Academic Load: A full-time undergraduate takes 12 credit hours or more. A half-time student takes 6 credits. Whatever works for you is the right number. Associate Degree: A 60+ credit hour program which may take two years or longer to complete. Bachelor Degree: A 120+ credit hour program which may take four years or longer to complete. Also called a baccalaureate degree. CLEP/Dantes: A series of tests in various subject areas in which a person can demonstrate knowledge equivalent to that which is covered in introductory level college courses. Satisfactory CLEP/Dantes scores allow a student to receive credit for a course without taking the course. (Dantes tests are administered at USM LAC.) Continuing Education or Non-Matriculated Student: Someone who attends classes at the University but who has not been formally admitted into a degree program. Core Curriculum: Courses which must be completed by all degree candidates regardless of major; intended to provide breadth of exposure to courses in the arts, humanities, sciences, and mathematics. Credit Hour: Short for “semester credit hours,” a measure of the amount of time spent in class. Most lecture courses meet for approximately 3 class hours per week for 15 weeks and award 3 credits upon successful completion. Dean’s List: Recognition for students attaining a GPA of 3.4 or higher during the semester. May be awarded to full-time students after each semester and to part-time students at the end of the academic year. FERPA: The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. This federal law is designed to protect the privacy of parents and students with regard to access of records, and the opportunity for a hearing to challenge records when they are alleged to be inaccurate, misleading, or inappropriate. This act applies to students presently enrolled at USM, former students and alumni, but not to applicants seeking admissions to the institution.
Once a student reaches the age of 18 or matriculates in a post-secondary institution his/her parents no longer have an automatic legal right to examine his/her educational records. It is USM’s policy however, to grant a parental right to access the educational record if the student is considered dependent for tax purposes. Financial Aid: Funds awarded to eligible students for the purpose of attending college, through federal and state grants, workstudy, and loans. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid Form (FAFSA) is a standardized application form used by most schools in the U.S.and may be completed on the web at www.fafsa.ed.gov Full-time: An undergraduate registration status of 12 credits or more. GPA: Grade point average. You will have a semester GPA an accumulative GPA , which is an average of all of your semester GPA's. Incomplete: “I” is recorded on one’s academic transcript when a student has not completed coursework. Eventually, “I’s” will count as “F’s” if requirements are not fulfilled. Interdisciplinary. An approach to learning in which concepts and methods from more than one traditionally defined discipline (such as “English” or “Psychology” or “Biology”) are brought together to enrich understanding of a topic. Interdisciplinarity is central to the USM/Lewiston-Auburn College mission and is reflected in the design and curriculum of all of the undergraduate degree programs originating at USM LAC. Internship: An opportunity for students to earn credits while gaining valuable experience. ITV: Instructional Television System. L: The grade of L may be assigned to students who stopped attending a course without officially dropping it. This will be computed as an F on your transcript. Matriculated: Formally admitted into a degree program. MG: A missing grade which must be resolved with the professor by the end of the subsequent semester, or it is computed into the student’s Grade Point Average as a failing grade. PIN:PIN's are the new numbers given toy you by faculty and indicate approval for your course selection. In order to register for classes each semester you must meet with your faculty advisor and receive your PIN and/or faculty signature. Plagiarism: The use without attribution of languages, ideas, or the organization of ideas not one’s own. Prerequisite: A condition which must be met in order to enroll in a course, usually consisting of courses at a more basic level. Experiencemay sometimes be a substitute for basic courses. Proficiency: Minimum level of skill in English writing and math that must be demonstrated by all students through placement test results, SAT scores or appropriate college courses. Quality Points: Grade points earned for a course, multiplied by the number of credit hours assigned to that course. Syllabus: A course guideline received from the instructor. “W”: Withdrawal after the end of the add/drop period through 60% of a course.
