Glossary of College Terms

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Academic Appeals Committee	A committee of faculty members and administrators that handles student appeals for interpretation and waivers of academic regulations.
Academic Renewal	A policy enabling students to disregard up to two semesters of previous sub-standard course work based on academic improvement. For details, see the college catalog.
Accredited	Having been certified as fulfilling acceptable academic standards. Accredited institutions recognize and accept courses taken at other accredited colleges. West Valley College is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).
Articulation Agreement	A formal, written agreement between West Valley College and a four-year institution that allows students to complete West Valley courses in lieu of those offered by the four-year college. Courses taken under an articulation agreement can be used to satisfy admission, general education, and major requirements.
Assessment Tests	Tests in reading and writing to help students determine appropriate course placement. Assessment tests are strongly recommended before registering for classes in your first semester.
Associate's Degree	A degree awarded by a community college after successful completion of a course of study of at least 60 semester units (2-3 years of full-time study).
Bachelor's Degree	A degree awarded by a four-year college or university after successful completion of a course of study that is typically 120 semester units (4-5 years of full-time study).
Catalog Rights	Students' right to follow the requirements in the catalog for the year they start their education at a college or university, as long as they maintain continuous enrollment. Continuous enrollment at West Valley is defined as completing at least one course in an academic year (fall, spring, or summer).	Top
Certificate of Achievement	A document issued by a department indicating completion of core requirements, generally within an occupational program (e.g., Interior Design, Paralegal Studies, Fashion Design, Marketing and Sales). Note that not all occupational programs offer certificates. Please check the catalog for more information.
Credit by Exam	College credit given when an instructor permits a student to take a course examination without attending the course and the student successfully completes the exam. Students who have independently obtained the information presented in a course may benefit from this approach. To obtain more information on credit by exam, see the college catalog.
Class Audit	Registration to attend a class without taking tests or completing assignments. Each college department determines which courses may be audited, and the instructor's prior approval is required. Auditing is allowed on a space available basis.
College Catalog	An annual West Valley College publication that lists policies and procedures, admission requirements, degree and certificate programs, course descriptions, and transfer information.
Co-requisite	A course that a student must simultaneously take in order to enroll in another course. For example, Psychology 2 has a co-requisite of Math 10, so a student taking Psychology 2 must simultaneously take Math 10.
Course Repetition to Improve GPA	Repetition of a course where a sub-standard grade (D or F) was earned. A student may repeat a course only once without approval. Only the most recently earned units and grade will be used in calculating the GPA and total units.	Top
Crashing a Class	Showing up at one of the first sessions of a course in which the student is not formally enrolled, and requesting the instructor's permission to enroll in it. This is the only way to enroll in a class that has already started or has filled during registration.
Credit/No Credit Option	The option to take a course without receiving a letter grade. If a course offers this option, its description in the college catalog will say so. To earn credit, a student's work must earn the equivalent of a C grade or better. The marks of Credit (CR) and No Credit (NC) are not computed into the student's GPA, but CRs do count toward the student's required number of units.
CSU GE Pattern	A series of approved courses that a community college student can use to satisfy lower-division general education requirements at any CSU campus.
CSU System	A state university system comprising 23 public campuses throughout California. Often referred to as state universities or CSU's.
Disqualification	The consequence when a student on probation fails to improve based on the criteria listed in the catalog. Such a student may not enroll in courses unless he or she successfully petitions for readmission. Please see a counselor for more information.
Doctorate (Ph.D., Ed.D, or M.D.)	The highest educational degree awarded. A doctorate typically requires completion of 90 or more units beyond a bachelors degree.
Dropping/Withdrawing from a Course	Two ways of leaving a class before completing it. Students may drop classes within the first two weeks of the semester and have no record on their transcript. Students may also withdraw from the third to the fourteenth week but will receive a W (withdrawal) on their transcript. W's are not figured into the GPA, but excessive W's can put a student on progress probation. Check the college calendar found in the schedule of classes for drop dates.
Educational Plan	A planned course of study that outlines the courses needed to meet general education, transfer, certificate, and/or associate's degree goals.	Top
Elective	A course in a student's program that is open to choice. Some departments recommend particular electives in addition to the required courses. More often, however, students choose free electives.
Final Exam Schedule	The list of the days and times of final exams. Note that final exam times may be different from regularly scheduled class times. The final exam schedule can be found in the schedule of classes.
Financial Aid (grants, loans, work-study, scholarships)	Support for students to help meet the costs of paying for college. Financial aid programs are offered through federal and state governments, colleges and universities, and public and private sources.
Full-time Student	A student enrolled in 12 or more units during a regular semester.
GE Certification	A formal document of completion of lower-division general education requirements for public four-year schools. A student can receive GE certification at a community college. Once a student completes all the approved courses, he or she must request certification in the Admissions office.
GPA	The numerical average computed by dividing the total grade points by the total credit hours attempted.. A cumulative GPA is the total grade points on a student's record divided by the total hours attempted.
