Glossary of Terms (English only)
Academic adviser: A member of a college faculty who helps and advises students solely on academic matters.
Academic year: The period of formal instruction, usually September to May; may be divided into terms of varying lengths: semesters, trimesters, or quarters.
Accreditation: Approval of colleges and universities by nationally recognized professional associations or regional accrediting bodies.
Add/Drop: A process at the beginning of the term whereby students can delete or add classes with an instructor's permission.
AP (Advanced Placement): An exam that students can take and receive college credit. Credit is determined by the college, school, or major at the U.C. campus that the student transfers to.
Advance registration: A process of choosing classes in advance of other students.
Affidavit of support: An official document proving a promise of funding from an individual or organization.
Appeals: When a decision is rendered such as in the case of transfer to a university, on a petition, not in the favor of a student, the student provides additional documentation to the deciding party to receive a review for a favorable decision.
Articulation: This is information about coursework from one college that indicates whether or not a course transfers to a University, and usually determines if that coursework is equivalent to either major requirements, general education requirements, or elective credit.
Articulation is the process that links two educational institutions to help students make a smooth transition from the community college to the university or college without experiencing a delay or duplication of coursework.
Courses at the Community College are identified as equivalent to courses at the university. This allows students to fulfill a university requirement by taking an identified equivalent course ( articulated course ) at the Community College. This equivalency, or articulation, can be done course-to-course, for major requirements and/or for general education requirements. In some cases, courses are only articulated (identified) as elective courses . This means that though the units will transfer, the course does not fulfill any of the above listed requirements. Some College has articulation agreements with a variety of universities, in-state and out-of-state.
Assistantship: A study grant of financial assistance to a graduate student that is offered in return for certain services in teaching or laboratory supervision as a teaching assistant, or for services in research as a research assistant.
Attestation: Official affirmation that a degree or transcript is genuine usually signed by a recognized expert or witness.
Audit: To take a class without receiving credit toward a degree.
Authentication: Process of determining whether something is, in fact, what it is declared to be. Incoming students are often required to provide a document of authentication for academic transcripts or previous degrees when applying to a program of study in the United States .
Baccalaureate degree: The degree of "bachelor" conferred upon graduates of most U.S. colleges and universities , Bachelors degree or Baccalaureate degree refers to the diploma awarded to an undergraduate that has completed all of the graduation requirements . This is same meaning as Bachelor's degree.
Bachelor's degree: Degree awarded upon completion of approximately four years of full-time study in the liberal arts and sciences or professional subjects. It is a prerequisite to study in a graduate program.
Bulletin: A publication created each year by a university or college that contains the details of academic majors offered and the requirements for completing them. Usually includes a listing and description of every class the institution offers.
Campus: The land on which the buildings of a college or university are located , or the locations of a university system.
For example, the locations of the specific nine University of California are San Diego , Irvine , Los Angeles , Santa Barbara , Santa Cruz , Riverside, San Francisco , Davis , and Berkeley .
CAP (Cooperative Admissions Program): A program for students which are eligible for a specific university freshman status but not admitted as freshmen. This type of program allows the opportunity for lower division study at a community college with a guarantee of admission to certain universities in the case of transfer.
Catalog: The dictionary, Yellow pages, and travel guide all rolled into one, which focuses on a specific campus of a university. The information contained in the catalog covers policies and procedures for academic and non-academic affairs.
Class rank: A number or ratio indicating a student's academic standing in his or her graduating class. A student who ranks first in a class of 100 students would report his or her class rank as 1/100, while a student ranking last would report 100/100. Class rank may also be expressed in percentiles (for example, the top 25 percent, the lower 50 percent).
Coed: A college or university that admits both men and women; also refers to a dormitory that houses both men and women.
College: A postsecondary institution that provides undergraduate education and, in some cases, master's level degrees. College, in a separate sense, is a division of a university , a collection of departments and or majors connected together usually by an academic discipline or theme. F or example, College of Business .
College catalog: An official publication giving information about a university's academic programs, facilities, entrance requirements, and student life.
