Nov 12, 2024  
College Catalog 2024 - 2025 
  
College Catalog 2024 - 2025

Glossary of Academic Terms


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

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 computer technologies or health that prepares students to enter the work force.

Academic advisor
College staff member responsible for providing guidance in course and/or program-related issues.

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 weeks when classes are in session. The fall and spring semesters are approximately 16 weeks long. The summer semester usually has three sessions varying in length from five to twelve weeks. An online winter session that is approximately three weeks long is also offered.

Academic year
Fall, spring, and summer semesters, generally from early September to mid-August.

Accreditation
Certification by an independent educational board that colleges or university’s practices and policies meet or exceed official standards.

Academic Innovation & Distance Education (AIDE)
The AIDE office supports teaching, learning and online programs and resources. AIDE partners with faculty, staff, and students to support Moodle, the College’s Learning Management System where instructors post course materials, and other digital learning tools including virtual meeting platform WebEx, ePortfolio, Panopto, and more.

Ace Mentor program
The ACE Mentor program provides students enrolled in Learning Community courses assistance in making a successful transition to college by focusing on academic achievement, engagement, and cultural competency.

Add a course
To enroll in additional courses after registration is complete, accomplished through Admissions and Enrollment Services.

Administration
College staff members responsible for management and supervision.

Advising
The professional use of knowledge and tools to assist and support students with navigating college.

Alumni
Graduates, in the plural.

Articulation agreement
A formal agreement between Bunker Hill Community College and a four-year college or university which eases students’ transfer to that institution.

Asynchronous course
Courses that do not meet at a specific date and time each week. Students develop their own schedule and follow the course syllabus that outlines all assignments due dates.

Audit
To take a course under an agreement which 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 board that oversees and is responsible for the policies and fiscal affairs of a college.

Bridge session
An eight week semester that runs during the summer for a few three-credit courses and all four-credit courses.

Bursar
College official responsible for the billing and collecting of tuition and fees.

Career planning
The planning process in which students in collaboration with staff design a plan for employment that matches their interests and professional goals.

Career program
A specialized degree designed to equip a student with the skills and educational background needed for employment in a specific field, such as business administration, criminal justice, etc…

Certificate program
An academic program of study in a specific field intended for occupational training, upgrading, or retraining, generally 30 credits or less in duration. A certificate is awarded upon successful completion of the program.

Commencement
Graduation ceremony.

Community education and lifelong learning programs
Courses offered by this department within the Division of Workforce and Economic Development are non-credit and taken by students for career and educational advancement and/ or for personal enrichment. The department also offers approved continuing education units (CEUs) for professional advancement or to maintain licensure.

Co-requisite
A course requirement that is taken concurrently with another course.

Course cluster
Two or more courses grouped together around a common academic theme. Instructors teaching in a cluster situation work as a team to ensure cluster objectives are met.

Course delivery
The modality used to impart course content.

Credit course
An academic course numbered 100 or above in the college catalog which 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, ENG-111 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, early childhood.

Dean
A member of the administrative staff responsible for supervision and management of a particular 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 which carries college credit but does not count toward the requirements for graduation.

Division
The Academic Departments and Services at the College are organized into nine divisions that are supervised and managed by a Dean. Examples of Divisions at BHCC are: Division of Academic Support and College Pathway Programs; Division of Health Sciences; Division of Science, Engineering and Mathematics Programs; Division of Student Affairs; etc.

Drop a course
To cancel registration in a course. It may be accomplished only during the schedule adjustment period as specified on the academic calendar and is processed through Admissions and Enrollment Services.

Education plan
A student’s map or guide that delineates the courses they need to take to earn their degree or certificate and when those courses will be taken and in what format.

Education planning
The planning process in which students in collaboration with staff create an educational pathway that facilitates their persistence and success.

Elective
A course in a program of study which may be selected from a variety of courses in the designated discipline and is numbered above 100.

ePortfolio
This is a vehicle for students to track their academic journeys through college by sharing their accomplishments and reflecting on their learning in ways that are both personally and publicly meaningful.

Faculty
An employee of the College who delivers academic instruction.

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 (See Financial Aid section of this catalog).

Financial planning
A set of resources and tools designed to help students make sound financial decisions that are in line with their personalized plan.

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
A required standardized application that includes detailed financial data and is used to determine eligibility for all financial aid programs.

Full-time (student)
Student registered for 12 or more credits in the fall or spring semester or six (6) credits in the summer.

GED
General Educational Development (high school equivalency diploma).

General Education
A common core of courses required of all students that provides for the acquisition of core skills and knowledge necessary in a literate citizenry.

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 his/her credits attempted.

G.P.A. (Cumulative G.P.A.)
Grade Point Average, used to compute student academic standing.

Guest student
A student admitted and enrolled at another college or university planning to take a course(s) at BHCC

HiSET
High School Equivalency Test.

Hybrid course
Courses that combine traditional classroom instruction with online learning to deliver academic content that is the same as received in a pure classroom setting.

Internship
A program designed to give a student real work place experience in their intended career before graduation.

Integrated support services
Identifies and directs students to people, resources, and services that meet their unique needs to promote success and individual growth.

IP grade (in progress)
A grade conferred by a faculty member giving a student a period of time after the end of the semester to complete all of 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 assist 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
An education, career and transfer planning program and process that is dedicated to promoting student success in their education, career and personal goals. Components of LifeMap include career planning, academic planning, support network and transfer planning.

Major/program of study
The degree or certificate program a student is officially enrolled in.

Matriculation
Formal application to and acceptance in a degree or certificate program.

Mid-semester warning grade
Official notice to a student by faculty that at the half-way point of the semester a student is in danger of not passing a course(s) with a grade of C or better.

Mid-term
The point midway through an academic term.

Moodle
Online platform where online courses are hosted.

NA grade (never attended)
An administrative withdrawal designation conferred by faculty to students enrolled in a course(s) and who do not attend one class 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
Degree programs that allow students the ability to fulfill all of the requirements by completing online courses.

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 may earn credit for college-level learning acquired through non-collegiate experiences such as employment, military training, community service, and 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 and 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 and imposes limits on the number of credits a student may register for in a semester.

Re-admission
The process by which students who return to the College to re-enroll in a degree or certificate program after an absence of at least one semester.

Satellite campus
Location besides 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 are competitive and 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 to autonomously to acquire that knowledge.

Selfservice
Online portal where students may register for classes, pay tuition and fees, access their financial aid information and more.

Staff
An employee of the College who does not teach or facilitate academic instruction.

Student Central
BHCC’s one-stop center for student services, including financial aid, student payment and academic records.

Success coach
A Success Coach is an advisor 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 work with students to identify pathways that encompass academic, career, and personal goals.

Support Network
The staff who collaborate with students and provides services needed to help students achieve their academic, career and personal goals.

Suspension
Students on probation who after taking a reduced course load, continue to not meet the grade and completion rate threshold to be in good academic standing. These students may be required to take a semester off.

Synchronous course
Courses that meet at a specific date and time each week at the same on-campus or virtual location.

To be announced (TBA)
An instructor and/or a room has yet to be assigned for a course.

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 planning
The planning process in which students in collaboration with staff design a plan for transfer to a four-year college or university in alignment with education and career goals.

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.

Transcript
Permanent record of students’ academic grades; available through Admissions and Enrollment Services.

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 college
The formal process of notifying the College of the decision to discontinue attending all classes.

Withdrawal from a course
The formal process of notifying the college of the decision to discontinue attending a Course.