Glossary of Academic Terms - Bunker Hill Community College



A.A. (ASSOCIATE IN ARTS): An undergraduate degree of at least 60 credits awarded upon successful completion of a program of study in liberal arts and sciences that prepares students to transfer to a baccalaureate institution.
A.S. (ASSOCIATE IN SCIENCE): An undergraduate degree of at least 60 credits awarded upon successful completion of a program of study in an applied subject area, such as computers, electronics, or health care that prepares students to enter the work force.
ACADEMIC ADVISOR: College staff member responsible for providing academic advising services to strengthen, nurture, empower, and assist students to make sound and responsible academic decisions through their educational career at the College. The Advisor's role includes, but is not limited to, helping students plan their academic course load, continue developing their , monitor their academic progress, and to serve as a resource for and academic and student support services.
ACADEMIC CALENDAR: A calendar of important dates associated with the college, such as semester start and end dates, holidays and deadlines.
ACADEMIC COURSE LOAD: The number of credit hours in which a student is enrolled during the semester.
ACADEMIC TERM (SEMESTER): Fall, spring and summer terms when classes are in session. The fall and spring semesters are approximately 16 weeks long. BHCC offers several summer sessions that range in length from 4-12 weeks.
ACADEMIC YEAR: Academic years run from September to August, and include the Fall, Spring and Summer semesters.
ACCREDITATION: Certification by an independent educational board that confirms that the college or university meets or exceeds a set of official standards.
ACE MENTOR PROGRAM: Program that helps students enrolled in Learning Community courses successfully transition to college by focusing on academic achievement, cultural competency and engagement.
ADMINISTRATION: College staff members responsible for management and supervision.
ALUMNI: Graduates, in the plural.
ARTICULATION AGREEMENT: A formal agreement between Bunker Hill Community College and a four-year college or university that eases students’ transfer to that institution.
AUDIT: To take a course that does not result in a final grade of A, B, C, etc. Generally involves regular attendance and participation, but limits graded activities such as exams; requires full payment of tuition.
BOARD OF TRUSTEES: An appointed group of people that oversees and is responsible for the policies and fiscal affairs of an organization.
BOOT CAMP: A free special college program designed for students to complete pre-college courses before officially beginning their first semester.
BRIDGE SESSION: An eight-week semester that runs during the summer.
BURSAR: College official responsible for the billing and collecting of tuition and fees.
CAREER PLANNING: Preparation for employment that matches a student’s interests and professional goals.
CAREER PROGRAM: A specialized program of study designed to equip a student with the skills and educational background needed for employment in a specific field, such as business administration or criminal justice.
CERTIFICATE PROGRAM: An academic program of study in a specific field intended for occupational training, job upgrading or job retraining, generally requiring 30 credits or less. A certificate is awarded upon successful completion of the program.
COMMENCEMENT: Graduation ceremony.
COMMUNITY EDUCATION: Courses offered by this department are non-credit and taken by students for personal enrichment.
CO-REQUISITE: A course that is required to be taken during the same semester as another course.
COURSE CLUSTER: Two or more courses grouped together around a common academic theme that enroll the same cohort of students. Instructors work as a team to ensure cluster objectives are met.
CREDIT COURSE: An academic course numbered 100 or above in the college catalog that may be applied toward completion of a degree or certificate. (See also Developmental Course).
CREDIT HOUR: A standard measure of the amount of instructional time required to successfully complete a course. For example, ENG111, College Writing I, is a 3 credit-hour course, which means that it meets for 3 hours each week for one semester.
CSDL: Center for Self-Directed Learning. An academic center at which students can register for a wide range of courses. Students can learn at their own pace through a variety of instructional media/materials.
CURRICULUM: A set of courses focused in a particular field, e.g., accounting, criminal justice, and education.
DEAN: A member of the administrative staff responsible for supervision and management of a division of the college.
DEGREE PROGRAM: At Bunker Hill Community College, an Associate in Arts or Associate in Science program of study requiring 60 credits or more for completion.
DEVELOPMENTAL COURSE: A basic skill development course numbered below 100 in the College catalog that carries college credit but does not count toward the requirements for graduation.
DROP A COURSE: To cancel registration in a course. Dropping a course must happen during the schedule adjustment period specified on the academic calendar and be processed through Admissions and Enrollment Services.
EDUCATION PLAN: A student’s map or guide to courses they need to take to earn their degree or certificate, when they will take the courses, and in what format.
EDUCATIONAL PLANNING: The process in which a student works with a faculty or staff member to create an educational pathway to enable the student to persistence and successfully accomplish her/his academic and career goals.
ELECTIVE: A course in a program of study that may be selected from a variety of courses in the designated discipline and is numbered above 100.
E-PORTFOLIO: A collection of work in an electronic format that showcases learning over time and allows students to track and reflect upon their academic journeys in ways that are both personally and publicly meaningful.
FACULTY: An employee of the College who delivers academic instruction.
FAFSA: Free Application for Federal Student Aid. A required standardized application that includes detailed financial data and is used to determine eligibility for all financial aid programs.
FEES: Charges by the College for specific services to students.
FINANCIAL AID: Funding from various sources provided to students to assist in defraying expenses of college.
FINANCIAL PLANNING: A set of resources and tools designed to help students make sound financial decisions that are in line with their personalized plan.
FULL-TIME (STUDENT): Student registered for 12 or more credits in the Fall or Spring Semester or six credits in the summer.
GED: General Educational Development. High school equivalency diploma.
GENERAL EDUCATION: A common core of courses required of all students to build core skills and knowledge necessary in a literate society.
GOOD ACADEMIC STANDING: A student is considered making satisfactory process and in good academic standing if G.P.A. is 2.0 or higher and has completed 66 percent of credits attempted.
