THE ABC’S OF SUCCESS IN COLLEGE:

AAOP(Adult Admission Option Program): Permits students who are at least 25 years old and who have been out of school five years or more to enroll in course work without submitting transcripts or scores. Students who complete 18 hours of college-level work with a minimum grade point average of 2.0 may change their status to degree seeking. Contact Office of Admissions, 128 Ezekiel Cullen, for details.

Academic Audit: A computer program that indicates the requirements for a given course of study (major, minor, or core curriculum) and shows which courses the student has taken, and which requirements still need to be fulfilled. An academic audit for some majors is available at https://www.stu.uh.edu/ixpress/academic_audit/major/frame.dml. For a more complete selection of majors, see your academic advisor. Note: An academic audit is not the same as a transcript , a degree plan or an audit.

Academic Advisor: Assists students in course selection and progress toward a degree. Academic advisors assist the student in satisfying the requirements of the TASP test, prepare degree plans, and help guide students through their academic career. Students with declared majors should see the academic advisor in the department of the major. Undeclared students see the advisors in the University Studies Division. A list of major advisors can be found in the front of the printed Class Schedule which is published each semester.

Academic Degree: Official recognition conferred by a college or university attesting that a student has completed a specified course of study, either at the undergraduate or graduate level. Examples are Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.), Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.), and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

Academic Freedom: The right of instructors to study controversial issues and express unpopular points of view without the threat of job loss, so long as students’ safety and rights are maintained. The controversial material should be relevant, not extraneous to the subject at hand.

Academic Fresh Start: A program whereby a current or former University of Houston student can have course work that is more than ten years old removed from consideration for any academic purpose. See http://www.uh.edu/academics/catalog/general/acade2.html#fresh.

Academic Honesty: The ethical standards expected in conducting academic work. Violations of these standards include any conduct that a reasonable person in the same or similar circumstances would recognize as dishonest or improper in an academic setting, such as obtaining test questions or answers to questions and responses to assigned work in any fashion other than that designated as proper by the instructor of the class involved, falsifying records and results of academic work, or falsely presenting someone else’s work as one’s own. For details of the University's Academic Honesty policy, see the current Student Handbook, in print edition.

Academic Probation: The academic status given to students whose cumulative grade point average falls below 2.0 (except for first semester freshmen, see above).

Academic Status: Designates the student's situation with regard to grade point average. Students with a cumulative GPA of 2.00 or above are considered to be in good academic standing; students with a cumulative GPA of less than 2.00 are placed on academic probation and are subject to academic suspension. However, first-semester freshmen whose GPA is less than 2.0 are placed on academic notice instead of probation.

Academic Suspension: A period of enforced non-attendance at UH as a result of low grades. A student is put on academic suspension if, while on academic probation, his or her grade point average is below 2.0 for any single semester. First-time suspension is for one semester, counting the summer session; second suspensions are for one calendar year. After a third suspension, the student is ineligible to return to the University of Houston.

Academic Year: A 12-month period consisting of the fall semester, spring semester, and summer semesters in that order, and identified by the first calendar year in the sequence. Thus the 2002 academic year consists of Fall 2002, Spring 2003, and Summer I-IV, 2003.

Accreditation: The method whereby a university, or a college or school within the university, is certified as maintaining professional standards. Accreditation organizations are composed of peer institutions in the pertinent field. The University of Houston is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools as a Level VI, General postsecondary institution. For accreditation information on programs within the university, see http://www.uh.edu/academics/catalog/general/majors.html#ACC.

ACT (American College Testing Program): A test designed to assess educational development and readiness to complete college-level work. The ACT tests English, mathematics, reading, and science reasoning. UH uses ACT scores as part of the undergraduate admissions decision. See http://www.uh.edu/academics/catalog/general/admis.html#admisreq and http://www.act.org/aap/index.html.

Add/Drop Period: The period during which students may add courses to or drop courses from their schedule, via VIP or online enrollment services. The add-drop period is the first week of the long semesters, less during summer school. There is no additional tuition charge to drop one course and add another during this period, so long as the total number of hours does not change. Some courses, however, may have lab fees or other charges attached.

Adjunct Faculty: Faculty whose primary employment is outside the classroom (either in the community or within the university), but who bring a specific professional expertise to the academic program.

Admission: The process of applying for and receiving permission to attend the University of Houston. Approval for undergraduate admission is not automatic but is based on high school grades; test scores, such as ACT or SAT; or, in the case of transfer students, grade point average at the school or schools previously attended. Requirements also vary for certain colleges and departments, such as the Cullen College of Engineering, the C. T. Bauer College of Business, and the Department of Computer Science in the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. See UH Admissions Office

Advanced Courses: Undergraduate courses offered at the junior and senior level, with course numbers in the range of 3000, 4000 or 5000.

