The following definitions may be helpful to students’ understanding of the educational culture of postsecondary education:

Students collaborating in STEM lounge.

Academic Advisor  - someone in a professional position at an institution who may guide prospective and current students through the admission process, course registration and selection, program planning, degree completion, scholarships and more. Advisors help students find solutions to course or degree-specific requirements or they may connect students to specific services as needed.

Academic Affairs - is the institutional office that oversees academic programs and departments at a college. The head of this office supports curriculum initiatives, faculty hiring and promotion events, faculty research and teaching, and all academic departments and programs. The academic affairs division is responsible for supporting student learning and experiences, program initiatives, and faculty support. This department provides professional development resources for faculty and develops, revises, and implements policies and procedures when needed.

Academic Record - transcript of grades, courses, credits and related academic information kept on file by the College.

Accelerated Online Course - offered completely online without any onsite face-to-face or traditional classroom meetings at DCCC campuses; does not require students to attend class meetings at designated days and times; shorter in length than a 15-week semester.

Accelerated Hybrid Course - offered in a blended format with both face-to-face or traditional class sessions at a DCCC campus, online class sessions which may be synchronous, and independent work; shorter in length than a 15-week semester.

Accelerated Session - a period less than the fifteen-week semester in which students can complete coursework on an accelerated basis.

Accreditation - is awarded by accreditation institutions to schools that maintain certain educational standards based on set criteria for either the institution or for a specialized program. Schools may be subject to periodic review programs to ensure that accreditation standards continue to be met. 

Alumni - people who have graduated from a college.

Apprenticeship - Training programs that combine on-the-job and course work. The result is certified skills in specific trades. Apprentices are usually paid for their training.

Articulation Agreement - An agreement between two schools that allows course credit at one school to be accepted or transferred and applied toward a degree or certificate at another school.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Education - the process of integrating and applying AI technologies within the classroom to enhance teaching and learning experiences. Examples of AI in education for students include grammar checking software, text-to-speech platforms and flash card software. Examples of AI in education for professors include plagiarism detection software, lecture transcription platforms and automatic grading tools. AI algorithms and tools analyze and interpret student data, personalize educational content, automate administrative tasks, and provide adaptive feedback. Using AI in education, similar to machine learning in education, allows instructors to identify struggling students and provide the tailored support required to minimize barriers to success.

Associate Degree (A.A., A.A.S., A.F.A., A.S.) - a two-year degree that usually requires a minimum of 60 credit hours and generally prepares students for further study or entry into the workplace. The credits earned from an associate degree can usually be transferred to a four-year bachelor’s degree.

  • A.A. = Associate in Arts
  • A.A.S. = Associate in Applied Arts
  • A.F.A. = Associate in Fine Arts
  • A.S. = Associate in Science

Asynchronous Online Course - is offered completely online with no scheduled meeting times; course learning and interaction takes place online via the Canvas online "learning platform;" learning activities may include lectures, videos, readings assignments, discussions and tests; and assignments and tests are completed by scheduled deadlines via Canvas.

Bachelor's Degree - a four-year degree granted by a college or university after students have satisfactorily completed a four- or five-year, full-time program of required courses or its part-time equivalent. Students usually receive a Bachelor’s of Arts or Bachelor’s of Science degree.

Board of Trustees - The policy-making and governing body of a college.

Catalog - A college’s book of general information about classes, faculty, costs and admission and degree requirements.

Certificate - recognition provided for completion of short-term vocational or career-training programs.

Canvas - The online learning management system (LMS) that the College uses to administer courses.

Consortium Agreement - An agreement between two or more schools to recognize registration at each institution, enabling students who attend one school to attend class and use resources at another school and allowing students enrolled at more than one school in a given semester to receive the maximum amount of financial aid for which they are eligible by combining enrollment at both schools. 

Core-to-Core - Core-to-Core articulations document a particular college's or university's promise to accept the general education credits embedded in a specific degree from the College.

Commencement - The word "commencement" is often used interchangeably with graduation, although students who will graduate (earn their degree) during that academic year may participate in a college commencement ceremony, even if they haven't officially completed their graduation requirements.

Concurrent - Course prerequisite which may be taken BEFORE or in the SAME TERM as the course.

Credit - the value assigned to a college course depending on the number of class hours per week. For example, a three-credit course meets three hours per week. A unit of measuring education credit based upon the number of classroom hours per week throughout the term. 

Curriculum - The available courses in a program of study at a specific college.

Dean - A dean is the head of a particular academic division.

Dual Admission - A Dual Admission agreement guarantees admission to the partner school and can also guarantee admission to a particular bachelor's degree.

