:

Each credit hour is a unit of time, usually 50 minutes, during which a class will meet each week during a semester.

Cumulative Grade-Point Average (GPA):

The weighted mean value of all grade points a student has earned by enrollment in UA courses through any delivery system and at any location or through credit examination.

Curriculum:

A proscribed set of courses leading to a student's earning a degree or certificate.

Dean's List:

A recognition of academic excellence. To be on the Dean's List, a UA student must achieve a semester grade-point average of 3.25 or higher while enrolled in twelve or more credits for fall/spring semester or nine or more credits for any combination of summer sessions. The Dean also recognizes part-time students who earn 3.25 and above during the regular spring/fall terms.

Degree Audit (DARS):

DARS is an automated degree audit system that reflects the progress a student has made toward the completion of the General Education requirements. In the case of transfer students, once the student's transcripts from his/her former colllege(s)/university(ies) have been received and processed by UA's Admissions, the student will receive a copy of his/her DARS. The Academic Advisement Center also receives a copy of the student's DARS which can be reviewed by the student and his/her adviser at the time of New Transfer Student Orientation. Until such time as Admissions has received a final transcript or transcripts, a transfer student's status is considered PENDING and the student will receive only a preliminary audit of his/her General Education requirements. Once all of the necessary paperwork has been received and processed by Admissions, a DARS will be sent to the student. DARS is also a useful piece of information for all students enrolled at UA. Students can access their DARS online through ZipLine.

Degree Requirements:

A list of exact courses, subject areas and credit hours needed to obtain a specific degree or certificate. Degree requirements can be found in the Undergraduate Bulletin.

Department/Subject Code:

The 4-digit number that appears before the catalog and section numbers as in 7600:106-003. This number identifies the specific department, in this case, Speech/Communications.

Direct Admit:

A student who is directly admitted to a degree-granting college has declared a major on his/her application and has met the pre-admission requirements as outlined in the Undergraduate Bulletin. These pre-admission requirements, which include a specific high school GPA, a minimum ACT/SAT composite score, a specific percentile for class rank, and/or a definitive high school core curriculum, differ among the degree-granting colleges. Please see the Undergraduate Bulletin for particulars.

Double Major:

A student who wishes to pursue two different majors is generally seeking to complete two majors in the same degree-granting college. For example, a student may wish to major in both Psychology and English in the Buchtel College of Arts and Sciences. A student pursuing a double major could possibly complete the course requirements for both majors within the 128 credits generally required to earn a baccalaureate degree; however, careful balancing of course selection would be necessary but not always possible. At graduation, the student who has completed a double major will have only one diploma conferred by the degree-granting college that houses the two majors. Only the student’s transcript will reflect the two majors.

Drop:

The process of decreasing an academic course load. See also Withdrawal.

Dual Degree:

A student who pursues a dual degree is generally seeking two separate degrees from two different degree-granting colleges. For example, a student may wish to earn a degree in Marketing from the College of Business Administration and another degree in Psychology from the Buchtel College of Arts and Sciences. In this case, the student will earn a minimum of 160 credits (128 for the bachelor’s degree and a minimum of 32 additional credits) to earn both degrees. At graduation, the student who has earned a dual degree will have two diplomas, one from each of the colleges that houses his/her two academic majors.

Electives:

Courses in which a student may enroll, depending upon his or her interests and needs. When choosing electives, students should consult their adviser.

Enrollment Cancellation:

Initiated by the Registrar's Office, an enrollment cancellation occurs when a student does not meet his/her financial obligation to the university by the posted due dates. When a student's enrollment is cancelled, he/she loses all of his/her enrolled classes for the semester.

Freshman:

A student who has completed fewer than thirty two posted credits.

Full-Time Student:

A student enrolled in twelve or more credits during a semester. A student is considered full-time with six credits during a summer session.

General Education Requirements (gen. eds.):

Courses in liberal arts and sciences that are typically introductory and provide students with general knowledge and reasoning ability rather than specific skills for employment or specialized knowledge required for a major.

Grade Point Average (GPA):

Indicates a student's academic progress and status on a 4.0 scale.

Graduate Degree:

A degree awarded for education at a level beyond the bachelor's degree. State universities offer graduate certificates, master's degrees and specialist degrees in various professional and liberal arts fields, such as medical or law degrees.

Guest/Transient Student:

A Guest/Transient student must be in good standing at his/her home school before enrolling at UA. A transient student may not, as a general rule, attempt more than 16 credits in any semester or session and is subject to all rules and regulations of The University of Akron. An undergraduate guest student must apply to the Office of Admissions. A graduate student must apply through the Dean's Office of the Graduate School.

Holds on Student Records:

Actions taken by University offices to restrict a student's registration ability or prevent the student from receiving a transcript or diploma. Holds are usually placed for academic, financial, health, or conduct reasons.

Incomplete Grade (I grade):

An INC or I grade indicates that the student has done passing work in a class, but for a good and acceptable reason, some aspect of the course requirements has not been completed by the end of the enrolled term. If the work is not completed by the date grades are due for the next term, the INC or I grade reverts to an F in the course.