Advanced Placement (AP): A program of courses and examinations sponsored by the College Board which can certify a high school student as having mastered a body of college-level work. Generally, students who take and pass an AP examination with a score of 3, 4, or 5 receive college credit for the course in question. Note: Taking the course alone is not sufficient to earn credit; the student must take the examination and earn the requisite score. For more information, see http://www.collegeboard.com/ap/students/index.html.

Alumnus, Alumna (pl., Alumni, Alumnae): A graduate or graduates of a particular college or university.

Articulation: The process whereby college credit earned at one school is designated as equivalent to a certain course or courses at a second school. For example, a student who has earned credit for ENGL 1301 at an area community college will receive credit for ENGL 1303 upon transferring to the University of Houston.

Articulation Agreement: A formal agreement between two institutions of higher education that allows specified credit earned at the first school to be used to fulfill certain requirements of majors or programs at the second school. UH has Articulation Agreements with area community colleges in order to facilitate the completion at UH of work toward a degree begun at the community college level. These agreements specify which courses will transfer and the courses to which they will be considered equivalent. Note that course credit from four-year colleges and universities also transfers to UH, but without an articulation agreement. See articulation, above, also core curriculum, and transfer credit.

Assessment: At the institutional level, evaluation of a program, project or initiative in order to determine its effectiveness. At the student level, assessment includes admissions, placement, credit by exam, diagnostic, and psychological testing services. For assessment services available at UH, see http://www.uh.edu/academics/catalog/general/studentserv.html#las.

Associate Degree (AA or AS Degrees):A two-year degree, such as Associate of Arts (AA) or Associate of Applied Science (AS), offered by community colleges. The University of Houston does not offer associate degrees.

Attempted Hours: In calculating grade point average, course work for which a student earns a letter grade of "A", "A-", "B+", "B", "B-", "C+", "C", "C-", "D+", "D", "D-", or "F". For purposes of financial aid, however, the grade of "W" counts as an attempt when calculating the ratio of completed courses. See http://www.uh.edu/academics/catalog/general/sfa.html#academic. Some colleges and departments also count "Ws" when calculating the number of times a student has attempted a specific course or group of courses. Students should check with their department or academic advisor regarding specific situations.

Attrition: In academia, the number of students who leave a college or university prior to graduating.

"B or Better" Rule: Provides that a student who has failed a section of the TASP Test and subsequently completed remediation may satisfy the TASP requirement by earning a grade of B- or better in certain designated courses. For example, a student who fails the Writing section of TASP may satisfy the requirement by earning a B- or better in Engl. 1303, 1304, 1309, or 1310. Transfer students from out-of-state or from a private college or university may apply the "B or Better" Rule to course work already taken in order to satisfy TASP requirements.

Baccalaureate degree: Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Bachelor of Music (B.M.), Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.), Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.), or any other bachelor's degree. This is not the same as or equivalent to an Associate degree (A.A. or A.S.).

Catalog: An official document of the university, stating admission and academic requirements, courses of study, colleges and majors, course descriptions and prerequisites, etc. A catalog may be either undergraduate or graduate. Undergraduate catalogs are available either at the UC bookstore or online at http://www.uh.edu/academics/catalog/. Graduate catalogs are available only online, at http://www.uh.edu/grad_catalog/.

Catalog Year: The year in which a university catalog (graduate or undergraduate), takes effect, together with the requirements and regulations prescribed therein. With some exceptions, students are entitled to graduate under the catalog that was in effect during the first semester of their matriculation. See http://www.uh.edu/academics/catalog/general/acade3.html#grad_catalog.

Certification: A formal declaration that an individual has met the requirements to practice a particular occupation (such as teaching), which generally include a course of study and a standardized examination. See certification program for additional options available to UH students.

Classification: A designation of progress toward an undergraduate degree: freshmen are students who have earned fewer than 30 credit hours; sophomores, 30-59; juniors, 60-89, and seniors, 90+.

CLEP (College Level Examination Program) Test: A test taken to demonstrate mastery in a particular academic course. CLEP courses may, in some cases, be used to earn academic credit outside the classroom. Contact University Testing Services, 204 Student Service Center, or check with the academic department for details.

Co-enrollment: Concurrent enrollment in high school and college work; also known as dual enrollment.

College: An academic division of the University, comprised of academic departments and offering specialized curricula. The thirteen colleges of the University of Houston are Architecture, Business, Education, Engineering, Honors, Hotel and Restaurant Management, Law, Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Optometry, Pharmacy, Graduate School of Social Work, and Technology. See also school. Alternatively, the term college refers to an institution of higher education that offers only undergraduate courses and confers only undergraduate degrees (i.e., baccaulaureate or associate degress).

Colloquium: An academic conference or meeting organized around a particular topic or field of interest. See also symposium.

Commencement: Graduation exercises, at which academic degrees are formally conferred. At the University of Houston, General Commencement occurs at the conclusion of the spring semester. See also convocation.

Concentration: An area of specialization within a student’s major, such as a major in Communications with a concentration in journalism.

Concurrent Degrees: Degrees earned in two different disciplines simultaneously. This is not the same as a double major. See dual degrees.

