Academic Probation
Academic probation occurs when a student falls below a 2.00 cumulative GPA; has implications for financial aid, among other things.
Academic Suspension for NEW students
Academic suspension is enforced if a student’s GPA is less than 1.25 at the end of the first semester.
Advanced Placement (AP)
Advanced placement is awarded as indicated in the undergraduate catalog. Credit appears on the transcript as if it was college transfer credit.
Advising Centers
Advising centers complement and supplement the work of advisors in academic departments and schools and are the hub for advising information.
Attendance Policy
No attendance policy exists across the university. Each faculty member establishes his/her policy, which is usually announced and distributed in writing on the first day of class.
Census Date
The census date is the date when official enrollment is reported; the last day for reduction of tuition, fees and room fees (less administrative fees). See the university calendar for specific dates.
Course Load
Course load is the number of semester credit hours in which a student is enrolled. A typical course load is 14-17 hours. A student must pass an average of 15 hours per semester to graduate in four years (with no summer or transfer classes).
Course Number
The course number denotes the class standing of students for whom the course is intended. Courses numbered 100-199 are primarily for freshmen; 200-299 are designed for sophomores, etc. Students must attain sophomore standing (26 hours) before enrolling in any 300/400 level course.
Course Withdrawals
Course withdrawals can be used in five courses during a student’s career at RU. (A complete withdrawal from the university does not count against this total.) Withdrawals must be approved by the student’s advisor and received in the Registrar’s Office by the end of the eighth week of 14-week classes.
Dual Enrollment
Dual enrollment is a class or classes completed during high school through the auspices of a local community college. Students receive transfer credit from the community college for courses completed with a grade of “C” or better.
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act
FERPA is a law that stipulates that institutions of higher education must not release information about a student from university records (except directory information) without the consent of the student.
Full-time Status
Full-time status requires enrollment in a minimum of 12 hours for undergraduate students.
Grade Point Average (GPA)
GPA is calculated by multiplying the grade points earned in each course (A=4, B=3, etc.) by the number of credit hours for that course and then dividing the sum of those calculations by the total hours attempted.
International Baccalaureate (IB)
International Baccalaureate is awarded to students who have received IB certificates or have earned scores on individual IB tests as indicated in the undergraduate catalog. Credit appears on the transcript as if it was college transfer credit.
Midterm Grades
Midterm grades are informal progress reports awarded during the seventh week of the semester to new students during their first two semesters and to students on probation.
Registration
Registration occurs in October or November (for spring and summer classes) and in March or April (for summer and fall classes). Registration is, for the most part, in seniority order; students must consult with advisors prior to registration about course selection and to receive PINs.
Schedule Adjustment
During the first week of the semester students have the capacity to add and drop classes without penalty. The ability to add classes is subject to availability. New students must visit their advising centers to adjust their schedules.
Syllabus/Course Description
The syllabus/course description is the “road map” for the course. It is generally distributed on the first day of class and typically includes professor contact information as well as lists of learning objectives, required readings, assignments and due dates, etc.
University Catalog
The university catalog is the official description of policies students
must follow and requirements they must satisfy in order to graduate.
The catalog includes more detailed information about the terms in this glossary. In Radford University’s effort to support sustainability, we will not be printing university catalogs; instead they may be accessed online at: http://www.radford.edu/Catalog.