Conditional admission: An acceptance to a college or university that is dependent upon the individual completing coursework or meeting specified criteria prior to enrollment.
Core requirements: Mandatory courses required for completion of a degree.
Course: Regularly scheduled class sessions of one to five hours (or more) per week during a term. A degree program is made up of a specified number of required and elective courses and varies from institution to institution.
Course load: The number of courses or credits taken in a specific term.
Credits: Units institutions use to record the completion of courses (with passing grades) that are required for an academic degree. The catalog of a college or university defines the number and kinds of credits that are required for the university's degrees and states the value of each course offered in terms of "credit hours" or "units."
Culture shock: The mental shock of adjusting to a new country and a new culture, which may be dramatically different from your own.
Cut : Unauthorized absence from a class.
Dean: Director or highest authority within a certain professional school or college of a university.
Degree: Diploma or title conferred by a college, university, or professional school upon completion of a prescribed program of studies.
Department: Administrative subdivision of a school, college, or university through which instruction in a field of study is given . It is a specific unit that usually focuses on one specific field of academics, e.g. Department of Science, Psychology or History.
Dissertation: Thesis written on an original topic of research, usually presented as one of the final requirements for a doctoral degree(Ph.D.).
Doctorate (Ph.D.): The highest academic degree conferred by a university to students who have completed at least three years of graduate study beyond the bachelor's and/or master's degree and who have demonstrated their academic ability in oral and written examinations and through original research presented in the form of a dissertation.
Dormitories: Housing facilities on the campus of a college or university reserved for students. A typical dormitory would include student rooms, bathrooms, common rooms, and possibly a cafeteria.
Drop: See "Withdrawal."
EAP (Education Abroad Program): A program of study at colleges in overseas countries available in the junior year of undergraduate study (ranging from one quarter to a full academic year), and which is recognized by a specific university. Transfer students usually may apply to the second or third year of the university under certain conditions; students need to consult with the U.S. university carefully before enrolling for such programs.
Electives: Courses that students may choose to take for credit toward their intended degree, as distinguished from courses that they are required to take.
English as a Second Language (ESL): A course used to teach English to students whose first language is not English.
Extracurricular activities: Nonacademic activities undertaken outside university courses.
Faculty: The members of the teaching staff, and occasionally the administrative staff, of an educational institution. The faculty is responsible for designing the plans of study offered by the institution.
Fees: An amount charged by universities, in addition to tuition, to cover costs of institutional services.
Fellowship: A form of financial assistance, usually awarded to a graduate student. Generally, no service is required of the student in return.
Financial aid: A general term that includes all types of money, loans, and work-study programs offered to a student to help pay tuition, fees, and living expenses.
Freshman: A first-year student at a secondary school, college, or university.
Full-time student: A student who is enrolled at a university and is taking at least the minimum number of credits (often 12) to meet the university's requirement for a full course load.
GATE (Guaranteed Admission for Transfer Entry): A program that offers guaranteed admission to qualified junior level transfers from a group of community colleges that choose to participate, such as California Community Colleges.
General Education: A broad smattering of courses to include a wide variety of subjects outside a specific major, and are usually taken in the first two years of university study; also known as survey courses.
Grade Point Average (GPA): A system of recording achievement based on a numerical average of the grades attained in each course. It is a grading scale that ascribes point value to letter grades based on the number of units called grade points. A GPA is determined by the following formula: Total grade points for all coursework / total graded units attempted = GPA.
Grading system: Schools, colleges and universities in the United States commonly use letter grades to indicate the quality of a student's academic performance: A – excellent, B – good, C – average, D- below average, F – failing Work rated C or above is usually required of an undergraduate students to continue their studies; work rated B or higher is usually required of a graduate student to continue. Sometimes Grades of P (pass), S (satisfactory), and N (no credit) are also used. In percentage scales, 100 percent is the highest mark, and 70 percent (or 65 percent) is usually the lowest passing mark.
Graduate: A student who has completed a course of study, either at the secondary or university level. A graduate program at a university is a study course for students who already hold a bachelor's degree.
