Academic Glossary

A formal warning status assigned to students whose cumulative or term GPA falls below the institution's minimum standard (typically 2.0).

A student's current status at an institution based on their cumulative GPA and satisfactory academic progress.

A voluntary, peer-reviewed quality assurance process through which educational institutions and programs are evaluated against established standards by recognized accrediting bodies.

A designated window at the beginning of each academic term during which students may add new courses to their schedule or drop courses without academic penalty (no 'W' on transcript).

A part-time or non-tenure-track instructor hired on a contract basis to teach specific courses.

A College Board program that offers college-level courses and exams to high school students.

A formal contract between two or more educational institutions that guarantees the transfer of credits from one school to another.

The systematic process of gathering, analyzing, and interpreting evidence of student learning to make decisions about instruction, curriculum, and educational programs.

A task or set of tasks given by an instructor to a student that is intended to assess learning, reinforce skills, or build knowledge.

A mode of instruction in which students access course content, complete assignments, and engage with the material on their own schedule, without real-time interaction with the instructor or classmates.

A formal rule established by a school, district, or individual instructor that governs how many absences are permissible before academic consequences occur.

A registration status in which a student enrolls in a course for the purpose of learning the material without receiving academic credit or a grade.

The daily timetable at a K-12 school that organizes instructional periods, transitions, lunch, and other activities.

A cloud-based learning management system developed by Instructure, widely adopted by K-12 schools and higher education institutions across the United States.

A culminating academic project — typically required at the end of a degree program, certificate, or major sequence — that requires students to integrate and apply knowledge and skills developed throughout their studies.

A standard unit of measurement used in U.S.

A structured academic program that awards a certificate upon successful completion of a defined set of courses in a specific field or competency area.

A relative ranking of students within their graduating class based on cumulative GPA.

Activities that are directly tied to and reinforce the academic curriculum, going beyond the formal classroom but integral to academic learning.

A unit of academic recognition awarded for completing a course of study at the college level.

A set of K-12 academic standards in English Language Arts and Mathematics developed collaboratively by states and formally adopted by most U.S.

An educational model in which students advance by demonstrating mastery of specific knowledge or skills (competencies) rather than by completing a set amount of time in a course.

The standard unit used by colleges and universities to measure the amount of academic work in a course.

The totality of what is taught in a school or course, including the explicit content standards, learning objectives, instructional materials, and assessment strategies.

An academic honor awarded each semester or term to students who achieve a GPA above a specified threshold (typically 3.5 or higher) while enrolled full-time.

A teaching philosophy and practice in which educators proactively adjust curriculum, instructional methods, and assessment to accommodate learners with different needs, readiness levels, interests, and learning profiles within the same classroom.

A program that allows high school students to enroll in college courses and earn both high school and college credit simultaneously.

A course that students choose to take based on personal interest or career goals, as opposed to required courses that are mandated for graduation or degree completion.

Any organized activity that takes place outside the regular academic curriculum but is sponsored or recognized by the school or institution.

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid — a form completed annually by current and prospective college students in the United States to determine eligibility for federal financial aid programs including Pell Grants, Stafford Loans, and Federal Work-Study.

A grade that indicates a student did not meet the minimum requirements to pass a course.

A comprehensive assessment administered at the end of a semester, quarter, or term that covers all or most of the material taught throughout the course.

Ongoing, low-stakes assessment used during the learning process to monitor student understanding and provide feedback that guides instruction.

A set of courses outside a student's major that all students at an institution must complete to earn a degree.

A numerical representation of a student's overall academic performance, calculated by dividing the total grade points earned by the total credit hours attempted.

An adjustment made to raw scores on an assessment so that the distribution of grades conforms to a desired outcome — typically normalizing scores around the class average.

A scoring guide that lists the specific criteria used to evaluate a student's work, along with descriptions of performance at each level (e.g., excellent, proficient, developing, insufficient).

A graduate student who receives a stipend and often a tuition waiver in exchange for assisting faculty with teaching, research, or administrative work.

The total set of academic conditions a student must fulfill to receive a diploma or degree.

A recognition awarded to K-12 students who achieve a GPA at or above a certain threshold for a given grading period (quarter, semester, or year).

A selective academic program within a college or university that offers enhanced coursework, smaller class sizes, special advising, research opportunities, and a co-curricular community to high-achieving students.

A legally mandated written plan developed for each K-12 student identified as having a disability under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

A temporary grade given to a student who has not finished all required coursework by the end of the semester due to extenuating circumstances (illness, family emergency, etc.).

A self-directed course arrangement in which a student works one-on-one with a faculty advisor to pursue a topic of interest not offered as a standard course.

A supervised, temporary work experience — paid or unpaid — in which students apply academic knowledge in a professional setting.

An instructor's or institution's stated rules governing how assignments submitted after the due date are handled.

A software platform used by educational institutions to deliver, manage, and track course content, communication, and student progress.

A specific, measurable statement that describes what a student should know, understand, or be able to do upon completing a lesson, unit, or course.

A structured oral presentation by an instructor to a group of students, typically the primary mode of content delivery in higher education.

