Glossary of Registrar Terms

The location where a student takes a class; this could be West, East, UCBA, Clermont, or Online

Ohio initiative that guarantees approved career-technical coursework completed while enrolled at an Ohio public high school transfers for equivalent college credit at Ohio public institutions

The academic year in which a student enters a program

An official, secure, and verifiable PDF version of a diploma; can be shared on social media and with employers; provides official proof of a student’s earned degree

The paper version of a diploma that graduates may frame; ceremonial diplomas are not used to verify degrees

The paper version of a certificate that graduates may frame; ceremonial certificates are not used to verify degrees

Similar to a major or program, a certificate is a primary field of study; the requirements for a certificate are typically less than a major or program

An authorization that allows a specific student to enroll in a class under conditions that normally restrict registration.

See also: Closed Class Permission, Requisites Not Met Permission, Consent Required Permission, and Permission Time Period Permission

The official list of all classes being offered in a semester, with details like times, instructors, and locations

A tool in Catalyst that allows students to search through the class offerings for a given semester

A specific offering of a course in a particular semester identified by its own section number, meeting time, classroom, and instructor

The official first and last day of classes for a term; does not include exam week

Indicates whether a student can register for a class. It tells students if the class is open, full, or has a waitlist.

A Class Permission that authorizes a specific student to enroll in a class that is currently at closed due to capacity

College-level assessment exam issued by CollegeBoard that measures a student’s knowledge in college level materials. May be eligible for UC transfer credit.

Ohio’s dual enrollment program for high school students

Two or more sections of courses taught together in the same class setting and meeting pattern. Students may be enrolled under different course numbers, but thye share the same classroom and instructor.

The graduation ceremony held at the end of each term

A Class Permission that authorizes a specific student to enroll in a class that requires instructor and/or departmental permission

Time spent in direct instruction with faculty

The complete list of all courses the university offers

The total number and difficulty of courses a student takes in a given semester. A full-time course load is 12 or more credit hours.

Prerequisites required before enrolling in a class

A tool connected to Catalyst that allows students to create and visualize their ideal class schedule

How awarded transfer credit will satisfy specific UC program requirements, determined by the UC College the program is located in

An official document that lists all external coursework a student previously completed and the UC credit that will be awarded for each course

One hour of instruction plus two hours of out-of-class work

Screen(s) within Catalyst that outlines a student’s awarded transfer credit

An evaluation rule has been completed for the external course and will be awarded transfer credit

An evaluation rule has been completed for the external course but is not eligible for transfer credit

An evaluation rule has been completed for the external course, and the transfer credit is officially reflected on UC student record

An evaluation rule has not been created for the external course

Non-UC coursework is eligible to receive transfer credit, subject to evaluation/institutional policies

Allows students to take courses at another institution and have the credits transfer back to their home school

A numerical representation of a student's entire undergraduate or graduate academic performance; the total number of undergraduate or graduate quality points divided by the total number of undergraduate or graduate credits

See also: Grade Point Average

The required set of courses constituting an area of study. Also referred to as a Major Map.

Series of credit-by-examination tests originally developed by the U.S. Department of Defense to assess college-level knowledge in various subjects. May be eligible for UC transfer credit.

The credential earned after completing the requirements for an academic program or major (e.g., an associate, bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree); examples: Associate of Applied Science, Bachelor of Science, Master of Arts, and Doctor of Philosophy

A report that tracks a student’s progress toward completing degree requirements

The process of verifying that a student has met all requirements then subsequent posting of the degree to their academic record

The document awarded upon successful completion of a degree; UC provides both a CeCredential and a Ceremonial Diploma for an earned degree

Transfer credit awarded for a specific class offered by UC, when a similar course was completed at an institution outside of UC

A type of Instruction Mode that is conducted in a completely digital manner

Tuition support from the U.S. Department of Defense

When a student completes two majors that lead to two differently-named degrees (e.g., Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Science), the student will receive two degrees and two diplomas.

When a student completes two majors that lead to the same degree name (e.g., a student who is both a Biology major and a Chemistry major where both majors result in an earned Bachelor of Science), the student will receive one degree and one diploma.

The last day to drop a course to have it removed from a student’s record and bill

A Catalyst function that allows students to drop or withdraw from a class; whether the class is dropped or withdrawn depends on the date the transaction occurs

The specific date and time when access to registration for a term begins for a student; this is not a physical appointment, and students are able to register until the end of open enrollment for that term

The requested/attempted enrollment action did not process successfully.

