McMicken College of Arts & SciencesUniversity of Cincinnati

Glossary of Academic Terms

Academic Block
A registration restriction placed on A&S first year students with below a 2.0 cumulative grade point average with autumn quarter grades which can be removed following winter quarter participation in a college recommended academic component i.e. completion of College Success Skills (15-MLTI-123) type course or successful participation in Learning Assistance Center academic coaching sessions.
Academic Course Load
The number of credit hours in which a student is enrolled during a quarter.
Academic Fresh Start
http://www.uc.edu/registrar/fresh_start.html
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. Click here for a complete AP Key.
Advisor
A university student service professional assigned to facilitate students' successful progress toward a college degree.
Associate Degree
The degree typically awarded by a community or junior college (UC's Raymond Walters & Clermont branches, for example) following the completion of a two-year program of study or approximately ninety credits. Select colleges on the Clifton campus also offer associates degrees.
Audit
The process by which a student can register for a course(s) for a no-grade, no-credit basis. Students should indicate that they will audit a course at the time of registration.
Baccalaureate Degree
An academic program generally of 180+ credits, including completion of the General Education program and course requirements for each major. Programs are designed for a full-time student to complete in four years, provided the student enrolls in and successfully completes 15 credits per regular academic quarter.
Bachelor's Degree
Same as a baccalaureate degree. B.S.= Bachelor of Science degree; B.A.= Bachelor of Arts degree. B.I.S.= Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies.
CAS (Course Applicability System)
The Course Applicability System or (CAS) is used to determine course equivalencies between different universities. CAS was designed to provide a Web-based advising system for potential transfer students and University of Cincinnati students taking courses as guests at other institutions. Students should always consult an advisor when planning on transferring coursework to the University of Cincinnati.
Call Number
The 6-digit number that appears after the course number and before the section code as in 15 ENGL 101: 407971. This number identifies the specific course, in this case, English Composition I. This is the number entered into the registration system on Onestop to enroll a student in the class.
Certificate
An academic program generally of around 30 quarter credits. 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.
Course Number
The 3-digit number identifying each Course within a discipline. 15 ENGL 101. In this example, 101 is the course within the Department of English.
College
One of UC's degree-granting administrative units. There are ten undergraduate degree-granting colleges at the Clifton campus.
College Advisor
An A&S student service professional assigned to facilitate students' successful progress toward an A&S college degree. A&S college advisors advise on the college requirements, college- and university-wide questions and issues. College advisors DO NOT advise students on major requirements. Students should see their major advisor for major advice.
College Welcome Day
A mandatory day for freshmen entering A&S autumn quarter held the day before classes begin in September. The day provides freshmen the opportunity to meet and interact with deans, faculty, staff and fellow students, and includes breakfast, lunch and prizes. Freshmen meet with their departments and exploratory students meet with exploratory academic advisors.
Consortium
http://www.uc.edu/registrar/consortium.html
Convocation
The university's formal induction into the university is held for freshmen the Sunday before the start of the autumn quarter.
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 during which a class will meet each week during a semester. The number of credit hours for each course usually indicates how much time is spent in the classroom each week.
Cross-College Major
A&S permits students enrolled in other colleges to complete the major requirements of a particular department. By completing this coursework and receiving certification from that department, the student can add a second major to their degree.
Cum Laude
Undergraduate students who meet the graduation residency requirements for their colleges will qualify for graduation with Latin honors as follows: University Grade Point Average between: 3.60 and 3.7499 Cum Laude (The University Grade Point Average will have no effect on the college or departmental honors for which the student may qualify.)
Cumulative Grade-Point Average (GPA)
The weighted mean value of all grade points a student has earned by enrollment in UC courses through any delivery system and at any location or through credit examination.
Curriculum
A prescribed set of courses leading to a degree or certificate.
Dean's List
A recognition of academic excellence. To be on the Dean's List, a UC student must achieve a quarter grade-point average of 3.4 or higher while enrolled in six or more credits per quarter.
Degree Progress Audit (DPA)
DARS is an automated degree audit system that reflects the progress a student has made toward the completion of their degree requirements.
Degree Requirements
A list of exact courses, subject areas and credit hours needed to obtain a specific degree or certificate. The College of Arts and Sciences degree requirements can be found at http://www.artsci.uc.edu/collegemain/programs/
Discipline/Subject Code
The 2, 3, or 4-letter abbreviation that appears before the course and section numbers as in 15 ENGL 101. This code identifies the specific department, in this case, English.
