A
Academic Advisor
A faculty member or administrator that will meet with you each semester to help you plan your courses, monitor your academic progress and help you set career goals.
Academic Calendar
PVCC provides year-round credit and noncredit courses in a variety of learning formats. The College's academic calendar indicates important dates related to the academic year and is available on PVCC's Web site.
Academic Dismissal
Students who have been placed on academic suspension and achieve a 2.0 grade point average for the semester following their reinstatement must maintain at least a 1.5 grade point average in each subsequent semester of attendance. The student remains on probation until his or her overall grade point average is raised to a minimum of 1.5.
Academic Load
The normal academic load for a student is 15-18 credits.
Academic Probation
Any student who fails to maintain a cumulative grade point average of 1.5 is placed on academic probation.
Academic Renewal
Students who have been separated from PVCC for at least five years and have earned a 2.5 grade point average for the first 12 credits upon re-entry to the college may be eligible for academic renewal. Applications and additional information are available from the Admissions & Advising Center.
Academic Standing
Students are expected to maintain a 2.0 (C) grade point average to be considered in good academic standing.
Academic Suspension
A student on academic probation who attempts 24 semester credits and fails to attain a (cumulative) grade point average of 1.5 for the next term is subject to academic suspension. Academic suspension normally is for one term.
Academic Warning
Any student who fails to attain a minimum grade point average of 2.0 for any semester or who fails any course, receives an academic warning.
Academic Year
The period of formal instruction, usually August through May. PVCC's academic year is made up of two semesters. The fall semester is from August to December, The spring semester is from January to May.
Advanced Placement Program
The advanced placement (AP) program is designed to indicate that a secondary school student has mastered the material in a course sufficiently equivalent to a beginning college course and should be allowed to enroll in an advanced college course. A variety of subject areas are available; tests are administered by the College Entrance Examination Board at secondary schools, with grades (on a 5, 4,3,2,1 basis) sent directly to the college.
Advanced Standing
The advanced standing program provides an opportunity to receive academic credit for learning acquired through non-college experiences prior to entering or returning to PVCC. Credit may be granted in approved areas upon successful completion of accepted national examinations, locally designed and administered tests or portfolio development.
Articulation Agreement
PVCC and a number of Virginia colleges and universities have articulation agreements, which apply to particular courses and/or programs. See also Guaranteed Admission Agreements.
Associate Degree
A two-year degree offered by a community or junior college or a technical school.
Auditing a Course
Attending a course without receiving credit. Students must receive permission from the instructor and the appropriate division dean and submit an approved permission to audit form. Audit students must register and pay the regular tuition.
B
Blackboard
The Blackboard Learning System is a web-based course management system used by the Virginia Community College System. Blackboard provides a convenient method for students to access course materials and communicate with the class instructor.
C
Capital Fee
All out-of-state students are charged a capital fee per credit hour.
Career Pathways (Formerly called Tech Prep)
Tailored specifically for high school students, Career Pathways is a planned sequence of specific secondary (high school) courses leading to post secondary (college) education, training and employment. Career Pathways enable students to start their college career while in high school.
Career Readiness Certificate (CRC)
Virginia's Career Readiness Certificate (CRC) is an assessment-based credential that gives employers and career seekers a uniform measure of key workplace skills. PVCC offers courses to prepare individuals for the assessments, as well as offering the assessments themselves.
Career Studies Certificate
The Career Studies Certificate is awarded after successful completion of a specific group of career-related courses totaling between 9 and 29 credits. The career studies programs are designed for enhancement of job/life skills, retraining for career change and/or investigating new career possibilities.
Certificate
A certificate is awarded after successful completion of a one-year occupational/technical curricula totaling between 30 and 59 credits. Most certificates prepare a student for a specific job or aspect of a job. The classes in a certificate program are not designed for transfer to a four-year college or university.
Class Level
A student is classified as a freshman until 30 course credits have been completed. A student is classified as a sophomore after completing 30 or more course credits.
Code of Conduct
Expectations of students as members of the college community. The Code of Conduct is published in PVCC's Student Handbook available through the College's Web site.
College Catalog
The book that includes the College's policies and programs, requirements for graduation, degrees and courses offered, names of faculty and administrators and campus services. The College Catalog is available through PVCC's Web site.
Counselor
A trained professional with whom you can establish a confidential relationship to assist you with academic adjustment or personal problems that might interfere with your academic success.
Course Number
The number that designates the particular course offered by the department.
Course Prefix
The appropriate abbreviation for a particular class used.
Course Sequencing
A course in the order in which it should be taken.
