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Austin Peay Center at Fort Campbell

Academic Glossary

Absence:  Instructors may require attendance as a part of the grading mechanism.  Attendance records are required at the Austin Peay Center at Fort Campbell and faculty are required to submit an attendance report at the end of the term.   Students who are forced by circumstances beyond their control to be absent from announced tests and examinations should request approval from the instructor.  At the discretion of the instructor, the student will receive the grade of "I", "F", or "FA."  The grade of "I" may be changed on the basis of a late test or examination.  NOTE:  For web-based courses, the software gives the instructor the ability to determine the times, dates, and length of entry and other activities of all students. 

Academic Calendar:  The academic calendar is the official timeline for activities of students.  It lists the days of registration, the dates of classes, holidays, examinations, and other activities.  The academic calendar is available online and is printed in the Undergraduate Bulletin (catalog) and the schedule of courses offered per term.

Academic Dishonesty:  Academic dishonesty is generally defined as any act of dishonesty in academic work. This includes, but is not limited to, plagiarism, the changing or falsifying of any academic documents or materials, cheating, and giving or receiving of unauthorized aid in tests, examinations, or other assigned work.  Students guilty of academic misconduct, either directly or indirectly through participation or assistance, are immediately responsible to the instructor of the class.  Penalties for academic misconduct will vary with the seriousness of the offense and may include, but are not limited to, a grade of "F" on the work in question, a grade of "F" in the course, probation, reprimand, suspension, and expulsion.  A common form of academic dishonesty is the downloading of a research paper from the Internet, either partially or totally.  Austin Peay State University has software that will allow the instructor to research a suspected document and to locate its source from the Internet. 

Academic Status:  Your academic status is a description of whether or not you are in good standing with your studies:
     Good standing:       Student may continue taking classes
     Probation:              Student is not allowed to enroll in another term until certain conditions are met
     Suspension:            Student is not allowed to enroll for one or more semesters.
     Reinstatement:        Student is allowed to enroll conditionally.

Accredited Institutions:  Austin Peay State University accepts transfer credit from colleges and universities based on the following considerations:
1.  The educational quality of the institution from which the student wishes credit.
2.  The comparability of the nature, content, and level of credit earned to that offered by APSU.
3.  The appropriateness and applicability of the credit earned to the programs offered by APSU with regard to the student's educational goals.
4.  APSU readily accepts all credit from regionally accredited institutions by accrediting agencies such as the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS).
5.  APSU accepts all credit from the American Council on Education (ACES) credit for military.  The credit may or may not apply to a particular degree program. 
6.  A student wishing to earn credit for work other than routinely accepted credits may complete a form for:  Application for Transfer of Credit from a Non-Regionally Accredited Institution, which is available from the Office of the Registrar. 

ACT Test:  Most colleges and universities require some form of pre-test to gain admission to the institution.  The two most common are the American College Test (ACT) and the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT).  These examinations are ordinarily taken by the student in the last year of high school, but may be taken later as well. 

Adjunct Professor:  Part-time instructors who are hired by a particular department to fill the teaching needs.  These instructors are sometimes listed as "staff" in the class schedule.

Advisor:  A University professional who helps a student determine a program of study, what courses to take, when to take them, and how many credits to take.  An advisor also provides support and resources to the student and assists sin setting academic goals.  An advisor may be a faculty member in the department in which the student studies, or may be a professional who only does academic advising. 

APA Style:  The APA style is a manuscript format or publication manual developed by the American Psychological Association.  It is used when writing papers and reporting sources used.  Another commonly used format is the MLA style.

Application/Reapplication:  Every student must submit an application in order to begin taking classes with APSU.  The application form must be completed with all detail and requested items supplied by the student.  APSU requires a one-time, non-refundable application fee of $15.00.  (Military and dependents are not required to pay this fee.)  The application form requires all personal data, an intended campus for taking classes, a declaration of the intended area of study, and an academic history of high school and colleges and universities previously attended by the student.  Because of the fee discounts given to military and dependents for lower division courses, a declaration of military status must be declared. A student who has been out of school for two or more terms must submit a reapplication form to again begin taking courses.

