Academic Advisor
The academic advisor, either a member of the teaching faculty or a professional, works with students on their academic progress, course selection, career and major options, and navigating the academic process at Virginia Tech.

Academic Difficulty
Students experiencing academic difficulty should make an appointment to see their advisor or academic dean to discuss possible sources of academic support and/or the use of the Course Withdrawal Policy.

Academic Eligibility
Continued enrollment at Virginia Tech is a privilege that is granted as long as the student is making satisfactory progress toward a degree. The minimum standard for academic good standing is a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.00. Academic probation is imposed when the cumulative GPA is less than 2.00 and performance will be reviewed at the end of each fall and spring semester.

If a student on probation obtains a cumulative GPA of 2.00 or better by the end of the probationary semester, the student's status will change to academic good standing. If a student has at least a 2.5 in the probation semester, but below a 2.00 overall, the student will continue on probation. If the student's semester GPA is below a 2.50 for the probation semester and overall GPA is below a 2.00, the student will be placed on academic suspension. First academic suspension will be imposed for one academic semester (either fall or spring).

The new academic eligibility policy states that courses taken at any other institution while on suspension may NOT ever be transferred back to Tech regardless of grade earned.

Returning Performance after Suspension
A student must either earn a minimum 2.00 semester GPA the first semester following first suspension and raise his/her cumulative GPA to at least 2.00 by the end of the second semester after returning, or earn a 2.50 GPA or higher for every semester following first suspension until the cumulative GPA is 2.00 or greater.

If a student fails to meet the returning performance outlined above, a second academic suspension will be imposed. The second academic suspension shall consist of one calendar year following its imposition. Upon return from second academic suspension, students must meet the same minimum standards for performance as required by first suspension.

Permanent academic suspension shall be imposed subsequent to second academic suspension and when a student fails to meet the returning academic performance requirements.

Students placed on first, second, or permanent academic suspension have the right to appeal each suspension to the University Academic Appeals Committee.

Academic level
Academic levels at Virginia Tech for undergraduate students are as follows:

On forms, such as the force-add one, that require students to enter 'academic level,' students should use the code number that designates their level, such as 10 or 20.

Academic Probation (see Academic Eligibility)

Academic Suspension (see Academic Eligibility)

At Risk
Students who are on academic probation or in jeopardy of imminent probation or suspension.

Attempted hours
Attempted hours include all of the coursework on record for a student at Virginia Tech: courses passed (including duplicated courses), courses failed, advanced standing credit, AP credit, credit by exam, courses transferred from other colleges or universities, and courses to which the freshman rule may have been applied.

Attendance Policy
Students are expected to attend class. Most professors will announce their attendance policy on the first day of class or will state their policy in the syllabus. If no mention of attendance is made, ask! Many professors count attendance towards class participation grades, and students who miss classes may receive lower grades.

Auditing a class: What is an audit?
An audit occurs when you attend the class but you do not receive a grade for the class. It has no effect on your GPA. The last day to change a course to audit is the last day to add classes, usually the Friday of the first week of classes. A student may enroll as an auditor in any class other than laboratory classes and studio courses, with the permission of both their academic advisor and the class instructor. The lecture portion of laboratory-linked courses and courses with computation periods may be designated as eligible for audit at the request of the academic department head (of the course in question) and on the approval of the student's academic dean. Auditors may not add or drop an audit option after the last day to enter classes. Students will not be allowed to register for credit in any course previously audited.

Blue book
A small notebook with soft blue covers, available at the University Bookstores, that some professors require students to use when writing essay exams. If students are required to use a blue book, the professor will instruct them to bring one (or more) to the exam, or will note this requirement on the syllabus.

Career Advisor
An advisor who helps students, (1) make personally satisfying decisions about careers and majors, (2) obtain career-related experience during college, (3) seek post-graduation employment and/or consider graduate or professional school options.

Changing Exam Times
Students who have three final exams in a 24-hour period, or two final exams at the same or overlapping times, may request permission from their academic dean's office to have an exam rescheduled. Each college has a form in the academic dean's office which a student must complete by the published deadline each semester (refer to the semester calendars in the class timetables for deadlines) to request a final exam be rescheduled. Exams are not typically rescheduled for reasons other than those stated above.

