Dictionary of Terms
Dictionary of Terms
This webpage offers definitions/descriptions of commonly used Graduate College or graduate program terms. Please refer to the Ohio University Office of the Bursar's website for the current and official Ohio University tuition rates: Current Tuition and Fees. Please refer to the Ohio University Graduate Catalog for current and official programs and requirements.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
| Term | Definition/Description |
|---|---|
| "A" Level Certificate | Advanced level certificate, or any other high school certificate or documents, noting any other qualifications pursued prior to starting your bachelor’s degree. |
| ABD | All But Dissertation: a doctoral candidate who has completed required courses and examinations but not a dissertation |
| Academic Misconduct | Dishonesty or deception in fulfilling academic requirements. Further information on academic misconduct is available from the Office of Community Standards and Student Responsibility. |
| Academic Probation | If a student’s GPA falls below 3.0, they will be placed on academic probation for one semester. If their GPA is still below 3.0 at the end of their probationary semester, they will be dismissed from their current graduate program(s). |
| Academic Term | At Ohio University, a semester is one academic term. There are three terms, fall, spring, and summer, in an academic year. |
| Accreditation | is the recognition that an institution maintains standards requisite for its graduates to gain admission to other reputable institutions of higher learning or to achieve credentials for professional practice. The goal of accreditation is to ensure that education provided by institutions of higher education meets acceptable levels of quality. Accreditation |
| Add / Drop | A process at the beginning of a term whereby students can change their course schedules, adding or dropping classes. |
| Admission | The process of being allowed to enter a degree program. |
| Application | The process by which a student requests entrance to a degree program. |
| Assistantship | Students who have assistantships generally fulfill academic responsibilities and serve as prescribed by the school, department, or administrative office. These duties are usually specified in the job description or in a memo attached to the letter of appointment. |
| Attested Copy | A copy of your official document that has been certified by the registrar of the issuing university. |
| Audit | To take a class without receiving a grade or credit toward a degree. |
| Bank Statement/Letter | Issued by the bank, indicating the type of account and amount available in U.S. dollars. If not in English, then a certified English translation should be provided. Acceptable examples of bank accounts and documents are indicated in the instructions, available on the following Graduate College Forms web page. Financial Support Form |
| Blackboard | A Learning Management System where faculty can post course materials and grades for students who are enrolled in the class. |
| Catmail | Ohio University's email and calendar system. |
| Certificate of Enrollment | Issued by the university (in English) noting name of the degree being pursued and potential date of graduation. |
| Certificate of Graduation (China) 毕业证书 | Issued by the university showing the day, month, and year of graduation. (See list of required documents for China.) |
| Certified Document | A credential (transcript or diploma) that has been confirmed as an original or an attested copy by the registrar of the issuing university. |
| Code of Conduct | The Student Code of Conduct sets out the behavioral expectations for students enrolled at Ohio University. All students are subject to the provisions in the Code and are advised to review it. |
| College | A college can be an institution of higher education or a part of a university system. |
| Comprehensive Exams | Oral and/or written exams taken after the completion of required coursework. |
| Conferral | When a degree is granted by the institution. |
| Consolidated Mark Sheets (India) | This document is not accepted for admission purposes because it does not show all attempts and/or grades. (See list of required documents for India.) |
| Curriculum Vitae (CV) | Your CV describes your previous education, work, teaching, and research experience, professional affiliations, community and volunteer experience, honors and awards, and publications. |
| Deferral | Change of application of admission term. (Instructions can be found here.) |
| Degree Certificate | Refer to Diploma/Degree Certificate. |
| Degree Certificate (China) 学士 学位证书 | Issued by the degree-granting university showing the day, month, and year of conferral. (See list of required documents for China.) |
| Degree Program< | A program of study that terminates in the awarding of a degree. |
| Diploma/Degree Certificate | Issued by the degree-granting university showing the day, month, and year of conferral. |