Credit Class
Classes in which students take tests and earn a grade that will become part of their college transcript. When the class is completed, specific hours of college credit can be applied toward a certificate or degree. Many students take credit classes at PVCC before transferring to a four-year college or university to complete a bachelor's degree.
Credit Status
A full-time student is one who is carrying 12 or more course credits. A part-time student is one who is carrying fewer than 12 course credits.
Credits
Hours earned for a course. A PVCC credit is equivalent to one collegiate semester hour credit (or 1.5 times collegiate quarter hour credits).
Curriculum
All the courses required for your degree.
D
Degrees
Ranks awarded to students upon completion of required programs of study.
Distance Learning
Distance learning courses are comparable to the same courses taught in the traditional classroom format. PVCC offers a variety of distance learning formats including online, hybrid and Web conferencing and video conferencing.
Dual Enrollment
Designed for high school juniors and seniors enrolled in special PVCC courses offered at the high school during the regular school day.
E
Early Admission
Designed for academically strong high school students who wish to take college courses while still in high school.
Elective
A course requirement for graduation that you may select from an academic area of interest to you.
F
Faculty
Teacher, lecturer, professor, instructor.
FAFSA
Free Application for Federal Student Aid. The key to need-based financial aid, the FAFSA is available at www.fafsa.ed.gov.
Financial Aid
The money awarded to a student based on financial need. Colleges award need-based financial aid in a financial aid "package" that may contain direct loans, grants, scholarships and work-study money. Financial aid also may mean any money awarded to a student, including merit-based scholarships.
FTE (Full Time Equivalent)
The total number of credit hours taken by PVCC students divided by 15 credit hours (Fifteen represents the number of credit hours of a full-time student used by the VCCS for this calculation).
Full-time student
A full-time student is one who is carrying 12 or more course credits.
G
Grade Point Average (GPA)
The GPA is determined by dividing the total number of grade points earned in courses in the student's curriculum by the total number of credits attempted in the curriculum. GPA Calculator.
Grade Point Values
The number of points representing the grade you receive.
Grants
Grants are one form of financial aid given to students to help pay for their education. Grants are often in the form of a gift and do not have to be repaid.
Guaranteed Admission Agreements
These are contractual agreements between the Virginia Community College System or PVCC and selected four-year colleges and universities that guarantee admission to community college graduates who meet certain GPA (grade point average) and other requirements. For a list of participating colleges and program requirements, visit the "Transfer Opportunities" section of PVCC's Web site.
H
Head Count
The total number of students enrolled in a given time period (e.g. semester, year).
Honors Program
Since its inception in 1988, the PVCC honors program has offered honors classes allowing deeper consideration of the subject than is usually found in regular sections of the same course.
Hybrid Courses
A course that blends online and face-to-face delivery. A substantial portion of the course content is delivered online.
I
Incomplete
The grade received representing work not completed in the term the course was taken.
Institutional Fee
Students are charged an institutional fee per credit hour, which is collected at the beginning of each term. The funds collected under this fee shall be used exclusively to construct, repair and maintain college parking lots; and to construct, repair and maintain parking lot lights, adjacent and connecting sidewalks, medians and grounds that are within or abut the parking lots. The fee is refunded if the student withdraws completely from the college within the appropriate refund period.
Instructor
Teacher, lecturer, professor.
K
KeyTrain
Computer-based training that includes targeted, self-paced instruction, pre- and post-assessments, a complete learning management system and an occupational job profiles database.
M
MyPVCC
A portal through which a single log-on is used to access Blackboard, the Student Information System and student email.
N
Noncredit Classes
Noncredit courses are designed to help people on their job or for personal enrichment. Academic credits toward a degree are not earned; however, students may earn Continuing Education Units (CNEDs) which will appear on a transcript.
O
Online Courses
Online courses are offered through technologies that include the Internet, discussion forums, email, online conferencing and other Web-based instruction strategies.
Orientation
The initial program to help students become familiar with the College.
P
Part-Time Student
A part-time student is one who is carrying fewer than 12 course credits.
Pass/Fail
A grading system that allows students to receive only passing or failing grades.
PeopleSoft
PeopleSoft is PVCC's student information and enrollment services software program. With it, you can register for upcoming classes, drop/add/withdraw from courses, view your weekly class schedule, request official transcripts be sent to other colleges and businesses, check your grades, etc.
Placement Testing
All students who seek enrollment in a college level course in mathematics or college composition or in a degree program are required to take placement tests in reading, writing and mathematics prior to commencing their course work. Previous college level work, SAT or ACT scores may also substitute for placement testing.
