Glossary
Academic Dismissal. An academic status resulting from unsatisfactory grades in which students are not permitted to enroll at the university until approved through an appeal process.
Academic Probation. An academic status resulting from unsatisfactory grades.
Academic Suspension. An academic status for unsatisfactory grades in which students are not permitted to register for courses for a specified time period.
Act 1052/467. Section 21 of Arkansas Act 467 of 1989 specifies that all first-time entering freshmen who are enrolled in a bachelor’s degree program will be placed in either college-level credit courses in English and mathematics or developmental courses in English composition, reading, and mathematics on the basis of their scores on specified tests. Find out more in the Registration section of the catalog.
Activity Course. Course devoted to participation in, knowledge of, or performance of some form of physical activity.
Add. See Drop/Add below.
Advance Registration. A period of time scheduled during a regular (fall or spring) semester that allows currently enrolled students to register for the next regular semester. In addition, advance registration for the summer sessions is scheduled during the spring semester.
Applied Instruction. A course that integrates both the teaching and hands-on application of knowledge or information; attends to the practical and utilitarian function of the subject (distinguished from theoretical). Examples may include: livestock judging team, music and art courses, cooperative education, and experiential learning.
Apprenticeship/Externship. Experiential learning opportunity to give students practical exposure and training in a career field. This is generally off-campus, supervised, and designed to prepare students for the transition from school to career.
Area Studies. Interdisciplinary study of geographical or cultural areas. Topics include the history, geography, politics, culture, language, and literature of the area. Generally, an area study is a minor or a second major. Examples of area studies include African and African American studies, Latin American and Latino studies, and Middle East studies.
Audit. To take a course without credit.
Adviser. A faculty or staff member assigned to a student to advise that student on academic matters that include degree requirements and selection of courses.
Certification/Licensure Requirements. The set of course, hour, and other academic requirements that must be completed to receive certification/licensure such as certification to teach in the public schools.
Class Schedule. List of courses and sections for a specific semester, including names of instructors; day, hour, and place of class meetings; and detailed registration procedures. The class schedule is available online.
Clinical Rotation/Instruction. Course that takes place in a clinical setting, including practice labs, hospitals, and other agencies; students apply methods and principles of a clinical discipline.
College or School. One of ten major divisions within the university that offers specialized curricula.
Combined Major.1 A combination of subsets of two primary discipline specific requirements (each of which is typically 15 to 24 hours and less than the number required for a major) which together constitute the major in a program of study leading to one bachelor’s degree with a combined major in two disciplines. For example, a Bachelor of Arts degree with a combined major in English and journalism.
Concentration. A subset of requirements within the discipline-specific (field of study or major) requirements in a program of study leading to a graduate or bachelor’s degree. Examples are the Doctor of Philosophy degree with physics as the field of study and a concentration in neuroscience or a Bachelor of Music degree with a major in music and a concentration in jazz studies. Concentrations will print on the transcript.
Consent. A prerequisite that requires the student to obtain approval from the instructor or the department before he or she will be allowed to register for the course.
Core. Core is a set of required coursework specified for students at the college/school, department, or program/area level. Core is what is required for all students at that level or in that program. Hours will vary depending upon the major. Core and major requirements are usually stated in terms of specific courses or lists of courses from which any course chosen will meet the requirement. The “list” may actually be a defined set such as lower-level courses or upper-level courses; courses in the department, in the program, or in the college; or courses identified by one or more course, program, or department codes.
Elective courses may involve a greater or lesser degree of student choice. A general elective course could be one that is needed to complete the number of hours required for the degree when no other requirements remain to be met. A free elective course may be one that is not needed to complete either course requirements or hour requirements.
Corequisite. A course that must be taken at the same time as the course described.
Course. A unit of academic instruction.
Course Deficiencies. Lacking required units of study in high school. Find out more in the Placement and Proficiency portion of the Enrollment Services section of the catalog.
Course Load. The number of semester credit hours a student may schedule in a given term.
Credit Hour. See Academic Policy 1200.40 for university's credit hour definition.
Cumulative Grade-Point Average. An average computed by dividing the total number of grade points earned by the total number of credit hours attempted in all courses for which grades (rather than marks) are given.
Curriculum. A program of courses comprising the formal requirements for a degree in a particular field of study.
Degree Program. The program of study defined by sets of academic requirements that lead to a degree that the university is authorized to offer. Undergraduate degree requirements are typically stated in terms of numbers of credit hours and specific courses at university, college/school, and discipline levels. Graduate degree requirements are typically stated in terms of numbers of credit hours and specific courses at discipline levels. Examples are a Bachelor of Science degree program, which typically has a minimum of 120 hours; a Master of Arts degree program, which typically has a minimum of 30 hours; and a Doctor of Philosophy degree program, which has a minimum of 72 graduate semester credit hours beyond the bachelor's degree and 42 graduate-only semester hours beyond the master's degree.
Department. Division of faculty or instruction within a college, such as Department of Accounting within the Sam M. Walton College of Business.