Concurrent Enrollment: The process of taking courses at two schools, such as the University of Houston and Houston Community College, during the same semester.

Continuing Education: Non-credit courses and adult education programs offered by the University of Houston, focusing on career, professional and personal development. See http://www.uh.edu/academics/dce/ce.htm.

Continuing Student: A student who has previously attended the University of Houston. This includes students who continue from one semester to the next and students who have stopped attending and are returning.

Continuous Enrollment: The condition of enrolling in sequential semesters such that a student’s enrollment at the University of Houston is not discontinued for a period of 13 months. When a student returns after an absence of 13 months or more, the student must proceed under the catalog in effect at the time of his or her return, not the catalog under which the student first entered the university. This policy has implications for changes of major and in other areas as well. Students to whom this policy may apply should see http://www.uh.edu/academics/catalog/general/acade3.html#grad_catalog, and consult the college of their major.

Convocation: The formal gathering of a college at which graduating students are individually recognized. At spring graduations, convocations of the colleges occur following the general commencement, which involves the entire university. Some colleges hold convocations at the conclusion of both fall and spring semesters.

Core Credit: Credit for completing a specific requirement within the core curriculum.

Core Curriculum: A group of courses that must be completed by all undergraduate students in order to receive a bachelor’s degree (baccalaureate). The current Core Curriculum of the University of Houston consists of 42 credit hours. Some courses, such as freshman composition, American history, and American government, are mandatory for all undergraduate students. Other course selection within the Core, such as math and science courses, may depend on the student’s major or course placement. Transfer students who have taken core curriculum courses at another Texas college or university will receive applicable core credit at the University of Houston.

Corequisite: A course that must be taken at the same time as another course. This is not the same as a prerequisite.

Correspondence Course: An early form of distance education, in which there are no classroom meetings and students submit examinations and assignments via regular mail. UH does not offer correspondence courses but will accept a maximum of 18 semester hours of transfer credit earned via correspondence courses. See http://www.uh.edu/academics/catalog/general/admis.html#caec.

Cougar 1 Card: The University of Houston’s student identification card, also used for library privileges, email accounts, and as a debit card.

Course Load: The number of semester hours in which a student is enrolled. A student must carry a course load of at least 12 semester hours during the long semesters (fall and spring) in order to be considered full-time.

Credit Hour: The amount of course credit generally measured by class time in a long semester (15 weeks) equivalent to one hour per week. The typical university lecture course earns 3 credit hours and meets 3 hours per week. Full-time enrollment consists of 12 or more credit hours per semester. An undergraduate degree may require from 120 to 130 or more credit hours. See semester hour.

Cross-Listed Course: A course that is offered for credit in two different academic departments but is physically the same class, e.g., "Greek Classics in Translation," which is offered both as ENGL 4380 and CLAS 4380; "Latin Classics in Translation," offered as ENGL 4381 and CLAS 4381; and "Writing Holocausts: The Literatures of Genocide," FREN 3364 and GERM 3364. A course with a single departmental prefix may also be cross-listed if it is available to fulfill major or minor requirements in a second field. For example, HIST 3331, "African-American History Since 1865," is cross-listed to the African-American Studies Program (AAS), and may be used to satisfy minor requirements in AAS as well as major or minor requirements in history.

Cumulative Grade Point Average : The total number of grade points earned by a student, divided by the number of credit hours attempted.

Dean’s List: A recognition given by the colleges each semester to outstanding students. To qualify, an undergraduate must earn a 3.5 minimum grade point average (the grade of "S" does not count). The number of hours a student must carry to qualify (generally either 9 or 12) varies by college. Students who earn a grade of "I" (except in a senior honors thesis course), "D", "F", or "U" during the semester are excluded from consideration for the Dean’s List. For more details, consult the catalog for the college of the major, or contact the office of the dean.

Degree Plan: A formal statement of requirements a student must complete in order to graduate. To be official, a degree plan must be certified by the college of the student’s major, and should be filed by the time a student has earned 60 hours credit_hours. See academic_audit. Note that an academic audit by itself does not constitute a degree plan.

Degree Revocation: A college or university’s action to invalidate a degree previously awarded, when that degree is found to have been earned through deceit, fraud, or misrepresentation. The University of Houston reserves the right to revoke degrees, decertify credit and rescind certifications in such cases. See http://www.uh.edu/dos/hdbk/acad/degrevoc.html

Dental School Admissions Test (DAT): A test required of all students who intend to apply to dental school, generally taken in the spring of the junior year. The test contains four sections: Survey of the Natural Sciences, Perceptual Ability, Reading Comprehension, and Quantitative Reasoning. the student's scores are one factor in the admissions decision. See http://www.ada.org/prof/ed/testing/dat.asp or consult the University Studies Division's Pre-Professional Studies program.

