Glossary

Academic year - The period of time generally extending from September to June; usually equated to two semesters.

Applicant Major - A major that students are classified until prerequisites for full major status are completed; intended major of study.

Associate' degree - An award that normally requires at least 2 but less than 4 years of full-time equivalent college work.

Bachelor's degree - An award that normally requires at least 4 but not more than 5 years of full-time equivalent college-level work.

Budget related enrollment - A course that is state funded and charges regular tuition and fees.

Census - The official reporting date on which an institution must report enrollment data to the State, and other governing bodies. This occurs at third week for fall and spring semester, and at all grade postings summer, fall, and spring.

Certificate - A formal award certifying the satisfactory completion of a postsecondary education program.

Credit Course - A course that, if successfully completed, can be applied toward the number of courses required for achieving a degree, certificate, diploma, or other formal award.

Degree - An award conferred the university as official recognition for successful completion of a program of studies.

Diploma - A formal document certifying the successful completion of a prescribed program of studies.

Early college - Students enrolled in a course before graduation from High School.

Fall semester - That part of the academic year that runs between late September and early December.

First-time freshman - An entering freshman who has never attended any college after graduation from high school.

Freshman - A first year undergraduate student.

FTE - Full-Time Equivalent Count is the equivalent of one student who is deemed to be carrying a full load, which is 15 semester hours for undergraduates and 10 semester hours for graduates.

Full-time student

Undergraduate - A student enrolled for 12 or more semester credits.

Graduate - A student enrolled for 9 or more semester credits.

Graduate student - A student who holds a bachelor's degree or equivalent, and is taking courses at the post baccalaureate level.

Juniors - A student who has completed the equivalent of 2 years of full-time undergraduate work; that is, 60 - 89 credit hours.

Master's degree - An award that requires the successful completion of a program of study of at least the full-time equivalent of 1 but not more than 2 academic years of work beyond the bachelor's degree.

Non-credit course - A course or activity having no credit applicable toward a certificate, degree, diploma, or other formal award.

Non-resident - a student who is not a legal resident of the state in which he/she attend school.

Other freshman - A student who has completed between 1 - 29 credit hours of undergraduate work.

Official reporting date - The date on which an institution must report enrollment data to the State, and other governing bodies. Sometimes referred to as Third Week Census.

Part-time student

Undergraduate - A student enrolled for 11 quarter credits or less.

Graduate - A student enrolled for 8 quarter credits or less.

Quarter calendar system - A calendar system in which the academic year consists of 3 sessions called quarters of about 12 weeks each. Including an additional quarter in the summer.

Resident - A student who is a legal resident of the State in which he/she attends school.

Self supporting enrollments - A course that is not state funded, and charges tuition & fees that cover the full cost of instruction.

Seniors - A student who has completed the equivalent of 3 years of full-time undergraduate work; that is, 90 credit hours and over.

Sophomores - A student who has completed the equivalent of 1 year of full-time undergraduate work; that is, 30 - 59 credit hours.

Summer session - A summer session is shorter than a regular semester and not considered part of the academic year.

Student Credit Hours - A unit of measure that represents one student engaged in an activity for which one hour of credit toward a degree or other certificate is granted upon successful completion.  Total student-credit hours for a course are calculated by multiplying the course's credit-hour value by the number of students enrolled in the course.

Undergraduate - A student enrolled in a 4- or 5-year bachelor's degree program, or an associate's degree program.

Unduplicated count - The sum of students enrolled for credit with each student counted only once during the reporting period, regardless of when the student enrolled.

Source: IPED'S, University Definitions.