Dismissal
Dismissal is a final and permanent separation from A&S. It is imposed when a student returns from suspension, or from a withdrawal on probation, and fails to achieve a cumulative A&S college GPA of at least 2.0 by the end of spring quarter. A student who has twice withdrawn on probation, or who has failed to remain enrolled while on probation, is not re-admissible. Re-enrollment following dismissal is not permitted.
Double Major
A&S students majoring in two A&S majors.
Drop
The process of decreasing an academic course load during the beginning of each quarter (deadlines are shortened during summer terms). Courses dropped during this time will not be recorded on the academic record.
Dual Degree
A student can complete all the requirements for a degree from another college, but also indicate to A&S that they intend to complete one of our programs. Students seeking a dual degree must announce their intentions to A&S, take all of the classes that satisfy the A&S core requirements checklist, and also complete all of the major requirements in an A&S department. If that student had announced their intentions to us, then their graduation application would be certified. At the same time, the student must complete all course work required by their second UC college in order to receive their degrees.
Notes on the dual degree:
  • Students can "double-dip" some of the requirements for both colleges. They only need one sequence of English composition, for example.
  • Student must submit two separate graduation applications; one to each college.
  • A student should probably wait to officially graduate from either college until a single simultaneous commencement date. This is because students are ineligible for many sources of funding if they already hold a bachelor's degree.
Electives
Courses in which a student may enroll that do not fulfill specific requirements, but may count toward the total number of credit hours needed. Students may choose electives depending upon his or her interests and needs. When choosing electives, students should consult their advisor.
Freshman
A student who has completed fewer than 45 posted quarter credits.
Freshman Seminar
A highly interactive, small enrollment seminar and course designed to immediately bring freshmen into the intellectual life of the college. It allows freshmen the opportunity for in-depth study of a current and relevant topic. Your professor will help you understand the process of knowledge discovery and how to become a successful university-level scholar. These three credit hour seminars and courses are offered throughout the year and count toward A&S graduation requirements.
Full-Time Student
A student enrolled in twelve or more quarter credits during a quarter.
General Education Program
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. UC's program consists of six Breadth of Knowledge Requirements and four areas of experience. The courses to be taken for this program depend upon major and student's home college, and should be chosen with the aid of an advisor. Students enrolled in the College of Arts & Sciences may only use the A&S Core Requirements Checklist to fulfill the general education requirements.
Grade Point Average (GPA)
Indicates a student's academic progress and status on a 4.0 scale. It is calculated by adding quality points earned and dividing by total number of credits attempted. Quarterly GPA is based on the most recently completed quarter. College GPA is the accumulated GPA as a matriculated student in A&S. University GPA is the accumulated GPA of all courses attempted as a UC student.
Grade Point Average (GPA) to Graduate
A&S must have a major, college, cumulative (university) and final quarter GPA of a 2.0 or better in order to graduate.
Grade Replacement Policy
http://www.uc.edu/registrar/gradereplace.html
Grades
http://www.uc.edu/registrar/grading_scale.html
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.
Graduation Application
Students applying to graduate must do so on-line at http://www.uc.edu/commencement/default.html
Graduation Certification
Graduation certification begins with an on-line application to graduate. The department conferring the degree then certifies that students have fulfilled their major requirements. The college office then certifies that students have fulfilled college and university requirements. Certified graduates are forwarded to UC's Registrars office for the awarding of earned diplomas.
High Honors
Students who have shown exceptional distinction in the field of concentration may be awarded the degree with Honors or High Honors. A student enrolled in the University Honors Program is eligible to receive the degree with College Honors or High College Honors.
Holds on Student Records
Holds are 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, or conduct reasons.
Honors Scholars Program
The University Honors Scholars Program serves students from all UC colleges. The curriculum is highly flexible, broad in scope and designed to provide the student with the opportunity to learn in a manner associated with a small college – but with a range of intellectual activity that can only be found in a large university.
Honors Societies
The University of Cincinnati has held a charter from the United Chapters of Phi Beta Kappa since 1898. The following honor societies confer membership on undergraduate students in the various departments of the college in recognition of high scholarly attainment and outstanding achievement in the areas indicated: Alpha Epsilon Delta (pre-medicine), Delta Phi Alpha (German), Gamma Theta Upsilon (geography), Omicron Delta Epsilon (economics), Phi Alpha Theta (history), Pi Delta Phi (French), Psi Chi (psychology), Sigma Delta Pi (Spanish), Sigma Gamma Epsilon (earth sciences), Tau Kappa Alpha (communication), Sigma Alpha Eta (speech and hearing), Iota Sigma Pi (chemistry), Sigma Pi Sigma (physics), Alpha Kappa Delta (sociology) and Pi Sigma Alpha (political science).