General Education (GE)	A series of courses required for degrees that provide with a breadth of understanding.
Graduation Petition	A formal request a student must file after completing all graduation requirements in order to receive an associate's degree at West Valley. Graduation petitions must be filed in the Admissions office before the posted deadline listed in the schedule of classes.
Graduation with Honors	Graduation from West Valley with an overall cumulative GPA of 3.00. Honors graduates receive special recognition at commencement, and the Honors designation appears on their transcripts.	Top
IGETC (Inter-segmental General Education Transfer Curriculum)	A series of approved courses that a community college student can use to satisfy lower-division general education requirements at any CSU or UC campus (see a counselor for limitations).
Incomplete	A designation that a student may request an instructor to issue if the student does not complete work in a course due to emergencies or other justifiable reasons. The instructor tells the student what work remains to be completed. Students have one year to make up this work. Students who fail to do this will receive a grade based on the partial work they did submit in the course.
Lower-Division Transfer	A student who transfers with fewer than 56 transferable units to the CSU system or 60 transferable units to the UC system. Lower-division transfers are held to different, and often more difficult, admission requirements than upper- division transfers. Students considering applying as lower-division transfers are advised to consult with a counselor, as some colleges do not admit lower-division applicants.
Major Preparation	Required lower-division courses that help prepare students for upper division or advanced course work for a major offered at a four-year college.
Master's Degree	An advanced degree beyond a bachelor's degree. A master's degree (M.A., M.S.) commonly requires completion of 30 to 60 units beyond a bachelor's degree.
Matriculation	A set of state-mandated requirements that West Valley must follow to help its students succeed. It covers, for example, assessment, orientation, and counseling.
Maximum Unit Load	Students may enroll for a maximum of 18 units during a regular (fall or spring) semester and 6 units during a summer session. The registration system will prevent students from enrolling for additional units. Students can petition for "over maximum units" by meeting with a counselor who carefully assesses whether or not it is in the best interest of the student to attempt the additional units.
Pre-requisite	A requirement that must be met before enrolling in a particular course. Common prerequisites are completion of a prior course or a placement test result.	Top
Private/Independent College	A college or university that is funded primarily by private resources rather than the state. Examples include Stanford, Santa Clara, and USC.
Probation	The consequence of failing to meet minimum academic standards set by the college. A student will be placed on academic probation if, after completing 12 or more units, he or she has a GPA below 2.0. A student will be placed on progress probation if he or she fails to complete 50% or more of the classes attempted, after attempting 12 or more units.
Schedule of Classes	A twice-yearly West Valley publication that lists the courses offered in a semester as well as their schedules, instructors, and locations. The schedule also includes registration information and the college calendar, which gives important dates such as drop dates, final exam week, and holidays.
T-Reg (Telephone Registration)	An automated system through which students can register for their classes at West Valley College. Instructions for using the system can be located in the schedule of classes.
T.A.A. (Transfer Admission Agreement)	A contract between West Valley College and a four-year university that guarantees admission to a given student so long as the student meets specified course work and GPA requirements.
Transcripts	An official copy of the student's academic record showing courses completed and grades and credits earned. The first two sets of transcripts can be sent for free through the Admissions and Records Office. Additional copies are available for a small fee.
Transferable Courses	Courses that are approved to transfer to a four-year college or university. These courses can be taken as general education requirements, for major preparation, or for elective credit. Please check the course descriptions in the college catalog to determine which courses are transferable to CSU and/or UC.
UC System	A 10-campus public university system in California. Often referred to as UC or University of California.	Top
Unit	A measure of academic credit. One unit generally equals one hour per week of classroom time for a lecture class. Lab and activity classes generally require more class time per unit.
Upper Division Transfer	A student who transfers with a minimum of 56 transferable units to the CSU system or 60 transferable units to the UC system. Upper-division transfers are also known as junior-level transfers.
Web Advisor	An online web-based registration system that allows students to sign up for classes, view unofficial transcripts, or check grades. Web Advisor can be accessed from any remote location with access to the web.
Work Experience	On-the-job experience that may earn a student academic credit at West Valley. These units are transferable to the CSU system but not to the UC system.
WVC Admission Requirements	The minimum requirements for attending West Valley. Any person may attend West Valley who is a high school graduate, has passed the State Proficiency Test, has obtained a G.E.D., or is at least 18 years of age. Students whose legal residence is outside California or who have not resided in the state for one year and one day before the first day of the semester may apply for admission as nonresident students (who are subject to higher fees). High school students may enroll with permission from their high school.
WVC Graduation Requirements	The minimum criteria for earning an associate's degree at West Valley College. The student must complete a minimum of 60 passing units of college work (at least 12 of which must be completed at West Valley); achieve at least a "C" "(2.00) cumulative GPA; fulfill the requirements for a major; demonstrate proficiency in reading, writing, and mathematics; and complete the general education requirements outlined in the college catalog.	Top

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