Associate of Applied Science Degree (AAS):  The Associate of Applied Science degree is a two-year degree program in a technical area.  This technical degree only requires 15/16 hours of general education core classes and is heavy on technical course requirements.  Most AAS degrees require approximately 60 hours to graduate.  The AAS degree will transition most easily into the Bachelor of Science in Professional Studies with a minimum loss of earned credits. 

Associate of Science Degree (AS):  The Associate of Science degree is designed to be a transfer degree into a bachelor's degree program.  The AS degree requires all the general education core requirements and does not have a technical concentration area.  APSU offers only one AS degree, that of Liberal Arts (General Studies). 

Auditing Courses:  Auditing courses is the taking of a course without receiving credit.  By permission of the instructor, as student may be permitted to audit a course.  A student who elects to audit a course and pays the regular fee per credit hour receives regular instruction in the course, including tests and examinations if desired.  By arrangements with the instructor, the student may receive a grade in the course, but not credit.  The grade of "AU" will appear on the transcripts.  The irreversible procedure for registering for audited courses is stated in the SCHEDULE OF CLASSES.

Bachelor's Degree:  A bachelor's degree is a four-year degree requiring a minimum of 120 hours of earned credit hours.  The most common are the Bachelor of Arts (BA), the Bachelor of Science (BS), the Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA), and the Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA). 

Blackboard:  Blackboard is a software package used in many of the web-based courses offered by APSU.  It is a student-friendly package, easy to use and navigate within. 

Block Codes:  Different university departments may place holds on student records for delinquent charges or other reasons.  Examples include special health fees, parking fines, library fees, and lack of required documentation for admittance to certain degree programs.  These encumbrances will keep the student from registering or from obtaining a transcript.

Call Numbers:  A part of the registration process is the use of a call number.  Each course is assigned a call number specific for that course and that term.  A typical schedule of courses will list courses by 1)  Call Number; 2) Area; 3) Course Number; 4) Section Number; 5) Course Title; 6) Credit Hours; 7) Scheduled Times; 8) Days of Class Meetings; 9) Instructor; and 10) Room Number.

CARE Policy:  Enrolled students who have been out of college a minimum of two years may apply, through their academic dean, for consideration of the CARE (Credentials Analysis and Re-Evaluation) policy.  A maximum of 18 semester credits or equivalent of  "D" or "F", along with the grades and credits of all other courses taken in no more than two consecutive terms at APSU or another institution may be removed from the GPA calculation.  See the current catalog for more details.

Catalog (Undergraduate/Graduate Bulletin):  The college catalog (APSU's is called the Undergraduate or Graduate Bulletin) is the official student guide to college.  It contains policies, rules, regulations, and requirements, along with the curricula of all degree programs.  Because these policies, rules, regulations and requirements change regularly, the student is advised to maintain a copy of the catalog of the year the student is entered. 

Circulation Desk/Library:  The circulation desk in the Felix Woodward Library is where a student checks library materials in or out.  It is also the general information center in a library and a place that is staffed all hours the library is open.  The telephone number to the Woodward Library is (931) 221-7346.

CLEP:  The College Level Examination Program (CLEP) gives students the opportunity to earn credit for a college course by making a certain score on an examination.  See the current catalog for the required scores by subject matter.  CLEP and other examinations are available through the APSU Counseling and Testing Center, telephone (931) 221-6162, or you may email  at http://www.apsu.edu/counseling/test_dir.htm. 

COMPASS Examination:  The COMPASS (Computer-adaptive Placement Assessment and Support Services) is a computerized test that provides important information about individual skills and preparation for college-level courses.  It is an untimed, adaptive computer-based test that measures skills in reading, writing, and mathematics.  A student may be required to take developmental courses in one or more of these areas if his/her score is below the cut-off point.

Co-requisite Courses:  Co-requisite courses are courses in which students must register concurrently.  An example is a natural science course such as Biology 1010.  The co-requisite course is the laboratory  BIOL 1011.   It is the student's responsibility to check for satisfactory completion of pre-requisites and co-requisites as listed in the current catalog.