Incomplete Grade (I grade)
Instructors use the "I" (Incomplete) when students fail to submit all of required coursework by the end of the quarter. An "I" grade should only be awarded if it is possible for students to complete the work without class attendance. In undergraduate courses, the "I" does not factor into the grade point averages during the quarter immediately after it is awarded. Following that subsequent quarter, the "I" carries zero (0) quality points-treated like the "F" and the "UW." After one (1) year, any "I" remaining on students' records automatically and permanently changes to the "I/F," which carries zero (0) quality points and affects students' GPA like the "F."
Junior
A student who has completed more than 89.5, but fewer than 135 posted quarter credits.
Learning Community
A Learning Community is made up of a small group of about 20 students enrolled in two or more courses that are linked. These students will also share "common hours" each week facilitated by a Peer Leader - i.e. a time to get to know each other, the campus, and have some fun!
Magna Cum Laude
Undergraduate students who meet the graduation residency requirements for their colleges will qualify for graduation with Latin honors as follows: University Grade Point Average between: 3.75 and 3.8999 Magna Cum Laude (The University Grade Point Average will have no effect on the college or departmental honors for which the student may qualify.)
Major
The subject area leading to a degree or certificate in which a student chooses to concentrate his/her academic work.
Major Advisor
A professor in students' major department advises students on the major requirements to earn their college degree.
Master's Degree
An academic degree program of 32 or more quarter credits in courses at the graduate level.
Matriculated Student
A student who has been officially admitted to A&S as either a degree-seeking student or an exploratory student.
Minor
An academic program generally of 30 credit hours. Minors must be completed before or at the same time that the student earns his or her bachelor's degree.
Minor Advisor
A professor in students' minor department advises students on the minor requirements to earn any minor being added to an undergraduate degree.
New Student Bearcat Bound Orientation:
A two-day program during the summer that all new freshmen students are required to attend. At this program, placement tests are administered, crucial information about a student's UC college and its requirements are delivered, and students meet with an advisor to plan and register for classes.
Non-matriculated Student
Students may take classes at UC without being enrolled in a UC degree program. Their official status is "non-matriculated," which is a traditional academic term meaning "not enrolled in a degree program."
One-Stop
A website focused on student services, where students may go to check e-mail, register for classes, view/pay bill, view grades, check on financial aid, and have other general questions answered. Onestop is also a physical location in University Pavilion where students may go to receive assistance in-person.
Part-Time Student
A student enrolled in fewer than twelve quarter credit hours during a quarter.
Pass-Fail
Juniors and seniors in good academic standing may, within the first calendar week of the quarter, elect to take one course each quarter on a pass/fail basis. Pass/fail courses apply only as elective credit toward the degree. Pass credit (with a grade of P) is not used in determining a student's grade point average, but a failure shall count against the average.
Placement Test
Tests taken by all new students at Orientation or at a Quick Start event, generally in English, Mathematics, and a foreign language (if the student took 2 or more years in the same language in high school.) Results of this test are used to place students at the appropriate entry level in each subject.
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.
Probation
The official status of not being in good academic standing. Failure to remove probationary status will lead to suspension or dismissal. To be in good academic standing, both quarterly and cumulative college averages must be 2.0 or higher (with the one exception in the following paragraph). Note that a grade of "I" (Incomplete) will not affect the GPA in the quarter it is received, but will count against the GPA if not removed by the end of the following quarter. The university GPA is not a factor in determining academic status in A&S under these rules.
The exception applies to students who have maintained a 2.0 or better A&S college GPA, but whose grades for the current quarter have fallen below 2.0. If this occurs, a warning will be issued that if grades next quarter are also below 2.0, probation will be incurred at the end of the next quarter even if the college GPA remains above 2.0. A warning is not the same as being placed on probation.
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).
Quality Hours
Credits earned which affect a student's GPA.
Quarter
One of the three main enrollment periods in an academic year. At UC, the academic year consists of a ten-week fall quarter, a ten-week winter quarter and a ten-week spring quarter. There is also a ten-week summer quarter as well as summer courses that are divided into either two five-week periods or three 3.5 week periods or one full summer period.
