Glossary of Terms

An academic advisor is a faculty member or professional staff member who helps students navigate their academic journey by providing guidance on course selection, degree requirements, academic policies, and educational goals.

An academic calendar is an official schedule that outlines key dates and deadlines for an institution’s academic year, including the start and end of terms, registration periods, exam dates, holidays, and breaks.

An academic program is a structured set of courses and requirements offered by a college or university that leads to a recognized credential, such as a degree, diploma, or certificate, in a specific field of study.

Academic standing refers to a student's official status based on their academic performance, typically measured by grade point average (GPA), and is used to determine eligibility for continued enrollment, receipt of honors, or potential academic actions such as probation or dismissal.

Submitting an admissions appeal does not guarantee admission to UTA. It only allows for a secondary review of your credentials. Students may appeal only once per term.

An admissions counselor is a college or university staff member who guides prospective students through the application and enrollment process. They provide information about academic programs, admission requirements, deadlines, financial aid, and campus life.

Contains courses formally approved to count toward a degree requirement that cannot be published in the catalog, such as courses added to course inventory during off-catalog cycles.

Registering for and attending a class for the express purpose of hearing and observing only, with no active participation, such as submitting papers, taking part in class discussions or receiving credit for the course.

A term used to describe undergraduate education. Baccalaureate programs are typically completed within four to five years and require a minimum of 120 credit hours.

An undergraduate degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study, traditionally comprising the equivalent of four years of full-time academic study beyond the completion of high school.

Distinguished by its concentration in liberal arts; typically focused on culture, arts, philosophy, and language.

Distinguished by its concentration on mathematics, statistics, quantitative reasoning, and scientific analysis.

A guided visit of the UTA campus for prospective students and their guests, led by Trailblazer student tour guides. Tours are offered multiple times each day.

A senior-level culminating course within each undergraduate major. Normally it is among the last courses taken for degree completion.

UTA’s official annual publication containing detailed information about the university, including academic programs, courses, policies, and other institutional data.

Credentials obtained after completing specific required coursework in a single field of study.

A stipulation by a major department or academic unit in which two courses must be completed simultaneously (Ex. A course and corresponding lab)

The formal ceremony of conferring degrees at the end of the semester or academic year

A defined subset of courses within a major that allows students to focus on a particular area of study within that major.

Cooperative programs between University of Texas system components (UTA, UTD and UTSW) in which a student may enroll and complete coursework at two of these institutions simultaneously

Potential admissions status after an individual holistic review. Newly admitted freshmen who are admitted conditionally will participate in the Mavs Rise program.

The official institutional awarding of a transcript-recognized credential by the University to the student, such as a certificate, degree, honors, major, or minor.

Set of courses designated by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) totaling 42 semester credit hours which are required to complete any degree

A set schedule of classes in which students receive instruction in a particular subject and culminates in mastery of that subject; A designated number of semester credit hours are awarded upon successful completion

Also called semester credit hours; A unit of academic credit measured in hours or quarter hours. One credit hour typically represents one hour of class time per week.

Administrative officer at the head of an academic unit or college within a university.

Public recognition by each college at the end of a semester, naming students who have achieved a 3.5 grade point average (GPA) or met the level of academic achievement established by the college dean.

The academic credential conferred to a student for completed work in an area of study. Examples are bachelor, master and doctoral degrees.

Defines the conditions of entry, course requirements and course sequence needed to fulfill a degree program.

Any grouping of subject matter courses which, when satisfactorily completed by a student, entitles the student to a degree from an institution of higher education; characterized by a disciplinary major which is the primary focus of coursework.

Required coursework and non-coursework conditions specific to the degree.

An applicant who has been granted admission to a degree program under full, provisional, or conditional status.

Within a university, the term department refers to an academic unit housed within a school or college.

A document bearing record of a degree conferred by an educational institution.

A Doctorate degree is a terminal academic or professional degree awarded by a university that represents the completion of the highest level of postgraduate study, demonstrating expertise in a specialized field and, in most cases, the ability to contribute new knowledge or insights through original research.

Informal arrangement, with approval of participating academic units, where a student can pursue more than one major simultaneously. Example: Communication – Journalism (BA) and Communication – Broadcast (BA).

Earning college credit while also earning a high school diploma.

Courses in sessions that fall outside of the normally scheduled time periods; used for special Academic Partnership programs and available only to students associated with these programs.

Courses that count as general credits toward required total degree plan hours but are not a specific program requirement.

A defined subset of courses within a major that appears as an official designation on the transcript.

A hold placed on a student's record as a result of an unfulfilled monetary obligation to the university or of a disciplinary action by the university.

An official document that contains your enrollment information at UT Arlington for a semester; An enrollment verification letter includes the following information: semester begin/end dates, career level (Undergraduate/Graduate), enrollment status.

When a student enrolls in courses resulting in a significantly greater number of hours (30-45 more) than what is required to complete their chosen degree plan.

States that a student initially enrolled as an undergraduate in the 1999 fall semester and later may be subject to a higher tuition rate for attempting excessive hours at any Texas public institution of higher education (Texas Education Code § 54.014).

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act; a Federal law that protects the privacy of student education records, transferring rights from parents to the student when they reach the age of 18 or attends an institution of higher education.

Money provided for students to help pay expenses associated with obtaining an academic degree in an institution of higher education.

A provision of the Texas Education Code that allows Texas residents to apply for undergraduate admission at UTA without consideration of credits or grades earned 10 or more years prior to enrollment.

An undergraduate student taking 12 or more hours each semester, or a graduate student taking nine or more hours each semester.

