Glossary of Academic Terms
C-PRINT: A notetaking system developed for hard-of-hearing students. It is similar to CART, but captions meaning-for-meaning instead of word-for-word.
CREDIT HOUR: Unit of measure that indicates the number of classroom hours per week that the class is held. Credit hours for laboratory, studio and physical education skills courses are often computed on a different basis.
CUMULATIVE QUALITY POINT AVERAGE: The total of the student’s grade points for all semesters divided by the total number of credit hours completed for all semesters.
CURRICULUM: An organized course of study approved by the State Education Department that results in a degree. Ex. Business; Environmental Science; Nursing.
DEVELOPMENTAL COURSES: Courses which prepare the student to complete the courses necessary for their degree. These classes often do not count toward a degree.
DISABILITY: A physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or major life activities.
DISMISSAL: Notification that a student can no longer attend that institution. Dismissal can be the result of poor grades resulting in Academic Dismissal or removal from the campus for behavior that violates the Student Code of Conduct.
E-TEXT: Print materials available in electronic (”e”) format for use with a computer program which can read to the user.
EXTERNAL TRANSFER CREDIT: Credit granted for courses taken at another school.
FULL TIME STATUS: A student with a disability who cannot attend the expected number of full time hours due to the nature of their disability may be considered full time. Most colleges require documentation of a very significant disability and require recertification for full time status each semester.
FULL TIME STUDENT: Generally granted for a semester registration of 12 or more credits; an institution may grant full time status to a student with a disability enrolled for fewer than 12 credits if that registration is related to the impact of the disability on the student.
GRADE POINT: The value of a letter grade. A=4, B=3, C=2, D= I, F=0.
GRADE POINT AVERAGE: See Quality Point Average.
GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE: Each institution must have a published formal procedure for students to follow if they feel that they have been treated unfairly by a college employee.
INCOMPLETE GRADE: Grade assigned by instructor to allow student to finish course requirements after course ends.
LIFE EXPERIENCE (LEAP): A program allows students to use their life experience to earn credit for a degree.
LIBERAL ARTS: Liberal Arts are those academic disciplines taught without regard to specific preparation for a vocation, falling within the behavioral and social sciences, the humanities, the natural sciences and mathematics, and the fine arts. Specifically excluded are all vocational courses such as accounting or education courses.