Office of the Registrar

College Terms and Definitions

Academic Disqualification: Students are no longer allowed to enroll in classes when both their cumulative and semester GPA falls below 2.0. Consult the CSN catalog for more information.
Academic Freedom: The right of professors to study controversial topics and express unpopular points of view without the threat of job loss — as long as the student's safety and civil rights are maintained.
Academic Renewal: Process by which you may petition CSN to eliminate previous substandard work from grade point calculations and credit. For details and how you may qualify, refer to the College of Southern Nevada Catalog.
Accreditation: The granting of approval to an institution of learning by an official review board after the school has met specific requirements.
Associate of Applied Science Degree (A.A.S.): The graduation document issued by CSN in a specific occupational/vocational program upon completion of requirements as specified in the college catalog.
Associate of Art / Associate of Science Degree (A.A./A.S.): The graduation document issued by CSN upon completion of 60 or more credits, with a grade point average of 2.0, including requirements in general education and electives.
Attrition: A general term referring to the number of students who discontinue their studies.
Audit: The process by which a student can observe a class without receiving a grade or credit. Students who audit a class must still pay full tuition.
Bachelor of Arts / Science Degree (B.A./B.S.): University or college degree earned upon completion of a minimum of 124 credits of college level work in a specified major.
Certificate of Achievement: The document awarded by CSN, in a specific occupational/vocational program upon completion of requirements as specified in the college catalog. It is not a certification or licensure program.
College Level Examination Program (CLEP): A series of tests which may allow students to earn college credit for knowledge they already possess.
Closed Classes: Prior to registration, the enrollment capacity of each class is determined. When the number of students enrolling in the class reaches capacity during registration, the class is considered "closed."
College Catalog: College publication describing academic programs, student services, general information, requirements, and procedures. All classes offered by the college at the time of publication are described, including information as to credit value and prerequisites. The catalog is sold at CSN bookstores.
Concurrent Enrollment: Permissive or required enrollment in two or more related classes during the same semester. For example, the student is allowed to take BIOL 189 only if concurrently enrolled in BIOL 189L (lab).
Credit: Certification of the successful completion of a course. Can also refer to the number of units that will be counted toward graduation. Most courses are three credits. Lab classes are usually one credit.
Credit/No Credit: In some courses a credit/no credit option may be selected or required instead of a letter grade of "A" through "F." A "Cr" indicates work equivalent to a "C" or better. A "NC" grade indicates work that was less than satisfactory and no credits were awarded. These grades are not calculated in your grade point average. For more information refer to your CSN catalog.
Curriculum: All the classes offered by a college or classes offered in a particular subject.
Disqualification: The procedure of dismissing a student from CSN for poor academic achievement, or for incurring excessive course withdrawals.
Electives: Courses that are not required subjects, usually outside of and in addition to your major that must be met in order to obtain an Associate or Bachelor's Degree.
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA): Federal form submitted yearly by students who may qualify for loans, grants, and financial assistance to start or continue their education. Contact Financial Aid for more information and deadline.
General Education Requirements: A specific group of course requirements, usually outside of and in addition to your major that must be met in order to obtain an Associate or Bachelor's Degree.
Grade Point Average (GPA): The grade you have received in each class, multiplied by the credits, divided by the number of credits attempted. Commonly referred to as GPA. Also look at the Academic Planning Tools section to see how GPA is calculated.
Incomplete Grade: Grade which an instructor may give you if at the end of the semester you have not completed all the required course work due to an unforeseeable emergency, or other justifiable reason. All coursework must be completed within a mutually agreeable time, up to one year. It is your responsibility to make arrangements with your instructor to complete the required work. The incomplete grade will change to an "F" grade if the student fails to complete the coursework within the designated time.
Major or Area of Specialization: An organized body of required classes in your main area of interest or degree you are seeking.
Matriculate: A term describing a student who has been accepted to a degree program and has begun taking courses for that program.
Practicum: A course or program that covers a specialized subject in depth. Students are often required to complete a specified number of hours in the work setting.
Prerequisite: Requirement which you must meet prior to enrolling in a particular course. Completing a more basic course or obtaining a minimum score on a placement exam may be required. Prerequisites for courses are listed in both the Schedule of Classes and the CSN Catalog.
Probation: After attempting 15 credits, a student who has not earned a grade point average of "C" (2.0) or better will be placed on academic probation.
Registration: Official process of enrolling in a course. The process must be repeated each semester and for classes in which you wish to enroll.
Repeat Course Form: This form ensures that a class you repeated for a higher grade is now being used in GPA calculations and that the lower grade has been dropped from the same calculation.
Schedule of Classes: Issued prior to each semester's registration period, this college publication lists the days and hours of each class offered, campus location, instructor, etc.
Syllabus: A document a student usually received from their instructor on the first day of class which offers an overview of the course. Syllabuses usually include course purpose or objectives, topics to be covered, assignments, grading requirements and other related details.
Tenure: Usually refers to the lifetime employment of a professor unless he/she is shown to be incompetent or immoral.
Transcripts: A record of your academic history at a college, including credits and grades earned in all semesters of attendance.
Transfer Credit Evaluation: The process you must take to transfer credits previously taken at another institution. In general, courses taken outside our institution will transfer if: 1) CSN offers an equivalent course, 2) they are not subject to time restrictions, i.e. Natural Science courses taken more than six years ago will not transfer, 3) courses are required in your chosen field of study, and 4) the institution is accredited by an organization recognized by CSN. If you are uncertain why a course did not transfer, contact the Admissions and Records Office at your campus.
Transferable Courses: Classes which are accepted for credit towards a Bachelor's Degree at a four-year college. Courses with the letter B, C, or D after the course number will not transfer to either UNLV or UNR. Other courses will transfer as: 1) a course or 2) an elective. See a Counselor for specific course information.
Withdrawal: Process by which you officially drop any or all classes in a semester.