College Lingo (Glossary)

Understand terms that are used at Indiana State University

• Academic Dismissal: Students who meet specific criteria will be academically dismissed unless an exception is provided by the dean of the relevant college on a case-by-case basis.
• Academic Probation: If a student’s cumulative grade point average is less than 2.0 for undergraduate students, and 3.0 for graduation students, the student will be placed on academic probation. Students on academic probation will not be permitted to take more than 13 credit hours.
• Academic Year: August through the following July. Includes the Fall/Spring semester, and Summer term.
• Accredited: Certified by a specific state, regional, or national organization as meeting standards of quality in instruction, staffing, facilities, finances, and policies. Indiana State University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission as a whole. Many programs are also accredited by their specific disciplines.
• Add: Changing your schedule by adding a course after your initial registration.
• Articulation Agreements: Agreements between ISU and another institution on pathways for undergraduate students to transfer to ISU. Click here for more information.
• Assessment: Basic skills tests in writing, reading, and math to assist you in selecting courses at the appropriate level. Generally, a math assessment is required for new students.
• Audit of a Course: Registering for and attending a course, but participation is prohibited. Grade/credit is not received and does not count toward the completion of a program or graduation.
• Bachelor’s Degree: Degree (credential) granted after successful completion of an academic program of study that has a minimum of 120 credits.
• Concentration: A set of courses within a major that defines a specific field of study in, or closely related to, that major and is shown on a student’s transcript. 
• Certificate:  A type of micro-credential that designates requisite knowledge and skills of an occupation, profession, or academic program. 
• Contact Hours: The total hours of lecture and laboratory instruction required for each course.
• Corequisite: A course that must be taken during the same semester/term as another course. 
• Course: A single subject, such as ENG 101, is taken for one semester.
• Course Program of Study (CPOS): A federal regulation that mandates universities to award federal aid to students ONLY for classes that are part of their officially declared degree program.
• Credits: Also referred to as Academic Credits, Credit Hours, and Semester Hours. Each course is assigned a number of credits which generally indicates the number of hours per week the class meets; i.e., a three-credit course generally meets three hours weekly. However, courses with labs and occupational courses generally meet more hours than the number of credits they carry. 
• Drop: Changing your schedule by dropping a course after your initial registration. 
• Dual Degree: Pursuing two bachelor’s degrees by completing two specified curricula concurrently. Students must earn 150 credit hours to complete a dual degree at ISU.
• Elective: A course you may elect (choose) to take as part of your degree requirements.
• Fees: Special charges for courses or services other than tuition.
• Financial Aid: Money received from various sources (grants, loans, scholarships, jobs) to help students with college costs. Most, but not all, forms of aid are based on financial need.
• Foundational Studies: A group of courses in social science, natural/physical science, communication, and humanities that provide a common and broadly-based body of knowledge.
• Freshman: Academic student who has earned fewer than 30 credits.
• Full-Time Student: Enrolled in 12 or more credits in a semester/term for undergraduate students; 9 or more credits in a semester/term for graduate students.
• General Education: See Foundational Studies.
• Good Standing: Undergraduate students must maintain a ‘C’ (2.0) cumulative grade point average to be considered in good academic standing by the University. Graduate students must maintain a ‘B’ (3.0) cumulative grade point average to be considered in good academic standing by the University.
• GPA (Grade Point Average): The GPA is determined by dividing the grade points earned (see definition of grade points) by the number of credits attempted, excluding identified courses that do not impact the GPA. The semester/term GPA includes grades in each semester/term; the cumulative GPA includes grades from all semesters/terms at ISU.
• Grade Appeal: A process available to students if there is not agreement with the grade received in a course. Click here for more information.
• Grade Points: Numerical values assigned to a letter grade for a course, which are then multiplied by the number of credits assigned to the course. For a complete list of Grade Points at ISU click here.
• Graduation Requirements: Specific requirements that must be successfully completed to qualify for a degree or certificate. Click here for requirements at ISU.
• Grants: Money provided for educational expenses that do not have to be repaid; also called “gift aid.”
• In-State Student: A legal resident of the state of Indiana.
• Indiana College Core: Successful completion of the Indiana College Core (ICC) at an Indiana public institution of higher education transfers as a block of 30 credit hours towards completion of Foundational Studies requirements at Indiana State University. ICC was formally known as the Statewide Transfer General Education Core (STGEC).
• Junior: An academic student who has earned at least 60 credit hours.
• Loans: Money you borrow from your bank or credit union for educational expenses which must be repaid after you leave school.
• Major: The primary discipline or field of study that is part of a degree program and is displayed on a student’s transcript. Majors generally consist of 31-80 credits from a specified group of courses.
• Minor: A secondary discipline or field of study that is completed as part of a degree program and is displayed on a student’s transcript. Minors generally range from 15-29 credits.
• Orientation: See State Start-Up.
• Out-of-State Student: A legal resident of a state other than Indiana or of a foreign country.
• Part-Time Student: Enrolled in less than 12 credits in a semester/term.
• Prerequisite: Courses that must be successfully completed or requirements that must be met before enrolling in a specific course.
• Program of Study: A Group of specific courses that are required in order to qualify for a degree or certificate.
• Provisional Admission: A student who has been admitted to ISU with the understanding that specific requirements must still be met.
• Registration: The time when you enroll in your courses and pay your tuition and fees. Click here for more information.
• Regular Admission: A student who has been admitted to ISU with no other requirements needed.
• Required Course: A required (not a choice) course in your program of study.
• Semester: Generally 16 weeks in length. The two semesters in an academic year at ISU are Fall (mid-August through December) and Spring (January through early May). and Summer (mid-May through July).
• Senior: Academic student who has earned at least 90 credit hours.
• Sophomore: Academic student who has earned at least 30 credit hours.
• Summer Term: During the summer term, courses start and end at different times; although they traditionally run three, four, seven, eight, and eleven weeks.
• Transcript: Your official ISU record listing all academic courses attempted with grades, credits, and grade points; all transfer credits accepted; and credit awarded by examination or advanced placement; and your cumulative GPA.
• Transfer: The official process of moving from attending one college/university to attending another college/university.
• TSAP-Transfer Single Articulation Pathways: Indiana legislature that helps students transfer to ISU after obtaining an associate degree from certain institutions. Click here for more information.
• Tuition: Money paid to the college for instruction and services. In-State, Out-of-State, International, and Graduate rates are all different. See Costs and Aid .
• Withdrawal: When a student drops all of their classes for a semester/term.