Dependent: An individual (student) who is claimed for federal income tax purposes by the student's parent or guardian at the time of registration and for the tax year preceding the year in which the individual registers. Whether a student is a dependent carries implications for determination of Texas resident or non-resident status, which in turn affects the student's tuition rate. See http://www.uh.edu/academics/catalog/general/admis.html#residreg.

Developmental Course: A course designed to remediate an area of academic weakness and to prepare the student to take college level work. Developmental courses, such as ENGL 1300, MATH 1300, and READ 1300, carry no credit toward any degree; they do, however, count toward enrollment hours in determining full-time or part-time status.

Disciplinary Suspension: A period of forced nonattendance, either temporary or permanent, at the University of Houston, resulting from unsatisfactory conduct. This is not the same as academic suspension. See also disciplinary probation.

Discipline: An area of academic study, together with the intellectual and research protocols it accepts or requires. See also department and major.

Dissertation: A substantial scholarly paper required of candidates for the Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy) degree. See thesis.

Distance Education: Credit and non-credit (see continuing education) courses offered in off-campus locations or via various technologies. UH Distance Education offers courses via television (KUHT/Channel 8), cable, videotape, and online, in addition to classroom instruction at four remote sites: UH System at Cinco Ranch, UH System at Sugar Land, North Houston Institute, and the University Center at The Woodlands. Distance Education for-credit courses are taught by UH-Central faculty as well as System faculty from other UH campuses, and are fully applicable toward graduate or undergraduate degrees. Students interested in enrolling in a course offered via technology should contact the department offering the course. See http://www.uh.edu/academics/catalog/general/special_programs.html and http://www.uh.edu/uhdistance/.

Double Major: A course of study that contains two equal areas of interest, such as philosophy and political science. Note that both majors must lead to the same degree, such as B.A. or B.S. A student cannot double major, for instance in English (for which only a B.A. is possible) and Chemical Engineering (for which only a B.S. is possible). Students with a double major do not generally have a minor. See http://www.uh.edu/academics/catalog/general/acade3.html#double.

Drop: The act of withdrawing from a single course, with or without a grade, without withdrawing from all courses. Each semester has two drop deadlines: before the first deadline, students may drop a course without a grade; between the first and second deadlines, students may drop but will be awarded a grade of "W" (withdraw passing) or "F" (withdraw failing). After the second deadline, students may no longer drop a course. The last day to drop a course and get any refund is the 12th class day, which occurs before the first drop date. If a student stops attending but doesn't drop, the instructor has the discretion to either drop the student with a "W", or to fail him/her. Not to be confused with the dropping of all courses, which constitutes withdrawal from the university.

Dual Degree: A program whereby a student may earn degrees in two separate fields and/or from two different institutions simultaneously, usually by taking fewer hours than would be required for separate majors in the two fields. This is not the same thing as a double major. The University of Houston does not offer dual degrees at the undergraduate level. For dual degree options at the professional and graduate level, contact the college or school and see http://www.uh.edu/grad_catalog/colleges.html.

Dual Enrollment: Concurrent enrollment in high school and college course work; see also co-enrollment.

Early Admission (also known as Early Decision): The practice of certain private universities whereby a student commits to attend the school if accepted, and the school makes the admission decision at a date earlier than the normal admissions process. The University of Houston does not practice early admission/early decision.

Early Enrollment: Enrollment at a university without completing all high school work, such as omitting the senior year. The student must have required ACT or SAT scores and the permission of his or her high school.

Elective: A course that is not required for a particular major. The term “elective” is relative to the student’s course of study; that is, a course that is required for one student may serve as an elective for another. Most, but not all, degree programs permit elective hours to be applied to the degree.

English as a Second Language (ESL): Courses offered to non-native speakers of English who are not UH stduents in order to improve English proficiency. A student who has cmpleted through the 6th level of ESL courses may use that completion, in lieu of the required TOEFL score, in applying for admission to the University of Houston. Non-native speakers of English who are current UH students may take the University Service courses to further improve their communication skills; contact the Language and Culture Center, 116 Roy Cullen and see http://www.uhsa.uh.edu/Pages/UHS/iip.htm#C4.2

Enrollment: The process of registering for a course or courses; alternatively, the number of students in a course. See also registration.

FERPA (Family Education Rights and Privacy Act): A law that protects the privacy of student records, such that colleges and universities can release only directory information to third parties without the student’s consent. Students who do not want their directory information released should contact the Office of Registration and Academic Records, 108 Ezekiel Cullen. See http://www.uh.edu/academics/catalog/general/ and http://www.uh.edu/dos/hdbk/acad/ferpa.html

Final Exam: A major examination in a course, given at a designated time during finals week, and generally counting for a substantial percentage of the student’s semester grade.

Freshman Orientation: A two-day series of meetings and events designed to familiarize incoming freshmen with the University of Houston and provide a preview of college life. For information, contact the office of the Dean of Students, 252 University Center.

Full-Time Student: A student who is enrolled in at least 12 semester hours during a fall or spring semester, at least 4 semester hours in Summer I or Summer IV, or at least 8 semester hours in Summer II or Summer III.