Checksheet
A list of courses required for a particular major, often with spaces for students to "check off" completed courses.

Class ticket
The original class ticket is the scheduling result of the course request entered by students each semester. The class ticket, available on the Hokie Spa, shows which section of each course the student has been enrolled in for a given semester. The sections are identified by a Course Request Number (CRN). Once the DROP/ADD period opens, students may make changes to their original class ticket.

Cognate
Cognate is a term used by some departments to describe the part of your academic program which functions basically like a minor. For example, majors in Communications Studies can choose to take courses in a "cognate" area.

College
Virginia Tech is a university made up of eight colleges: Agriculture and Life Sciences, Architecture and Urban Studies, Engineering, Liberal Arts and Human Sciences, Natural Resources, Pamplin College of Business, Science, and Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine. Each of these colleges houses a number of departments, which in turn offer majors. For example, the major in geophysics is offered by the Department of Geological Sciences in the College of Science. The University Academic Advising Center, while not a college, is considered the college unit for students in University Studies until they choose a major within one of the colleges listed above.

Concentration
The term concentration applies to programs in the Center for Interdisciplinary Studies. Three concentrations may be combined for the degree in Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Cooperative Education (Co-op)
Co-ops offer students educationally related work experience that integrates theory learned in the classroom with practical application and skill development on the job. Often a multi-work-term agreement, typically involving at least 3 work terms rotated with school terms. For more information, about the Cooperative Education/Internship Program, contact Career Services, located on the top floor of Henderson Hall, at 231-6241.

Corequisite
A course that must be taken before or at the same time as another course; for example, MATH 2224, Multivariable Calculus, is a corequisite for ESM 2104, Statics, meaning that there is material in MATH 2224 that students need to be learning at the same time (or before) they take ESM 2104. Corequisites are part of the course description in the catalog, and they should also be listed on the syllabus for the class. STUDENTS SHOULD ALWAYS READ THE COURSE DESCRIPTION IN THE CATALOG OR TIMETABLE OF CLASSES BEFORE REGISTERING FOR A COURSE.

Course Request Number (CRN)
This five-digit number identifies a specific section of a course during a particular term. The first digit of the CRN indicates the term in which the particular course is offered. The CRN may start with any of the following digits:
9 - For Courses offered in Fall Semester
1 - For Courses offered in Spring Semester
6 - For Courses offered in Summer 1
7 - For Courses offered in Summer 2

Another number, the course number, always remains the same, is listed in the catalog, and identifies the course itself. For instance, there is one course number designating the first semester of Freshman English: 1105. However, there are many sections of English 1105 offered during different semesters, and each has a different CRN. The CRN is the number the scheduling computer uses to enroll you in a section of a course for a particular semester. So when you register for courses, you must always be careful to use the correct CRN from the Timetable of Classes for the term for which you are registering, since class times, places, and CRNs change each term.

Course Substitution
A course substitution allows one course to count for another course and is reflected in the DARS report. Students must have an acceptable reason for not completing the required course and must go through an approval process to request a substitution. Students should contact either their major department or undergraduate dean for procedures.

Course Withdrawal
The policy which allows students to drop a class up to the Friday of the week before the last day of classes (effective June 2000, replacing the "Freshman Rule" policy). Students are allowed no more than 6 hours total of freshmen rule or course withdrawal during their tenure at Virginia Tech. Students must complete paper work with their dean. If students have previously used "freshman rule," they can only drop the balance of the 6 hours with course withdrawal.

Credit hour
You can think of a credit hour as a unit of measure for college courses; courses vary in their number of credit hours because they vary in the amount of intellectual effort they require. For instance, a lecture course that meets for 150 minutes a week (three days for 50 minutes each day, or two days for 75 minutes) is usually a three-credit course, whereas a physical education class that meets for the same amount of time each week is only a one-credit class. A lab that might meet for two to four hours per week still carries only one credit because labs are considered to require less preparation outside of class and to consist mainly of activities that reinforce what you are learning in a lecture course. Your academic progress is measured in part by the number of credit hours you complete: you are considered a sophomore by the university when you have completed 30 credit hours, a junior when you have completed 60, and a senior when you have completed 90, regardless of how many courses you have yet to complete to graduate.

