What does it mean to be a first-gen student?

The official listing of important dates relative to semester/term start and end dates, deadlines, and holidays. Found on the Registrar’s webpage.

The total number of semester hours for which a student is registered in a semester or session.

A history of all the courses, credit by examinations, and other equivalent activities a student has taken and the grades received. See also “Transcript.”

The period comprised of fall and spring semesters (e.g., Fall 2020 – Spring 2021).

Adjustments made in the academic setting in accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990. Contact the Office of Disability Services to coordinate accommodations.

Collaborates with students with documented disabilities on coordinating support services and programs to enable equitable access in academic and non-academic aspects of the University.

The period at the start of a semester when students sign up for new courses and drop courses for which they were previously registered. Fees may apply.

Approved admittance into a course beyond entry level as a result of demonstrated subject proficiency.

Academic credit for one or more courses awarded to a student based upon their successful performance on a departmental examination.

A member of the University faculty or staff who assists students in understanding academic requirements, selecting courses, providing academic and career information, monitoring academic progress and assisting students in identifying support services based on the student’s needs.

An undergraduate student selected to serve as representative of the University at events both on and off-campus.

Enrolling in a course for no credit. Tuition is charged, but students do not have to take any exams or complete assignments. Grade is “AU.”

The University’s mascot.

The bursar is responsible for billing student accounts and receiving payments.

A Web-based learning management system hosting learning, discussion, and class administration tools (e.g., syllabus, grades, videos, discussion boards, etc.) for providing and taking in-person, online, or hybrid classes.

A long-term investigative project serving as a culminating project, presentation, paper, or performance. Traditionally done in the senior year.

UNO Career Services serves as a strategic career resource and connection for UNO students and targets career advising and preparation, candidate branding, and career events. All services are available to current students, graduates and alumni.

Undergraduate Certificates require at least 18 credit hours focusing on a discipline or skill associated with high demand jobs or specializations.

Graduate Certificates require between 12 and 18 credit hours.

Classifications (Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, Senior) used to indicate progress toward degree completion based on credit hours earned:

• Freshman: 0 – 29 credit hours hours;
• Sophomore: 30 – 59 credit hours;
• Junior: 60 – 89 credit hours;
• Senior: 90 credit hours and above.

The academic units of the University that offer academic degree programs. The type of training and the degree anticipated determine the student’s choice of college. The University has four colleges: College of Business Administration, College of Engineering, College of Liberal Arts, Education, and Human Development, and the College of Sciences.

The official University ceremony celebrating the awarding of degrees earned by graduates.

Alternative tracks of courses within a major. Concentration: accounts for 30 – 49 percent of the major requirements.

Option: accounts for 50 – 80 percent of the major requirements

A University tradition that occurs annually during Welcome Week. This formal ceremony celebrates the arrival of the new class of first-year and transfer undergraduate students.

Co-requisite: A concurrent requirement. Usually a course or some other condition that must be taken at the same time as another course.

Pre-requisite: The preliminary requirement, usually credit in another course or class level that must be met before a course can be taken.

Offers problem assessment, short-term personal mental health counseling, and career testing and counseling to currently enrolled UNO students.

Lower Level: Undergraduate courses offered at the freshman and sophomore levels designated by a course number beginning with a 1 or 2.

Upper Level: Undergraduate courses offered at the junior and senior levels designated by a course number beginning with a 3 or 4.

Graduate Level: Graduate courses designated by a course number beginning with 5 or higher.

Offers multiple dining services. Also the home of The Sandbar which hosts Jazz at the Sandbar where students, professors, and local members of the community perform.

1. The recognition awarded for the successful completion of course work. Credits are based on the number of hours a course meets in one week during a semester or session. Most courses are 3-credit hours.
2. The quantitative measure of recognition given to a course, stated in semester hours.

Formal agreements between UNO and Southern University in New Orleans, Delgado Community College and Elaine O. Nunez Community Colleges, allowing UNO students to register for a limited number of classes at each of these institutions when they register at UNO. Students should contact their academic advisor or the Office of the Registrar for more information.

The same course offered for credit by two departments or programs.

The required and elective courses for a major, minor, or certificate.

A check sheet sometimes used by students and advisors to track the student’s progress toward completion of a major, minor, or certificate.

Highest administrative officer of a college.

An academic distinction for students earning between a 3.200 and a 3.499 term gpa.