GED (General Education Development Diploma): A high school equivalency certificate awarded upon successful completion of an examination. The GED measures academic skills in writing, social studies, science, interpreting literature and the arts, and mathematics. Admission of students with a GED to the University of Houston is contingent upon submission of transcripts and appropriate test scores.

Grade: The measure of a student's academic performance in a course. The significance of grades awarded is as follows:

Grade Points: The value assigned each grade that may be given for a course. On this scale, "A" = 4 points, "A-" = 3.67, "B+" = 3.33, "B" = 3, "B-" = 2.67, "C+" = 2.33, "C" = 2, "C-" = 1.67, "D+" = 1.33, "D" = 1, "D-" = .67, and "F" = 0. Grades of "S", "U", "I", and "W" carry no grade points and do not affect a student's grade point average.

Grade Point Average (GPA): A measure of the quality of academic work. To figure the grade point average for a semester, multiply the number of credit hours for each course by the grade points allocated for each grade earned. Then divide that number by the total number of credit hours.

Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT): A test commonly required of prospective graduate students in Business Aministration and Accountancy. The test consists of three sections: verbal, quantitative, and an analytical writing assessment. See http://www.mba.com/mba/TaketheGMAT/

Graduate Record Examination (GRE): An admission test commonly required of prospective student graduate students in the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, engineering, and some other fields. The GRE consists of verbal, quantitative, and analytical writing sections. See http://www.gre.org/splash.html

Graduate Student: A student who has completed a baccalaureate degree and is pursuing a graduate degree (e.g., M.A., M.S., Ph.D.) or a professional degree (e.g., M.B.A., L.L.B, M.S.W.).

Graduation with Honors: A distinction awarded to undergraduate students who meet all graduation requirements and complete their last 66 hours at the University of Houston with a designated grade point average. In addition, the student must have a 3.0 cumulative grade point average for all college work attempted. The designations are as follows:

Humanities: Fields of study concerned with human culture and endeavor, such as literature and language, philosophy, and history.

In Progress: A grade used in the developmental courses, ENGL 1300, MATH 1300, and READ 1300, to indicate that a student has not yet completed the material. This grade is indicated by a dot (.) and does not affect the student's grade point average.

Incomplete: A temporary and conditional grade an instructor may give when a student is passing a course but, for reasons beyond the student’s control, lacks a small portion of the course work for the semester. Students who receive an I in a course should contact the instructor for instructions on making up the work. Students who receive an I should NOT re-register for the same course. A grade of "I" that is not completed within a calendar year becomes an "F". See http://www.uh.edu/academics/catalog/general/acade2.html#grades.

Independent Study: A course of specialized study pursued for academic credit, under guidance of a professor.

Interdisciplinary Studies: A combination of courses from different but related fields, which may, in certain circumstances, be used as a major or a minor:

· Students in the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences may choose an interdisciplinary major in Classical Studies, German Area Studies, Italian Studies, or Russian Studies. An interdisciplinary minor in German Area Studies is also available. See a college advisor and http://www.uh.edu/academics/catalog/las/las_degree_lang.html

· Students in the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences may also choose an interdisciplinary minor in American Cultures. Se a college advisor and http://www.class.uh.edu/amcult/ Also an interdisciplinary certificate program in Cognitive Science is available to graduate students in Philosophy, Communication Disorders, Psychology, and related fields. Interested students should see their advisor and http://www.class.uh.edu/cogsci/

Students interested in an interdisciplinary program not listed above should consult an advisor in the relevant college.

International Student: A student who attended high school abroad, is not a permanent U.S. resident, and is in the U.S. on an F-1 or other student visa. All applicants from non-English-speaking countries must take the TOEFL and score at least 550 (213 on computerized version), in order to be admitted to the university. See http://www.uh.edu/academics/catalog/general/admis.html#intadmis.

Internship: A supervised pre-professional position in a student’s prospective field, either paid or voluntary. An internship can be with a business, a non-profit organization, or in the public sector and generally lasts for one semester. It is frequently possible to earn academic credit for an internship; see your department for details. For more information, contact University Career Services, 100 Student Service Center. See also Cooperative Education and http://www.advancement.uh.edu/ur/internship/.

Laboratory: A course, or portion of a course, devoted to experimentation or practical application.

Law School Admission Test (LSAT): A test required of students who intend to apply to law school. the LSAT tests reading and verbal reasoning skills, and the student's score is one factor in the admission decision. See http://www.lsac.org/

Lecture: A course or class session in which an instructor speaks on a specific topic or topics. In some instances, such as mathematics or science, a lecture course may also include or require a laboratory or recitation.

Lecturer: Faculty hired to teach on a per-semester or per-year basis, usually less than full-time. Lecturers hold M.A. or Ph.D. degrees and, unlike teaching assistants (TA's), are not students at the University of Houston.