| Diploma Supplement | Received by graduates in countries taking part in the Bologna Process. Document accompanying a higher education diploma, providing a standardized description of the nature, level, context, content, and status of the studies completed by its holder. |
| Distance Education | Ohio University eCampus provides degree programs and certificates through online coursework. |
| Dissertation | A long essay requiring original research and analyses in a particular field. A requirement for a Doctoral degree. |
| Doctorate | The highest attainable educational degree. |
| Dual Degree | Seeking to complete more than one graduate degree at Ohio University. Refer to the Graduate Catalog for details. The Dual Degree form is found here. |
| Due Upon Arrival – Official Original Language Diploma/Degree Certificate | An official diploma/degree certificate in the original language is required to complete your admission file. Documents certified by the registrar/records office of the degree-granting university are considered official. Bring your original documents to the Graduate College upon your arrival. Graduate College staff will make a copy and the original will be returned to you. |
| Due Upon Arrival – Official English Language Diploma/Degree Certificate | An official English translation of your diploma/degree certificate is required to complete your admission file. Documents certified by the registrar/records office of the degree-granting university are considered official. Bring your original documents to the Graduate College upon your arrival. The Graduate College staff will make a copy of your documents and the originals will be returned to you. |
| Due Upon Arrival – Official Original Language Transcripts | An official transcript in the original language is required to complete your admission file. Documents certified by the registrar/records office of the degree-granting university are considered official. Bring your official transcript to the Graduate College upon your arrival. The Graduate College staff will make a copy and the original will be returned to you. |
| Due Upon Arrival – Official English Language Transcripts | An official English translation of your transcript is required to complete your admission file. Documents certified by the registrar/records office of the degree-granting university are considered official. Bring your official transcript to the Graduate College upon your arrival. The Graduate College staff will make a copy and the original will be returned to you. |
| ETD | Electronic Thesis and Dissertation |
| ETS | Educational Testing Service - A national organization that administers the GRE and TOEFL. |
| Faculty advisor | A faculty member from the academic department who will advise a student throughout their graduate program. |
| FAFSA | The Free Application for Federal Student Aid - needed to apply for any federal student aid program. |
| Fellowship | A financial award that includes a tuition scholarship and a stipend for which no service is required. |
| Final Degree Certificate | Issued by the degree-granting university showing the day, month, and year of the degree conferral. |
| Financial Support Form | Required from all admitted international students who require issuance of an Ohio University I-20. Even students being fully funded by a departmental assistantship must complete this form. |
| Full-time Enrollment | Enrollment in a minimum of nine (9) graduate-level credits per semester. |
| GA | See Graduate Assistantship. |
| General Fee | Required component of tuition which funds non-instructional student services. Charged to every student who is enrolled in at least one class. The services and activities supported by the fee promote students' emotional and physical well-being, as well as their cultural and social development outside the classroom (Office of the Bursar). |
| GPA | Grade Point Average - the total number of points awarded for grades earned divided by the total number of possible points. |
| GMAT | The Graduate Management Admission Test - assesses analytical, writing, quantitative, verbal, and reading skills in written English for use in admission to a graduate management program. |
| Graduate Appointment | Graduate appointments are awarded by individual schools, academic departments, or other administrative offices. Graduate appointments provide a stipend for services as prescribed by the individual school, department, or office and may include a tuition scholarship. Appointments are classified as graduate, research, and teaching assistantships (GA, RA, TA). |
| Graduate Assistantship (GA) | A type of Graduate Appointment that is used for students receiving stipend support when their duties are not primarily related to instructional or research endeavors. |
| GRE | Graduate Record Exam - required for admission to several graduate programs. |
| GSS | Graduate Student Senate |
| IELTS | International English Language Testing System - a test taken to demonstrate English proficiency. |
