College Glossary
Academic Advisor: The person at a college or university who helps students decide what classes to take, what major to pursue, etc. An advisor is similar to a high school guidance counselor.
Academic Forgiveness: Ways for students to recover from academic problems without forever jeopardizing academic standing. Repeating courses, reprieving semesters and renewing all coursework prior to a certain date are types of academic forgiveness provisions.
Academic Service Fees: Fees assessed certain students for certain courses of instruction or certain academic services in addition to tuition and mandatory fees.
Academic Term: The time duration of a course schedule, generally a fall or spring semester consisting of 16 weeks, a summer session consisting of four or eight weeks, or an intersession consisting of the weeks between a semester and/or session.
Accreditation: The process used by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education or other entities recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) to ensure postsecondary education providers meet and maintain minimum standards of quality and integrity regarding academics, administration and related services.
Admission Requirements: Students wanting to attend an Oklahoma college or university must meet certain requirements, such as achieving a specified ACT or SAT score or combination of high school grade point average and rank in class, taking specified high school courses, etc. to be considered for admission.
Advanced Placement Courses: Courses that allow students to take college-level course work in high school and receive credit at Oklahoma colleges and universities.
Associate Degree: Degree given upon completion of two years of full-time study (at least 60 credit hours) or the equivalent. Most associate degrees are awarded by two-year colleges, although some four-year universities also offer associate degrees. Some associate degrees transfer to four-year universities; others are for career preparation. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education recognize three types of associate degrees: Associate in Arts, Associate in Science and Associate in Applied Science.
Associate in Applied Science (AAS) Degree: Typically, a credential requiring two years of full-time equivalent college work (at least 60 credit hours) that emphasizes an occupational specialty and is designed to lead the individual directly to employment.
Bachelor's Degree: Also referred to as a baccalaureate degree. Given upon completion of four years of full-time study (at least 120 credit hours) or the equivalent. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education recognize three types of bachelor's degrees: Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of (Specialty).
Certificate: Recognition awarded for an organized program of study that does not lead to an academic degree.
Class Rank: Ranking of a student within a high school graduating class based upon his or her high school grade point average.
College: A higher education institution that generally offers associate, or two-year, degrees but does not offer bachelor's- or graduate-level programs.
College Catalog: A booklet published by an individual college or university that contains detailed descriptions of course and degree offerings, fees, academic policies and requirements for graduation.
Community College: Also known as a "two-year college," a community college grants associate degrees for transfer to four-year institutions or for career preparation. Community colleges usually offer flexible class schedules with smaller class sizes. They are known as open door institutions because performance standards (standardized test scores or combination of class rank and grade point average) are not required for admission. Examples of Oklahoma community colleges include Murray State College in Tishomingo and Rose State College in Midwest City.
Commuter College: A college at which students live off campus and travel to campus for classes.
Comprehensive University: See Research University.
Concurrent Enrollment: A program that allows eligible high school students (juniors and seniors) to take credit-earning college courses.
Cooperative Agreement: A formal State Regents-approved agreement between a state higher education institution and a state technology center to offer courses leading to an Associate in Applied Science (AAS) degree. AAS degree programs may or may not apply to a bachelor's degree. College credit is awarded only by the higher education institution.
Course of Study: A sequentially organized series of educational experiences designed to culminate in the awarding of an academic degree or certificate. The terms "instructional program," "academic program" and "course of study" are considered synonymous.
Credit Hour: Credit given for attending one lecture hour of class each week for 15 weeks or equivalent. Most college classes are three credit hours, meaning the total meeting time for a week is three hours. To calculate the cost for one course, multiply the number of credit hours the class is worth by the total tuition and mandatory fees per credit hour.
Cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA): The average of a college student’s earned grades calculated by point values assigned to letter grades that include grades for all attempted regularly graded coursework, including activity courses and forgiven coursework. This GPA may be used for financial aid or eligibility purposes, for admission to graduate or professional programs, or to determine eligibility for graduation honors. Also see Retention/Graduation Grade Point Average.
Curricular Deficiencies: High school curricular requirements required for college admission that have not been met by the student in high school.
Curricular Requirements: The 15 units of high school coursework required for college admission to public colleges and universities in the Oklahoma State System of Higher Education. These include four units of English, three units of mathematics, two units of laboratory science, three units of history and citizenship skills, and three units of elective courses that fit into one of the categories above or foreign language or computer science.
Degree: An academic credential conferred by a college or university as official recognition for the successful completion of an instructional program.
Dependent Person: One who is under the care, custody and support of a parent or legal guardian.
Diploma: A formal document issued by an institution that certifies a student has successfully completed an instructional program.
Distance Education: A planned learning that normally occurs in a different place from teaching and, as a result, requires special techniques of course design, special instructional techniques and special methods of communication by electronic and other technology, as well as special organizational and administrative arrangements.
Drop Period: In general, the first one-eighth of an academic term.
Elective Courses: Those courses that fulfill the additional three high school units to meet the total of 15 required for college admission by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education.
