Glossary

CSULB Terms

AP - An acronym for "Advanced Placement." CSULB grants credit toward its undergraduate degrees for successful completion by high school students of examinations in the Advanced Placement Programs of the College Board. Students who present scores of three or better will be granted three to six semester units of college credit in each area. These AP credits are given in various GE areas. Advisors in the Academic Advising Center can give information about specific subject areas in AP, CLEP, and IB.

Certificate - Specialized study in a program or subject area that requires more units than a minor but fewer than a major.

Chair - A faculty member who supervises the administration of an academic department.

Chemistry Placement Test - Students should take the Chemistry 111A test prior to the semester in which they take the chemistry course. Students who are required to take Chemistry 111A will not be allowed to register for the course until they have received an appropriate score on the Chemistry Placement Test. For further information, students should call Testing and Evaluation Services at (562) 985-4006 or visit their web site at http://www.csulb.edu/divisions/students2/testing/

CLEP - The acronym for the College Level Examination Program. CSULB awards course credit when students pass subject tests in specific areas such as College Algebra-Trigonometry, Calculus/Elementary Functions, French, General Chemistry, German, and Spanish.

Co-curricular - The activities that are not part of the regular curriculum of the University. For example, participation in campus clubs are considered co-curricular activities.

Co-requisite - Co-requisites are classes that must be taken with another class. To look up co-requisites for a specific class, refer to the CSULB Catalog.

College - An administrative office that coordinates the activities of several academic departments (e.g., College of the Arts or College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics).

Credit/No Credit ("CR/NC") - Instead of receiving a traditional letter (A-F) grade, students are graded on whether they shall receive credit (CR) or no credit (NC) in the course. CR grades count towards graduation but do not count towards the grade point average (GPA). Most majors do not allow CR/NC for major courses. A "C" indicates an A, B, or C grade. An "NC" denotes a D or an F grade.

Curriculum - Courses offered by the University.

Dean - An administrative official who supervises a college at the University.

Degree - The title of accomplishment and proficiency awarded after fulfilling all requirements prescribed for graduation.

Degree Progress Report (DPR) - A report from Enrollment Services showing students their progress toward meeting graduation requirements.

Department - An administrative office within a college that offers courses in a particular area of study. For example, the English Department is within the College of Liberal Arts .

Discipline - A particular area of knowledge, skill, or art. For example, history is a discipline.

Electives - The courses not required for a major or for General Education but which count towards graduation and satisfy your own personal interest or needs.

ELM -Acronym for the Entry Level Mathematics Exam. Entering undergraduates who are not exempt are required to take the ELM before their first semester on campus. Exemptions and other EPT information can be obtained from the CSULB Testing office or at their web site at http://www.csulb.edu/centers/testing/

EPT - Acronym for the English Placement Test. Entering undergraduates who are not exempt are required to take the EPT before their first semester on campus. Exemptions and other EPT information can be obtained from the CSULB Testing office or at their web site at http://www.csulb.edu/centers/testing/

Foundation course(s) - The basic skills courses in General Education (GE), i.e. written English, Oral Communication, Mathematics, and Critical Thinking. There are five foundation courses that the University requires you to take before you complete your first 36 units at CSULB. The courses are UNIV 100, Category A.1., Category A.2., Category A.3., and Category B.2.

Full-time Student - Students who take 12 units or more of course work in a semester.

GE - Acronym for General Education, a set of course requirements outside the major department of all CSULB students. GE courses are listed each semester in the Schedule of Classes.

GPA - Acronym for Grade Point Average. To determine GPA, divide total grade points earned by units attempted (excluding CR/NC).

Grade Points - Numerical point values (A=4.0, B=3.0, etc.) that are multiplied by the number of course units to determine grade points earned. For example, a three-unit class in which an A is earned carries 12 grade points.