DARS Analysis (Degree Audit Reporting System)
The DARS report shows all requirements completed and yet to be fulfilled in order for a student to complete a degree. This report is automatically generated when a student applies for a degree through the office of the University Registrar in 250 Student Services Building. Students must apply for their degree before requesting a DARS report.

• Students apply for their degree and then request this report through the Degree Menu on Hokie Spa.
• Students should apply for their degree in the first semester of their junior year.
• Students should request an updated DARS at least once a semester until graduation.
• Students who want to add a minor, concentration, or double major should do so with their academic dean's office first, and then update it on their application for a degree. It will then show up on DARS.

Dean
A dean is an administrator in a college. The dean oversees the affairs of the college. Most colleges have a Dean and Associate and/or Assistant Dean(s). When students are required to see their Dean, it is the Associate or Assistant Dean for undergraduate or academic programs they should contact. Departments do not have deans; they have "heads" or "chairs."

Department
A department is an administrative unit at the University that may offer classes and degree programs in a subject or discipline. For example, the faculty of the chemistry department teach the chemistry courses for the University, and they establish the chemistry degree requirements and provide the academic advising for chemistry majors.

Developmental Advising
An advising model in which students seek out academic information from their advisor and gradually develop self reliance in the use of degree requirements, resources and information, so they can make better decisions about their majors, minors, and potential careers.

DROP/ADD transaction
DROP/ADD is a process for students to drop and add classes via the Hokie Spa. The transaction is available only during specified dates published on the Timetable as "Important Dates and Registration Information." Students must resign from the University in order to drop their last class. This resignation does not negatively affect their future enrollment at Virginia Tech.

Duplicated credit
When a student takes a course multiple times for a passing grade and that course is not a repeatable course, then only one attempt will count in the hours toward graduation. This is considered a duplication.

Elective
Generally speaking, an elective is a course you can choose to take, as opposed to a specific course that is required for your degree. There are several kinds of electives.

Free elective - is just what the name implies: you are free to choose whatever course you want (provided, of course, that you are eligible to take it).

Restricted or Controlled electives - in your major usually must be chosen from a list of courses approved for your major; some majors require some restricted electives, and some do not.

Technical elective - is similar to a restricted elective in that it is chosen from a preapproved list from your department. Some department checksheets refer to courses used to fulfill University Curriculum for Liberal Education requirements as electives, emphasizing the fact that you have a choice from among the courses approved for the University Curriculum for Liberal Education

Field study
A course composed of work experiences approved by a specific department and selected to augment traditional classroom activities. Generally students must have a cumulative 2.5 GPA or above to participate.

Force-Add
"Force-Add" is the procedure that allows students to enroll in classes that are already full to their planned capacity or that have restrictions which the students do not meet.

A class can be force-added in two instances:
1. When the class capacity is full and the professor agrees to let you enroll.
2. When the course has restrictions that you do not meet but the professor agrees to let you enroll.

In order to force-add a class you have to do the following:

1. Obtain a pink force-add slip from a department or an academic dean's office on campus.

2. Talk with the professor teaching the course and ask if he or she will force-add you into the class. Usually the professor of the class has the authority to approve the force-add form, but in some cases, such as Freshman English and Engineering Fundamentals, students must submit force-add requests at a departmental office and return later to see if they have been force-added into the course. This can sometimes be done when drop/add opens, but most faculty and departments want to wait until the first day of classes. If the professor agrees to force-add, have the professor sign the force-add slip.

3. Take the force-add form to the correct colleges and departments for processing: this is the student's responsibility. Where you take the force-add form depends on what time in the semester it is being processed.

If you are trying to force-add a class before the last day to add courses, take the slip to the department of the professor who teaches the class. For example, if you are force-adding a biology lab, you would take the force-add slip to the biology department.

If you are trying to force-add after the last day to add courses, in addition to the professor's signature on this slip, you have to get the signature of your academic dean. Then, if the course is not offered in your home college, you also have to take the force-add slip to the college offering the course. For example, if you are a Business major and you are force-adding a science lab, you have to have the Academic Dean in Business sign the slip and then take it to the other Academic Dean's office in the College of Science for processing.