The requested/attempted enrollment action processed successfully. However, an important message was provided on the confirmation screen to further clarify what took place. Most commonly the message indicates what position on a waitlist the student is or that the student has met the pre-requisites for the class conditionally.

The requested/attempted enrollment action did not process successfully. The student started the action but did not complete the process in its entirety.

The requested/attempted enrollment action processed successfully.

The maximum number of students allowed to register for a class section. Once the limit is reached, the class status changes to “Closed” or “Waitlist.”

A centralized resource for registration, billing, and records

An official document confirming a student’s registration status

Document that lists UC course credit awards based on external standardized exam type, date taken, and score earned

A designated period for final assessments

Screen in Catalyst that outlines external institutions attended and coursework completed by a UC student

An institution of learning where a student previously attended

A federal law that protects the privacy of student education records

Grades submitted by instructors at the end of a term; final grades are listed on an official transcript

Ensures all courses meet workload standards

An internationally recognized university preparation program that consists of modules and electives to prepare students for university at various Approved Teaching Centers (ATC) around the world

Portals used by the Army to manage TA

A numerical representation of a student's academic performance; the total number of quality points divided by the total number of credits

See also: Term Grade Point Average, Cumulative Grade Point Average, and Quality Points

Allows undergraduate students to repeat a course and have only the most recent grade count

An online form that initiates the graduation process

A non-refundable fee paid when applying to graduate

A federal law reauthorized in 2008 that includes provisions requiring institutions to disclose textbook information, including ISBN and pricing, as part of their course schedules

Administrative blocks that prevent registration or access

Official holidays when UC is closed and no classes are held

The college where a student is officially enrolled in a degree-seeking program

The college where a cross-registered student takes courses

A type of Instruction Mode with an instructor teaching in-person while each individual student freely decides from one day to the next whether to participate online or in-person.

Discounted tuition rates for Indiana residents

Ohio initiative that guarantees college credit for approved industry-recognized credentials, based on demonstrated knowledge and skills regardless of where they were earned

A type of Instruction Mode that is traditional face-to-face or in-person teaching and learning. It requires participants to be in the same physical location at the same time.

Total minutes required for a course to meet credit hour standards

The format of the class. Instruction Modes offered are In-Person (P), Distance Learning (DL), Mostly Distance Learning (MD), Partial Distance Learning (PD), Hyflex (HF).

Faculty or staff member(s) assigned to teach a class section

Standardized external assessment administered by the International Baccalaureate Organization to evaluate student mastery of the program’s subject-specific objectives and core components at the end of the two-year curriculum. May be eligible for UC transfer credit.

Visa-based eligibility for in-state tuition

A unique identifier for books, required to be disclosed for each textbook listed in the course schedule under HEOA

Discounted tuition rates for Kentucky residents based on county and program

Academic distinctions awarded upon completion of a degree to undergraduate students who satisfy the required cumulative GPA and credit hour criteria

The primary field of study a student chooses to focus on during their undergraduate studies

The specific days of the week, times, and location where a class section is scheduled to meet

A short, focused learning experience that awards credit for a specific skill or competency, often at the postgraduate level

Includes active-duty, veterans, reservists, and dependents

A restriction due to incomplete TA paperwork

A federal benefit that pays tuition for active-duty service members

Statewide guarantee that certain military training, experience, and coursework recognized by the American Council on Education will transfer for equivalent credit at Ohio public institutions

A secondary academic focus for an undergraduate student, typically requiring fewer courses than a major, and often complementing the major field of study

A type of Instruction Mode that is a blend between required in-person learning, with other learning online, between 75-99% digital. Students are required to attend part of the class in-person and complete other coursework online.

Tuition assistance for eligible military spouses

A student who is taking courses at a university or college without being officially admitted into a degree-seeking program

External institution is accredited at the institutional level by any accrediting commissions outside of the seven Regional Accrediting Commissions in the United States

A student's official academic record which includes the Registrar seal and signature

Document provided by external institution of record, directly delivered to the University of Cincinnati, that outlines student’s academic history

Consortium within the Ohio Department of Higher Education that collaborates with the state’s public colleges and universities that focus on transferability within the state

Agency that oversees Ohio higher education by approving programs, managing financial aid, and setting policies for affordability, access, and workforce readiness

A student's residency status that determines eligibility for in-state tuition based on criteria set by Ohio law

Statewide general education curriculum of 36 semester credit hours in core academic areas that is guaranteed to transfer among Ohio’s public colleges and universities

The period when students can make changes to their class schedule

Homework, reading, and preparation outside class

Partial credit awarded for a class offered at UC, when a similar course was completed at an institution outside of UC. Designation represents more than one external course needed to earn full credit for a specific UC course.