| Individual Mark Sheets | Issued by the degree-granting university at the end of each semester or annual examination. Individual mark sheets show ALL attempts, grades, and grade scale. Consolidated Mark Sheets showing combined semesters and/or years from India are not accepted. |
| Instructional Fee (Often referred to as Tuition) | Required fee for costs associated with instruction, a component of tuition (Office of the Bursar). |
| Late Registration | Registering for a class after the Friday of the second week of the semester for classes that meet the full semester. |
| Leave of Absence | Students enrolled in a degree program who do not expect to make progress toward their degree for a period of time due to personal, medical, or professional reasons may request a leave of absence from a degree program. See the Leave of Absence Policy in the Graduate Catalog under Academic Policies and Procedures. |
| MAT | Miller Analogies Test |
| Matriculate | Formally enter a degree program through application, acceptance, and registration. |
| Monthly Payment Plan | Ohio University provides a monthly payment plan for students. The plan consists of four (4) monthly installments per semester for fall and spring semesters. The summer semester monthly payment plan consists of three (3) monthly installments for the semester. This plan is not a loan program, and there is no interest charge on payments. For additional information, visit the bursar’s website. |
| My OHIO Student Center | A space where you can view your grades and class schedule, enroll for classes, pay your student bill, update your contact information and more! |
| NACES | An association of independent, nongovernmental organizations providing credential evaluation services to individuals who have completed part or all of their education outside the United States. See the list below. |
| Native Language | A first language, or "mother tongue," is a language that a person has been exposed to from birth and spoken with family (grandparents, mother, father, siblings) in the home. |
| National Language | An official language established by the country. |
| Non-Ohio Resident Surcharge | Required fee for all students who do not qualify for Ohio residency. Funds instructional costs the state pays for on behalf of qualifying Ohio residents (Office of the Bursar). |
| OU ID | Your Ohio University ID card is used to verify your status as a student, faculty or staff member in good standing. Student IDs are validated by registration/enrollment information, while staff IDs are validated based on Human Resources records. Services that require your OU ID:
|
| Parental Paid Leave of Absence Policy | The policy provides eligible, funded graduate students the ability to take up to a six-week leave of absence from their appointment responsibilities, and receive 100 percent of the stipend and other benefits associated with their appointment, for the birth or adoption of a child. The eligibility requirements, process, request form, and full policy are listed on the Graduate College website. |
| Parking* | Charges for a parking pass. |
| Part-time Enrollment | Enrollment in less than nine (9) graduate-level credits per semester. |
| Permission to Exceed Maximum Credit Hours | You must receive permission from your academic program to register for more than 18 hours in a semester. If you are granted permission to exceed the maximum hours, you will receive a “Permission to Exceed Maximum Credit Hours” form that should be returned to Registrar Services, first floor, Chubb Hall during regular registration period. If permission is obtained after the regular registration period has closed, you must return the form to the Graduate College. |
| Principal Investigator | The principal investigator is the person conducting the research. This label is often used in grant applications/proposals. |
| Provisional Degree Certificate | Temporary degree certificate issued by the degree-granting university until the final degree certificate can be issued. Sometimes, this document is issued before the graduation ceremony. If the student did not attend the graduation ceremony, then it is possible for the provisional degree certificate to function as the degree certificate. |
| Re-Enrollment | Students who have not been enrolled for more than one semester (excluding summer) must submit a re-enrollment form before they can register. |
| Registration | The process of signing up for classes. |
| Repeating a Course | Repeating a course is to complete a course more than once for credit. |
| Research Assistantship (RA) | A type of Graduate Appointment that is used for students receiving stipend support when their duties are primarily related to research or creative activities. |
| Research Compliance | The Office of Research Compliance is committed to ensuring that all research adheres to federal, state, and university policy. |
| Residency | Residency (for tuition purposes) establishes Ohio as your permanent residence in order to pay in-state tuition rates. |
| Retaking a Course | A regular graduate-level course with fixed content cannot be retaken to affect the student’s GPA. All course attempts and grades appear on the permanent academic record (transcript) and are calculated in the graduate GPA. |
