Academic Terminology

Academic Affairs One of the four major divisions of the University, headed by the Vice President and Provost, that focuses on educational needs of students.
Academic Good Standing A minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.00, which is required for continued enrolment in the University.
Academic Year The period commencing with the fall semester (16 weeks + final exams) and continuing through the spring semester (16 weeks + final exams) and summer term (8 weeks).
Alumni Individuals who have attended or graduated from a particular college or university.
Board of Trustees The governing body for Alfaisal University.
Co-requisite indicates a course that you must have satisfactorily enrolled in at the same time as the listed course. 
Credit Hour A standard unit of measuring course work; credit hours are assigned to a particular course and count toward graduation, except in remedial courses. Typically, a course that meets for three hours a week is worth three credit hours.
Cross-listed Course offered by more than one department but treated as one course for credit purposes.
Curriculum A program of study covering the entire undergraduate or graduate career and designed to satisfy the requirement for a degree.
Dean The highest administrative officer of a college.
Department Chairperson An administrative officer holding faculty rank; responsible for the primary unit of academic organization.
General Education Requirement Student must take foundation courses in general subjects to obtain a baccalaureate degree.
Grade Point Average (GPA) The total number of grade points divided by the total graded semester hours attempted at Alfaisal University.
Independent Study Intensive study in a special area of the student’s interest under the direction of a faculty member. Each individual investigation is to culminate in a comprehensive written report and/or examination and/or artistic project. A maximum of 3 semester hours may be applied toward graduation.
Prerequisite indicates a course that you must have satisfactorily completed before enrolling in the course. 
Professional Practice Professional Practice consists of academic/career related work experiences completed for credit either on campus or at a place of business. They may or may not be salaried. 
Provost The Vice President for Academic Affairs who is responsible for all academic matters.
Recommendation knowledge, skills, and the completion of courses and other requirements that may assist in a course, but are not required, are recommendations.
Registrar An academic unit that maintains academic records, awards transfer credit, and provides enrolment verification, transcripts, and course registration.
Requirement a mandatory criterion for enrolment in a course. For example, grade of C or higher in a beginning algebra course might be a requirement for a course. 
Semester A semester at Alfaisal University is the 14-16-week offered each fall and spring.
Seminar A regular meeting of students, under the guidance of a faculty member, in which each conducts research and exchanges information, problems, and results through informal lectures, reports, and discussion.
Student Affairs One of the four major divisions of the University, headed by the Dean of Admission & Registration, Student Affairs that focuses on personal and non-academic needs of students.
Syllabus A document describing the objectives, outcomes, assessment activities, and structure of a course.
Transcript The University’s official record of credit or degrees awarded, including the courses taken by a student and the grades received in each course.