GLOSSARY OF TERMS

Academic Advisor

A University employee who is committed to helping students meet their educational goals and make informed and responsible decisions.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity means students do not commit various types of academic dishonesty, such as cheating, fabrication of information, assisting in or contributing to academic dishonesty, plagiarism, submission of the same work for more than one class without the faculty member’s permission, unsanctioned collaboration, misrepresentation, forgery, taking credit for work done by others, stealing or damaging library books or unlawfully copying  computer software. 

Academic Year

Begins in August with New Student Orientation and registration, continues through the spring semester, and concludes with the  summer session.

Academic Accommodations

Students with disabilities may request support services in accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Students must self-identify by providing notice of their disability and the required documentation to Learning Support Services (LSS).

Add/Drop Period

A student may drop and/or add courses during the first five (5) class days of a semester without incurring academic penalty or affecting the student’s official transcript.

Bursar

The Bursar’s Office manages the cashiering, billing, collection and student account service functions of the University. Students may pay bills, request refunds, obtain third-party payment plan information and seek clarification related to University charges from the Student Account Representatives.

Career Counselor

A member of the University Career Center staff who assists students and alumni with the development of  employment application materials, including resumes, cover letters, personal statements and LinkedIn profiles; practicing interviewing and networking skills; and learning the fundamentals of any successful job or internship search.

Code of Student Conduct

These rules and regulations—designed with the specific intention of enhancing the academic mission of the University—govern conduct among Villanova’s community of students.

Co-Requisite

A course that must be taken during the same semester as another course.

Course Load

The number of credits a student is attempting during any semester or session

Course Registration Number (CRN)

A unique number assigned to each course offered within a session that is needed to register for the class.

Credits

Each course taken will have an assigned number of credits, normally between one and six per class. It is important for students to keep track of how many credits they have completed and taken each semester to ensure efficient progress towards completing their degree program.

Dean

Highest administrative officer of a college.

Dean’s List

Students with outstanding academic records are honored by the dean of each college. To qualify for the Dean’s List, one must be a matriculated full-time student and earn a semester GPA of:

• 3.5 in the College of Engineering
• 3.5 (for both semesters) in the Fitzpatrick College of Nursing
• 3.5 in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
• 3.5 in the Villanova School of Business with no missing or  non-passing grades

Department Chair

A department chair is the faculty member who manages a given academic department.

Double Major

Some students have enough available credits during their program of study to pursue two different majors at the same time. A double major is a vigorous academic schedule during which students declare two majors and graduate with one degree.

Enrollment Status

Enrollment status indicates whether a student is, or was, full-time, three-quarter time, half-time, less than half-time, withdrawn  or graduated.

FAFSA

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid allows students to input financial information to be reviewed and evaluated in order for  students to receive financial assistance (federal grants, work-study, loans) based on their need.

Federal Work Study

A federal program offering part-time employment opportunities on campus to students pursuing a degree part-time or full-time.

FERPA

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, enacted in 1974, protects the privacy of student education records. All educational institutions that receive federal funding must comply with FERPA.

FERPA Waiver

A waiver completed where students can specify people in their lives to be able to look at their accounts and talk about the student’s records with University employees.

Financial Aid

Money given to students or families to assist them in paying for their education. Types of financial aid include grants, work-study, loans and scholarships. It can come from federal or state governments, Villanova University, or private institutions.

Financial Aid Notice

The Office of Financial Assistance will notify you of your aid eligibility; applicants may check through their Applicant Status Page (prospective students) or their MyNova account (current students and students who are offered admission and deposit).

First-Generation Student

A student whose parent(s) or legal guardian(s) have not completed a bachelor’s degree.

Grade Point Average (GPA)

A grade point average (GPA) is a single cumulative number that represents a student’s entire academic performance. GPA is calculated by translating letter grades onto a numerical scale that typically ranges from 0.0-4.0.

Hold

An administrative block that prohibits students from registering for courses or receiving a transcript or diploma. Most holds are due to not completing required processes or paying financial obligations.

Leave of Absence

A policy that allows students to interrupt their enrollment for a period of time for personal or medical reasons.

Major

An undergraduate student’s selected area of focus for their studies at Villanova.

Matriculated

The status of a student who has completed all admissions requirements and has registered for classes at Villanova University.

Merit-Based Scholarships

Scholarships awarded on the basis of students’ academic achievements, proven leadership and participation in extracurricular activities, both in their schools and their communities. Villanova offers a number of merit-based scholarships.

Midterm Exam

An exam given around the midpoint of an academic semester or session.

Minor

A secondary program of study that requires completion of fewer credit hours than a major.

MyNova

A customized online gateway for accessing Villanova’s major systems and managing your University information on record. Students use MyNova to register for classes and view records such as midterm and final grades and transcripts.

Office Hours

Each professor is required to set aside time for office hours, dedicated times during which students can visit them in their office. It is a great time to discuss academic issues and projects or chat about career goals with professors.

Pre-Requisite

A course that must have been completed prior to registering for the next course in your academic plan.

Provost

The University’s chief academic officer and the second-ranking officer of the University, next to the president.

Refund

When the amount of credit on your account exceeds the amount owed during any given academic session.

Registrar’s Office

The Office of the Registrar is the custodian of students’ records. They register students, record grades, prepare student transcripts, evaluate academic records and schedule classes, among other responsibilities.

School/College

Group of academic departments and/or programs administered by a college dean. Villanova has six schools/colleges within the University.

Syllabus

A course layout written by the professor and given to students at the beginning of a course that informs them of requirements for the completion of the class.

TechZone

UNIT’s TechZone is staffed with over 25 student consultants who work cooperatively with full-time professional staff for all hardware, software and technical problems students may have with their personal laptop and other on-campus computing experiences.

Transcript

A document listing official grades. Required for admission into Villanova and into other institutions, such as graduate or professional studies institutions.

UNIT (University Information Technologies)

Villanova’s centralized IT team, dedicated to providing the University community with comprehensive IT services and solutions to support the University’s faculty, staff and students.

Wait List

When registering, if a course is full, students have the option to join the wait list, which gives them first chances to register for a spot in the class that may open at a later date.

Wildcat Newswire

This email is sent to all undergraduate, graduate and law school students twice a week to promote University, college, department and program announcements, news and events.

Withdrawal

A withdrawal occurs when a student drops a class after the allowed add/ drop period ends. A student may withdraw from a course without penalty until the final day for authorized withdrawal from courses (as indicated in the University’s academic calendar). The student will receive the grade of “WX” on their transcript.