Glossary
Commonly used academic terms Academic advisor - faculty member appointed to assist a student in planning his/her academic career.
ABD - all but dissertation, a Ph.D. student who has completed all coursework.
Add a course - enter a course in which you were not enrolled at the beginning of the semester. Check with your department about how to do this.
Comps - comprehensive exam (written or oral) usually for Master's or Ph.D. students after the completion of all coursework needed for a degree.
Dissertation - independent research study required to obtain a doctoral degree.
Drop a course - withdraw from a class.
Final - last exam of the semester.
Flunk - fail an exam or course; to receive a grade of F.
GA - graduate assistant.
GPA - grade point average.
Incomplete - temporary mark given to a student who is doing passing work in a course but cannot complete all the requirements during the term. The student must have a valid reason and must complete the requirements within a period of time acceptable to the professor.
Major - student's primary field of study.
Mid-term - exam given in the middle of the semester to measure progress in a course.
OISS - Office for International Students and Scholars.
Quiz - short test, often given without warning.
Registrar - official recorder of students' academic information, such as courses taken and grades received.
Registration -procedure of enrolling officially in classes at the beginning of the semester.
SIS - Student Information System, NYU's computerized records of students' academic programs.
TA - teaching assistant.
Torchtone - automated telephone registration system.
Transcript - official record of a student's grades and courses. |