Electronic Media: Includes, but not necessarily limited to, video, audio and computer conferencing; CD-ROM; radio; telephone; Internet-based delivery; and combinations thereof. Courses and programs offered at higher education centers, branch campuses or constituent agencies are not considered traditional off-campus or electronic media offerings as defined in State Regents policy. Branch campuses and constituent agencies may offer courses or programs as indicated in the State Regents’ Functions of Public Institutions Policy.
English as a Second Language (ESL): Designation for students, programs and courses of non-native speakers of English.
Entry Level Assessment and Placement: An evaluation conducted prior to enrollment which assists institutional faculty and counselors in making decisions that give students the best possible chance of success in attaining academic goals.
Extrainstitutional Learning: Learning attained outside the sponsorship of legally authorized and accredited postsecondary institutions. Applies to learning acquired from work and life experiences, independent reading and study, the mass media, and participation in formal courses sponsored by associations, business, government, industry, the military and unions.
Fall Semester: An academic term that begins mid- to late-August or early September and ends in December.
First-Time-Entering Student: A student with six or fewer attempted credit hours, excluding remedial/developmental (zero-level courses) or pre-college work and excluding credit hours accumulated by concurrently enrolled high school students.
Full-Time Student: An undergraduate student enrolled in a minimum of 12 credit hours per semester in an academic year or a minimum of six credit hours in a summer session or a graduate student enrolled in a minimum of nine credit hours per semester in an academic year or a minimum of four credit hours in a summer session.
General Educational Development Test (GED): Recognized high school diploma equivalency exam.
Graduate Student: A student working toward a master's or doctoral degree.
High School Grade Point Average (GPA): Average of all grades earned in the ninth through 12th grades.
Higher Education Center: Institution with flexible admission standards that provides higher education opportunities to citizens in the areas surrounding the center. The center works with various colleges and universities to provide undergraduate and graduate courses, and students can earn an associate, bachelor's or master's degrees.
Independent (Private) Colleges and Universities: A private, denominational or other two-year or four-year college or university that offers courses beyond the 12th grade for which students earn credit and that may be applied to satisfy the requirements for an associate, bachelor's, graduate or professional degree. Independent colleges and universities are not supported by state taxes and are not for profit. They receive the bulk of their revenues from tuition, donations and grants.
Independent Person: One enjoying majority privileges (or legally emancipated from the parental domicile) and who is responsible for his or her own care, custody and support.
Intensive English Program (IEP): A program designed to provide English instruction for non-native speakers to adequately prepare them for collegiate-level instruction in a short period of time.
International English Language Testing System (IELTS): The British Council’s English language assessment primarily used by those seeking international education, professional recognition, benchmarking to international standards and global mobility.
Intersession: Academic terms shorter than a traditional semester or summer session, generally between semesters or between the summer session and spring and fall semesters.
Learning Site: A site designated by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education with the function and responsibility of ensuring that higher education needs are met either through programs offered by a designated institution or imported courses from sister institutions. Designated learning sites include the 25 public colleges and universities, the Ardmore Higher Education Center and the University Center at Ponca City.
Lower-Division Coursework: Courses generally taken in the freshman and sophomore year and numbered at the 1000 and 2000 levels.
Major: An academic subject area such as economics or geology in which students take many courses and choose to earn a degree.
Mandatory Fees: Fees required of all students for enrollment at an Oklahoma higher education institution.
Minor: An area of interest studied at the same time as a major. It requires fewer courses than a major.
Part-Time Student: A student who is enrolled in a certain number of course credits or hours which are less than full-time. For an undergraduate student, this is usually less than 12 credits or hours. For a graduate student, it is usually less than nine credits or hours.
Prerequisite: A course which a student must take before he or she can enroll in another (usually more challenging) course.
Program: A sequentially organized series of courses and other educational experiences designed to culminate in an academic degree or certificate. The terms "instructional program," "academic program" and "course of study" are considered synonymous.
Recognized National Accrediting Agency: An accrediting agency that is recognized by the secretary of the U.S. Department of Education as a reliable authority as to the quality of higher education institutions under Code of Federal Regulations 34 CFR, Part 602. The secretary periodically publishes in the Federal Register a list of recognized accrediting agencies and the scope of each agency's recognition, i.e., the types of institutions the agency may accredit, the degrees and certificates awarded, the geographic area, and the preaccreditation status(es) that the secretary has approved for recognition.
Regional Accrediting Agency: A nationally recognized accrediting agency whose geographic scope has been defined by the secretary of the U.S. Department of Education to include at least three states that are contiguous or in close proximity to one another. Regional accreditation is a voluntary, non-governmental organization that establishes criteria for educational quality in the geographic region. The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Universities (HLC) accredits public and private/independent institutions in Oklahoma. The HLC evaluates institutions based on Eligibility Requirements (ER) and the Criteria for Accreditation and accredits those institutions that meet these requirements.