ALWAYS keep your receipt for any add or drop transaction, this may be your only proof that you should be enrolled in a course. When requesting to force-add, remember that the professor or department is under no obligation to allow you into a class that is full; you have the right to ask, but the professor or department also has the right to refuse.

Foreign Language Requirement
All students at Virginia Tech are required to meet a language study requirement. See Minimum language study chart (www.fll.vt.edu/Minimum_Language_Study_Req.pdf) or Pages 43-44 in the University Undergraduate Catalog for more information.

GPA
GPA stands for Grade Point Average and is a means of measuring your academic performance. You can use the Grade Point Average Calculator on Hokie Spa to determine what GPA you need to receive in order to maintain a certain overall GPA, and use the GPA Calculation formula to do "What if" calculations. The Calculator is listed as one of the options in Hokie Spa on the Grades Menu; it is one of the options in "Grades and Transcript."

The following steps and example illustrate how to calculate your GPA manually.

Step 1
Multiply the number of credit hours for each class by the number of grade points earned for the grade you receive (For a 3-credit class in which you earn an A, for example, give yourself 12 points).

Note: All instructors have the discretion to decide whether or not they will use plus or
minus grades.

Step 2
Add the total quality points for each class together.

Step 3
Divide the total number of quality points earned by the total number of GPA hours (total number of credit hours passed that were graded A-F plus quality of the number of credit hours failed, whether A-F or P/F).

Sample GPA calculation:

Courses taken pass/fail do not go into the calculation of GPA unless the course is failed. If failed, then the "F" is used in the GPA calculation.

Incomplete grades (I) do not immediately affect your GPA. See your professor to make arrangements to complete the course; otherwise, the "I" changes to an "F" and your GPA will be re-calculated.

If your professor does not submit a grade, your grade report shows as an "NR" which counts as an "F" in your GPA. See your professor to determine how to resolve the "NR."

In-major GPA
The in-major GPA calculation is done just like the overall GPA (see GPA), except that only in-major courses count. To find the in-major courses for your major, check with your advisor or department head; also, they may be listed on your check sheet.

Grade Appeal Procedure
University policy states that the assignment of a grade is the sole prerogative of the instructor of the class. It is incumbent on the instructor to establish the criteria for grading in the syllabus that is distributed at the beginning of the term. All grades are to be based on established grading criteria and not on personal conduct or opinions unrelated to academic standards. A student may not do extra work to raise his/her grade. If a student feels that a grade has been calculated incorrectly or has been assigned in a prejudiced or capricious manner, the student should discuss the matter with the instructor. If discussion between the instructor and the student cannot resolve the issue, the student should appeal to the department/division head. In the unusual circumstance that resolution does not occur at the departmental/divisional level, the student may appeal to the college dean who will attempt to reconcile the matter by whatever mechanism seems most appropriate for that college and for that case. A grade appeal must be made by the student as soon as possible but no later than the end of the student's subsequent term of enrollment after the grade in question has been assigned.

Graduation
(See DARS entry.) Requirements for graduation include, but are not limited to, a minimum 2.0 overall GPA, completion of language requirement, and satisfactory completion of courses for major and minor. A minimum of 1/4 of the credit for the degree must be earned at Virginia Tech, and 27 of the last 45 hours must be completed in residence. Students should apply for their degree in the first semester of their junior year, and then request a DARS report. Students should request an updated DARS at least once a semester until graduation.

Graduation with Distinction
A student who has completed at least 60 credit hours at Virginia Tech may be graduated with distinction under the following conditions:

1. Students with a cumulative GPA of 3.8 or greater are graduated Summa Cum Laude.
2. Students with a cumulative GPA of 3.6-3.7999 are graduated Magna Cum Laude.
3. Students with a cumulative GPA of 3.4-3.5999 are graduated Cum Laude.

In computing eligibility for graduation with distinction, only work attempted at Virginia Tech will be used.

Hokie SPA
Student Personal Access is the web site which provides students with access to a variety of personal on-line information such as class ticket, report cards, official correspondence and student account records.

