Glossary

The following are definitions of terms that may be used throughout this General Catalog.

Academic Load
The total number of semester hours for which a student is registered in one semester or summer term.

Academic Year
The period beginning with fall semester and culminating with the conclusion of summer intersession.

Advanced Standing 
Academic credit for one or more courses awarded to beginning freshmen upon their successful performance on an examination. 

Approved Elective
Elective that is not open to the free choice of the student.

Audit
To enroll in a course for no credit.

Center for Freshman Year
The division in University College in which most freshman students enroll. The freshman year in the center and the following three years in one of the senior colleges represent the normal time required for completion of a baccalaureate degree program.

Colleges and Schools
The academic units of the university that offer academic degree programs; administered by deans or directors and staffed by faculty members. The type of training and the degree anticipated determine the student’s choice of school or college.

Concentration
An alternative track of courses within a major, accounting for at least 30 percent of the major requirements. Establishment of a concentration does not require prior approval by the Board of Regents.

Corequisite
A concurrent requirement; usually a course or some other condition that must be taken at the same time as another course.

Credit
(1) The recognition awarded for the successful completion of course work.

Cross-Listed
The same course offered under the rubrics of two or more departments.

Cumulative Average
A student’s grade point average based on the total number of quality points earned and the total number of semester hours attempted.

Curriculum
A description of the required and elective courses for a degree program.

Degree
The title of the award conferred on students by a college, university, or professional school upon completion of a unified program of study (i.e., Bachelor of Arts–BA; Bachelor of Science–BS; Master of Science–MS; Master of Fine Arts–MFA; Doctor of Philosophy–PhD, etc.).

Degree Designation
A degree designation for each authorized program at a public institution of higher education in Louisiana is listed in the Board of Regents’ Inventory. Some programs require the name of the subject area as part of the degree designation (i.e., Bachelor of Architecture–BArch; Master of Social Work–MSW; Juris Doctor–JD, etc.).

Degree Program
A grouping of campus-approved courses and requirements (i.e., minimum GPA, comprehensive examinations, English and mathematics proficiency, etc.) that, when satisfactorily completed, will entitle the student to a degree from a public institution of higher education.

Degree Subject Area
The primary discipline/field that constitutes the focus of a degree program. For example, a Bachelor of Arts in history. In some cases, the degree subject area is part of the degree title, as in Bachelor of Architecture, Master of Landscape Architecture.

Degree Title
The complete label of a degree program consisting of the degree designation and the degree subject area (i.e., Bachelor of Arts in history; Bachelor of Science in chemistry). After satisfactorily completing a degree program, a student will be entitled to a degree in the appropriate subject area from a public institution of higher education.

Departments
The academic units of the university within colleges or schools; administered by heads or chairs.

Elective
Course chosen by the student, as opposed to required course. The term elective, without a qualifier, will be understood to be a free elective, chosen by the student at his or her option from all the courses offered by the university for degree credit, with due regard for prerequisites.

Equivalent
When used in a course prerequisite (e.g., Prereq: SOCL 2001  or equivalent), this term means either credit in a comparable course or adequate preparation by other experience. Determination of equivalency is left to the discretion of individual departments.

Good Standing
Students are in good standing if they are eligible to continue or to re-enroll at the university, even if on scholastic probation or on scholastic warning status.

Grade Point Average (GPA)
A measure of scholastic performance; the ratio of quality points earned to semester hours attempted.

Major
That part of a degree program consisting of a specified group of courses in a particular discipline or field. The name of the major is usually consistent with the degree subject area. A major usually consists of 25 percent or more of the total hours required in an undergraduate curriculum. Establishment of a major requires prior approval by the Board of Regents.

Matriculation
The state of being registered for credit and working toward a specific degree.

Minor
That part of a degree program consisting of a specified group of courses in a particular discipline or field. The minor usually consists of 15 percent or more of the total hours required in an undergraduate curriculum. Establishment of a minor does not require prior approval by the Board of Regents.

myLSU
The newest LSU portal provides single sign on access to numerous LSU resources including Moodle and TigerWare.

Nonmatriculated
The state of being registered for credit but not working toward a specific degree. Both graduate and undergraduate students may register as nonmatriculated.

Pre-professional Program
A nondegree program of study in preparation for entry into a professional degree program at another institution or another division of the university; normally takes from one to three years to complete.

Prerequisite
The preliminary requirement, usually credit in another course, that must be met before a course can be taken.

Proficiency Examination
A test equivalent to a final examination in a college-level course in which a student not formally enrolled may demonstrate competence and earn academic credit.

Quality Point
Numerical value assigned to each letter grade from “A+” to “F,” when given as the final grade in a course; provides a basis for quantitative determination of a grade-point average. Quality-point values at LSU are as follows: “A+” = 4.3, “A” = 4.0, “A-” = 3.7, “B+” = 3.3, “B” = 3.0, “B-” = 2.7, “C+” = 2.3, “C” = 2.0, “C-” = 1.7, “D+” = 1.3, “D” = 1.0, “D-” = 0.7, and “F” = 0.0.

Registration
The process by which a duly admitted student, upon payment of required fees, is enrolled in classes.

Regular Semester
The span of weeks that comprise either the fall or spring semesters.

ROTC
The Reserve Officers Training Corps program.

Semester Hour
The unit by which coursework is measured. The number of semester hours assigned to a course is usually determined by the number of hours the class meets per week.

Senior College
A college or school that establishes requirements for an undergraduate degree.

Student Schedule
The courses in which a student is enrolled.

Transfer Student
A student who terminates enrollment in one college or university and subsequently enrolls in this university.