Licensure: The post-academic process of being certified to practice in a particular field, generally requiring the candidate to pass an examination, such as the C.P.A. exam for accountants.

Lower Division Courses: Undergraduate courses offered at the freshman or sophomore level, with course numbers in the 1000 or 2000 range.

Major: A student's primary course of study. Examples are Mechanical Engineering, English, or Biology.

Masters_Degree: A graduate degree beyond the baccalaureate, generally representing an additional 30 to 36 credit hours and sometimes requiring a thesis (examples of master degrees are M.A., M.S., M.B.A., M.F.A, M.L.S)

Math Placement Test: A test given by the University Testing Service that determines which math course is appropriate for the student. The test, which is generally required for engineering and science majors, may not be taken by incoming students who previously failed the math portion of the TASP test.

Matriculate: To enroll in and be in attendance at an institution of higher education.

Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT): A test required of students who intend to apply to medical school, usually taken in the spring of the junior year. The MCAT includes sections on biology, chemistry, and physics, and the student's score is a factor in the admissions decision. See http://www.aamc.org/students/mcat/start.htm or consult the University Studies Division.

Medical Withdrawal: A withdrawal granted by the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs to a student who must, for documented medical reasons, withdraw from all courses at the University of Houston. Contact the office of Student Academic Support, 109 Ezekiel Cullen, for details.

Mid-Term Exam: A major examination in a course, frequently the first examination of the semester, generally given in the 5^th to 7^th week of class.

Miller Analogies Test (MAT): A test accepted by some graduate programs (such as the University of Houston's College of Hotel and Restaurant Management) and considered as one factor in the admissions decision. See http://www.hbtpc.com/mat/g-matin0.htm

Minor: A secondary course of study, requiring fewer courses than the major. The college of the student’s major must approve the selection of the minor.

Natural Sciences: The sciences used in the study of the physical world, e.g., physics, chemistry, geology, biology, botany.

Non-Credit Course: A course for which no credit hours are earned that apply to a degree. Developmental courses such as ENGL 1300, MATH 1300, and READ 1300, are examples of non-credit courses. These courses do, however, count toward full-time enrollment.

Non-Degree-Seeking Student: A student who is taking courses for personal enrichment or to qualify for entrance into a program of postgraduate or professional study.

OAT: See Optometry Admission Test

On-Line Enrollment: A program available at the University of Houston website by which students may select and enroll in courses, pay tuition and fees, and other services. See http://www.stu.uh.edu/iXpress/Newmenu_sys/srv/intro.dml.

Optometry Admission Test (OAT): A test required of students who intend to apply to optometry school, consisting of sections on the natural sciences, reading comprehension, and quantitative reasoning. The student's score is one factor in the admissions decision. Contact the University of Houston College of Optometry and see http://www.opted.org/info_oat.cfm

Overload: Any number of hours attempted in a single semester that exceeds the maximum normally allowed by the college of the student’s major (or University Studies Division for students without a declared major). Students who wish to take an overload must petition the Office of the Dean for permission. The maximum course load allowed without a petition varies from 12 to 23, according to the college and according to the student’s academic status. See http://www.uh.edu/academics/catalog/general/acade2.html#overload.

Part-Time Student: A student who is enrolled in fewer than 12 semester hours during a fall or spring semester, fewer than 4 semester hours during Summer I or Summer IV, and fewer than 8 semester hours during Summer II or Summer III.

PENNSE (Placement Examination for Nonnative Speakers of English): Determines whether a student is qualified to take freshman composition courses (ENGL 1303 and 1304, ENGL 1309 and 1310). Students who have scored a 4.5 or higher on the TOEFL Essay or 240 on the writing portion of the TASP Test do not need to take the PENNSE.

Petition: A formal request for a specific academic action, such as a change of major or a waiver of a requirement. Petitions must be filed with the office (e.g., department or college ) empowered to grant or refuse the request.

Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT): A test required of tudents who intend to apply to graduate school in pharmacy. The student's score is one factor in the admissions decision. See http://www.tpcweb.com/pse/g-conts0.htm and the College of Pharmacy.

Placement: The process of determining, through a test scores or academic credit, that a student is qualified to take a particular course.

Plagiarism: Using the words of another person without documentation, and thereby claiming them as one’s own. In college courses, plagiarism involves but is not limited to the action of a student submitting as his or her own work a paper entirely or in part written by someone else; submitting a paper in which he or she has included without acknowledgment material by others whether copyrighted or not, printed or recorded; or submitting a paper in which he or she has included without acknowledgment the idea or line of thought developed by others even though the exact words are not used.

Post-baccalaureate student: A student who has completed a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, or other baccalaureate degree. The student may be seeking a second degree, completing prerequisites for professional or graduate programs, or taking courses for personal enrichment.

Practicum: A course designed to give students supervised practical experience in applying previously studied theory in a specialized discipline.