Interdisciplinary Studies:

An academic program with courses in various fields of study selected by a student with approval of the Director of Academic Advising and a faculty adviser(s).

Junior:

A student who has completed more than 63.99, but fewer than 96 posted credits.

Major:

The subject area leading to a degree or certificate in which a student chooses to concentrate his/her academic work.

Master's Degree:

An academic degree program of 32 or more credits in courses at the graduate level.

Minor:

An academic program that supplements a major. Minors require a minimum of eighteen credits with at least six credits at the 400 level. Courses counting in a minor can also count in the student's major. All courses listed in a minor are subject to pre-requisites.

Part-Time Student:

A student enrolled in fewer than twelve credit hours during a semester.

Placement Test (COMPASS):

Results of this test are used to place students at the appropriate entry level with respect to reading, writing and mathematical skills. ACT/SAT scores determine whether or not a student is required to take a placement test or tests after he/she is admitted and before registering for classes.

Pre-Requisite:

A course or courses a student must complete before being allowed to register for a more advanced course in the same or related area.

Program of Study:

The subject area in which a student chooses to concentrate his/her academic work.

Quality Points:

The number of quality hours (for a course) multiplied by the numerical value of the grade earned (A = 4.0 points, B = 3.0 points, etc.). The total number of quality points divided by the total number of quality hours equals a student's cumulative grade point average (GPA).

Restricted Students:

Applicants to degree status who lack the credentials required for unconditional admission to UA as degree candidates. To be admitted to UA unconditionally, an applicant must have earned a 2.3> H.S. GPA, a composite ACT score of 16> (SAT 650>), and must have met the standards for completion of the core curriculum for college preparation.

Quality Hours:

Credits earned which affect a student's GPA.

Section Code:

The 3 digits that appear after the department/subject code and subject number in the schedule of classes, as in 7600:106-003. This number refers to the specific section of the course.

Semester:

One of the two main enrollment periods in an academic year. At UA, the academic year consists of a sixteen-week fall semester, a sixteen-week spring semester, and three five-week summer sessions.

Senior:

A student who has completed more than 95.99 posted credits.

Sophomore:

A student who has completed more than 31.99, but fewer than 64 posted credits.

Syllabus:

A document provided by an instructor that describes the content and expectations of a course, the grading policy, a list of assignments and due dates, and related information such as the required textbooks and other course materials, the instructor's office hours, contact information, etc.

Transcripts:

Written record of a student's academic performance. Students may obtain official and unofficial transcripts by contacting the Registrar.

Transfer Credit:

Transfer credit refers to units (hours) of academic credit awarded at a receiving institution in recognition of college level credit earned at a sending institution. Academic institutions operate under a variety of systems (e.g., semester or quarter). Each unit of academic credit assigned to a course as the credit value for that course under the semester system is known as the semester hour. The term 'hour' usually refers to a 50-minute period of time. Generally, semester hours of credit for a course are directly equivalent to the number of classroom contact hours per week for lecture courses. Thus, a three semester hour course normally will meet for three 50-minute periods per week for 15 weeks and will lead to the award of three semester hours of academic credits toward degree requirements upon satisfactory completion. Non-lecture type courses may require more contact hours per hour of credit. For example, laboratories generally require two or three hours of class time per semester hour of credit. Semester hour credit may be converted to quarter hour credit by multiplying by three and dividing by two (e.g., five semester hour credits will equate to 7.5 quarter hour credits).

Transfer Module:

The Transfer Module contains 54-60 quarter hours or 36-40 semester hours of specified course credits in English composition, mathematics, fine arts, humanities, social science, behavioral science, natural science, physical science, and interdisciplinary coursework. A transfer module completed at one college or university will automatically meet the requirements of the transfer module at the receiving institution, once the student is accepted. Students may be required, however, to meet additional general education requirements that are not included in the Transfer Module. Additional information regarding the Transfer Module may be obtained from the Office of Transfer Services (330) 972-7009.

Transfer Student:

A student applying for admission to The University of Akron (UA) who has formerly attended another regionally accredited institution of higher learning. A student is also considered a Transfer Student if he/she attended UA after high school, transferred to another school and is returning to UA.

Transient/Guest Student:

Any University of Akron student who wishes to take course work at another accredited institution of higher education is considered a “transient student”. Note: Course work taken at another institution cannot be considered for The University of Akron's Repeat for Change of Grade Policy or Academic Reassessment. Also, effective Summer ’05, a student will be allowed to accumulate only 18 total transient credit hours. His/her work at a transient insitution may be accepted and approved for only one term at a time.

Upper Division:

A general term describing the third and fourth years of college (an upper-division student) or courses taken in the last two years of college (upper-division courses). UA courses numbered 300 or higher would generally be considered upper-division courses.

Withdrawal:

The process of dropping a course or courses, program of study, or leaving the university altogether. Students who do not follow the proper withdrawal procedures may receive a grade of F.