Dictionary

Many of the terms we use here at The University of Tulsa and in the United States may be different than what you are used to in your home country. This page can be a good guide for you during your application process and throughout your academic career here at TU.

ACADEMIC ADVISOR - The person assigned to you by your college who helps in planning your course of study.

AUDIT - A class for which you have registered, but for which you will receive no academic credit. The fee is the same as for a course taken for credit. NOTE: Audited courses do not count toward full-time status for Immigration.

CLASSIFICATION - You are classified on the basis of the number of semester hours you have completed. The undergraduate classifications are: 

  • Freshman 0 - 29 hours
  • Sophomore 30 - 59 hours
  • Junior 60 - 89 hours
  • Senior 90 + hours

COLLEGE - A major academic unit of the University. T.U. is divided into five colleges: Arts & Sciences, Business Administration, Engineering & Natural Sciences, Graduate, Law.

COURSE NUMBER - The catalog number of each course. Courses numbered from 1001-1990 are primarily for freshmen, 2000-2990 for sophomores, 3000-3990 for juniors, 4000-4990 for seniors, and 7000+ for graduate students. The final number in the course numbers generally states the credit value of the course.

DEAD WEEK - The week before final examinations each semester. During this week student organizations do not plan any activities; this allows you time to study for final examinations.

DROP - Withdrawing from a course during the semester. You can drop a course until the end of the third week of the semester without academic penalty (that is, without it appearing on your transcript). After this date, and until the end of the twelfth week, you can drop a course, but you will receive a grade on your transcript. In order to drop a course, you must file a written request. Non-attendance of a class does not constitute a drop and a grade of WE (withdrew failing) is figured in your PA! Remember you must not drop below the number of credit hours required by Immigration.

ELECTIVE - A course that you may choose in order to fulfill degree requirements, but is not a specifically required course for your major.

GRADE POINT AVERAGE (GPA) - A general indication of your academic standing. For each credit hour that you earn an A, you receive 4 points; for each credit hour that you earn a B, you receive 3 points; a C, 2 points; a D, 1 point; and an F, 0 points. To compute your PA, determine the total number of grade points earned, and divide by the total number of credit hours.
Example:

Course 1003 B 3 credit hours x 3 points = 9 points
Course 1092 A 2 credit hours x 4 points = 8 points
Course 1063 C 3 credit hours x 2 points = 6 points
Course 1894 B 4 credit hours x 3 points = 12 points
12 credit hours 35 points
PA = 35 points / 12 hours = 2.92

INCOMPLETE - A Grade ("I") given to a student who is doing passing work in a class, but cannot finish the course work by the end of the semester. This grade is given at the discretion of the instructor and only for serious illness or other legitimate extenuating circumstances. The "I" must be removed within the time limits specified by the instructor.

PASS/FAIL - You may take a limited number of courses without receiving a letter grade. Your intent to take a course Pass/Fail must be made in writing to the Records Office within the first three weeks of a semester. A "P" will be recorded on transcript for a grade of C or better; a "D" for a grade of D, and a "F" for a grade of F. A "P" is nor counted in your PA, but a "D" or "F" is. There are certain restrictions on the use of this option, so consult your academic advising office first.

PLAGIARISM - To use someone else's words or ideas and claim them as your own. Plagiarism is a serious academic offense and could result in a failing grade or dismissal from the University.

PREREQUISITE - A course that must be taken before you can enroll in a more advanced course. These can be found listed in the Undergraduate Bulletin course descriptions.

PROBATION - If you are admitted on academic probation and do not maintain a cumulative TO PA of 2.0 or above by the end of the spring semester, you may be dismissed from the university. It is also possible to be placed on probation after being admitted to the university if your cumulative TO PA drops below 2.0. Every student's academic record will be reviewed upon completion of each spring semester.

TRANSCRIPT - Your official academic record. This records all classes for which you have received a letter grade or other letter notation (P - Pass, F - Failure, I - Incomplete, W- Withdrew, WE - Withdrew Failing, AU - Audit), as well as transfer courses (only on the final transcript). Only the Records Office issues transcripts.

***This is only a guide to assist you in understanding T.U. academic terms. For official Academic Policy consult the Undergraduate or Graduate Bulletins.