Honor Code
The Virginia Tech Honor Code defines academic behavior that is not acceptable for Virginia Tech students, including cheating, plagiarism, and falsification. The Honor System, governed by a student Chief Justice, administers the Honor Code. The Undergraduate Catalog defines some academic violations of the Honor Code and the penalties that may be imposed by the Honor System, including Honor System Probation. Every student should READ THIS SECTION OF THE CATALOG CAREFULLY. Be sure you know the limits of receiving help in every class.

Honors Program
A special academic program in which students go beyond the topics covered in the classroom. Special classes and seminars on topics of academic interest, as well as specialized advising are part of the honors program. included. Students must have a 3.50 or better GPA to be admitted to the Honors Program. Call 231-4591 for more information.

Independent study
A course involving extensive reading and tutorial sessions with a faculty supervisor. You must meet with the instructor to arrange the independent study and to select the topic and objectives. Generally students must have a cumulative 2.5 GPA or higher to participate in an independent study.

Internship
A period of work, usually off campus, for which a student may receive either course credit or payment (not both), which is arranged or approved through an academic department, and which complements the student's program of study. Students may also wish to learn more about the Cooperative Education/Internship Program offered through Career Services. This office is located on the top floor of Henderson Hall, and may be reached by calling 231-6241.

Koofer
A koofer refers to copies of tests given in a class during previous terms. Some professors make these available to students at the reserve desk in the library. Other professors would consider access to their old tests to give students an unfair advantage, or to constitute "cheating" under the Honor Code, and do not make them available to students. Generally professors who willingly make their old tests available will tell the class.

Late Drop
Students who have extenuating circumstances may be able to drop a class after the deadline. Depending on the circumstances, students should contact 1) Schiffert Health Services, 2) Student Life and Advocacy, or 3) the Assistant or Associate Dean for their major.

Major
A major is a program of study, or group of selected courses, required for an academic degree in a particular subject.

Major Requirements
The specified course requirements necessary for obtaining a degree in a given major. Check the departmental course requirements.

Minor
A minor is a group of courses, fewer than the number required for a major, for students to take who wish to develop expertise or pursue an interest in some subject in addition to their major. Each department that offers a minor specifies the courses required for the minor. For most minors, the required courses are listed in the catalog, though for some you would need to consult with the department in question or your advisor.

Minor Requirements
The specified course requirements necessary for obtaining a minor in a specified subject. Check the departmental minor requirements. Not all departments or options will have minors.

NCAA
The National Collegiate Athletic Association governs the administration of college athletic programs and student athletes. Student athletes are advised to contact their athletic advisor in addition to their academic advisor to make sure that they are taking the proper sequence and number of classes to be eligible for athletic competition.

Non-traditional Student
Students who are typically not first semester freshmen. This may include, some transfer students, international students, older students, and students who are first generation college students. Special advising programs are in place to assist these students with a smooth transition to college life.

Option
An "option" can be thought of as a subdivision of a major; this term is most often used to identify programs of study within a major or offered by one department. For instance, the Department of Near Environments (in the College of Human Resources and Education) offers degree options in Consumer Studies, Family Financial Management, Interior Design, and Residential Property Management. These options have some courses in common with each other but also some distinct differences.

Pass/Fail Grading Option
A limited pass/fail (P/F) grading system is available to encourage students to enrich their academic programs and explore more challenging courses outside their majors, without the pressures and demands of the regular grading system. The P/F grading option is available to all undergraduates who have completed a minimum of 30 credit hours at Virginia Tech and have a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or above. These restrictions do not apply to courses that are only offered P/F. No required course or course used for the university Curriculum for Liberal Education may be taken on a "P/F" basis.

A student is permitted to take up to 10 percent of the requirements for graduation completed at Virginia Tech under the P/F grading system option. This includes elective courses and also any course that may be required by a department and offered only on a P/F basis. No more than two courses per term may be taken P/F, excluding physical education activity courses and required courses offered on a P/F basis only.

Under the P/F grading system, a "P" is granted for earning a "D" or better in the course; otherwise, an "F" is given. A "D-" is a failing grade under the P/F option. The "P" or "F" is recorded on the student's transcript and credit is given if the course is passed. If the course is failed, the "F" is considered equivalent to an "F" received under the "A-F" grading system and is included in calculation of the GPA. Once credit is received for a course taken under the P/F system, the course cannot be repeated under the "A-F" grading system.