Course Numbers:  Every course is designated by a rubric and course number.  The rubric is a 2, 3, or 4 letter designation for the department and study area.  As examples, BIOL is the rubric for biology courses, POLS is the rubric for political science courses, and PM is the rubric for Public Management courses.  The rubric is followed by a four digit number.  The number is specific for each course and designates the level of the course.  Freshman courses are numbered 1000-1999, sophomore courses are labeled 2000-2999, junior courses are labeled 3000-3999, senior courses are labeled 4000-4999, and graduate courses are labeled 5000-6999. 

Credit Hours:  A student's progress toward a degree is measured in credit hours.  Associate degrees usually require 60 credit hours of successful work, and a bachelor's degree usually requires 120 credit hours.  The number of credits assigned to a course depends, in part, upon how much time is spent in class each week.  Most courses offered by APSU are worth three credit hours.  Please note that there is a difference between quarter hours and semester hours.  To convert quarter hours to semester hours, the quarters hours are multiplied by 0.67.  Credit hours are usually referred to as simply "credits" or "hours."

Curriculum Labs:  Curriculum laboratories are supplied with materials useful to education majors, and contain textbooks and curriculum guide samples used by local school systems.

DANTES:  Credit earned through DANTES-Subject Standardized Tests (DSSTs) will be evaluated using ACE guidelines.  DANTES examinations are available through the APSU Counseling and Testing Center, telephone (931) 221-6162, or at http://www.apsu.edu/counseling/test_dir.htm. 

Databases:  Databases are electronically stored and organized information that can be easily retrieved.  The Woodward Library has available many database files.

Dean:  A dean is the highest administrative officer of a division, college or school.  As examples, there are the Dean of the College of Arts and Letters, the Dean of the College of Science and Mathematics, and the Dean of the College of Professional Programs and Social Sciences.  The dean reports directly to the Vice President for Academic Affairs.

Dean's List:  The Dean's List is a list of honor students for each college/school.  It is published at the end of each semester/term.  To qualify, a student must earn at least 12 credits for a semester on main campus, or 12 credits over no more than two consecutive terms at Fort Campbell, i.e., Fall I and Fall II, or Spring I and Spring II.  Courses taken "pass-fail"  and developmental/remedial courses are not included in the grade calculation.  A GPA of 3.50-3.69 is Cum Laude, a GPA of 3.70-3.89 is Magma Cum Laude, and 3.90-4.00 is Summa Cum Laude. 

Department Chair:  The University is organized academically into departments.  A department usually encompasses one area of study and is headed by one of the faculty members who is designated as "Department Chair."  The department chair reports to a director/dean.

Developmental Studies Program (DSP):  The Developmental Studies Program is designed to help students improve learning skills necessary for college success.  Developmental courses in grammar, writing, mathematics, reading and study skills are structured to meet the needs of each student.  Developmental studies courses award college credit and generate 3-5 credit hours per course but they do not apply toward minimum requirements for graduation, Honors or the Dean's List.

Direct Quotes:  Plagiarism is a serious offense at APSU or any institution of higher education.  All information obtained from some source must be credited to that source.  A direct quote is the use of the exact words of another and all direct quotes must be in quotation marks.  See "PLAGIARISM" for a more detailed definition.

Distance Education:  Traditional courses courses are taught on-site, meaning in a classroom.  The tremendous advances in technology now allow alternative teaching delivery methods such as web-based courses, video courses, and Interactive Television (ITV) courses.  These are known as distance education.  The amount of study time, the work and study requirements, and grading mechanisms are as strict and difficult as traditional courses, but offer the student more flexibility.

Drop/Add Period:  A period of time, typically during the first week of classes, in which the student may pick up additional classes or drop classes.  After the drop/add period, classes may be added or dropped only with the permission of of the instructor. 

