Academic Advisor:
An advising specialist who assists students with academic planning and course selection each term. Students must meet with an academic advisor before they can register.
Academic Freedom:
The fundamental principle of free expression that faculty are free to teach and students are free to learn in an open environment without interference or intolerance.
Academic Year:
The academic year consists of three terms (or "quarters"), in the Fall, winter, and Spring. In addition, a short summer term is held. Students may begin courses at the beginning of any term, but it is often advantageous to begin courses in the summer or fall term due to course prerequisites.
Admission:
The formal process of applying to attend college. General admission does not include admission to specific program, e.g. Aquarium Science, Emergency Medical Technology, Nursing, etc.
Area of Study:
A student's chosen area of study or interest, usually a specific degree or certificate with a selection of courses that meet the student's interest and goals.
Audit:
Enrolling in a course without receiving college credit. A request to audit must be emailed to the Enrollment Services Manager the first week of the term.
Catalog:
The College's official publication that outlines programs, services, and policies.
Class Schedule:
See Schedule
Concurrent Enrollment:
Enrolling in two or more courses in the same term; also refers to simultaneous enrollment at two educational institutions.
Co- requisite:
Concurrent enrollment in specific courses.
College Preparatory Courses:
Courses generally designed to help students gain basic skills in reading, writing, spelling, grammar, and mathematics to prepare for college-level courses. College preparatory courses may be offered for credit, but these courses are not applicable to degrees or certificates, nor are developmental education courses transferable.
Course:
A course is a subject or an instructional subdivision of a subject, usually offered during a single term.
Course Load:
A student taking twelve or more credits in a regular term is considered a full-time student. A student enrolled in nine to eleven credits per term is considered three-quarter time, six to eight credits half time, and five or less, less than half time.
Course Number
: An alpha-numeric identifier used to denote the level of course: for example, WR 121Z is the writing course preceding WR 122Z.
Credit:
Unit granted in recognition of course work completed. OCCC is on the quarter system (see Term); therefore, all credits granted are quarter credits.
Credit Hour:
A credit hour usually represents three hours of time each week (one lecture hour in class and two hours outside course related work) per term. Some classes may have associated laboratory sessions. The number of lectures, laboratory, studio, or other periods per week for any course may be found in the course description section of the catalog or in the current class schedule.
Curriculum:
Courses necessary to complete a degree or certificate. Curriculum is an organized program of study arranged to provide integrated cultural or career/technical education leading to a certificate or degree.
Degree:
A prescribed set of courses that meet specific academic, general education, elective, and skill requirements.
Discipline:
See Subject.
Distance Education:
Courses offered online. See the current class schedule on the college's website at https://oregoncoast.edu/course-schedule/ for more information about Distance Education.
Dual Credit:
College credit for College-approved high school courses taught by high school instructors.
Dual Enrollment:
Simultaneous enrollment in courses in high school and at the College.
Early College:
A program for high school students designed to get their post-secondary education off to a good start by allowing them to enroll in select college classes at reduced tuition.
Elective:
A course which may be selected from a list of alternatives in order to fulfill degree or certificate requirements.
Expanded Options:
Enrollment in College classes by junior or senior high school students to assist in meeting requirements for high school completion while also earning College credit.
Faculty:
Persons who teach courses at the College.
Fees:
Money paid in addition to tuition for specific purposes: supplies, materials, equipment use, facilities expenses, etc.
Financial Aid:
Grant, loan, and/or scholarship funds to help students meet College expenses.
Full-time Student:
A student registered for twelve or more credits per term. Full-time enrollment is required for maximum financial aid awards.
Grade Point Average (GPA):
: An average of grade points received for credit courses taken during a student's academic history.
Grades:
A method used for evaluating student progress in meeting course outcome requirements.
Lower-Division Transfer Credits:
See Transfer Credit.
Major:
See Area of Study.
Part-time Student:
A student registered for less than twelve credit hours.
Period:
A class meeting of discussion, lecture, laboratory, studio, etc., which may last for 50 minutes or more.
Placement Test:
An instrument used to assess a student's mathematics, reading and writing skills. A placement test must be taken before students may enroll in writing and mathematics courses.
Plagiarism:
Using and presenting another person's ideas, concepts, or written works as one's own, or using and presenting another person's ideas, concepts, or written works without citing the source.
Prerequisite:
Courses that must be taken before taking a more advanced course: for example, MTH 095 prior to MTH 111. See individual course descriptions for specific prerequisite requirements.
Quarter:
See Term.
Registration:
The official process of enrolling at the College, including arrangements for payment of tuition and fees. See the current class schedule at the College's website at https://oregoncoast.edu/course-schedule/ for more information.
Residency:
A student's state of legal residence.
Schedule:
A published listing of all courses available via the College web page (https://oregoncoast.edu/course-schedule/) for a given term, including course numbers, titles, descriptions, places, times, prerequisites, tuition, fees, and other important information.
Scheduled Time:
The normal amount of time scheduled for a non-laboratory course is one hour per week for each credit hour. Laboratory and activity courses usually require more than one hour of class time per week for each hour of credit.
Sequence:
Closely-related courses usually extending for three terms.
Staff:
Persons employed by the College to provide a variety of College services.
Step Ahead:
College-approved College courses taught in high school by qualified high school faculty.
Subject:
A designated discipline or field of knowledge such as History or English.
Syllabus:
A written statement of course expectations, outcomes, and requirements given by faculty to students at the first or second class meeting of each course.
Term (Quarter):
Approximately one quarter of the academic year. Fall term is 12 weeks. Winter, and spring terms are 11 weeks. Summer term is eight weeks. See the current academic calendar at the College's website https://oregoncoast.edu/event-calendar/ for more information.
Transcript:
An official record of students' academic work at each college attended.
Transfer Credit
Credits that will transfer to four-year colleges and universities in Oregon, or other states. For more information about transfer credit courses, see the course description section of the Catalog.
Tuition:
Money paid for College courses. Tuition does not include fees and books.