Re-admission
Students who are returning to A&S and have NOT attended any other institution while not enrolled in A&S can apply for re-admission by submitting an "application of change in college and program application for readmission."
Re-enrollment to A&S following suspension or withdrawal on probation
Students who are suspended following spring quarter, or who leave the college while on probation before spring quarter ends, may not enroll during the following academic year. Re-enrollment is permitted only in the autumn quarter of a later year.
Re-enrollment requires submission of an application for admission to the A&S Undergraduate Affairs and Advising Center in 102 McMicken Hall at least two months prior to the autumn quarter in which study will be resumed. Students who have attended an institution other than UC following their suspension or withdrawal while on probation must apply through the Office of Admissions and provide transcripts from the other institution(s).
Re-admission is not guaranteed, but will typically be granted to students who have not enrolled elsewhere whose quality point deficiency from a 2.0 is less than 30 quality points, or to those students who have enrolled elsewhere and maintained a 2.0 or better GPA since leaving A&S.
Recitation
A recitation is a discussion carried by a teaching assistant (TA) or instructor to supplement a lecture given by a senior faculty at an academic institution. During the recitation, the leader will review the lecture, expand on the concepts, and carry a discussion with the students. In classes involving mathematics and engineering, the recitation is often used to perform derivations or solve problems similar to those assigned to the students.
Residency
Student must meet the college residency requirement of 45.0 hours which begins immediately upon matriculation in the college and consists of courses taught by McMicken College of Arts & Sciences.
Section Code
The 3 digits that appear after the department/subject code and subject number in the schedule of classes, as in 15 ENGL 101 -002. This number refers to the specific day and time that the course is offered. In the case of distance learning courses, section numbers will always begin with a "7" as in section "707." Evening courses are indicated with a "9" as in section "901".
Senior
A student who has completed more than 134.5 posted quarter credits.
Sophomore
A student who has completed more than 44.5, but fewer than 90 posted quarter credits.
Summa Cum Laude
Undergraduate students who meet the graduation residency requirements for their colleges will qualify for graduation with Latin honors as follows: University Grade Point Average between: 3.90 and 4.0000 Summa Cum Laude (The University Grade Point Average will have no effect on the college or departmental honors for which the student may qualify.)
Suspension
A forced separation from the college, with the right to apply for readmission after one academic year. Suspension is a mandatory separation from enrollment in A&S, and in A&S courses, for a minimum of one calendar year. Suspension is imposed by A&S and posted to the transcript following spring quarter. Suspension action will be taken against students who have a quality point deficiency (from a 2.0 A&S college average) of nine or more quality points after the end of spring quarter. Students who withdraw during the year while on probation will not have suspension action posted to their transcripts, but like students who are suspended in June, they will be ineligible to return to A&S for at least one calendar year, and may return only in autumn quarter.
A suspension imposed after spring quarter actually begins the following autumn quarter and ends at the start of autumn quarter one year later. Suspended students who are already enrolled for summer classes will be permitted to remain in those courses but will not be permitted to enroll for autumn quarter. Suspended students are normally not eligible for admission to other UC colleges during the term of their suspension.
Suspension Appeal
Suspended students may request a rescission of their suspension by writing a letter of appeal to the "Appeals Committee" and submitting their letter to 102 McMicken Hall, P.O. Box 210037, Cincinnati, OH 45221-0037. See suspension letter for the appeal deadline.
Syllabus
A document provided by an instructor that describes the content, learning objectives 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). Semester hour credit may be converted to quarter hour credit by multiplying by 1.5. (e.g., three semester hour credits will equate to 4.5 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.
Transfer Student
A student applying for admission to The University of Cincinnati (UC) who has formerly attended another regionally accredited institution of higher learning. A student is also considered a Transfer Student if he/she attended UC after high school, transferred to another school and is returning to UC.
Warning
A statement to a student that the most recent quarter's grades are below 2.0 and must be brought up to 2.0 by the end of the following quarter. A warning notice is not the same as being placed on probation
Withdrawal
The process of dropping a course (or courses) after the first 14 calendar days of the quarter. Withdrawing from ALL coursework is referred to as a Complete Withdrawal. When a student withdraws from a course, a grade of "W" (or "F") is assigned. The "W" has no impact on the GPA. The withdrawal deadline is the 58th calendar day of the quarter.
Withdrawal On Probation
Voluntary separation from A&S while on probation, which is equivalent to a suspension in its effect. Students who withdraw while on probation must apply for readmission.
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