Glossary of Terms

AA-DTA – Associate in Arts–Direct Transfer Agreement

AAA – Associate in Applied Arts

AAA-PTS – Associate in Applied Arts–Professional Technical Studies

AAS – Associate in Applied Science.

AAS-PTS – Associate in Applied Science–Professional Technical Studies

AB-DTA – Associate in Business–Direct Transfer Agreement

Academic – Pertaining to a liberal arts program of study, as opposed to a professional or technical program. Term used with degree, program, or course.

Academic calendar – A two-year calendar indicating quarter start and end dates, holidays to be observed by GRCC campuses, and other non–class days.

Academic certificate – Awarded for recognition of accomplishment in an academic program.

Academic standards – College policy that requires students to maintain a minimum grade point average of 2.0.

AD – Associate Development Degree

Adding or dropping classes (courses) – Making changes to your schedule by enrolling in additional courses or withdrawing from courses.

Admission – Permission to enroll in courses.

Advising – The process of determining with an advisor which courses you need to meet your educational goals.

Advisor – The faculty member, administrator, or Educational Planning Center staff person who helps you in the advising process.

AM-DTA – Associate in Math Education–Direct Transfer Agreement

A-PP – Associate Pre–Professional

Application – The process of applying for admission to the college or to a specific program of study; also the form you fill out to apply.

Articulation agreement – An agreement between the college and certain high schools or other colleges by which specific courses taken at one institution are allowed for automatic credit at the other institution.

AS-Opt 1 – Associate in Science degree (Option 1)

AS-Opt 2 – Associate in Science degree (Option 2)

AS-T – Associate of Science–Transfer degree

Associate Development – A degree designed for students to plan their educational program with self-direction and development without specific requirements in subject areas.

Associate in Applied Arts – A degree designed for students in professional technical programs, generally in business and business–related fields.

Associate in Applied Science – A degree designed for students in professional technical programs, generally in health sciences, technical, and trades subjects.

Associate in Arts – Liberal arts degree fulfilling the general requirements taken by college freshmen and sophomores. Students must complete 90 quarter credits in courses numbered 100 or above and meet specific distribution requirements.

Associate in Biology Education – A degree for students pursuing a career as a secondary biology teacher.

Associate in Business – A degree for students pursuing a career in the field of business.

Associate in Chemistry Education – A degree for students pursuing a career as a secondary chemistry teacher.

Associate in General Science Education – A degree for students pursuing a career as a secondary science teacher.

Associate in Math Education – A degree for students pursuing careers as secondary math or science teachers.

Associate in Physics Education – A degree for students pursuing careers as secondary physics teacher.

Associate in Science – A liberal arts degree offering two options, intended for students transferring in the field of science to a four-year institution.

Associate in Science–Transfer (Option 1) – A degree for students interested in Biology, Environmental Science, Chemistry, Geology, and Earth Science.

Associate in Science–Transfer (Option 2) – A degree for students interested in Engineering, Engineering Technology, Computer Science, Physics, and Atmospheric Science.

Associate Pre–Professional – A degree designed for students who need specific requirements that will enhance their program of study at a transfer institution.

Associate Professional Technical – A degree designed for students who need flexibility to create a “customized” program in a professional or technical area.

Audit – Taking a class for information only and not for credit or a grade.

Bachelor’s or Baccalaureate – A degree awarded by four-year colleges and universities to students who have completed a specified course of study.

Catalog – The official document containing course descriptions, degree requirements, policies and procedures, information about student services, and general information about the college.

Certificate of Completion – Awarded in some professional and technical programs. These certificates usually do not include courses outside the major subject.

Certificate of Proficiency – Awarded for the successful completion of a specific short-term program of study in a professional/technical field where course work is 44 credits or less, and generally does not include “Related Instruction” requirements.

Class schedule – A publication which lists course offerings and registration information for a specific quarter.

College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) – Knowledge in specific areas gained through informal learning that is assessed by examination for traditional credit.

COMPASS – A computerized assessment for course placement of enrolling students that identifies a student’s skill levels in math, reading, and writing. This is not a test that can be passed or failed. One’s “score” on each section of the assessment (reading, writing, and math) simply indicates the appropriate starting point for each student.

Concurrent enrollment – Enrollment in two or more linked classes.

Continuing Education – Courses, seminars or workshops, usually non-credit, that do not apply to degrees but are taken for personal enrichment, professional development, or general knowledge.