Grant: A form of financial aid.
High school: The last three or four years of the twelve-year public education program in the United States .
Higher education: Postsecondary education at colleges, universities, junior or community college, professional schools, technical institutes and teacher-training schools.
IB (International Baccalaureate): An exam whereby a student can receive unit credit.
IGETC (Inter-segmental General Education Transfer Curriculum): A specific pattern of courses that completes General Education courses after transferring from a California community college for most U.C. Schools and Colleges.
Incomplete: A designation given in lieu of a grade for a course that has not been completed (with permission). The student will be given a specified period for completion of the coursework, after which an "F" (a failing grade) will result.
Independent study: Official coursework undertaken outside a classroom setting. It will usually be monitored by an instructor.
Institute of technology : An institution of higher education which specializes in the sciences and technology, such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Intercampus Transfer: Some transfers within the U.C. campuses may be granted due to a student's personal circumstances and availability in the prospective major. An application must be submitted in a specified filing period. Some U.C. campuses do not accept any transfers who may have completed more than 120 quarter units.
Interdepartmental major: A specific course of study usually grouped around a central theme that requires coursework from many different departments .
Internal Revenue Service (IRS): The U.S. government body that oversees the collection of income taxes.
International student adviser (ISA): The person at a university who is in charge of providing information and guidance to international students in such areas as government regulations, visas, academic regulations, social customs, language, financial or housing problems, travel plans, insurance, and legal matters.
Internship: Placement of a student in a work environment in order to acquire professional experience.
Junior: A third-year student at a secondary school, college, or university.
Language requirement: A requirement of some graduate programs that students must show basic reading and writing proficiency in one other language besides their own to receive their degree.
Lease: A legal document to show an agreement between the owner (landlord) and the renter of an apartment or other property.
Lecture: Common method of instruction in college and university courses . A professor usually lectures in classes of 20 to several hundred students. Lectures may be supplemented with regular small group discussions led by teaching assistants.
Liberal arts: A term referring to academic studies of subjects in the humanities, the social sciences, and the sciences. Also called "liberal arts and sciences" or "arts and sciences."
Loan: A sum of money lent to an individual (or organization) with an agreement to repay the money, possibly with interest.
Lower Division: A term used to describe courses that are usually taught the freshman or sophomore year of college and are general in content. California community colleges can only teach lower division courses.
Lower Division Major Preparation: Lower division courses that are required as foundation information for upper division coursework. These courses are often comprised from a variety of departments. For example, engineering students are required to complete lower division courses in physics, chemistry, and math.
Maintenance: Refers to the expenses of attending a university, including room (living quarters) and board (meals), books, clothing, laundry, local transportation, and incidentals.
Major: The subject in which a student wishes to concentrate , a specific course of study that is the focus of the undergraduate degree emphasizing one specific discipline.
Double Major: If a student wants to double major, he/she should complete as much coursework in both majors prior to transfer as time and energy permits. Universities and colleges have different rules about double majors, so a student would need to check with the specific institution.
Major professor/thesis adviser: For research degrees, the professor who works closely with a student in planning and choosing a research plan, in conducting the research, and in presenting the results. The major professor serves as the head of a committee of faculty members who review progress and results.
Master's degree: Degree awarded upon completion of academic requirements that usually include a minimum of one year's study beyond the bachelor's degree.
Midterm exam: An exam administered after half the academic term has passed that covers all class material studied until that point.
Minor: A subject in which the student takes the second greatest concentration of courses , an additional coursework in a specific discipline other than the declared major, usually related to the major, but not always. To "minor" in a subject means to take a prescribed number of courses relating to a specific subject, in addition to your major courses.
Mixed Record: A student that has attended a university or baccalaureate granting college and a community college.
Nonresident: A student who does not meet the residence requirements of the state. Tuition fees and admission policies may differ for residents and nonresidents. International students are usually classified as nonresidents, and there is little possibility of changing to resident status at a later date for tuition purposes.
