Skip to main content

Navigation

Quicklinks



Terminology

Academic Alert Status: If your grade point average falls below the minimum satisfactory level, you will be put on academic alert. You will be provided with information on how to improve your GPA.

Academic standing: This is determined by the credits earned and grades received.

Accreditation: Various professional agencies appoint teams of evaluators who periodically study programs and services to ensure that they meet standards of quality and are relevant to the College's purpose.

Adult Continuing Education: This program provides non-credit courses for citizens who are 18 years old or older. The opportunities are based on individual need and previous educational achievement.

Advisor: A person who approves the selection of courses for your chosen field of study and is usually a faculty member.

Artifact: An example of class work that demonstrates competency in a specific skill. An artifact can be a paper, test, project report, lab report, video tape, web page, etc.

Assessment: A collection of information to determine if a student is achieving the desired outcomes of his/her educational experiences.

Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.): A two-year technical program that prepares you for the job market.

Associate of Arts (A.A.): A two-year Arts & Sciences program that concentrates on humanities and social sciences for those planning to continue in a bachelor's degree curriculum in a senior college.

Associate of Science (A.S.): A two-year Arts & Sciences program that concentrates on mathematics and science for those planning to continue in a bachelor's degree curriculum in a senior college.

Audit: A course for which you pay tuition and fees, but do not receive credit. Notify your instructor when you begin the class.

Catalog: The official College publication available from the Admissions Office that contains almost everything you need to know about Isothermal Community College and its programs.

Certificate Program: A curriculum generally requiring one year or less of course work.

Contact hours: The actual number of hours in class per week, per course.

Counselor: A person who provides you with personal, academic, vocational, or career counseling.

Credit hours: Every class is worth a value called a credit hour. Every degree, diploma, or certificate program requires you to take a certain number of credit hours.

Curriculum: The program of courses required to receive a degree, diploma, or certificate in your
chosen area of study.

Criteria: Pre-determined guidelines that identify requirements for demonstrating competence in
a designated skill.

Developmental courses: A series of courses in math, reading, and English that provide preparation, remediation, and academic guidance if you do not meet the entrance requirements for the curriculum of your choice.

Diploma programs: Vocational curricula usually take three semesters to complete. Courses are not designed to transfer to a four-year school. Adult High School is a program that allows adults to complete high school courses and credits for an Adult High School diploma. GED is a series of tests that correspond to most high school curricula. People who have not completed high school may choose to take these tests.

Discipline: A specific field of study, such as English, biology, math, economics, electronics, etc.

Distance Learning: Courses which involve the mastering of academic knowledge in ways other than face-to-face interactions between students and instructors. See definitions in the "Facilities & Services" section of the Student Handbook.

Drop/Add: This term refers to adjusting your schedule by dropping and/or adding courses. The Drop/Add period is limited and is indicated on the calendar.

Electives: A course which is not specifically named in your curriculum but is required for graduation. Check with your academic advisor before choosing an elective.

Financial aid: Monies available to eligible students in the form of grants, scholarships, and work study funding. The monies come through federal and state government or private donations.

Full-time student: A student who is taking at least 12 credit hours. A student who is registered for 11 credit hours or fewer in one semester is a part-time student.

Grade point average (GPA): The average of your grades for all classes taken at Isothermal. It is calculated by adding all earned quality points and dividing by the number of credit hours taken.

Independent study: A credit course, allowed only in special circumstances, in which you work individually with a faculty member.

Placement tests: Standardized tests in math, reading, and English which are used to place students in appropriate courses in these academic disciplines.

Plagiarism: Using ideas or words of another as your own without crediting the source. Plagiarism is a violation of academic integrity.

Portfolio: A method of presenting data for academic assessment. A portfolio contains artifacts arranged and organized by a student to demonstrate skills designated by the College that are important to success.

Practicum: A course that offers hands-on experience in the workplace.

Prerequisites: Preliminary skills, knowledge or courses which are required before enrollment in a particular course. Prerequisites are listed in the course description section of the catalog.

Rubric: A term used for a rating sheet based on pre-determined criteria for success at demonstrating a designated skill.

Special credit student: A student who is taking one or more curriculum credit courses, but who is not enrolled in a specific curriculum.

Student activity fee: The fee you pay fall and spring semester that supports club activities, school-wide events, and your student handbook!

Student Government Association (SGA): The student organization that promotes the interests of students through a variety of events and sponsorships. All students who pay an activity fee are members of SGA.

Syllabus: A document provided by instructors in every course. It contains information about course requirements, attendance, textbooks, grading, and learning objectives.

Transcript: A printed record of every course you've taken at Isothermal and the grades you've received. Transcripts may be obtained from the Student Affairs Office.