Glossary

Academic standing:	A student’s official status of enrolment at the university as evaluated at the end of each semester; used to assess whether students are meeting the standards prescribed for continuing in the university and/or their programs.
Academic year:	The period from September 1 to August 31.
Appeal:	The request for review of a judgment regarding the application of regulations.
Auditing student:	A student attending classes but not receiving credit for courses. Auditing students will be charged fees as per the auditing a course policy. No indication of an audited course is given on an official transcript.
Award:	A general term used to mean any presentation, monetary or otherwise, made to a student.
Bridge:	A prescribed set of courses, and/or other units of study, research and practice that leads to qualification for entry into a degree program. It is comprised of a maximum of 72 credit hours, including up to 15 credit hours of bridging courses that may be credited toward the completion of a particular degree.
Bursary:	A monetary award given to a student where the primary criterion is financial need.
Calendar day:	Any day of the week, including Saturdays and Sundays, on which business can be conducted.
Certificate program:	A stand-alone program of study consisting of a prescribed set of non-degree, non-credit courses.
Challenge for credit:	The request for academic credit resulting from experience or knowledge gained elsewhere for which transfer credit cannot be awarded.
Cooperative education:	A program of three or more alternating work term periods that is integrated with an undergraduate degree program. It is comprised of at least nine credit hours of work placement that are each at least four months in duration and must meet the requirements of the Canadian Association for Cooperative Education Accreditation Council. The cooperative education program appears on the academic transcript and on the degree parchment.
Corequisite:	A course that must be taken concurrently with the course for which it is required.
Course:	A unit of work in a particular subject normally extending through one semester or session, the completion of which carries credit toward the requirements of a degree or diploma.
Credit hour:	The measure used to reflect the relative weight of a given course toward the fulfilment of degree requirements. Unless otherwise indicated, a course normally has a credit hour value of three.
Credit restriction:	Where two or more courses are closely related, credit may be limited to one of the courses.
Cross-listings:	The practice of offering a single course under two different course codes.
Degree:	An academic credential awarded upon successful completion of a prescribed set and sequence of requirements as specified by a program that meet a standard of performance consistent with university and provincial degree level expectations.
Diploma:	An academic credential awarded upon the successful completion of a prescribed set of degree credit courses as specified by a program. University of Ontario Institute of Technology diplomas are classified as concurrent and/or direct entry.
Double major:	A strictly defined pair of majors attached to a single degree. It requires satisfactory completion of all required courses in both the primary and secondary major. A minimum of 24 additional credit hours in the second major is required. Both majors appear on the academic transcript and on the degree parchment.
Examination:	A form of testing intended to assess the level of students’ knowledge, ability, skills, comprehension, application, analysis, and/or synthesis of the subject matter in a course of study. This includes, but is not limited to in-person, online, take-home, practical, and laboratory examinations.
Exchange student:	A student participating in a formalized exchange program with another university. Such students normally pay fees at their home institution and take courses at the host institution.
Final examination:	An examination scheduled during the final examination period.
Final examination period:	The period of calendar days stated in the Academic Schedule that is set aside in each semester and/or session for the administration of final examinations.
GPA:	The abbreviation for grade point average. A semester GPA is the weighted average of the grade points awarded on the basis of academic performance during a single semester. A cumulative grade point average (CGPA or cumulative GPA) is the weighted average of the grade points awarded in all courses completed and included for the achievement of the degree and/or major the student is registered in.
Honours undergraduate degree:	An undergraduate degree with increased depth in a particular area of study. It can be completed as a first degree requiring a minimum of 120 credit hours.
Major:	A prescribed set of courses, and/or other units of study, research and practice in an area of disciplinary or interdisciplinary study within an honours undergraduate degree. It requires at least 36 credit hours of study. The major appears on the academic transcript and on the degree parchment.
Minor:	An optional secondary area of study requiring a minimum of 18 and a maximum or 24 credit hours (including all prerequisites). A student may not declare a major and a minor in the same discipline. The minor appears on the academic transcript, but does not appear on the degree parchment.
Prerequisite:	A course that must be successfully completed prior to commencing a second course for which it is required.
Program:	A complete set and sequence of courses, combination of courses, and/or other units of study, research and practice, the successful completion of which qualifies the candidate for a formal credential (degree with or without major; diploma), provided all other academic and financial requirements are met.
Registration:	The process of selecting, enrolling in, and being assessed fees for courses.
Registration period:	In a semester, it is the period extending from the first day of registration to the tenth lecture day, as stated in the academic schedule. In a session, it is the period extending from the first day of registration to the fifth lecture day.
Scholarship:	A monetary award to a student based primarily on academic merit, although other criteria may be considered based on donors’ requirements.
Second degree:	A second degree program pursued after the first. It requires the completion of all required courses for both degree programs. The maximum advanced standing that can be awarded towards a second degree is 50 percent of the credits from the first degree. No more than 12 credit hours of the second degree can be taken at another institution.
Semester:	60 days of lectures and a final examination period.
Session:	A period of approximately six consecutive weeks in the summer semester consisting of 30 days of lectures and a final examination period. The first half of summer semester is designated as spring session; the second half is designated as summer session.
Special student:	A student taking courses but not seeking a degree. With the permission of the dean, such a student may subsequently be admitted to a degree program in which case courses already taken may be used to satisfy undergraduate degree requirements. Special students register formally in courses, with the consent of the instructor; such students submit assignments, write examinations, receive grades and may request an official transcript. Such students are charged full course fees.
Specialization:	A focus in a particular area of a major requiring a minimum of 9 and a maximum of 15 credit hours. A specialization appears on the academic transcript, but does not appear on the degree parchment.
Transcript:	The complete report of a student’s academic record.
Transfer credit:	Academic credit granted for work completed at an institution other than the university.
Undergraduate degree:	A degree that can be completed as a first degree, requiring a minimum of 90 credit hours of study.
Undergraduate diploma:	A prescribed set of degree credit courses and/or other forms of study that can be undertaken as a stand-alone program or to complement an undergraduate degree program. An undergraduate diploma is comprised of 18-30 credit hours of undergraduate level study. a) A concurrent undergraduate diploma is offered in conjunction with an undergraduate degree, which requires that the candidate be already admitted to an undergraduate degree. b) A direct-entry undergraduate diploma is a stand-alone, direct-entry program, developed by a unit already offering a related undergraduate or graduate degree.
Visiting student:	A student admitted to another post-secondary institution, attending the university on a letter of permission.
Waiver:	Permission granted by the appropriate authority for exemption from a particular program requirement and/or a particular university regulation.
Working day:	Any day, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, statutory holidays and university closures, on which business can be conducted.