Hold(s) - A computer restriction preventing students from registering for classes. Holds are placed on a student's registration privileges for failing to meet University obligations. These obligations include: taking required tests http://www.csulb.edu/centers/testing/, submitting transcripts/documents, paying library fines or registration fees, immunizations, and academic advising requirements during the mandatory freshmen advising periods.

IB - Acronym for International Baccalaureate. Similar in concept to the AP examinations, CSULB grants credit toward its undergraduate degrees with IB credit of scores of 5 on the Higher Level exam. A wide array of course credit is available. See the advisors in the Academic Advising Center for specific information.

Interdisciplinary "I" Courses - Are courses that involve two or more academic, scientific, or artistic disciplines.

Lab - A brief intensive course for a small group with an emphasis on solving certain problems.

Lecture - A large group of students in a college or graduate school receiving information on a given subject delivered before an audience or a class, as for the purpose of instruction.

Lower-division courses - Courses numbered 100 - 299. Freshman students can take GE courses numbered 100-199.

Major - A sequence of courses in a field of study that, along with the appropriate supporting classes, leads to a degree. Each major requires specific courses that are listed in the University Catalog . A major is declared in writing and filed with Enrollment Services.

Major advisor - The major advisor represents the major department. A student will go to their major advisor for questions regarding their major.

Measles, Rubella, and Hepatitis B Immunizations - The California State University requires students in specified groups to provide proof of immunization for measles, rubella, and hepatitis and must do so in their first semester on campus. For more information, call the Student Health Services office at (562) 985-4771 or visit their web site at http://www.csulb.edu/centers/shc/

Minor - A concentrated area of study which consists of a minimum of 18 units, of which at least nine (9) are upper division.

- ( http://my.csulb.edu) A portal providing access to your own CSULB personalized web page with services and information tailored to you.

Part-time Student - Students who take fewer than 12 units of course work in a semester.

Prerequisite - A course that provides a foundation for more advanced courses. Prerequisite classes must be taken BEFORE you can register for a specific class. You can look up the prerequisites for a specific class in the Catalog.

Repeat/Delete - If a student receives a "D," "F," or "WU" in a class they have a one time chance to repeat the class and get the grade deleted from their GPA. However, if on the second try the student gets a "D," "F," or "WU" both grades will count toward the GPA.

Semester - One of the two 16-week periods of instruction into which an academic year is divided.

Transcript - A record of courses you have taken at the University and the grades you have earned in them. An official copy of your transcripts is sealed by the University.

Undeclared major - A student who has not decided which degree to pursue or who is unable, at present, to declare a major in an impacted program.

Unit(s) - A unit is usually equivalent to the number of hours per week of classroom time. Most courses carry three (3) units of credit and meet three hours per week.

Upper Division - Upper division units are numbered 300-499. Upper division students have earned more than 60 units of college credit (juniors/seniors).

Wait list - A way for students to get on a list to get into a class if another student drops a class in a full classroom.

"W" grade - Indicates that you were permitted to drop a course after the second week of instruction with the approval of the instructor and appropriate campus official.

Withdrawal - Discontinuing a class after the end of the drop period will result in a withdrawal "W" drop. If you officially withdraw, a "W" will appear next to the class you withdrew from on your transcript but it will not affect your grade point average (GPA). Also see "WU" grade, below.

Workshop - A brief intensive course for a small group with an emphasis on solving certain problems.

WPE - Acronym for the Writing Proficiency Exam. All students who wish to qualify for a degree from CSULB must take the WPE before they reach 65 units. For more information, call the Testing and Evaluation Services office at (562) 985-4006 or visit their web site at http://www.csulb.edu/centers/testing/

"WU" grade - The symbol "WU" indicates that an enrolled student did not officially withdraw from the course and failed to complete course requirements. For grade point average, this symbol is equivalent to an "F." A student who receives a "WU" cannot complete additional work and have the "WU" changed to a letter grade but is eligible for Repeat/Delete.

Rev. 4/14/08/mm