Any course to be taken under the P/F option should be designated as such upon request for the course. The student may change grading options to P/F until the drop deadline and to A-F until the deadline for resigning without penalty.

Plagiarism
A form of academic dishonesty that consists of using someone else's words or ideas as though they were your own without clearly identifying the source of those words or ideas. (See the section in your catalog about the Honor Code and the Honor System.)

Prerequisite
A course which must be completed successfully before you enroll in another course; for example, ENGL 1105 is a prerequisite for ENGL 1106. The first course is a prerequisite because it contains knowledge or skills you need to have mastered before you take the second course. You can find out if a course has prerequisites by reading its course description in the catalog; the syllabus for a course should also list any prerequisites. In addition, if a sequence of courses is listed in the catalog with a hyphen between the course numbers (such as ENGL 1105-1106 or 1035-1036), the first course in the sequence is a prerequisite for the second. PLEASE NOTE: the scheduling computer will register you in a class regardless of whether you have completed any prerequisites or not. Therefore, it is up to you to find out whether a class you wish to take has prerequisites and to complete the prerequisites before you enroll in the class.

Prescriptive Advising
An advising model which intends to provide as much information up front as possible so that students are well informed of all possible choices.

Probation
See information on Academic Eligibility on page 52 and in your University Catalog.

Program planning
Program planning is selecting courses that will be best for you in your particular situation considering your intended major(s), your academic background, your interests, etc. For more information, SEE THE "PROGRAM PLANNING" section of this Guide.

Reading day
Reading day is the day between the last day of classes and the first day of final exams. It is placed in the academic calendar to give students time to begin preparing for exams.

Recitation
A smaller group section of a larger lecture; some classes meet two days a week in a large lecture hall and then divide into smaller groups (with different instructors) for one class meeting each week to give students a more comfortable setting for discussion.

Registration
The process by which you enroll in classes. There are two times during which you can register for classes for each term:

1) Registration Week/Course Request occurs at about the midpoint of spring and fall semesters. Registration week for summer and fall classes occurs in spring semester, and registration week for spring classes takes place during the fall semester. Students should try not to miss registration week, as this is their best chance to get into courses that fill up quickly. Students should note that, when they submit their course request, this is not an automatic registration in the courses listed. Course Request results from Registration Week are sent to students via Hokie Spa immediately before the opening of DROP/ADD for the semester.

2) ) DROP/ADD occurs at the end of each semester and at the beginning the next semester when students can make schedule adjustments. Designated days for each semester are given on the "Important Date and Registration Information" given on the Timetable located on Hokie Spa. However, if students wait until the beginning of fall or spring semester to register, they will have to pay a late registration fee and will be limited to taking courses that did not fill up during Registration Week. There is no late registration fee for summer courses. Print your schedule after all drop/add transactions so that you have proof of the transaction.

For more information on Registration and DROP/ADD, refer to the Registrar's Homepage (http://www.registrar.vt.edu/regi/regis.html).

Contact your academic dean's office whenever registration errors are found on your class ticket after the drop/add date

Repeating a course
Students may repeat a course given the following consequences:

• Courses with a designated course status of "Course Withdrawn" and Freshman Ruled classes that are repeated: you will receive the grade you receive when you repeat the class. The Freshman Rule Policy ended in May 2000.
• Courses in which a grade of C- or below is earned are repeated: grades for both attempts will be calculated in your GPA, but the semester hours for only one attempt will count toward graduation.
• Courses in which you earned C or above that are repeated: you will receive only a grade of pass or fail when you repeat it, and the credit hours for the repeated course will not count toward graduation.

Question: I received a D- as a grade in one of my major classes; do I need to repeat this course?
Answer: The minimum grade needed in a particular course will vary by major. Consult your academic advisor before repeating a course.

Resignation
Resignation is the act of officially ending your enrollment in ALL of your courses after the semester has begun. If you resign from classes before the "last day to resign without grade penalty" deadline listed in the timetable, you receive no grades in any of your classes, so that as far as your academic record is concerned, it is as though you were never enrolled for that term. To resign before the deadline, see your advisor. If you resign after this deadline, you risk receiving Fs in all of your courses ("resignation with grade penalty"). Your academic dean, must decide whether you have extenuating circumstances to allow a resignation without grade penalty after the deadline. (Ending your enrollment before classes begin is not resignation but withdrawal.)