Regional University: A university that offers bachelor's and master's degrees, and in some instances, associate or professional degrees. While regional universities focus primarily on instruction, they are also responsible for extension and public service, as well as some research. They tend to have mid-sized student populations and campuses. Examples of Oklahoma regional universities include Oklahoma Panhandle State University in Goodwell and Southeastern Oklahoma State University in Durant.
Remedial/Developmental Courses: Zero-level courses that do not carry college credit and are designed to raise students’ competency in the subject area to the collegiate level.
Research University: Also known as a "comprehensive university," a university that grants bachelor's, graduate and professional degrees and offers a wide variety of courses and degree programs. Along with instruction, research institutions also focus on research, extension and public service. Research universities usually have large student bodies and expansive campuses. Oklahoma's two research universities are Oklahoma State University and the University of Oklahoma.
Resident of Oklahoma: One who has lived continuously in Oklahoma for at least 12 months duration and whose domicile is in Oklahoma. A person's domicile is his or her true, fixed, permanent home or habitation. It is the place where he or she intends to remain and to which he or she expects to return. A person can have more than one residence, but only one domicile. Domicile has two components: residence and the intention to remain. When these two occur, domicile is established.
Residential College: A college at which students may live on campus in dormitories or apartments.
Retention/Graduation Grade Point Average (GPA): The average of a college student’s earned grades calculated by point values assigned to letter grades that is used to determine a student’s eligibility to remain enrolled or graduate from an institution. Activity courses and forgiven coursework are not calculated in the retention/graduation GPA. This GPA may be used for financial aid or eligibility purposes, admission to graduate or professional programs, or to determine eligibility for graduation honors. Also see Cumulative Grade Point Average.
Semester: Calendar system used by colleges and universities. The standard and traditional academic calendar unit which consists of a minimum of 16 weeks, excluding enrollment, orientation and scheduled breaks.
Specialty Accrediting Agency: An agency, recognized by the secretary of the U.S. Department of Education, that conducts accrediting activities to evaluate the quality of academic programs in specific programmatic areas.
Spring Semester: An academic term that begins in January and ends prior to the first of June.
Standardized Test (ACT or SAT): Test used by colleges and universities to evaluate an applicant's academic skills and abilities. The standardized tests most widely used by colleges and universities are the ACT and SAT. Oklahoma state colleges and universities rely primarily on the ACT.
State (Public) Colleges and Universities: Colleges and universities that receive funding from state taxes to pay part of operating costs.
Subject Area Test: Standardized tests given by the American College Testing program in math, science, reading and English. Public colleges and universities look at these test scores when helping students enroll in courses.
Summer Session: An academic term that begins about the last week in May or the first week in June and ends late July or early August.
Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL): An academic discipline for preparation of teachers who will teach English to non-native English speakers.
Technical Branch: Institution that has a special emphasis on education and training in technical fields. Some technical branches offer academic courses and programs, but not all institutions offer two-year programs that lead to an associate degree. Oklahoma's two technical branches are Oklahoma State University – Oklahoma City and OSU Technical Branch – Okmulgee.
Technical-Occupational Program: Vocational-education program offered by an institution of higher education with curricular patterns designed to focus on a specific career and lead to direct employment in that career field.
Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL): The Educational Testing Service’s exam that measures the ability of non-native speakers of English to use and understand North American English as it is spoken, written and heard in college and university settings.
Traditional Off-Campus Courses and Programs: Those taught for credit at a location which is remote from the main campus of the Oklahoma State System of Higher Education college or university and is not considered part of the college's or university’s physical plant.
Transcript: Official document, issued by an institution, with student information that is a complete and accurate reflection of a student’s academic career. Includes information such as cumulative and retention/graduation GPAs, semesters of attendance, courses taken, grades and credit hours awarded, degrees received, academic standing, academic honors and transfer information.
Transfer Student: Any undergraduate student with greater than six attempted credit hours, excluding remedial/developmental (zero-level courses) or pre-college work and excluding credit hours accumulated by concurrently enrolled high school students.
Transferability: Credits earned by students at institutions accredited by a regional accrediting agency or by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education are accepted for transfer at face value into like programs at institutions in the Oklahoma State System of Higher Education (and on a voluntary basis by private/independent institutions) consistent with the State Regents' Undergraduate Transfer and Articulation Policy. Credits earned by a student at an institution accredited by a recognized national accrediting agency may be reviewed on a course-by-course basis for possible transfer to an institution in the State System (and on a voluntary basis by private/independent institutions).
Trimester: Calendar system used primarily by the state's technical branches. Classes and grade reports are divided into three periods, each lasting about 10 weeks.
Tuition: Payment that students make to cover costs of their classes at public and private colleges and universities. Other fees may be also required.
Two-Year College: See Community College.
Undergraduate Student: A student working toward an associate or a bachelor's degree or a certificate.
University: A higher education institution that usually offers four-year degrees, as well as degrees beyond the baccalaureate level (i.e., graduate and professional degrees). They may also offer two-year degrees.
Upper-Division Coursework: Courses generally taken in the junior and senior year and numbered at the 3000 and 4000 levels.