Notarization: The certification of a document (or a statement or signature) as authentic and true by a public official (known in the United States as a "notary public") or a lawyer who is also a commissioner of oaths.
Part-time student: A student who is enrolled at a university but is not taking the minimum number of credits (often 12) to meet the university's requirement for a full course load.
Petition: The ability to ask for, in writing, a special exception to a specified rule or policy, such as in the case of college transfer.
Placement test: An examination used to test a student's academic ability in a certain field so that he or she may be placed in the appropriate courses in that field. In some cases, a student may be given academic credit based on the results of a placement test.
Plagiarism: The use of another person's words or ideas as your own.
Plan of study : A detailed description of the course of study for which a candidate applied. The plan should incorporate the objectives given in the student's "statement of purpose."
Postdoctorate: Studies designed for those who have completed a doctoral degree (Ph.D.).
Postgraduates : See "Graduates"
Prerequisite: Program or course that a student is required to complete before being permitted to enroll in a more advanced program or course.
Qualifying examination: In many graduate departments, an examination given to students who have completed required course work forf a doctoral degree, but who have not yet begun the dissertation or thesis. A qualifying examination may be oral or written, or both, and must be passed in order for the student to continue.
Quarter: Period of study of approximately 10 to 12 weeks' duration,
Quarter System: The division of the academic year into four equal parts. For example: All U.C.s, except Berkeley , are on a modified quarter system. In the U.C.s, three quarters constitute an academic year, with summer school considered an optional "quarter".
Quiz : Short written or oral test, less formal than an examination.
Recommendation , Letter of (also called "personal recommendation," "personal endorsement," or "personal reference"): A letter appraising an applicant's qualifications, written by a professor or employer who knows the applicant's character and work.
Re-entry Student: An older, returning student of a university. Some university provide programs and support services to assist all aspects of the a re-entry student's experience.
Registration: Process through which students select courses to be taken during a quarter, semester, or trimester.
Repetition: Repeating a course where a "D", "F", or "No Credit" (NC) was earned. A Withdraw ("W") is not considered a repetition.
Resident assistant (RA): A person who assists the residence hall director in campus dormitories and is usually the first point of contact for students with problems or queries regarding dorm life. RAs are usually students at the college who receive free accommodation and other benefits in return for their services.
Reverse culture shock: The culture shock an individual experiences upon returning to their home country after living abroad.
Sabbatical : Leave time with pay granted to a teacher or professor after serving for six or seven years on the same faculty. Its purpose is to give an extended period of time for concentrated study.
School: A school is a separate academic unit within a University.
Scholarship: A study grant of financial aid, usually given at the undergraduate level that may take the form of a waiver of tuition and/or fees.
Selection Criteria: When a university cannot admit all the eligible applicants, it applies standards that identify high academic achievers with other qualities that can contribute to the strength and diversity of the individual university campus community.
Semester: Period of study lasting approximately 15 to 16 weeks or one-half the academic year.
Semester System: The division of the academic year into two equal parts. Note: Berkeley is the only U.C. campus on semester system.
Senior: A fourth-year student at a secondary school, college, or university.
SEVIS : "SEVIS" is an acronym for "Student and Exchange Visitor Information System". On May 14, 2002 the President signed the Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act - The new Law increases the reporting obligations of all schools and institutions which receive international students. It orders the INS to review the compliance of all schools, and imposes the mandatory penalty of either termination of the institution's approval to receive such students, or suspension of such approval for one year. Under the SEVIS regulations, all institutions which accept F-1, M-1 or J-1 students or exchange visitors have to be re-certified to accept these categories of students. As a result students seeking to study in the USA have to pay a once off SEVIS fee of US$100 now.
Social Security Number: A number issued to people by the U.S. government for payroll deductions for old age, survivors, and disability insurance. Anyone who works regularly must obtain a Social Security Number. Many institutions use this number as the student identification number.
Sophomore: A second-year student at a secondary school, college, or university.
Special student: A student at a college or university who is not enrolled as a candidate for a degree. Also may be referred to as a non-degree, non-matriculating, or visiting student.