Restricted course
A restricted course is one that the scheduling computer has been programmed to allow only students who meet certain qualifications to enter. Usually restricted courses are open only to students in certain majors; sometimes they are open only to students at certain academic levels. Sometimes it is possible to force add restricted courses once the semester begins. Consult your advisor if you find that a course you want to take or that you need for a major you are considering is restricted.

Restricted major
A major is said to be "restricted" when there is a limit on the number of students that major can accept into its degree program. Usually these majors are restricted because more students want to be in the major than the department has the resources to serve. All restricted majors have established requirements that students must meet before being accepted into the major. In some cases, any student who completes certain classes and/or earns a certain GPA may be admitted to the major. In other cases, admission to the major is competitive; this means that after students have completed certain courses and/or achieved a certain minimum GPA, they are eligible to apply to the major, and the department selects the strongest applicants to fill the spaces they have available in their program.

Retention Advising
Information primarily directed at students who are in jeopardy of academic probation or suspension. Students are advised on the GPA needed to stay eligible, whether they are in the correct major and course selection strategies to assist student in staying in school.

Section
A course may be offered in several sections each semester, with each section meeting at a different place and possibly at a different time and with a different instructor, but have basically the same content. Different sections of some courses have the same syllabus, while different sections of other courses do not.

Semester
A semester is half of the academic year, with the academic year lasting from late August until early May. Classes at Virginia Tech are a semester long; there are no yearlong classes at the undergraduate level. (A summer term "counts" as a semester, for while each summer term is about half the length of a regular semester, classes meet more often and for a longer class period, which gives you the same time in class that you would have in a regular semester.)

Sequence
A pair of courses whose content is closely related, with sequential course numbers (ending in 5 or 6) that indicate which "comes first" in some logical order. If the courses in a sequence are listed in the catalog with a hyphen between them, then the first is a prerequisite for the second (ENGL 1105-1106). If they are separated by a comma, then the classes can be taken in any order (HIST 1115, 1116).

Special study
A unique course designed for a group of students or an experimental course. There may be several sections of a special study offered by a department which have different topics. Read the timetable carefully to select the correct index number for the topic in which you have an interest.

Student Athlete
A student who participates in a varsity sport within the athletic department. Student athletes may have special times on hold in their schedule to allow for practice and which will block them from taking courses at these times. Students should consult with their athletic advisor for permission to take classes which conflict with their practice times.

Suspension
A period of time during which a student is not eligible to be enrolled in classes at VA Tech due to academic deficiencies. Students on suspension may not transfer any work back to Virginia Tech. First academic suspension consists of one semester following two semesters in which the overall GPA is below a 2.0. Second suspension is imposed on students returning from first academic suspension who do not attain an overall 2.0, or the student attained less than a 2.5 for the semester. Second academic suspension is for one academic year.

Syllabus
A handout from your instructor, which may include some or all of the following: the purpose of the course; prerequisites and co-requisites, if any; the instructor's name, office hours, and telephone number; a schedule of reading and/or homework assignments; a schedule of tests; the instructors policy on accepting late work; and his or her grading policy. You should receive a syllabus from the instructor of each of your classes; if you miss the class period in which the syllabus is handed out, it is your responsibility to request one from the instructor and to find out how to make up any work you have missed.

TA or GTA
Abbreviations for "teaching assistant" or "graduate teaching assistant." (These terms are used interchangeably.) GTAs are students working on graduate degrees (such as a Master's or Ph.D.) who are paid to assist professors in teaching lecture courses, or to teach labs, or sometimes (as in English) to teach sections of introductory courses. All GTAs have at least a bachelor's degree, and many have considerable teaching experience and/or training at Virginia Tech or elsewhere.