Dependent Major. See Second Major below. A dependent major, sometimes referred to as a second major, requires a complete set of primary discipline-specific requirements in a discipline in which only a dependent major may be earned. A dependent major must be earned secondarily in a degree program in which the first major is one authorized to be given independently. Typically, a minimum of 30 hours is earned in each major area or discipline. Examples of dependent major areas are Asian studies, African and African American studies, Middle East studies, and Latin American and Latino Studies. An example is a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in political science and a dependent major in Middle East studies. The dependent major is always listed second on the transcript.
Dissertation/Thesis Research. Research conducted and submitted in support of candidature for a degree or professional qualification; a formal treatise presenting the results of study submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements of an advanced degree; process requires intensive interaction between student and professor.
Double Degree Program. A program of study that includes one set of university requirements and two sets of college or school and primary discipline-specific requirements and leads to two different bachelor’s degrees with two different majors. Such a program could, for example, lead to a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in chemistry and a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering degree. Such programs are comparatively rare, and hours required to complete them vary, depending upon overlap in requirements.
Double Major.1 The two complete sets of primary discipline-specific requirements (typically consisting of a minimum of 30 hours each) constituting the two majors within a program of study leading to one bachelor’s degree with two complete majors. For example, a Bachelor of Arts degree with a double major in Spanish and French.
Drill. Supplemental instruction or practice using repetition or discussion.
Drop/Add. Dropping or adding of select courses while still remaining enrolled in the university. This can only be done during specified times as published in the academic calendar. See also Withdrawal below.
Eight-Semester Degree Completion Program. Most majors offered by the University of Arkansas can be completed in eight semesters, and the university provides plans that show students which classes to take each semester in order to finish in eight semesters. A few undergraduate majors either require a summer internship or fieldwork or are five-year professional programs, and may therefore not qualify for the eight-semester degree completion program.
Elective. Elective courses may involve a greater or lesser degree of student choice. A general elective course could be one that is needed to complete the number of hours required for the degree when no other requirements remain to be met. A free elective course may be one that is not needed to complete either course requirements or hour requirements.
Equivalent. A course allowed in place of a similar course in the same academic discipline. May require approval by an academic dean.
Externship. See Apprenticeship/Externship above.
Fees. Charges, additional to tuition, that cover specific university services, programs, facilities, activities and/or events. Find out more in the undergraduate Fee and Cost Estimates section or the graduate Fee and Cost Estimates section.
Field of Study. The primary discipline-specific (or multidisciplinary or interdisciplinary) set of requirements in a graduate program of study. The field of study typically consists of a minimum of 30 hours at the master’s degree level, of 30 hours beyond the master’s degree at the educational specialist level, and of 96 hours for the doctor of education degree. Field of study hour requirements vary more widely for the doctor of philosophy degree, but 60 hours is typical. For example, a Master of Arts degree in history, a Master of Arts in Teaching degree in teacher education, an Education Specialist degree in curriculum and instruction, a Doctor of Education degree in higher education, a Doctor of Philosophy degree in business administration.
Field Studies. Hands-on study undertaken outside the laboratory or place of learning, usually in a natural environment or among the general public. Examples may include archeological and geological field studies.
Focused Studies. A set of courses that a student may elect to take as part of the major requirements that provides focus in a particular area related to the major. Completing a focused study is not required for the major, but serves as a guide for students who want to further specialize their studies. Focused studies do not need ADHE approval and do not appear on the transcript.
Grade Points. Points per semester hour assigned to a grade (not a mark), indicating numerical value of the grade. The grade-point average indicates overall performance and is computed by dividing the total number of grade points earned by the number of semester hours attempted.
Grade Sanction(s). A penalty for academic dishonesty. Grade sanctions may consist of either a grade of zero or a failing grade on part or all of a submitted assignment or examination or the lowering of a course grade, or a failing grade of XF to denote failure by academic dishonesty.
Hazing. Any activity that is required of an individual that may cause mental or physical stress and/or embarrassment when in the process of joining or belonging to any organization.
Independent Study. Project collaboratively designed by the instructor and student to pursue an area of study not covered by the established curriculum; typically completed without class attendance but through formal supervision by an instructor.
Internship. A formal program that provides practical experience in an occupation or profession; applied, monitored, and supervised, field-based learning experience for which the student may or may not be paid; may include field work/experience, supervised courses, student teaching, and cooperative education; provides opportunities for students to gain experience in a career field.
Intersession. A two-week mini-session that is held at the beginning of the regular fall, spring, and summer terms. Coursework during an intersession is very concentrated and intensive. Intersession classes are not available to new freshmen.
Laboratory. Course meeting in a defined physical setting for the hands-on application of methods and principles of a discipline; credit-bearing section which requires a registration separate from the lecture component of the course.
Lecture. A class session in which an instructor speaks on a specific topic.
Lecture/laboratory. Lecture course which integrates a lab component as part of the same course registration.