A designation that signifies that a student is eligible to continue, to return, or to transfer elsewhere; implies good academic standing.

A student's scholastic average, computed by dividing total quality points by quality hours attempted.

A graduate is a person who has successfully completed a degree program at a college or university and has been formally awarded a diploma or academic degree (e.g., associate, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate).

Graduate school refers to the part of a university or college that awards post-baccalaureate degrees and trains students in specialized academic or professional fields through advanced coursework, research, and/or practical training.

A graduate student is an individual who has already earned a bachelor’s degree and is enrolled in a program of advanced study at a university or college, leading to a master’s, doctoral, or professional degree.

The actions of receiving or conferring an academic degree after all requirements have been met.

The final review of a student's academic record that determines eligibility to graduate.

A form of financial aid obtained from the state or federal government that does not require repayment except in extenuating circumstances.

Designation indicated on the university degree and transcript to reflect outstanding scholarship.

Special courses offered by UTA’s Honors College designed to offer intellectual challenge and personal attention to particularly able students.

A course that blends online and face-to-face on-campus meetings. At least 50 percent of the instruction and interaction is online.

An I-20 is a document issued by a Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP)-certified school in the United States, specifically for international students applying for an F-1 student visa. It serves as proof that the student has been accepted into a program of study and meets the requirements for obtaining an F-1 visa. The I-20 is crucial for applying for the F-1 visa, attending the visa interview, and for entry into the U.S. as a student.

The grade I, sometimes granted when a student is temporarily unable to complete course requirements because of unusual circumstances.

A course of study undertaken by a student under the supervision of one or more faculty members outside the classroom.

Designating a combination of subject matter from two or more disciplines within a course or program.

Work in a firm or agency related to a student's major program and/or career plans. Involves earning university credit and may or may not involve receiving payment.

A smaller, individual course component that supplements larger lectures allowing for in-depth observation, participation, experimentation or practice.

Distinction awarded to graduates who complete at least 45 credit hours at UTA with a GPA of 3.5.

A course in which the lesson is typically delivered via a speech or presentation by the instructor.

A form of financial aid borrowed from a federal or private financial institution that must be repaid, including the principal amount and any accrued interest.

Primary area of study while pursuing a degree (generally consisting of 30 to 50 semester hours of credit) in which a student develops the greatest depth of knowledge, competence, and understanding that can lead to a degree

A Master’s degree is a postgraduate academic qualification granted by universities or colleges upon successful completion of a program of study that demonstrates mastery or high-order understanding of a specific field or area of professional practice.

Condition of enrollment that states any Texas college student new to the institution and under age 22 on the first day of the term must submit documentation of immunization against bacterial meningitis or proof of exemption.

A record of achievement that recognizes a student's completion of a coherent and meaningful academic experience which can be found in MyMav

Transcript-recognized complementary area of study comprised of a designated group of classes in a discipline that is primarily outside the major area of study or is interdisciplinary and offers less depth and breadth than a major.

UTA’s online student information tool that provides centralized management of student data, including but not limited to, registering for classes, paying bills, accepting financial aid, checking grades, and viewing degree audits.

A student who has been admitted to a nondegree-seeking category (sometimes referred to as a continuing education student) and is not currently seeking a bachelor's or master's degree.

A introductory program or event designed to help new students transition into college life. At UTA orientation is required for all new students.

An undergraduate student who takes fewer than 12 hours during a semester or a graduate student who takes fewer than nine hours during a semester.

A course or additional work that a student must satisfactorily complete before enrolling in another course or being admitted to a certain program.

The process of signing up and paying tuition and fees for courses each semester.

The Registration Agreement must be signed before you are able to enroll in classes. The hold will generally appear in your MyMav student portal two weeks prior to registration opening for your intended semester. Once you have logged into MyMav, your Registration agreement will appear on your Homepage To-Do list.

A classification of a student as either a resident of Texas, nonresident or international student and determines tuition rate

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) is the regional body for the accreditation of degree-granting higher education institutions in the Southern states.

An online tool in MyMav that allows a student to build a virtual schedule for available terms based on all current possible course options.

A form of financial aid received from nonprofit and private organizations usually awarded based on academic merit, talent or specific area of study and does not require repayment.

The Scholarship Appeal Process intended for exceptional circumstances that prevent a student from meeting renewal requirements of an existing merit scholarship at UTA.

A specific instance of a class assigned a five-digit unique number in the Course Schedule for which students can register.

Periods of instruction into which an academic year is divided. A semester spans a specified number of weeks including registration, instruction, and final examinations. UTA has Fall, Summer and Spring Semesters. Summer counts as a full semester.

An area in MyMav for holding courses during the registration process as students prepare to officially add them to a schedule and pay for them.

Freshman: One who has earned fewer than 30 hours. Sophomore: One who has earned 30 hours but fewer than 60 hours. Junior: One who has earned 60 hours but fewer than 90 hours. Senior: One who has earned 90 hours or more.

An arrangement by which UTA students complete part of their degree program studying in another country.

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) is the state’s agency that oversees all public post-secondary education in the state.

An extensive written discourse presenting original research and a new point of view, typically required for an advanced academic degree.

An official copy of a student's permanent academic record at a particular institution.

Credit earned at another accredited institution and accepted toward a UTA degree.

The amount of money that must be paid for courses based on the number of credits for which one registers.

Payment plans offered through TouchNet to assist and help students manage their tuition payments in a more flexible and affordable way.

A university student who has not yet received a first degree.

A list for some classes that allows students an automatic enrollment in a course with zero available seats if a spot opens up.

A form of financial aid that provides students with part-time employment to help cover educational expenses.