The award conferred on students by a college, University, or professional school upon completion of a unified program of study (i.e., Bachelor of Arts-B.A.; Bachelor of Science-B.S.; Master of Science-M.S.; Master of Fine Arts-M.F.A.; Doctor of Philosophy-Ph.D., etc.).

A program analyzing how a student’s courses apply to their degree program. Degrees cannot be awarded until the degree audit shows that all requirements for the degree have been met.

A grouping of campus-approved courses and requirements (i.e., minimum gpa, comprehensive examinations, English and mathematics proficiency, etc.) that, when satisfactorily completed, entitle the student to a degree.

The academic units of the University within colleges; administered by chairs or directors. For example, the Department of English, the Department of Chemistry, etc.

A substantial work of independent original research at the doctoral level which contributes to the current body of knowledge in a scholarly field.

Classes which involve physical separation of the instructor and students during instruction. Instruction may be synchronous with students and instructor meeting online on specific days and at a specific time. Instruction may also be asynchronous, whereby students view videotapes or a streaming media file and complete assignments prepared by the instructor at a time that is convenient for them.

Provides programming and resources designed to create and support a diverse and inclusive University community. Located in the University Center.

Students who “double major” pursue two of the same degrees simultaneously (e.g., a Bachelor of Arts in English and a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy).

Students who “dual major” pursue two different degrees simultaneously (e.g., a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Sciences).

Course chosen by the student, as opposed to a required course. Electives are either chosen by the student (a free elective) or chosen from a list of departmentally approved courses (an approved elective).

The classification of a student as either full-time or part-time. Undergraduate students are full-time when enrolled in 12 or more credit hours. Graduate students are full-time when enrolled in 9 or more credit hours. Enrollment status may affect financial aid awards.

When used in a course prerequisite (e.g., Prereq: SOC 1051 or equivalent), this term means either credit in a comparable course or adequate preparation by other experience. Determination of equivalency is left to the discretion of individual departments.

Learning by doing. In higher education, it takes on many shapes: internships and practicums, field work, labs, research, civic engagement, study abroad, student teaching, and a variety of other innovative approaches created by faculty who aim to enhance the impact of a course through hands-on activities.

University employees responsible for designing and instructing academic programs.

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). In order to determine eligibility for and to receive financial aid, undergraduates and graduate students must complete and submit their FAFSA.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), enacted in 1974, protects the privacy of student education records. FERPA gives parents certain rights with respect to their children’s educational records. These rights transfer to the student when he or she reaches the age of 18 or attends a school beyond the high school level.

Funds offered to undergraduate and graduate students in the form of federal aid, scholarships, loans or grants to attend the University.

A person whose parent(s) did not complete a 4-year college or University degree, regardless of other family members’ level of education.

The Federally funded TRIO Programs of the University, (McNair, Student Support Services, Talent Search, Upward Bound, and Upward Bound Math-Science), are designed to serve first-generation college students and individuals with disabilities to progress through the academic pipeline from middle school to postbaccalaureate programs.

The Freshman Triangle is located between the Liberal Arts, Mathematics, and Education buildings. It contains classrooms where most general education classes are taught.

Located between the Liberal Arts, Mathematics, and Education. It is a great place to hang out. The legend is that if you meet a friend in Friendship Circle, you will be friends for life.

The cafeteria or dining hall located in the University Center.

An environment or community that is open to people of all gender identities.

A broad educational experience encourages intellectual inquiry and provides a solid foundation for all undergraduate students. Comprised of 39 hours exposing students to basic content and methodology of foundational areas including composition, humanities and fine arts, social and behavioral sciences, natural sciences, and mathematics.

Students are in academic good standing if they have an undergraduate cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of at least a 2.0 or a graduate CGPA of at least 3.0.

A measure of scholastic performance; the ratio of quality points earned to semester hours attempted. Students have multiple GPAs:

1. Term GPA (TGPA) ic calculated using courses attempted in a specific term.
2. Cumulative GPA (CGPA) is calculated using all courses attempted (used to determine academic honors).
3. UNO GPA (UGPA) is calculated using courses attempted at UNO.

Offers physical examinations, evaluation and treatment of illness and injury, as well as educational programming for health promotion and illness prevention. Located in the University Center.

The Heath Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 is the federal law establishing national standards for protecting sensitive patient health information from being disclosed without the patient's consent or knowledge.

Block which prohibits students from functions such as registering for courses or receiving a transcript or diploma. Many holds result from not completing required processes or paying financial obligations.

An academic distinction for students earning between a 3.000 and a 3.199 term gpa.

