Glossary of Words You Need to Know

Glossary of Terms

Academic Standing

Advising

The collaborative effort between you and your advisor to help you choose a major; learn about the requirements to earn a degree in a major; understand NMSU policies, procedures and deadlines; find campus resources for various needs; untangle red tape; and select classes each semester to achieve your educational goals.

Associate Dean

Dean Brook is the business college administrator responsible for academic matters.

Basic Academic Skills

Basic skills in Math and English must be met before registering for upper division courses; see Regulations in undergraduate catalog for specific requirements.

Checklist

A term used interchangeably with Degree Plan.

Class Call Number

A 7-digit number that uniquely identifies a course taught at a particular time by a particular instructor in a particular location.

Class Schedule

Book that is available mid-semester that lists all classes offered for the following semester.

Course Request Card

This card is a registration tool; fill it out with your desired courses before you register. The course request card is required if you seek assistance in registering at the Advising Center window in Guthrie Hall.

Credit/Credit Hour

Courses are measured in credits: a three-credit course normally meets about 3 hours per week (3 credit hours). You need a minimum of 128 credits to graduate from NMSU.

Degree

A college degree is awarded to you when you have satisfactorily completed the course of study for your major.

Degree Audit

Check your academic history status using the STAR Degree Audit System.

Degree Plan

A term used interchangeably with Checklist. Prepared when you have completed lower-division courses and begin to take upper-division courses.

Department Head

Each major belongs to an academic department. The department head administers the major and assigns faculty advisors to students.

“Drop” Deadline

Period before which a class may be dropped and the class will not appear on your transcript.

General Education Course

Referred to as “G” or “gen-ed” course because the letter G follows the course number. These courses are required for all NMSU students seeking a bachelor’s degree.

General Elective

Any class, at any level, from any college; a class that is not required to fulfill your degree requirements.

GPA

Grade Point Average.

Lower Division Course

Courses numbered 100-299 or freshman/sophomore courses.

Major

The academic discipline you select to study for a major in the College of Business; for example, Accounting, Information Systems, Economics, International Business, Finance, Management, General Business, Marketing. You must complete at least 24 credits in a major.

Minor

Consists of 18 credits, at least 9 of which must be upper division; business minors may be in a single department or be interdepartmental.

Office Hours

Scheduled hours when faculty are in their offices; students can drop by or make an appointment.

Option

Some majors have options which allow students to focus in a particular field; for example, PGA Golf Management is an option in marketing, General Business has an Entrepreneurship option and a Tribal Management option.

Prerequisite

An enforceable entry requirement for a particular course; in other words, a course that is required before you can take another course.

Sample Schedule

The suggested sequencing of courses over a 4-year period for each business major.

Section Number

Class time period for which you may register.

Undergraduate Catalog

Book distributed by Admissions Office; outlines all of NMSU’s academic programs. Catalogs may also be purchased at the NMSU Bookstore.

Upper Division Course

Courses numbered 300-499 or junior/senior courses.

“Viewing a Wider World” (VWW) Course

Two upper-division courses designated “Viewing a Wider World” from two colleges other than the College of Business.

Web Class

A web-based course; best for a self-directed learner. Since there are normally no lectures, you learn the course material by doing (e.q, reading and working with materials on the computer).

“Withdrawal” Deadline

Date before which you may withdraw from a class after the drop deadline. The class you withdraw from will appear on your transcript with a grade of “W” and will not affect your grade point average.