Timetable
The Timetable of Classes is an interactive data base accessed through Hokie Spa which can be used to search for courses according to campus, term, subject, course number, and section type. After each search the resulting list of courses gives the Course Request Number (CRN), the course according to the department, number, title, seats available, instructor, days taught, time taught, building location, and final exam time. The course restrictions, such as academic level or major, can be seen by clicking on the CRN. The course description can be seen by clicking on the course information. The date, time, and place for the final exam can be seen by clicking on exam schedule. Included in the timetable is a link to a list of building abbreviations, and a campus map. Links to timetable calendars, which give important dates and registration information for that specific semester, are available in the timetable along with final exam schedules for specific semesters.

Transcript
The official record of your coursework at Virginia Tech, that is required when you apply to other colleges or universities and often when you apply for employment. You may obtain copies of your transcript from the Office of the Registrar, 248 Burruss Hall. There is generally a waiting period, and most institutions that require a transcript will require that it be sent to them directly by the Registrar's Office.

If you take courses at another college or university and want to use the credit toward your degree at Virginia Tech, you will need to have that institution send a transcript of your work there to the Virginia Tech registrar.

Transfer Credit
Students who wish to transfer credit from another university to Virginia Tech may check the Transfer Equivalency Database. The Database, located under the University Registrar's homepage (www.registrar.vt.edu), allows a student to search either by school or by desired class to determine what schools offer equivalent courses to those at Virginia Tech. Students should also contact their college academic dean's office to determine if pre-approval from the college is required for transferring credits to Tech in particular majors. These credits are applied towards the specific degree requirements but do not carry grade credits.

If you take courses at another college or university and want to use the credit toward your degree at Virginia Tech, you will need to have that institution send a transcript of your work there to the Virginia Tech registrar.

Note: The new academic eligibility policy states that courses taken at any other institution while a student is on suspension may NOT ever be transferred back to Tech regardless of grade earned.

Undergraduate Course Catalog
Virginia Tech's Undergraduate Course Catalog contains answers to many of the questions students ask about academic policies, financial issues, majors, departments, colleges, and course offerings at Virginia Tech. It describes different kinds of financial aid; it defines such policies as Academic Eligibility, Probation, Suspension, Dean's List, Honor Code, etc. It lists all of the majors at Virginia Tech, course requirements for the majors, the names of faculty members in each department, and descriptions of the courses offered by each department. Many of the terms defined in this guide are defined in more detail in the catalog, which is updated yearly. Virginia Tech students are responsible for knowing the information in the catalog, such as academic policies, course prerequisites, and major requirements. Therefore, EVERY Virginia Tech student should have his or her own copy of the catalog, be familiar with it, and use it as a reference.

Undergraduate research
An individual research project carried out by students under faculty supervision. You must set up the course with a specific faculty member in a specific academic department.

University Curriculum for Liberal Education
A group of courses required of all students who complete a bachelors degree, regardless of major. The University Curriculum for Liberal Education must be completed by every student who graduates from Virginia Tech. Some colleges and majors have their own core curriculum, which includes specific requirements for some areas. (For instance, the Pamplin College of Business requires ECON 2005-2006 as part of its college curriculum, and these two courses fulfill the Area 3 requirement of the university Curriculum for Liberal Education.) College curriculum requirements are listed in the Undergraduate Course Catalog.

Upper division
In general, "upper division" refers to coursework at the junior and senior level. More specifically, the term is used in the R. B. Pamplin College of Business to refer to the junior and senior courses that make up the individual majors in the college, as opposed to the freshman and sophomore courses taken by all students in the college. "Upper division clearance" is required of all students who are or wish to be Business majors before they can enroll in upper division business courses. See your advisor for details.

U.S. History Requirement: MORATORIUM
Effective immediately there will be a moratorium on the U.S. History requirement. This administrative decision by the University Provost is a result of resource priorities. Students with a start date of Fall 2001 through Fall 2008 will not be required to fulfill the published graduation requirements for U.S. History. In 2007, the University will revisit this requirement to determine if there are sufficient resources available to lift the moratorium.

Withdrawal
Ending your enrollment in classes before the semester begins is called "withdrawal" from courses. A withdrawal form must be submitted to the University Registrar, 248 Burruss Hall. After the semester has begun, ending your enrollment in all of your classes(dropping all classes) is referred to as resignation.

Work study
A financial aid program that enables students to earn part of their expenses by working at certain specified jobs, often on campus. For information, consult the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid, 222 Burruss Hall.