Glossary

Academic Division - A teaching unit with faculty who perform the regular duties of instruction, research, and service in all matters relating to curricular and educational policies of the unit. Academic divisions require (1) an individual budget; (2) an administrative officer; (3) an authorized faculty; and (4) a set of courses with a designated prefix ordinarily leading to undergraduate or graduate degrees.

Academic Honors (Latin Honors) - Recognition of outstanding achievement by a degree recipient, according to standards established by the Board of Trustees and as noted on the official transcript.

Academic Program - Any combination of courses and/or requirements leading to a degree or certificate awarded by Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University.

Accelerated Program - A bachelor degree program design to allows degree-seekers to complete their graduation requirements in less time than traditionally necessary.

Badge - Academic badges are awarded for professionally oriented courses designed to provide recognition that the student has completed coursework in an applied area of focus.

Certificate – An academic program of 6 to 29 credits typically completed in two years or less. These programs focus on the development of professional skills needed to work in a specific field/discipline. Certificates may be offered at the undergraduate or graduate level.
Common Coursework - A set of courses as defined by the individual school that are a required component of a student’s academic degree program and are common to all tracks or concentration within.

Concentration - A structured plan of study within a graduate degree program. The number of semester hours within a concentration may vary but is included with the semester hours required in the degree program. The concentration designation appears on the official transcript.

Continuing Education - Non-academic offerings that prepare people for employment, help workers advance in their careers and ensure a skilled workforce.

Corequisites - Course(s) or other requirement(s) that a student must take at the same time as another course or requirement.
 
Course - A course is a unique combination of title, course number, credit hours, and other course attributes that may include terms offered, cross listed delineation, and/or pre- or co-requisites.

Credit Hour - One credit hour equals a minimum of 15 clock hours of classroom or direct faculty instruction (lecture/theory) and a minimum of two hours of out of class student work per week for a 15 week semester or four hours of out of class student work per week for an eight week term OR a minimum of 45 clock hours of clinical, lab or practicum.

Cross-Listed Course - A single course offered for registration under two or more departments or programs.

Degree - An award requiring at least 30 credit hours granted by the Board of Trustees as official recognition of the successful completion of a prescribed course of study.

Distance Education – Distance education is a formal educational process in which the majority of instruction (interaction between students and instructors and among students) in the course occurs when the students and instructors are not in the same place. Instruction may be synchronous or asynchronous.

Dual Degree: Accelerated Program - Designated programs arranged between undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Students apply separately to and must be accepted by both programs. The curricula of dual degree programs are not integrated. Students complete all curricular requirements of each program.
The programs may allow special coordination of scheduling or allocation of electives. Upon successful completion of each component of the dual degree program, students will receive the degree specific to that component. (ex. B.S./ M.M.S. (3+2)

Face-to-Face Course - In this modality, the course is taught in the traditional synchronous, on campus format for 50% or more of the expected course seat time. Such courses may still utilize technology, such as online resources and activities, or other classroom strategies, but these activities are not meant to replace in-class seat time.

Full-time Student - Undergraduate: a student enrolled in 12 or more credit hours during the Fall or Spring semesters or a minimum of 6 credit hours in during the summer semester. Students enrolled in a clinical program are considered full-time if enrolled in a minimum of 9 credit hours during the Fall or Spring semesters and 6 credit hours during the summer semester. Graduate: a student enrolled for 9 or more semester credit hours during the Fall or Spring semesters and a minimum of 6 credit hours during the summer semester.

Guaranteed Admission - The process offering students guaranteed admissions into their professional program as long as academic criteria are met

Hybrid Course - In this distance education modality, the course is taught in the traditional synchronous campus format for less than 50% of the expected course seat time. The relationship between the online and face to face sessions are carefully planned to make the most use of in-class discussions and can provide students with a deeper understanding of the materials.

Major - A major represents an undergraduate degree-seeking student's primary field of study, requiring a minimum of 30 discipline (area of study) specific semester hours. The major appears on the official transcript.

Minor - A designated sequence of courses in a discipline or area of undergraduate study. A minor is typically 18 credit hours and is independent of the student's major. Minors appear on the official transcript upon degree conferral.
 
Moderate Pace Option - An alternative curricular sequence in a clinical academic program that extends the length of time necessary for completion.

Online Course – This distance education modality utilizes the internet to deliver course content asynchronously. Physical materials, such as a textbook or lab materials, may be required for these courses. There are no set meeting days and times; however, the use of optional strategic synchronous sessions can provide students with a deeper understanding of the material.

Part-time Student - Undergraduate: a student enrolled in less than 12 credit hours during the Fall or Spring semesters or less than 6 credit hours in during the summer semester. Students enrolled in a clinical program are considered part-time if enrolled in a less than 9 credit hours during the Fall or Spring semesters and less than 6 credit hours during the summer semester. Graduate: a student enrolled in less than 9 credit hours during the Fall or Spring semesters and less than 6 credit hours during the summer semester.

Pathway - A clear and coherent structure for highly qualified students to seamlessly and expeditiously advance from undergraduate studies to graduate studies (available for the 3+2 Biol-PA and the 3+3 Biol- DPT).

Post-Baccalaureate Student - A student who has completed and been awarded a baccalaureate degree from an institution of higher education.

Post-Master's Certificate - A certificate program designed for professionals who currently hold a master’s degree to develop focused skills and advance their discipline-specific expertise

Prerequisites - Course(s) or other requirement(s) that a student must take prior to enrolling in a specific course or program.

Remote Course – In this distance education modality, students and faculty meet synchronously at the same time/same day for instruction and learning via a web-conferencing tool such as Zoom.

Track - A coordinated grouping of courses within an undergraduate degree major, typically one-third of a major, representing a sub-specialization or emphasis within a major field. The number of semester hours within a track may vary, but is included with the semester hours required in the major. The track designation appears on the official transcript.

Training Programs - An individual or courses structured to allow students to sit for certification/licensure exams (examples: registered behavior therapist training, phlebotomy training).