Major. The primary discipline-specific (or multidisciplinary or interdisciplinary) set of requirements in an undergraduate program of study. The major typically consists of a minimum of 30 hours and identifies by name a specific degree area. For example, a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in English or a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree with a major in accounting.
Minor. The lesser set of discipline-specific (or multidisciplinary or interdisciplinary) requirements in an undergraduate program of study. The minor typically consists of a minimum of 15 hours or more in a designated discipline.
Noncredit Course. A course for which no credit is given. (Some credit courses will not count toward degrees.)
Overload. A course load of more semester hours than a student is normally permitted to schedule in a given period.
Practicum. Involves supervised activities emphasizing practical application of theory, especially one in which a student gains exposure to a field of study; generally required as part of the program curriculum.
Pre-Professional Requirements. The set of course, hour, and other academic requirements that must be completed before entry into a school, a program of study, or an advanced level of a program of study, either at the U of A or at another institution.
Prerequisite. A course or requirement that must be completed before the term when the described course is taken.
Private Study. Involves individual instruction with regular meetings; one-to-one demonstration, performance critique, music, fine arts or performing arts are examples.
Readings. A course where the instructor assigns readings and facilitates discussion at regular class meetings.
Registration. Enrollment at the beginning or prior to the beginning of a semester, including selection of classes and payment of fees and tuition.
Research. Research conducted that is independent of that done for a dissertation or thesis.
Sanction(s). The penalty for noncompliance to a policy. Usually a response that will redirect the individual or group’s inappropriate behavior, encourage responsible judgment and ethical reasoning, protect the community’s property and rights, and affirm the integrity of the institution’s conduct standards.
Section. A division of a course for instruction. A course may be taught in one or more sections or classes or at different times, depending on enrollment in the course.
Second Major. Refer to the Dependent Major entry.
Semester Credit Hour. Unit of measure of college work. One semester credit hour is normally equivalent to one hour of class work or from two to six hours of laboratory work per week for a semester.
Seminar. Involves a small group of students engaged in advanced study and original research under a member of the faculty and meeting regularly to exchange information and hold discussions; highly focused and topical course; may include student presentations and discussions of reports based on literature, practices, problems, or research.
Special Problems. Individualized investigation of topics or case studies in a specific field under the supervision of an instructor for the purpose of enhancing or illuminating the regular curriculum.
Special Topics. An organized course devoted to a particular issue in a specific field; course content is not necessarily included in the regular curriculum for the major.
State Minimum Core. See University Core below.
Student Number. A number given to each student as a permanent identification number for use at the university.
Studio Course. Involves the application of design and theory in a defined physical setting; students explore and experiment under the guidance of an instructor.
Summer Sessions. Periods of time during the summer when course work is offered. (Go to the Academic Calendar for specific times and dates.)
Syllabus. An outline or summary of the main points of a course of study, lecture, or text.
Telecommunications. Course that utilizes technology in conveying teaching material. This only includes courses that use technology as the primary delivery method of course content, not courses that simply use technology to support another delivery method. These are distant education courses that generally uses one or more of the following technologies to deliver instruction to students who are separated from the instructor and to support regular and substantive interaction between the students and the instructor, synchronously or asynchronously. The technologies used may include:
- The Internet;
- One-way and two-way transmissions through open broadcast, closed circuit, cable, microwave, broadband lines, fiber optics, satellite, or wireless communications devices;
- Audio-conferencing, etc.; or
- Videocassettes, DVDs, and CD-Roms, if the videocassettes, DVDs, or CD-Roms are used in conjunction with any of the technologies listed in the first three options
Thesis Research. See Dissertation/Thesis Research above.
Track. A subdivision of a concentration that a student must select and fulfill to complete the requirements of the concentration. Examples are the portfolio and thesis tracks within the specialist concentration in the Master of Arts in English degree. Tracks will print on the transcript.
Transcript. A complete record of the student's enrollment and academic history at the University of Arkansas, including all undergraduate, graduate, and law courses.
Tuition. The charge for university enrollment and registration, calculated per credit hour each semester. Tuition rates may vary depending on a student’s resident status, undergraduate or graduate standing, and college affiliation. Tuition does not include cost of room and board. Additional charges will apply depending on student status. See the entry for Fees above.
UAConnect. The online database that maintains student, faculty and staff records and class schedules.
Undeclared Major. Designation indicating students who have not selected a major.
Undergraduate Study. Work taken toward earning an associate or a baccalaureate degree.
University Core. The state of Arkansas specifies a number of core courses that students must successfully pass to obtain a degree. These are also sometimes referred to as the State Minimum Core. Find out more in the Requirements for Graduation and University Core portions of the Academic Regulations section.
Withdrawal. Official withdrawal from all courses during a semester at the university.
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In establishing the official count of degrees awarded by the U of A, the Arkansas Department of Higher Education will count only one degree (major) for each student who completes a degree with double or combined majors. U of A staff may note in which major the degree is counted. Two degrees are counted only if the student completes two separate degree programs, a Master of Arts and a Master of Science, for instance.