Subjects: Courses in an academic discipline offered as a part of a curriculum of an institution of high learning
Subject Credit: When completing a course after the maximum units allowable for transfer, a student can earn credit for completion of the specific subject, yet receive no additional units or credits.
Survey course: A course which covers briefly the principal topics of a broad field of knowledge.
Syllabus: An outline of topics to be covered in an academic course.
TAG (Transfer Admission Guarantee): A program that assists students at participating community colleges in transferring to universities.
TAP (Transfer Alliance Program): A program that requires a rigorous honors/scholars program at a community college for transfer as a junior into specific universities.
TCA (Transferable Course Agreement): A document published by a university for community college that determines the transferability of all courses from that community college. For example, University of California has TCA for every California Community College that determines the transferability of all courses from that college.
Teaching Assistant (TA): A graduate student who acts as instructor for an undergraduate course in his or her field, in return for some form of financial aid from the university.
Test: Examination. Any procedure measuring the academic progress of a student.
Thesis: A written work containing the results of research on a specific topic prepared by a candidate for a bachelor's or master's degree.
Transcript: A certified copy (see "Notarization") of a student's educational record.
Transfer courses/requirements: A student needs to complete minimum university admission requirements (depending on the college or university a student wants to attend), coursework in the intended major, and general education courses. There are usually a minimum number of units a student need to complete, too. The time it takes to transfer depends on the number of units completed each term, and the minimum number of units that a transfer institution requires for admission.
Note:Only courses specifically designated as transferable will transfer to a college or university. If a student wants to know if the course transfers to a university or college, a student needs to consult a counselor from the university a student wishes to transfer to. Also, regardless of the type of Associated Degrees you earn, you may transfer with a different major to a university.
Regarding the time for transfer application, a student should always try to get an application in as soon as applications are being accepted, instead of waiting for the deadline.
Transfer GPA/Grades: The GPA necessary for admission varies from university to university and from major to major. When available, GPA requirements can be obtained from each university. You are required to report all previous institutions that you have attended even though you might have got bad grades at those colleges. Note: If a student did not report all institutions that he/she has attended, the student will have provided false information, and could potentially have his/her admission or degree revoked.
Transfer/Time to degree: Time to degree is a result determined by the number of requirements a student completes prior to transfer, the number of requirements remaining to be completed, and the amount of units a student completes each term. If a student completes all of the GE, and lower division major requirements, and a total of 60 transferable semester units, and continues at the transfer institution full-time, normally the student should be able to graduate in two years.
Trimester: Period of study consisting of approximately three equal terms of 16 weeks during the academic year.
Tuition: The money an institution charges for instruction and training (does not include the cost of books).
UC and Cal State : California has two public university systems. The UC ( University of California ) system emphasizes a theory based approach to learning, and offers doctorate programs in most disciplines, along with graduate opportunities in medicine, dentistry, business, law, pharmacy, and veterinary medicine. The CSU ( California State University ) offers traditional and career specific majors, with graduate opportunities at the Master's level.
Undergraduate studies: Two-year or four-year programs at a college or university, undertaken after secondary school graduation and leading to the associate or bachelor's degree.
Unit: A specific measure of value ascribed to satisfactory completion of a course of study. ‘Units' is sometimes referred to as ‘Credits' or ‘Hours'.
Unit Ceiling: A maximum number of units allowed for completion of a Bachelors Degree.
Unit Credit: Satisfactory completion of a course usually yields unit credit.
University: A large postsecondary institution that offers both undergraduate and graduate degree programs.
Upper Division: A category of study at the undergraduate level that is more narrow in focus than lower division study. These courses are usually taught in junior and senior years, and encompass most of the major.
WASC (Western Association of Schools and Colleges): The accrediting agency for all U.C.s and California Community Colleges .
Well-Rounded Students: Students who, in addition to their major, have completed a broad array of courses in different areas of study.
Withdrawal: The administrative procedure of dropping a course or leaving a university.
Zip code: A series of numbers in mailing addresses that designate postal delivery districts in the United States . | 