Provides the University’s highest-achieving students with unique academic opportunities to help them develop into scholars and community leaders.

The total number of hours attempted from initial enrollment as a post-secondary student until the present.

The total number of credit hours earned from initial enrollment as a post-secondary student until the present.

See Residential Life

Provides opportunities for students to define and achieve success through success coaching, resource connections and programming. Located in the University Center.

A method of instruction in which studies by individual students are carried on outside the classroom on a topic contracted with an instructor.

The ability to identify, find, evaluate, and use information effectively.

The University’s annual research symposium highlighting the investigative work being conducted on the campus of the University and in our research community.

A unique degree program that incorporates courses of study from more than one discipline into a more personalized major.

Provides comprehensive immigration advising, programming, and support services to all international students and faculty and their dependents. Located in the International Center.

Provides the University’s diverse student population with the tools needed for academic success. Services include tutoring, study skills, supplemental instruction, etc. Located in the Library.

Students may take up to two semesters off from taking classes for personal reasons with no need to re-apply when they restart classes at the University. Students can apply for a Leave of Absence with their Academic Advisor.

Provides equitable access to information for the students, faculty, staff, or community to use in their daily lives, whether their purpose is for academic success, to solve problems, or to create new knowledge. Study rooms, books and computers, interlibrary loan, subject-matter librarians, archives, etc.

The part of a degree program consisting of a specified group of courses in a particular discipline or field. The name of the major is usually consistent with the degree subject area. A major consists of 25 percent or more of the total hours required in an undergraduate curriculum.

MAMBO stands for Move-In, Academic Preparation, Making Memories, Building Connections, Orientation. The three-day orientation immerses new students into the Privateer experience and helps prepare them for the first semester at UNO. It is required for all incoming first time, full-time, first year students enrolled in UNIV 1001, Chem 1000, or Engr 1000. Transfer students are welcome to attend the New Transfer Experience track.

Legend is the higher you throw your pair of beads into the tree, the higher your gpa will be. Location: The Quad near the library.

Occurs when all admissions requirements have been fulfilled. Once the student is “matriculated” the student can register for classes.

A meal plan is a pre-paid dining account for on-campus meals for a specific period.

A merit scholarship is typically awarded based on academic, athletic or artistic merit.

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

A student’s field of secondary or tertiary academic emphasis. That part of a degree program consisting of a specified group of courses in a particular discipline or field. The minor usually consists of 15 percent or more of the total hours required in an undergraduate curriculum. A minor is an elected emphasis and not required in most programs of study.

Each faculty member teaching a course is required to set aside time for office hours, where students can come visit them in their office. It is a great time to discuss academic issues, projects, or chat about career goals with professors.

A departmental or commercial (e.g., Accuplacer) test taken in order to determine which course in a given course sequence the student should enroll in. Frequently appropriate in math, foreign languages, composition, etc.

The unacknowledged or uncited inclusion of someone’s else actual words, ideas or data or the paraphrasing of someone else’s words, ideas or data as if they were the student’s own.

An undergraduate student who has already completed one undergraduate degree and is enrolled in additional undergraduate coursework leading to an additional undergraduate degree or entry into a professional degree program.

A postdoc is generally a short-term research position that provides further training in a particular field For individuals planning research careers in academia, government, or industry, the postdoc years can be an opportunity to develop independence, hone technical skills, and focus research interests.

A non-degree program of study in preparation for entry into a professional degree program at another institution or another division of the University; normally takes from one to three years to complete.

The highest ranking administrator of the University responsible for the operation of the entire University within the framework of general policies provided by its Board of Supervisors in keeping with the laws of the state of Louisiana.

An academic distinction for students earning a term gpa of 3.500 and above.

The affectionate name is given to current students and alumni of the University.

The University's food pantry provides supplemental food support to combat food insecurity in the UNO community. Self-stable food and personal care items as recipes are offered to currently enrolled UNO students. Simply bring your Privateer ID along with you when picking up your groceries. Located in the University Center.

The Privateer Pathways program provides students with academic support, programming, and strategies to help them be successful college students.

Academic status when the cumulative grade point average (CGPA) is below 2.0. Students on Academic Probation must earn a term gpa (TGPA) of at least 2.0 in the next term in order to either remain on academic probation or return to Academic Good Standing. Students who fail to earn a TGPA of at least 2.0 risk being suspended for one semester.

Disciplinary Probation removes a student from good disciplinary standing for the designated period of time and places the student on final warning status. If the student is found to be in violation of any institutional regulation(s), particularly during the probationary period, separation from the institution will most likely occur.