Editing:  When writing essays, term papers, research papers and similar documents, one of the most important tasks for the student is proper editing before submitting the paper to the instructor.  Editing is proofreading the document for format, grammar, sentence structure, content, and proper citations.

Electives:  The curriculum requirements for academic programs have both mandatory courses and elective courses.  Mandatory courses are very specific about which course(s) must be taken.  Elective courses allow the student flexibility in selection of which course(s) to take, although the degree may require that the electives be taken from a particular department, college, or area of study.

Essay Questions:  Examinations may be of several forms including essay questions, multiple-choice questions, completion questions, true-false questions, and matching.  An essay question requires a brief discourse on a specific subject.  The answer may be as short as a paragraph or as long as several pages.

Experiential Learning Program:  Austin Peay State University offers the Experiential Learning Program for assessing college-level knowledge gained through work and life experience.  Prior learning may be evaluated through a variety of assessment tools.  The tools may include departmental examinations, performance assessments or documented training programs, as determined by academic departments.  Each department may determine whether it will participate in the experiential credit process or accept credits earned via the portfolio process.

FA/FN:  An FA is a failing grade due to excessive absence from the class.  An FN is a failing grade because the student has never attended the class.  The FA and FN grades must be reported as soon as they become applicable, but usually by the mid-term reporting period.  This is because of VA and Financial Aid requirements.

Faculty:  Faculty are the teachers at Austin Peay State University, and may be either full-time or part-time.  Faculty are ranked according to their degrees earned, qualifications, time spent teaching, and position.  The ranks are Instructor, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, and full Professor, the most prestigious.  Adjuncts, while part-time instructors, are not less qualified than full-time professors as they must meet the SACS minimum requirements in order to teach.  Most adjuncts have both the necessary academic credentials and work experience in their field. 

FERPA:  The Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is designed to protect the confidentiality of personally identifiable educational records of students and former students.  The student has the right to access, right to request amendment, and right to file a complaint concerning his/her education records.  Except as provided by policy, the University may disclose directory information to any person requesting it without consent of the student.  Directory information includes the student's name, address, telephone number, e-mail address, date and place of birth, major field of study, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, weight and height of members of athletic teams, dates of attendance, enrollment status, degrees and awards received, and the most previous educational institution or agency attended by the student. 

Fresh Start Program:  Beginning in the Fall of 1992, students who have been out of higher education a minimum of four years and return completing 15 semester hours credit with a GPA of at least 2.00 at APSU may renew their academic records without penalty of prior failure.  Fresh Start calculates the GPA and credit hours toward graduation on course work commencing with the credits taken following the absence.  Students granted Fresh Start will forfeit all college credits and grades earned before the separation period.  The courses and grades will remain on the transcript, noted appropriately, and be removed from the GPA calculation.  Permission for Fresh Start will be granted only once.  Eligible students are to complete the Fresh Start form with the Office of the Registrar during the first term of admission or readmission.  A student may utilize the CARE policy and Fresh Start provided the separation from higher education is not the same time period.

Full Load (Maximum Load):  A full  or maximum load is established for the protection of the student.  For main campus students the maximum load is 18 credit hours, and for Fort Campbell students it is 12 credit hours.  Special permission of the student's dean is required to take up to an additional three credits above the maximum load.

Full-Time Student Load:  To be considered a full-time student, he/she must take a minimum course load.  Being a full-time student has an impact on financial aid, VA benefits, and other items.  For main campus students, 12 or more credit hours is considered to qualify a student as full time, and for the Fort Campbell campus, 6 or more credit hours qualifies a student as full time. 

General Education Courses:  The core general education requirements are listed in the curriculum description for each degree or program.  In the 2005-2006 academic year, the requirements for AS, BS, BA, BBA, or BFA programs is 41 credit hours.  For AAS programs, the general education core requirements or 15/16 credit hours.  The core general education courses should be taken during the first two years of study.

Grade Point Average (GPA):  The GPA is a system for evaluating the overall scholastic performance of students.  The GPA is derived by dividing the Quality Points by the Credit Hours Attempted.  See the current catalog for required GPA per program and for graduation.

