University Definitions

A staff member or member of the faculty who provides academic advice to students and guides them through the requirements for graduation.

Faculty members who are hired to teach one or more classes; often these are part-time instructors who have full-time jobs in the field they’re teaching.

An upper-class student living on a floor in residence hall who provides supervision and guidance to residents is referred to as a CA.

Colleges and universities are divided into major administrative units, and a dean is the head of those units. There can be a dean of colleges, schools, and students.

Students who are the first in their family to attend college and earn a bachelor’s degree.

Students who are enrolled for at least 12 credit hours.

A title that applies to a non-terminal degree-holding faculty member.

A non-terminal degree-holding faculty member that is a higher rank than an instructor.

A college professor is an academic professional who holds a faculty position at a college or university and is typically responsible for teaching courses, conducting research, and providing academic advisement to students. Professors are experts in their respective fields and often hold advanced degrees, such as a Ph.D. or terminal degree, in their area of specialization. Professors can either be assistant, associate, or full at SDSU.

The primary administrator who oversees the academic responsibilities of a college or university.

Residence Director is a professional, specially trained university employee responsible for the management and daily operations of campus residence halls.

A graduate student who works part time as an assistant to a faculty member.

A college tutor is an academic professional who provides guidance, support, and instruction to students at the college level. They typically work within specific departments or programs, assisting students in understanding course material, developing study skills, and improving academic performance.

A designation indicating that a student’s work is not satisfactory, or a set of conditions is imposed for students to improve performance by a designated time.

This is a time period during which the student may make changes to their schedule without any academic or financial consequences.  The period may be only a few days or as long as two weeks.  Students may want to check with their academic advisor before making a major change to their schedule.

A block meal is the currency used at the university’s cafeteria (Larson Commons) for access to a buffet meal. Students living on campus will be given a number of blocks per semester to use at Larson Commons. To enter the cafeteria, one must spend a “block”.

The Course Catalog is an important tool for understanding the college’s course offerings and academic and administrative policies and procedures.  The catalog may contain information about college offices, academic policies and procedures, college facilities, information about campus life, graduation requirements, majors, descriptions of courses, information about faculty members, and college contact information.  There is a wealth of information available in a university’s course catalog.

A list of high-achieving students who have earned a specified overall grade-point average during a term. The list is issued by the dean of the college or department.

A course that a student may choose to take, but which is not among the courses required for the student’s major.

A form distributed by the U.S. Department of Education to collect information used to determine a student’s need for federal financial aid.

A federal program that provides funding through wages earned at part-time employment in qualifying campus jobs and employment at non-profit and government organizations. Work-Study is a need-based program. A qualifying student is offered Work-Study on their financial aid offers with the amount the student may earn. 

A federal law which protects the privacy of student educational records.  This gives parents certain rights regarding their child’s educational records.  It is important for parents to realize, however, that these rights transfer to the student once they turn eighteen or attend a school beyond high school.  This means that, without written permission from your child, you will probably not have access to his academic records — including their grades.  It also means that, without that written permission, faculty members and administrators of the college are legally prohibited from discussing your child’s progress with you.

A portion of a student’s meal plan that can be spent like credit at various campus dining locations. Students living on campus will be issued a set of "flex dollars" to spend.

An SDSU currency that can be stored on one’s ID card and has its same value in cash to be spent anywhere on campus or even in Brookings.

A work opportunity allowing students to practice professional skills in a supervised setting. Internships may be offered with or without pay and with or without college credit.

Some classes are divided into separate time slots for “lecture” or “lab.” A lecture is usually a larger and more formal class taught by a professor, and students typically have less opportunity to ask questions and participate in discussions. A lab class is a “hands-on” class with active participation, and it is often taught by a graduate assistant.

Liberal Arts refers to academic subjects in the humanities such as literature, philosophy, mathematics, and social and physical sciences. These differ from professional and technical subjects.

An academic area that a student chooses as a primary field of study. A certain number of credits are required to be earned within the major in order to graduate.

An academic area that a student may choose to take several classes in. It does not require as many credit hours as a major but allows a student to put some emphasis on an area outside the major.

Practicums are field experiences that allow one to observe and document how working professionals perform their job responsibilities. A practicum is considered an extension of students’ classroom experience.

A course that must be taken prior to enrollment in another course. Some courses have no prerequisite while others may have several.

The office responsible for coordinating class registration and for maintaining educational records at the college or university.

Scholarships are “free” money that students may receive without any obligation to repay. They may be offered by a college or university or may be sponsored by the student’s high school, an outside organization, or an employer. In some cases, students will compete for scholarships, and in others they will automatically be considered for certain scholarships.

An outline and description of a course, usually handed out on the first day of class. The syllabus provides contact information for the instructor and office hours. It also describes the instructor’s expectations for the course and gives an overview of topics that will be covered, required and recommended readings, grading policies, and a schedule of tests and due dates for papers or projects.

A list of courses the student has taken, including the grade earned for each course, and the number of credits earned. The transcript is the formal record of a student’s education and upon graduation, it will reflect the successful completion of a degree from the institution.

The amount of money charged for courses. Tuition is only one part of the college bill; students will also be billed for fees, and those who live on campus will be charged for room and board to cover dormitory and dining costs. Other costs may not show up on the college bill but will still be required, such as books and supplies.

A term commonly seen during registration periods. Students hoping to enroll in a full class can opt to be placed on a waitlist. This saves a place in line in case spots open up from registered students dropping or changing plans.

An official process for dropping out of a class or leaving the institution without completing requirements. Depending upon how far into a semester or the situation, withdrawals may include reimbursement.

Student jobs funded through the U.S. government’s Federal Work-Study Program that allow students to work on or near campus in order to help pay their college expenses. Work study is packaged into a student’s financial aid award and usually specifies the number of hours a student may work during the semester or the year in a work study position.