Co–op fee – An extra charge, in addition to tuition, required for certain courses to cover lab supplies, equipment, computer use, etc.

Cooperative education – A program combining a specific program of study with related employment that allows college credit to be given for the work experience.

Core classes or requirements – Specific courses required by or applicable to a certain degree. See also General Education Requirements.

Course – A single subject of study taken for one quarter or other specified period of time. Sometimes referred to as a class.

Course abbreviation – A shortened version of the name of a department; for example, ENGL for “English.”

Course number – The number used with the course abbreviation to refer to a specific course; for example, “ENGL 110.”

Course title – The descriptive name of a specific course; for example, “College Writing” is the course title for ENGL 110.

Credit or credit hour – The unit of measurement for the amount of work and/or time required for a course. A five-credit class will usually meet five hours a week. Also known as quarter hour.

Credit by exam – An alternative method by which you may complete credits to earn a particular degree or certificate.

Credit load – See Load.

Curriculum – A set of courses constituting an area of specialization.

Degree – Awarded for the successful completion of a specific program of study.

Degree audit – Online service available on the college Web site to assist students in evaluating courses toward their degree or certificate goals.

Department – A specific area of study in which the college offers classes. Also, the group of faculty who teach that subject.

Distribution – Each degree requires completion of course work in specific learning areas: arts and humanities, science and mathematics, and social and behavioral sciences. These requirements provide students with a broad exposure to the humanities and sciences. To fulfill the requirements, students may choose from a wide variety of subject fields within each learning area.

Diploma – Awarded for successful completion of high school.

Disability Support Services (DSS) – A college service that offers support to qualified students with documented disabilities.

Division – A group of related departments.

Drop a course – Withdrawal from a course by the deadline published in the quarterly class schedule.

DSS – See Disability Support Services.

Direct Transfer Agreement (DTA) – The Direct Transfer Agreement assures the transfer of credit, but not automatic admission (since each institution has separate admission criteria which are based on grades, test scores and other considerations) to a college or university with which Green River has such an agreement. Essentially, transfer agreements ensure that a student who completes an Associate of Arts degree at a community college will have satisfied all or most of the basic (i.e. general education or core) requirements at the various four-year institutions.

Educational Planner (EP) – See Advisor.

Elective – A course you choose to take which is not a core or required course for your particular program.

Emphasis – Concentrated study in a specialized area within a professional/technical or academic program of study.

Entry Codes – Instructor permission codes that allow a student entry into a particular course or course section.

ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) – A program designed specifically for those needing to further develop their English reading, writing, and speaking skills.

Financial aid – Monetary assistance made available to students, based on financial need, from various government and private sources.

Former student – A student who has not registered for one or more quarters (excluding summer quarter) and returns to continue his or her studies.

Full–time student – A student who is enrolled for 12 or more credits.

General Educational Development (GED) – A program for adults who have not graduated from high school and want to earn a certificate of high school equivalency.

General Education Requirements (GER) – A range of courses distributed across various academic areas, required for the AS-T and other degrees, in order to develop breadth of knowledge outside the major field. Sometimes referred to as distribution requirements or core requirements.

Grade – A rating or evaluation of your achievement for a class or assignment.

Grade points – The number obtained by multiplying the numerical value of the grade you receive for a course by the number of credit hours earned in that course. For example, if you earn a 3.3 grade in a 5–credit course you earn 16.5 grade points for that course.

Grade point average (GPA) – The number obtained by dividing total grade points earned by total credit hours attempted in a quarter. Your cumulative grade point average is obtained by dividing total grade points on your record by total hours you have attempted.

Graduation evaluation – The official process of determining which of the courses you have completed apply to the degree or certificate you are planning to earn and which courses you still need to take for that degree or certificate.

GUR – General Undergraduate Requirements. See GER.

ICRC – Inter-College Relations Commission.

Independent study – A course of study on a topic of interest to a student, designed with the help of an instructor and supervised by an instructor, and undertaken with departmental approval.

Instructional day – The day on which instruction begins or ends for a particular quarter. Not necessarily the same as the first or last day a particular class meets for the quarter.

Instructional quarter – The period of time running from the first instructional day through the last instructional day of a quarter.

International student – A student who is a citizen of another country and is in the U.S. on a non–immigrant visa.