Prerequisite
A requirement that must be completed as a condition for taking another course.
President's List
A student who achieves a semester grade point average of 3.8 or higher and earns a minimum of 12 credit hours, with no grades less than C, will be placed on the President's List.
Professor
Teacher, lecturer, instructor.
Proficiency Exam
A test used to measure your level of knowledge in a certain area for which you may receive credit or be exempt from taking the course.
R
Re-admission
A student who interrupts enrollment at the college for three consecutive terms (including summer session) is required to re-apply by submitting an application for re-admission.
Repeating a Course
Any student may repeat a previously attempted course. All course grades appear on the student's transcript record; however, only the last grade will be counted in the student's cumulative grade point average.
S
Schedule of Classes
A master schedule listing all of the classes that will be offered during a particular term including days and times of classes, location of classes, name of instructor and other registration information.
Scholarships
Scholarships are one form of financial aid given to students to help pay for their education. Scholarships are a form of a gift and do not have to be repaid; they can be based upon financial need, merit or both.
School Code
PVCC's Title IV school code is 009928.
Section Number
A number used when two or more classes are offered for the same course that indicates where, when and by whom the class is taught.
Semester
The school year is divided into two parts usually with a fall and a spring term of approximately 16 weeks.
Service Learning
The service learning program at PVCC provides an opportunity for students to put the theory of civic responsibility into action, promoting the common good of the service region. The program is designed to address community needs in many areas and through a variety of courses.
Student Activity Fee
Students are charged a student activity fee as part of their tuition to fund student activities, clubs and organizations.
Student Handbook
A summary of information regarding PVCC's policies and regulations.
Student Information System (SIS)
PVCC's computer system used to manage student information and enrollment services.
Student Loan
Loans are one form of financial aid for students to help pay for their education. Loans must be repaid, often with interest.
Summer Session
A term(s) offered between the spring and fall semesters that is usually shorter in duration but longer in the amount of time spent daily and weekly in class.
Syllabus
The instructor's course outline, which is usually distributed the first day of classes. It may include a brief description of the course, textbooks to be used, readings, assignments, grading system and the attendance policy.
T
Tech Prep (Now called Career Pathways)
Tailored specifically for high school students, this program is a planned sequence of specific secondary (high school) courses leading to post secondary (college) education, training and employment.
Technology Fee
All students in the Virginia Community College System are charged a special technology fee per credit hour. The funds are used to implement major improvements to information technology for the 23 community colleges in Virginia. The fee is refunded if the student withdraws completely from the college within the appropriate refund period.
Term
The length of time assigned for the completion of a course.
Transcripts
The official record of your college work including all classes taken, grades received and credits earned that is updated every term.
Transfer Credit
The courses the new college will accept and count toward a degree.
Tuition
A fee charged for educational instruction. Payment of tuition enables students to use the library, bookstore, student study areas and other facilities of the college. The tuition fee is established by the State Board for Community Colleges.
U
Undocumented Aliens
It is the policy of PVCC to admit applicants who are immigrants residing in Virginia who have graduated from a Virginia high school with a high school diploma or equivalent, even if they are not able to document their legal presence. Applicants who are undocumented will pay tuition at the out-of-state rate.
V
VCCS
Abbreviation for the Virginia Community College System (see below).
Vice President's List
A student who achieves a semester grade point average of 3.2 or higher and earns a minimum of 12 credit hours, with no grades less than C, will be placed on the Vice President's List.
Video Conferencing
Live, synchronous (real time), interactive audio and video using advance technologies available on the PVCC campus.
Virginia Community College System (VCCS)
The collective group of Virginia's 23 community colleges and the entity that oversees these colleges. The VCCS offices are located in Richmond.
W
Waived Tuition
Sections SB-529 and SB-626 of the Code of Virginia provide for free tuition to attend state-supported institutions of higher education for children of persons killed in the line duty to the state of Virginia or deceased, disabled, prisoners of war or missing in action as a result of any armed conflict after December 6, 1941, involving the armed forces of the United States. Applications and more information are available from the PVCC Financial Aid Office.
Web Conferencing
Live, synchronous (real time) learning over the Internet.
Withdrawal
A grade offered that does not affect the GPA so that students may drop courses before a specified time.
Workforce Services
PVCC's Division of Workforce Services provides state-of-the-art workforce training and services to businesses, industry and government agencies.
WorkKeys
WorkKeys is a national workplace skills analysis system that helps employers hire, train and retain a skilled workforce.
