Advising Glossary
Academic Advisor
One who uses the resources of the University to help guide students through the processes of higher education; meets with students to discuss major/minor options, course schedules, and other situations that the student may otherwise not know how to navigate.
Academic Integrity
The highest standards of honesty, trust, ethics, and personal responsibility.
Academic Calendar
University guide to important dates for students, faculty, and staff; includes registration dates, holidays, drop dates, exam dates, etc. Academic Calendar Link
Advisement Hold
A block placed by the Office of the Registrar each semester that prevents students from registering. In order to have the hold removed, each student must meet with his or her academic advisor each semester.
Appeal
Formal request made by a student to the University to challenge a penalty or to make an exception in the case of student grades, discipline, or progress.
Articulation Agreement
An agreement made between Coastal and out-of-state institutions so that a student’s coursework taken at an out-of-state institution will transfer back to Coastal.
Cognate
Upper level (300/400) Courses that are not in the student’s discipline; required as part of some majors.
Commencement
Graduation ceremony
Concentration
Specific area of interest and study; required for some majors.
Core Curriculum
Required for all majors. The purpose of the core curriculum is to provide an educational experience in the liberal arts tradition that encourages and supports free inquiry, critical thinking, effective communication, and creativity.
Co-requisite
Specific course that must be taken at the same time as another related course. Example ANTH 101L is a co-requisite for ANTH 101 (both must be taken at the same time).
Course Repeat Forgiveness
Degree-seeking undergraduate students may repeat any course taken at Coastal Carolina University. All grades will appear on the student’s transcript, but only the grade from the second attempt of the course will count in a student’s GPA.
Credit Hour
The amount of credit students are awarded upon the passing of a particular course, usually equal to the amount of hours a student spends in that class per week of the semester.
Cumulative GPA
Combined grade point average of all the coursework completed by the student over all semesters.
Dean
Head of a particular college.
Department Chair
Head of a specific major or academic program.
Distance Learning
Online learning; Term used to describe a course that does not require the student to be in a physical classroom.
Drop
The process by which the student officially removes a course from their class schedule and discontinues the course.
"W"
Shows on a student’s transcript when a student has attempted a course, but drops the course after the open drop/add date; this does not affect a student’s GPA.
"WF"
Shows on a student’s transcript when a student has attempted a course, but drops the course after the last day to drop the class with just a “W”; as a result, an F factors into the student’s GPA.
Elective
A class that is not particularly required for a student’s major requirement on their program evaluation, but does count towards the 120 credits required for graduation.
FACEtime with Faculty
A three-day series held once a month during fall and spring semesters where students meet faculty at CINO Grill and share a meal while gaining help on assignments, acquiring insight into their majors, asking questions about their field, and exploring various interests and career possibilities.
Foundation
A course or courses used to prepare a student, helping them to better understand and grasp the content taught in the higher-level courses of the student’s major.
GPA
(grade point average) Grade point average of the current semester.
Hold
A restriction placed on a student because of lack of payment, advising, behavior that conflicts with university policies, immunization, etc.
Honors
Special program for exceptional students being accepted into the University. You must be invited to be accepted. In order to be accepted, a student must have a cumulative high school GPA of 3.5 or above, with an ACT of 26, or a combined Math and Verbal/Critical Reading SAT of 1270 for scores earned 2016 and beyond.
Independent Study
A research-based and writing intensive study where the student works personally with a professor on a particular discipline or subject area for course credit.
Internship
An opportunity outside of the university where the student receives job experience in their particular field; student acts as a trainee, mentor, or shadow during these experiences; proven to be great resume builders.
Major
A student’s primary field or subject of study in which they will take most of their course work.
Maymester
A 3–4 week period during May which functions as a condensed semester, giving students a chance to enroll in additional courses or study abroad opportunities.
Mentor
A faculty member that serves as a guide and resource for a student who helps shape the student’s academic interests and provides insight for job-related and post undergraduate possibilities.
Minor
A student’s secondary field or subject of study.
Moodle
Learning management system used to deliver the electronic and web content of the courses in which a student is enrolled.
My progress
Found in Self Service, it is a document that tracks a student’s progress towards their degree (includes core, major, and minor requirements, etc.)
Peer Leader
A designated student who will serve as a resource to incoming freshmen. This student will assist in getting freshmen acclimated to the university, provide advice, and will be a participant in the student’s major-specific FYE class.
Petition
Formal process students use to have transfer work revaluated or to make a case for a graduation requirement exception.
Pre-registration
The period before a student’s registration date where he or she is required to meet with their advisor to plan for the future semester and to remove the advising hold.
Pre-requisite
Specific course that must be completed before you can take another course at the next level. Example ENGL 101 is a pre-requisite for ENGL 205 (ENGL 101 must be taken before ENGL 205).
Probation
Cautionary period when a student’s cumulative GPA has dropped below a 2.0 and their academic performance is unsatisfactory.
Provost
Chief Academic Officer who works with the president in ensuring the highest standards and quality of the University.
Registrar
Official at a college or a university who is responsible for keeping records.
Self Service
System used to house the records, business affairs, grades, and courses of the student; student also uses Self Service to register for classes.
Semester
Term or period of time in which classes are offered (i.e. Fall, Spring, Summer I, Summer II, Maymester).
Special Permission
Process by which a student who has not met a class’ prerequisite or a student seeking admittance into a full class meets with the professor teaching that particular course to gain access to taking that class.
Suspension
Student separation from the university because of student failure to gain a 2.0 in any term while on probation or a student’s GPA falls within suspension range.
Undergraduate Catalog
Book that contains all of the university’s policies, requirements for each major, minor, and concentration, as well as courses and course descriptions.
Waitlist
A list where registering students are placed when there are no more seats available in the class. Very similar to standing in a line, students who are waitlisted are automatically placed into the class once seats become available; however, seats in a class are never guaranteed.