A type of Instruction Mode that is a blend of some required in-person learning, with other learning online, between 26-74% digital. Students are required to attend part of the class in-person and complete other coursework online.

A Class Permission that authorizes a specific student to enroll in a class after the last day to enroll online for the semester/session

The primary field of study a student chooses to focus on during their graduate studies

Numerical values assigned to letter grades used to calculate GPA

e.g., A = 4.000; A- = 3.667

Days set aside for students to prepare for exams; no classes are held, but co-curricular activities continue

A process used by previously enrolled and matriculated UC students who wish to re-enroll in their previous college after a period of absence

Refunds for students unable to complete courses due to military duty

External institution is accredited at the institutional level by one of the seven Regional Accrediting Commissions in the United States

The process of enrolling in courses

A Class Permission that authorizes a specific student to enroll in a class that has a course requisite that the student does not currently meet

A seat restriction placed on a class section to set aside a certain number of seats of specific groups of students

A classification that determines the tuition that a student is required to pay

Standards achieved in order to maintain eligibility for federal financial aid funds

A section of the HEOA that outlines the requirement for institutions to disclose textbook information, including ISBN and pricing, to students during course registration

Allows Ohio residents aged 60+ to audit classes tuition-free

Divisions of a term with separate deadlines

A feature in Catalyst where students can add courses in which they intend to register

A registration function in Catalyst that allows students to switch one course for another on their schedule; using the swap function to register for a waitlisted class allows students to put themselves on the waitlist without losing their seat in the original course

Document authorizing UC to bill the military for tuition

UC invoices the military for tuition under TA

A service member eligible for tuition assistance

A specialized classroom similar to Active Learning Classrooms with additional digital displays at each “pod”

A numerical representation of a student's academic performance from a specific semester; the total number of quality points earned in a specific semester divided by the total number of credits taken during a specific semester

See also: Grade Point Average

The official first and last day of a term which includes exam week

External standardized exams that are eligible for UC course credit

Screen in Catalyst that lists external standardized exams completed by the student

Mandate under HEOA Section 133 requiring institutions to provide textbook ISBN and retail price information for each course in the online or printed schedule of classes

A purposeful, sequenced, and on-going approach to achieving the student learning outcomes of the General Education Program. Consists of First Year Experience, Mid-Collegiate, and Senior Year Experience.

Statewide system that guarantees the transfer and applicability of approved pre-major and beginning major courses among Ohio public colleges and universities

An online form completed by students to formally request a review to resolve disputes regarding their awarded transfer credit

Public repository that displays established UC course credit awards for coursework completed at external institutions

Occurs when a student registers for more credit hours than the standard load; typically, anything over 18 credit hours; certain programs have different limits

A request for a tuition refund due to extenuating circumstances

The system used by faculty to submit textbook orders, which integrates with the Online Schedule of Classes to display textbook information

An attribute of a class section that will not appear on a student’s official transcript

An attribute of a class section that will appear on a student’s official transcript. Consists of Honors, Internship, International/Education Abroad, Interprofessional Education, Peer Education, Research, Service Learning, and Transformational.

An unofficial, student-accessible version of the transcript that does not include the Registrar seal or signature; only available to current students

Document provided by a student to the University of Cincinnati, that outlines their academic history at an external institution

Documents confirming enrollment, degree, or academic status

A student from another institution taking a class(es) at UC

A registration feature that allows students to hold a place in line for a class section that has reached its enrollment capacity. When a seat opens, eligible students are automatically enrolled from the waitlist in the order they joined, if no restrictions block them.

The maximum number of students who can be placed on the waitlist once a class section has reached its enrollment capacity

The formal process a student takes to remove themself from a course after the drop/100% refund deadline; tuition and fees for the class remain on the bill

The final date to withdraw from a course; the class remains on the record with a W, WX, or F grade, and no refunds apply

Grades indicating unofficial (X) or official withdrawal (WX) with no attendance