A test equivalent to a final examination in a college-level course in which a student is required to demonstrate competence to earn academic credit. The test may be given to validate transfer credit earned at another institution, or as a method for earning credit for a course in which a student is not formally enrolled.

The senior academic administrator of the University. The Provost provides supervision and oversight to the University’s curricular, instructional, and research activities.

The open expanse at the center of the campus bordered by the library, the computing center, the administration building.

The numeric value of a letter grade A=4; B=3; C=2; D=1; F, W, XF=0. Calculated by multiplying the number of credit hours by the points assigned to the letter grade. For example: a 3-credit hour class in which you earn an A = 12 quality points while earning a B in the same course = 9 Quality points.

The number of Quality Points divided by the number of Attempted Credits = GPA

Facilitation of learning and review of the material in small group setting.

87,000 square feet of space dedicated to a variety of fitness and recreational activities located next to the University Center. Facilities include a lap pool, racketball courts, gym, indoor track, weights, cardio, and more.

The process by which an admitted student, upon payment of required fees, enrolls in classes.

A trained student leader who helps foster community between members of a residence hall’s floor or wing; they also keep residents safe by enforcing University policies.

Provides on-campus housing for UNO students, faculty, and staff. Facilities include Pontchartrain Halls, Lafitte Village, and Privateer Place (a privately owned apartment complex).

The official process by which a student withdraws from (or drops) all courses during a University semester or session.

The cost of living in an on-campus residence hall with a campus dining plan.

Designed to reduce homophobia and heterosexism on our campus and thereby make our campus a safer and freer environment for all members of our community. The trainings create an educational experience through which students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to explore their personal identities, cultural identities, stereotypes, privilege, and what it means to be an Ally and Accomplice.

The program is also designed to understand how the above issues impact the UNO and global LGBTQIA+ community.

Group of academic departments and/or programs within a college.

Specific designation (beyond the course number) of each course offering that distinguishes room location, meeting time, and instructor.

The unit by which course work is measured. The number of semester hours assigned to a course is usually determined by the number of hours the class meets per week.

A method of instruction in which a group of students engaged in research or advanced study meet under the guidance of one or more University faculty members for presentation and discussion of approved topics.

Service indicators of the University can be positive indicators that designate special services to be provided or negative (holds) that prevent an individual or organizations from receiving certain services.

A time limit placed on completing a specific degree or processes.

Aims to educate and promote the policies of Student Code of Conduct, Academic Dishonesty, the UNO Student Handbook and other University policies. Located in the University Center.

The Office of Student Affairs, home to a number of different departments, is committed to the well-being and academic success of all students through a variety of quality student-focused programs and services. Located in the University Center.

Provides opportunity through which students may become meaningfully involved in campus life. The programs support the enhancement of learning, educational growth and holistic development of students. Located in the University Center.

A student’s UNO number is his/her permanent identification and is unique to that person. Sometimes referred to as an EMPLID.

The courses in which a student is enrolled in a given semester or session.

An opportunity to pursue your college studies in a foreign country.

A separation of the student from the University for at least one semester. Academic Suspension occurs when a student on academic probation (CGPA under 2.00) fails to earn a Term GPA of at least a 2.00.

A separation of the student from the University for a specified period of time after which the student is eligible to return assuming no intervening serious misconduct has occurred and any prerequisite conditions for readmission have been met.

The document which identifies the course policies, rules and regulations, required texts, schedule of assignments, and the professor’s expectations of the student.

Provides testing services related to the administration, scanning, scoring and interpretation of tests; evaluations of instruction; academic support services for instruction; data input for research; scannable document preparation; and administrative data input and analysis. Located in the Library.

A substantial work of independent original research at the master’s level which contributes to the current body of knowledge in a scholarly field.

The continuous, formal, and official record of a student’s academic work at a University.

A student who terminates enrollment in one college or University and subsequently enrolls in another University.

An interesting, fun, and informative course for incoming students to learn about college and learn how to use effective strategies to be successful in college.

As the hearthstone of the institution, the University Center (UC) facilities provide opportunities for activities and events and promotes social interaction amid and among the diverse members of the University and the community.

Provides support for Academic Computing, Administrative Computing, Servers and Networks, User Training and Support.

A self-service online system that allows students to register for classes and view records such as transcripts, billing, and financial aid information.

Part-time employment (on and off campus) provided to undergraduate and graduate students while enrolled in school. Types of Work-Study: federal, community service or budget.