Item number – The unique number assigned to a particular section of a particular course being offered during a quarter. To be used when registering for that course.

Kiosk – See Student Information Kiosk.

Load – The total number of credit hours you enroll in for a quarter.

Major – The subject area in which you choose to specialize.

Major Related Program (MRP) – A degree designed for students planning to transfer directly into a specific major at a baccalaureate institution.

Non-resident student – A student who has not lived in the State of Washington for at least one year before the initial quarter of study. See also Resident student.

Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities – The regional association through which Green River Community College is accredited.

Online services – A location on the college Web site that allows access to admissions, registration and records activity.

Orientation – A program that introduces new students to the college environment, explains various procedures, and describes available resources.

Part–time student – A student registered for fewer than 12 credits. See also Full–time student.

Personal Identification Number (PIN) – A randomly assigned six-digit number required for a student to access their records on the Web. Students may change their PIN number online (through Online Services).

Phi Theta Kappa – The international honor society for two–year colleges. Its purpose is to recognize and encourage scholarship among students attending two–year colleges.

Planning Guides – Worksheets students can use to assist them in their degree planning process.

Pre–professional program – A program designed to fulfill part of the requirements leading to study in a professional program or school.

Prerequisite – A requirement that must be met before you enroll in a particular course, usually a test score or completion of another course.

Probation – A disciplinary status placing specific conditions upon continued attendance at the college. Please see Student Handbook.

Professional Technical – A program of study intended to prepare you for employment in a certain field rather than for transfer to a four–year college or university. Used to describe a degree, program, or course. Also referred to as vocational.

Program of study – A group of courses leading to a particular degree or certificate.

Quarter – The designation for a school term, lasting approximately 11 weeks.

Quarter hour – See Credit.

Registration – The process of selecting, enrolling in, and paying for courses.

Related instruction – A range of courses distributed across various areas, required for a professional/technical degree in order to develop breadth of knowledge outside the major field.

Residence requirement – Credits required by a college in order to fulfill degree requirements, which cannot be transferred in from another institution. At GRCC, 25 of the final 45 credits must be taken in residence.

Resident student – A student who has lived in the State of Washington for at least one year immediately prior to the first day of instruction for a quarter.

Returning student – A student enrolling during consecutive quarters.

SCANS – U.S. Department of Labor Secretary’s Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills.

Schedule – The classes for which you are enrolled or the days and times you are attending classes and labs. May also refer to all the course sections offered by the college during a quarter.

Schedule Planner – An online service on the college Web site that assists with class time selections.

Section – A specific class with its own unique days, hours, location and instructor. A number of sections of a certain course may be offered during a quarter, with different days, times, locations and instructors.

Special Topics – A course offering on a special topic of interest to students.

Student Identification Number – A unique number assigned to a student for tracking, data entry, identification, transcripts, and for conducting other college business.

Student Information Kiosk – Computer terminals located in the registration area and in the Holman Library.

Student Learning Outcomes – The knowledge, skills, abilities or attitudes that students have attained by the end of any set of college experiences—courses, programs, degrees and certificates or encounters with college services. Articulates the major goals of each experience, requires higher-level thinking skills and usually results in a product that can be evaluated.

Study Day – The day preceding the finals testing schedule to be used for study, reading, individual meetings with faculty, study groups or other activities that will better prepare the student for their final course assessments. Study day applies to day classes only and night classes will meet during their normal time period.

Technology Fee – A quarterly fee charged to students to support computer-based resources and services available to all students in the Holman Library and the open lab in the Technology building.

TOEFL – Test of English as a Foreign Language—a compulsory test for students wanting to study in U.S. colleges and universities.

Transcript – Your permanent record of courses taken, credits earned, grades achieved, and degree(s) awarded at an educational institution.

Transcript evaluation – An official determination as to which courses taken at another college will be allowed for credit at GRCC. Also, the determination by a four-year college as to which of your GRCC courses will be allowed for credit at that institution.

Transfer credits – Credits earned at one college that are accepted toward a degree at another college.

Transfer degree – A degree intended to parallel the first two years of a bachelor’s degree program.

Tuition – The amount of money charged by the college for the courses in which you enroll; set each year by the state legislature.

Vocational – See Professional Technical.

Withdrawal from the college – Officially dropping all courses for which you are enrolled for a particular quarter. See Drop a Course.

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