 Glossary of Terms
Academic Advisor - A professional staff member available to assist students in planning their academic path, discussing strategies for academic goal attainment, and scheduling of appropriate classes.
ACT - A national test used for counseling and sometimes as admission criteria for specific programs. SCC is a national test center.
Assessment Test - SCC method to measure a student’s placement level for English, math and reading. The assessment is required for all first-time students taking more than 5 credit hours. Please visit Course Placement & Assessment for more information.
Associate of Arts (A.A.) - Awarded to students completing the requirements of the academic transfer program with a minimum of 64 semester hours including general education core requirements. It generally parallels the first two years of a Bachelor of Arts degree at a four-year institution.
Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S) - Awarded to students completing the requirements of one of the career/technical programs. Minimum credit hours required vary based on the specific program. Although this degree is not intended to be a transfer degree, some of the courses will transfer to four-year institutions.
Associate of Arts in Teaching (A.A.T.) - Awarded to students completing the requirements of the academic transfer program for future educators. It is a 64 semester hour program that includes a general education core and elective/ institutional requirements. It generally parallels the first two years of a Bachelor of Arts degree at a four-year institution.
Associate of Fine Arts (A.F.A.) - Awarded to students completing the requirements of a specifically identified academic program available within this degree. Minimum credit hours vary based on the specific program. The Associate of Fine Arts degree is a transfer degree for students planning to pursue a bachelor’s degree with a concentration in studio fine arts, graphic design, Art Education, or music at either a four-year college, university, or art school.
Associate of Science (A.S) - Awarded to students completing the requirements of a specifically identified academic program available within this degree. Minimum credit hours required vary based on the specific program. It generally parallels the first two years of a Bachelor of Arts degree or a Bachelor of Science degree at a four-year institution.
Catalog - The primary resource in guiding you through the programs, services, and policies of St. Charles Community College. The online catalog will be updated near the start of each academic term.
Certificate - A short term program of study. It can be earned by itself, or the credits can generally be applied to a degree if the student takes additional courses.
Certificate of Achievement (C.A.) - Certificates are awarded upon completion of a prescribed sequence of courses for each program. Normally, two semesters are necessary to complete the requirements for a one-year certificate.
Certificate of Specialization (C.S.) - This certificate is for people who desire information or skills in a specific area related to their current job. They usually can be completed in a short period of time.
CLEP - College Level Examination Program. A college credit by examination program.
Co-requisite - course required to be taken simultaneously with another.
Course Description - A short description of course content, including course requisites. Each course description includes the departmental abbreviation, a corresponding three-digit number (example, Introduction to Psychology is PSY 101) and the number of credit hours assigned to the course.
Course Load - Number of credit hours in which a student is enrolled in an academic term.
Credit Hour - One unit of course work equivalent to 15 contact hours of classroom instruction. A typical college course is equivalent to three credit hours.
Curriculum - A required group of courses that comprise a specific program of study.
Department - A subdivision of a school or college that deals with a specified area(s) of study (i.e., music).
Developmental Courses - Courses that help prepare students for successful completion of college-level coursework - any course below the 100 level.
Drop - The process of withdrawing from one or more classes after initial registration.
Elective - Any course in the curriculum you wish to take AND for which you have met the prerequisite(s). An academic advisor will assist you in determining if this course counts towards your degree.
EXCELerator - An academic support area dedicated to fostering student success, academic excellence, and career readiness. Tutoring services, classrooms, and open computer use.
Fees - Charges assessed to a student’s account at the college’s discretion. These can include charges assessed to all enrolled students as well as specific charges associated with specific courses/programs.
Finals - Key examinations offered during the final week of a given semester or term. Finals usually weigh heavily in course grade determination.
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) - The application required for students to be considered for federal student financial aid.
Freshman - Any SCC student who has completed fewer than 30 credit hours.
General Education - A component of the degree program that gives students an opportunity to explore areas outside of their majors.
Grade Point Average - Grade point average (GPA) is a commonly used indicator of an individual’s academic achievement in school. It is the average of the grades attained in each course, taking course credit into consideration.
-
Cumulative GPA - a calculation on all non-developmental course work taken at SCC recorded on the student record and based on a 4.0 average (GPA) scale (i.e. A=4.0, B=3.0, C=2.0, etc.).
Grants - Awarded through the Financial Aid Office; grants give qualifying students money for school that doesn’t have to be paid back.
Major - The subject of study in which a student chooses to specialize; a series of related courses taken primarily at the transfer institution.
Midterms - Progress reports issued to students who are receiving either a ‘D’ or ‘F’ at the midpoint of the semester. Grades are mailed or can be accessed via SCC Connection.
Minor - A smaller subject of specialization, completed at the transfer institution. (Approximately 20 credit hours).
Open Admissions - We admit virtually all high school graduates, regardless of academic qualifications such as high school grades and placement test scores.
Prerequisite - A requirement which must be met before enrollment in a related course.
Probation (Academic) - A student is placed on academic probation the second time his/her grade point average falls below satisfactory academic progress.
Registrar - Keeper of official student records.
Registration - A process by which students formally enroll in classes for the next term.
Residency Requirements - The number of credits that must be completed at SCC for graduation (15 hours are required).
Scholarships - Awards to students based on merit or merit plus need, which do not need to be repaid.
Semester - A college term consisting of 16 weeks of class sessions in the fall or spring. The summer semesters are usually an eight-week session.
Sophomore - Any SCC student who has completed 30 credit hours or more.
FAFSA Submission Summary - Information received after your FAFSA has been processed. It reports the information you provided on the application and is the criteria used to determine eligibility for financial aid.
Suspension (Academic) - A student is placed on academic suspension when his/her cumulative grade point average falls below satisfactory academic progress for the third time. The student will not be allowed to register for classes for the semester after being placed on suspension unless an appeal is granted.
Syllabus - A detailed course outline often including instructor expectations for student attendance, assignments, and grading.
Transcripts - Official record of all coursework. The unofficial may be viewed in Student Planning. We now offer electronic transmission of official transcripts. Students can track their status and be notified via text or email when the transcript has been sent. You may request a transcript from the Transcripts and Records page.
Tuition - An amount of money charged to a student for each course credit hour.
Warning (Academic) - A student is placed on academic warning when his/her cumulative grade point average falls below satisfactory academic progress for the first time after completing 15 college level credit hours at SCC.
Withdraw - a grade notation of ‘W’ (withdraw) is recorded on your transcript for that course. Class must be withdrawn from by a specific deadline. A grade of “W” is recorded for that class on the transcript and there is no effect on grade point average.
|