High School Deficiencies:  The State of Tennessee requires all high school graduates to successfully complete certain basic units.  In order to be admitted to a college or university in Tennessee, all students must have completed those high school requirements.  A unit deficiency is removed through a three or four semester hour course.  In some cases a deficiency may be removed using a combination of courses carrying less than three semester hours of credit.  Level of proficiency for removing the unit deficiency will be a grade of "A", "B", or "C".  Compensating courses (with the exception of DSP courses) are only applicable as elective credit and do not count toward the Liberal Arts core, major or minor requirements.  The most common high school unit deficiencies are foreign language, math, and fine arts.

Honorary Societies:  These are clubs within academic disciplines.  They require a honors level grade point average for inclusion, and future members are often selected for membership by current members.

Incomplete Grade:  An grade of Incomplete is designated as "I".  It means the student has not completed all requirements for a particular course.  A grade of  "I" is never assigned automatically by an instructor, but will be given only after the student has requested same from the instructor and has satisfactorily explained why the "I" grade is necessary.  It is at the instructor's discretion as to award an "I" or another grade.  An "I" grade must be removed within one calendar year or it automatically changes to a grade of "F".  For active-duty military on Tuition Assistance (TA), the "I" grade must be removed within 120 days or the soldier will be required to repay the TA through payroll deductions. 

In-state Residency:  Tuition charges vary according to the place of residency for the student.  In-state residency means the permanent residence of persons living in the state of Tennessee, and they are charged in-state tuition.  People residing out-of-state pay a tuition fee that is ordinarily about 2.5 times than of in-state students.  Military personnel and dependents assigned to Fort Campbell pay in-state tuition rates, as do persons living in the contiguous Kentucky counties of Calloway, Simpson, Allen, Christian, Trigg, Todd, and Logan. 

Interlibrary Loans:  The Felix Woodward Library provides a service to obtain books and articles from other libraries when not available on site.  The service is free to the students and is requested electronically.  Articles may be retained but books must be returned to the library by a certain due date.

ISBN:  Every book printed has an ISBN.  It is a number specific to that particular book and edition.  If the student is ordering a book from the bookstore or on-line, the ISBN is a requirement to ensure the proper text is provided.  As an example, the dictionary cited in the definition of plagiarism below has ISBN 0-395-33959-6.

Journals/Magazines:  Journals deal with information in a specified discipline, written by experts in the field.  Magazines deal with easy-to-read information written by knowledgeable people.  Instructors will often give specific guidelines about what kind of journals or magazines are accepted for a particular assignment.

Library Fines/Fees:  Library materials may be borrowed from the library but must be returned by a specified date.  When borrowed materials are returned late, fines are assessed and must be paid. 

Major:  There are four designations for the area of academic study.  A major is the principal area of study, and usually requires from 30-39 credit hours of prescribed study in a particular subject matter.   A Minor is also an area of specified study, but not to the same extent as the major.  A minor ordinarily requires about 18 hours of study in a particular subject matter.  Some majors will have several alternatives of areas of study.  These are called Concentrations.  Concentrations may be further subdivided into Specializations. 

Mid-Term Grades:  APSU is required to report grades by the mid-term of every semester or term.  Federal financial aid laws require failures due to absence or nonattendance to be reported. 

MLA Style:  This is a manuscript style developed by the Modern Language Association and is used when writing papers and documenting references.  Most of the courses in Languages and Literature use the MLA style.  Students should know the difference between the MLA and APA manuscript styles.

On-Line Courses:  Courses taken via the computer are called either on-line courses or web-based courses.  These distance education delivery methods are very popular and allow the student the flexibility to do the work at his/her own pace and schedule. 

Overload Permission:  To be allowed to register for more than the regular load (see definition of Full Load), permission of the academic advisor and academic dean is required.  Normal load is 16-17 hour on main campus and 6-12 hours at Fort Campbell. 

Pass/Not Pass Regulations:  These are classes taken for credit but without a "regular" A-B-C-D-F grade, only a grade of "pass" or "fail."