Pre-Professional/ Pre-Professional Studies: Academic work that prepares a student to enter a professional school upon graduation. A student may take preprofessional courses in addition to a major or minor (e.g., a psychology major who takes biology and chemistry courses in order to apply to medical school), or as part of a major or minor, (e.g., a pre-medical student who majors in Biology).

Prerequisite: A course that must be taken and passed prior to enrolling in another course. This is not the same as a corequisite.

Professional School: A school or program at the graduate level that trains students intensively for a particular profession (e.g., law school, medical school, business school).

Progression Student: A student who has earned a degree at the University of Houston and is pursuing a second, higher degree (e.g., B.S., M.S.).

Provost: The chief academic officer of a university. At the University of Houston, the Provost also holds the title of Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs. See UH Office of the Senior VP and Provost site.

Readmission from Academic Suspension: The process of resuming studies at the University of Houston after a period of forced non-attendance due to a low grade point average. Students on suspension must apply for readmission, which is neither automatic nor guaranteed. Students who wish to apply for readmission should contact the college of their major or the University Studies Division.

Recitation Section: A class that is required as part of a course, in addition to the regular lecture section. Recitation sections are smaller than lecture sections, are generally found in mathematics or science courses, and are used to give students the opportunity to go over problems or receive additional explanations.

Registration: The process of enrolling in courses, either via VIP, on-line enrollment, or through the office of Registration and Records (for late registrants only).

Reinstatement: The process of restoring a student’s enrollment in a course or courses from which the student has previously been dropped, such as for late payment of fees. The term “reinstatement of eligibility” refers to the process by which a student who previously has been denied financial aid becomes again eligible for it via appeal, if the student shows evidence of satisfactory academic progress. Contact the Financial Aid Office, 26 E. Cullen, for details.

Remediation: The process of making up a deficit in an academic skill. Students may remediate a weak area by being tutored or by enrolling in and successfully completing a developmental course, such as ENGL 1300, MATH 1300, or READ 1300.

Residence Requirement: The requirement that a student 18 or over, or the family of a student under 18, have resided in the state of Texas for the previous 12-month period prior to registration at the University of Houston in order to qualify for resident status. A student of 18 or over who is not a dependent must have lived and worked in Texas for the 12-month period prior to registration in order to qualify. See http://www.uh.edu/academics/catalog/general/admis.html#residreg.

Resident Assistant (RA): A student who works in a residence hall as a trained staff member and coordinates programming, serves as a resource and referral agent, implements room and area inspections, and helps maintain standards of behavior.

Resident/Non-Resident Status: The determination, for tuition purposes, of whether or not a student is designated as a resident of the state of Texas.

Retention: The number of students who continue to enroll at a campus, rather than transferring, dropping out, or being suspended.

SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test): A set of tests produced by the Educational Testing Service for use in college admissions. The SAT 1 tests verbal and mathematical reasoning; the SAT 2 tests mastery of individual subjects. The University of Houston uses SAT 1 scores as part of the undergraduate admissions decision. See http://www.uh.edu/academics/catalog/general/admis.html#admisreq.

Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory/In Progress: Grades used in the developmental courses, ENGL 1300, MATH 1300, and READ 1300, instead of the usual letter grades. These grades do not affect the student's grade point average.

Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory Option: In some courses, such as physical education, the option a student may exercise to receive a grade of "S" or "U", instead of the usual letter grades.

Scholarship: A monetary award to a college or university student for payment of tuition, course fees, books, or other education-related expenses. Each scholarship has its own criteria, but many are based either on need or on academic merit. For information on scholarships and other forms of financial aid available at UH, see http://www.uh.edu/enroll/sfa/

School: A unit of instruction complete in itself, which may offer graduate or professional training. An example is the Graduate School of Social Work. See also college.

Sciences: Branches of knowledge conducted on objective principles, involving the systematized correlation of and experimentation with phenomena, especially as concerned with the material and functions of the physical universe. See natural sciences.

Section: A division of a course for instruction; a class. A course may be taught in one or more sections, depending on the enrollment in the course.

Semester: A college or university term of specified time during which a course is taught. A given course, e.g., ENGL 1303, earns the same credit whether it is taught in one of the long (Fall or Spring) semesters, or in a shorter, summer semester. During the shorter semesters, weekly classroom time is increased accordingly. UH does not have one-month, “mini” semesters during the Fall-to-Spring school year.

Semester Hour: The unit of college credit by which the amount of course work is measured. Twelve semester hours is the minimum course load for full-time status, and baccalaureate degrees require that the student earn college credit for at least 120 semester hours. Many majors require closer to 130 hours or more.

Senior Honors Thesis or Project: A requirement of members of the Honors College in order to graduate with "University Honors and Honors in Major". Students who complete all other requirements of the Honors College except the honors thesis/project will graduate with "Membership in the Honors College".See http://www.uh.edu/academics/catalog/hon/academic.html A student who is not a member of the Honors College may complete a "Senior Honors Thesis" and graduate with Honors in Major. See also graduation with honors, a separate distinction available to any student who has achieved the required grade point average, whether a member of the Honors College or not. See also http://www.uh.edu/academics/catalog/general/acade3.html#honors.