| Scholarship | A grant meant to be paid towards tuition and/or fees. |
| SEVIS Transfer-In Request | Students admitted to Ohio University who are currently attending another institution in the U.S. on an F-1 visa must complete this form. The current international student advisor must complete page two of the form and include your SEVIS release date. Copies of your current I-20, I-94, Visa, and Passport are also required. |
| Statement of Academic Goals | Review the application requirements on the program’s website for details about format and/or length. If you have questions, please contact the academic program directly. |
| Student Info System/Network Fee | Required fee used to fund improved access to and assistance with information technology (Office of the Bursar). |
| Student Health Insurance* | Students enrolled on the Athens Campus for five (5) or more credit hours are automatically assessed the Student Health Insurance. You may opt out of the Student Health Insurance if you already have a health insurance provider. If you are eligible to waive the Student Health Insurance, the waiver option and waiver deadline will be available on your My OHIO Student Center once your registration charges have been assessed for the term. A waiver is required only once each academic year ().Office of the Bursar |
| Student Legal Services Fee* | The Center for Student Legal Services (CSLS) is a law office for Ohio University students. Two licensed attorneys provide students with legal representation, advice, and education. CSLS provides contract reviews, mediation services and notary service. Every Athens campus student is automatically enrolled for this service at registration for the term. The waiver option and waiver deadline will be available on your My OHIO Student Center once your registration charges have been assessed for the term. A waiver is required once each term ().Office of the Bursar |
| Stipend | Periodic payment to a graduate student in exchange for a specific work assignment (e.g. an assistantship). |
| Syllabus | An outline of an academic course. |
| TAD | Thesis and Dissertation Services |
| Teaching Assistantship (TA) | A type of Graduate Appointment that is used for students receiving stipend support when their duties primarily involve an interaction with students, that could have an impact on their learning, such as in a class or in class-support settings (e.g., grading, recitation or office hours). All Teaching Assistants must meet oral English proficiency requirements as outlined in the Application and Admissions section of the Graduate Catalog. See "Post-Admission Procedures and Requirements." |
| Technology Fee | Required fee for the student's college, which supports instructional technology in labs, classes and classrooms (Office of the Bursar). |
| Tenure | A position granted to senior faculty members who have demonstrated a worthy research and publication record. Its purpose is to preserve academic freedom. |
| Thesis | A substantial master's level paper. |
| Time Limit | The maximum time allowed between the date when you first initiate graduate study toward a degree and the date when you complete the requirements for the degree is six calendar years for a master's program and seven calendar years for a doctoral program. |
| TOEFL | Test of English as a Foreign Language - a test taken to demonstrate English proficiency. NOTE: The Graduate College does not currently take into consideration the TOEFL “MyBest” scores (superscores). |
| Transcript | Official document issued by the university showing terms of enrollment, courses, grades, and grade scale. |
| Transcript (China) 成绩单 | Official document issued by the university showing terms of enrollment, courses, grades, and grade scale. (See list of required documents for China.) |
| Transfer | To move from one institution of higher education to another. |
| Tuition | Money charged for instruction. (Does not include fees and cost of books.) |
| Tuition Appeal | A student who withdraws during the semester may be eligible, and may petition for a tuition adjustment, if exceptional circumstances exist. |
| Unconditional Admission | Students approved by the major department for unqualified admission to a graduate degree program |
| WellBeing Fee* | An optional enhancement to student health care. Works with existing medical insurance to reduce the costs and expand student health care options on campus. Every Athens campus student is automatically enrolled at registration for the term. The waiver option and waiver deadline will be available on your My OHIO Student Center once your registration charges have been assessed for the term. A waiver is required once each term (Office of the Bursar). The WellBeing Fee helps reduce patient costs for services through Counseling and Psychological Services. Some services include:
|
| Withdrawal | Removing a course from your class schedule or leaving the university. |
* This fee may be waivable or is optional.