G.P.A. / CUMULATIVE G.P.A.: Grade Point Average. Used to compute student academic standing.
GUEST STUDENT: A student taking college courses without being enrolled in a degree or certificate program (also known as a non-matriculated student).
HiSET: High School Equivalency Test.
HYBRID COURSE: A courses that combines traditional classroom instruction with online learning to deliver academic content that is the same as received in a classroom setting.
INSTRUCTIONAL DELIVERY: The approach used to teach course content.
INTEGRATED SUPPORT NETWORK: Identifies and directs students to people, resources, and services that meet their unique needs to promote success and individual growth.
INTERNSHIP: A program designed to give students real work-place experience in their intended careers before graduation.
IP (In Progress) GRADE: A grade giving a student a period after the end of the semester to complete the required coursework to earn a passing grade.
LEARN AND EARN PROGRAM: Paid internships at companies located in the Greater Boston area.
LEARNING COMMUNITY CLUSTER: Enrolls the same group of students in two or more courses centered on common academic themes enabling students to learn and study together.
LEARNING COMMUNITY SEMINAR: A course designed to help first-time students make a successful transition to college.
LEARNING CONTRACT: An independent learning agreement between a student and a faculty member under the auspices of a Dean that allows a student to enroll in and complete a course that is not offered in any other format in a semester.
LIFEMAP: A system of shared responsibility between students and the College as students navigate their personalized plan for identifying and achieving their academic, career, and personal goals.
MAJOR: The degree or certificate program a student is officially enrolled in. Also called program of study.
MATRICULATION: Formal application to and acceptance in a degree or certificate program.
MID-SEMESTER WARNING GRADE: Official notice given to a student at the half-way point of the semester if the student is in danger of not passing one or more courses with a grade of C or better.
MIDTERM: The point midway through an academic term.
MOODLE: Online platform where online courses are hosted.
NA (Never Attended) GRADE: An administrative withdrawal designation given when a student enrolls in a course and does not attend any class meetings during the first two weeks of the semester.
NON-CREDIT COURSE: A course that is non-credit bearing and cannot be used to satisfy an academic requirement for any degree or certificate program.
ONECARD: Student ID which also serves as the means of student financial aid refunds.
ONLINE DEGREE PROGRAM: A program that allows students to fulfill all their degree requirements by completing courses online.
OPEN ADMISSION: A students’ automatic acceptance into a non-selective degree or certificate program with a high school diploma or GED.
ORIENTATION: The formal process of welcoming new students to the college and providing them with information on the resources, services, and departments they may access to assist them to be academically successful.
PART-TIME STUDENT: Student enrolled for 11 credits or fewer in the Fall or Spring Semester.
PLA: Prior Learning Assessment. A program through which students can earn credit for college-level learning acquired through non-collegiate experiences such as employment, military training, community service or volunteer activities.
PLACEMENT TEST: A test which determines a student’s level of learning in a subject, typically English or Mathematics, before they begin a college program.
PLANNED COURSES: The formal process of determining the order semester courses have to be taken in to earn a degree or certificate.
PREREQUISITE: Skill or course required for entry into a course or program of study.
PROBATION: Formal notice that a student is not in good academic standing.
READMISSION: The process by which students reenroll in a degree or certificate program after an absence from the College of at least one semester.
SATELLITE CAMPUS: Location other than a college’s main campus where classes are held and courses are facilitated.
SATISFACTORY ACADEMIC PROGRESS (S.A.P.): Minimum grade point average and course completion rate that must be earned by a student to be considered in good academic standing.
SCHEDULE ADJUSTMENT (ADD/DROP): A short period of time after a semester begins that allows students to change their course enrollment and/or course schedules.
SELECTIVE PROGRAM ADMISSION: Some programs have specific requirements that must be met before a student may submit an application for admission. These programs are competitive and acceptance is not guaranteed.
SELF-DIRECTED LEARNING: An approach to learning that requires students to take the lead in determining how they will learn subject matter and work independently to acquire that knowledge.
SELFSERVICE: BHCC’s online portal where students may log in to pay tuition and fees, access their financial aid information, register for classes and more.
SOCIAL NETWORKING: At BHCC, in-person and online communication that connects students to other students, faculty, staff and the larger community to assist students in achieving their educational, career and financial goals.
STAFF: An employee of the College who does not teach or facilitate academic instruction.
STUDENT CENTRAL: BHCC’s one-stop student services center, including financial aid, student payment and academic records
SUCCESS COACH: A Success Coach is assigned to a Learning Communities course to assist students. Success Coaches collaborate with faculty and ACE Mentors to engage students in academic content and to identify pathways that encompass academic, career and personal goals.
SUSPENSION: Requirement to take a semester off. Students on probation who, after taking a reduced course load, still do not meet the grade and completion rate threshold required to be in good academic standing may be suspended.
TO BE ANNOUNCED (TBA): An instructor and/or a room has yet to be assigned for a course.
TRANSCRIPT: Permanent record of a student’s academic grades. Available through Academic Records.
TRANSFER GUIDELINES: Informal documents suggesting courses to be taken at Bunker Hill Community College for most effective transfer to a four-year college or university.
TRANSFER PROGRAM: A degree program designed for students who plan to continue their academic careers beyond the associate degree level through transfer to a four-year college or university.
TUITION: Charges by the College to a student for registration in credit courses.
WEB COURSE: A course that is completely online and provides the same academic content that is delivered in a traditional classroom course.
WITHDRAWAL FROM A COURSE: The formal process of notifying the College of the decision to discontinue attending a course.
WITHDRAWAL FROM COLLEGE: The formal process of notifying the College of the decision to discontinue attending all classes.