Social Sciences: Branches of knowledge concerned with human society and social relationships through the application of scientific experimentation and objectivity. These fields include psychology, political science, sociology, anthropology, geography, economics.

Syllabus: A document that describes the content of a course, including assigned readings and problems, examinations, and papers. Instructors generally distribute a syllabus at the beginning of the course; it is the student’s responsibility to follow it throughout the semester and prepare the assignments as indicated.

Symposium: An academic meeting or conference that focuses on a particular subject; or, a collection of papers or essays collected for this purpose. See also colloquium.

TA: see Teaching Assistant

TAAS Test: A series of examinations required of Texas public elementary and secondary school students, discontinued after 2001-02 academic year; also used as an exit exam for high school graduation. Appropriate TAAS scores may be used to exempt an entering freshman from the TASP Test.

TAKS Test: A series of examinations required of Texas public elementary and secondary school students, to be introduced in the academic year 2002-03. Information regarding the use of TAKS exit scores to exempt an entering freshman from the TASP Test is not currently available.

TASP Test (Texas Academic Skills Program): A test required of every student who plans to attend any public institution of higher education in Texas. The only exceptions are students who are TASP Exempt. The test is divided into 3 sections: reading, mathematics, and writing. A student who does not pass a section of the TASP must undertake some form of remediation (either course work or tutoring) before enrolling in college level courses in that area, unless the student qualifies for the course through other placement criteria. The TASP Test is not an Admissions test. A student who is admitted to the University of Houston may attend regardless of TASP scores. See http://www.uh.edu/academics/catalog/general/admis.html#TASP.

TASP Exempt: Students may be TASP Exempt through SAT scores, ACT scores, TAAS scores, or because they started college before the fall of 1989. Some other exemptions may also apply; see hyperlink below. TASP Exemption is all-or-nothing: that is, a student is either exempt from all portions of the TASP or from none. A student who meets the TASP Exemption criteria in only one or two areas must take the entire test. See http://www.uh.edu/academics/catalog/general/admis.html#taspexempt.

Teaching Assistant (TA):A graduate student at UH who either assists a professor with a large section of a course, or who teaches his/her own section of an introductory level course.

Term Paper: In reading courses, a paper of substantial length and subject matter, which is generally due near the end of the semester and constitutes an important part of the student’s grade for the course.

Thesis: In reasoned argument, a proposition to be maintained or proved. Also, a paper of substantial length and content required of students who are a candidate for some graduate degrees. See also dissertation. At the undergraduate level, UH students have the opportunity to write a Senior Honors Thesis and thereby earn Honors in Major.

TOEFL or ITOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language): Required of all nonnative speakers of English who wish to attend the University of Houston, unless they graduated from a high school in the U.S., or have received a baccalaureate or masters degree in the United States. The required score for admission is 550 (213 on the computerized version). Contact University Testing Services, 204 Student Service Center, for information.

Transcript: An official record of a student’s academic work—courses taken, grades earned, credits received--issued by Registration and Records, 108 Ezekiel Cullen. Note that a transcript is not the same as an academic audit or a degree plan.

Transfer Credit: College-level credit earned at one college or university, which a second college or university accepts as applying toward a degree at the second school. A course may transfer either as equivalent to a specific course or as elective credit. Note that, in order for a course to transfer, the student must have received a grade of "C-" or higher. By general agreement, grades of "D" do not transfer. (Students with a major in the College of Technology should check with the college, as some programs there accept nothing lower than a "C" in courses applied to the major.)

Transfer Orientation: A one-day event designed to familiarize entering transfer students with the University of Houston. For information, contact the office of the Dean of Students, 252 University Center.

Transfer Student: A student who transfers college credit earned at one school to a second institution in order to matriculate at the second school.

TSWE (Test of Standard Written English): A placement test used to determine whether a student is qualified to enroll in freshman composition courses (ENGL 1303, 1304, 1309, and 1310). Students who have placed into freshman composition through TASP Writing or ACT scores, or who are TASP Exempt, do not have to take the TSWE.

Upper Division Courses: Undergraduate courses offered at the junior or senior level, with course numbers in the range of 3000, 4000 or 5000. Also known as advanced courses.

VIP (Voice Information Processing): The University of Houston’s touchtone telephone system used to register for courses, to add or drop courses, and to access information such as course grades.

Visiting Student: A student who is taking courses at the University of Houston for transfer to another university where the student is earning a degree.

Withdrawal: The dropping of all courses for which a student is registered at the University of Houston, which may be initiated by either the university or the student. If the withdrawal occurs after the first drop date, a grade of either "W" (withdraw passing) or "F" (withdraw failing) will be assigned. A grade of "F" will be factored into the student's GPA. See http://www.uh.edu/academics/catalog/general/acade2.html#withdrawal. See also medical withdrawal.