The traditional letter-based grading scale used in U.S.

A broad-based curriculum in higher education emphasizing critical thinking, communication, and exposure to a wide range of disciplines including humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and the arts.

The total number of credit hours or courses a student is enrolled in during a given academic term.

A student's primary field of academic specialization at the college level, typically requiring 30-60 credit hours of coursework in a specific discipline.

An examination or major assessment administered at approximately the midpoint of a semester or academic term.

A secondary area of academic specialization requiring fewer courses than a major, typically 15-24 credit hours.

Designated times during which instructors are available in their office or virtually to meet with students without an appointment.

A planning document used by teachers to map out the sequence and timing of curriculum delivery across a school year or semester.

A grading option in which students receive either a 'Pass' (P) or 'Fail' (F) rather than a letter grade or GPA points.

An instructional activity in which students evaluate each other's work using specific criteria, typically prior to a final submission.

A course or other academic requirement that must be completed before a student may enroll in a specific course.

Ongoing training and education that teachers, administrators, and other educators participate in to improve their instructional skills, stay current with research, and fulfill licensure renewal requirements.

An academic calendar that divides the school year into four 10-week terms rather than two 15-week semesters.

A smaller, discussion-based section of a large lecture course, led by a teaching assistant or instructor, in which students review lecture material, work through problems, and ask questions in a more intimate setting.

Supplemental instruction provided to students who have not yet met grade-level or college-level standards in core academic areas such as reading, writing, or mathematics.

A written academic work in which a student investigates a topic by gathering, analyzing, and synthesizing information from primary and secondary sources, then presenting an original argument or finding.

A school's or teacher's stated rules regarding whether and how students may retake assessments after an initial failure or unsatisfactory performance.

The degree of critical thinking, depth of understanding, and complexity of skills required in an academic course or assignment.

A structured scoring tool that explicitly lists the criteria for an assignment and describes performance levels for each criterion.

Standardized college admissions tests used by most U.S.

A 15- to 18-week academic term, the most common calendar system at U.S.

A small, discussion-intensive course format common in upper-division undergraduate and graduate education, typically limited to 10-20 students.

A pedagogical approach that integrates meaningful community service with academic instruction and reflective practice, so that students apply classroom learning in real-world contexts while also contributing to community needs.

An instructional activity that replicates real-world scenarios, processes, or systems to allow students to practice skills and make decisions in a low-stakes environment.

A structured discussion protocol in which students engage in an inquiry-based dialogue about a shared text or topic, guided by open-ended questions rather than direct instruction.

A grading philosophy in which student performance is evaluated against clearly defined, specific learning standards rather than on an overall aggregate score or relative comparison to peers.

An acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics — a curricular and workforce initiative that integrates these disciplines to prepare students for careers in high-growth technical fields.

An elected or appointed body of students that represents the student body in institutional governance, advocates for student interests, and organizes campus-wide events and initiatives.

A campus resource center that provides academic support services to help students succeed in their coursework and degree programs.

A supervised period during the school day — common in K-12 — set aside for students to complete homework, study, or read independently.

A high-stakes assessment designed to evaluate student learning at the end of a unit, course, or instructional period — typically used to determine a final grade or proficiency level.

The plural form of 'syllabus' — referring to course documents for multiple classes.

A document distributed by an instructor at the beginning of a course that outlines the course description, learning objectives, required texts and materials, schedule of topics and readings, grading policies, assignment descriptions, attendance and late work policies, and academic integrity expectations.

A mode of instruction in which students and instructors engage in real-time, simultaneous interaction — either in-person or via live video conferencing.

A graduate or advanced undergraduate student who assists a faculty member in course delivery.

A substantial research paper produced by a student at the culmination of a degree program that presents original research, analysis, or creative work.

An official record issued by a school or institution that lists all courses a student has taken, the grades received, credit hours earned, and cumulative GPA.

Academic credit earned at one institution that is accepted by another institution toward the requirements of a degree program.

The fee charged by an educational institution for instruction and enrollment in its courses, exclusive of room, board, books, and other fees.

A structured instructional framework that organizes a sequence of lessons around a central theme, concept, or set of standards over a period of one to several weeks.

A research-based instructional framework developed by CAST that guides the design of flexible learning experiences to accommodate the variability of all learners.

A GPA calculation that assigns additional grade point value to grades earned in more rigorous courses such as AP, IB, honors, or dual enrollment classes.

An institution's rules governing when and how students may drop courses after the add/drop period has passed.

A federally funded financial aid program (Federal Work-Study) that provides eligible students with part-time on-campus or off-campus employment opportunities to help cover education costs.

An instructional framework, most commonly associated with reading and writing instruction, that structures class time into a brief mini-lesson (10-15 minutes), an extended independent or collaborative work period (35-45 minutes), and a share/debrief session (5-10 minutes).

A campus resource that provides free writing support to students at all stages of the writing process — from brainstorming and outlining to drafting, revising, and proofreading.

A disciplinary policy in K-12 schools that mandates automatic, predetermined consequences for specific rule violations — typically related to weapons, drugs, or violence — without allowing for individualized circumstances or discretion.