Elective - a course selected by the student not specifically required for a program or certificate which meets general education or program requirements. Each degree program guides its graduates to achieve College Academic Learning Goals and General Education requirements in the way that is most reasonable and helpful to its students in that field of study. Programs may require specific courses, or elective categories, from which a student may choose from a variety of course options. Refer to specific program curriculum grids for more information.

ESL (English as a Second Language) - English courses offered to speakers of other languages who completed most of their previous education outside of the United States to improve their English writing, grammar, reading, speaking and listening skills. Courses are offered under subject 'ELL - English Language Learners.'

Faculty - The staff of professors and instructors at a university.

FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) - Completing the online FAFSA form is the first step in applying for financial aid every year and must be submitted by students seeking grants and/or loans from state and federal governments, colleges and other sources.

FERPA - This stands for Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act. This law protects the privacy of educational records and transfers from parents to the students themselves when they turn 18 or start college. FERPA covers all school-related records, including your student's grades, information from the campus health center, disciplinary records, and more. If students want to give a parent or another third party access, they may complete a FERPA waiver. There is an exception: If the college feels there is a need to protect the health and safety of your student or others, they may disclose information.

First-Generation Student - A first-generation student is any student whose parents or guardians have not completed a four-year college (Bachelor’s) degree. 

General Educational Development (GED) - a test for people who have not graduated from high school that is used to confirm their mastery of information covered in a basic high school curriculum.

General Education Transfer Credits - Programs designed to support transfer to four-year institutions will usually include coursework in the broad categories of Arts and Humanities and Behavioral and Social Science electives. Courses in the subject areas listed are generally transferable to most institutions. However, depending on the program at the transfer institution, the courses may only be accepted as free electives. Be sure to meet with an advisor in the Transfer Office when planning to transfer.

Hybrid Instruction - offered in blend of traditional classroom and online asynchronous instruction, with the traditional classroom portion offered in on-campus instruction with set meeting days and times and the asynchronous online portion offered completed individually via Canvas with expected assignment due dates/deadlines.

Hybrid-B (Online Option) - is a sub-category of Hybrid Instruction with all sessions having set meeting dates and times on campus AND all sessions are available synchronously via zoom and Canvas.

Hybrid C (Low Residency) -  is sub-category of Hybrid Instruction in which all sessions meet online EXCEPT up to five in-person sessions with set meeting days and times on campus. Students will be expected to attend in-person sessions. See schedule for details.

Hy-Flex Instruction - Sometimes called tri-flex, because three modalities are available: in-person, synchronous online, and asynchronous online:

  • Option to attend some or all meetings in person.
  • Option to join some or all scheduled meetings live online via zoom and canvas.
  • Option to engage with class partially or entirely asynchronously.

Assignment due dates/deadlines maintained in all options.

Internships - option to attend college and do paid work, receiving credit for both.  is a short-term job, usually for the summer or a semester, that your student takes to get experience in their field of interest. Internships may be paid or unpaid; sometimes students can earn course credit for them. In some academic programs, an internship may be required to graduate.

Major - the course of study in which a student concentrates coursework, time and attention.

Placement Test - assessment given to new students to determine their skill levels in English, reading, and mathematics, and their academic starting point.
 
Prerequisite - Many college classes must be taken sequentially, in a certain order, from lower to higher level. A prerequisite is a course a student must complete before taking another specific course. For example, English Composition I is a prerequisite for English Composition II.

Registration - The period during which a student can sign up for the classes they wish to take in the following quarter or semester or the transaction through which students enroll in coursework.

Semester - usually a fifteen-week period in which college courses are completed.

Synchronous Online Course - Instruction takes place through live online sessions on scheduled days and times, via zoom and Canvas. Students are expected to participate in class on the scheduled days and times. Assignments and tests are completed online via Canvas. Instructors may require cameras be turned on for class discussions and lectures.

Synchronous & Asynchronous Online Course - A blend Synchronous & Asynchronous online instruction via Canvas and zoom. The synchronous portion takes place through live online sessions, with set meeting days and times via zoom and Canvas. The asynchronous portion is completed individually via Canvas. Instructors may require cameras be turned on for class discussions and lectures. Participation in both synchronous and asynchronous modes is required

Traditional Classroom Course - offered in fully in person instruction at an assigned campus at designated days and times. 

Subject Abbreviations:

The following subject abbreviations are used throughout the catalog and refer to courses within a specific discipline.

  • ACC, Accounting
  • ADJ, Administration of Justice
  • AHA, Health Administration
  • AHM, Allied Health Medical
  • AHN, Allied Health Nursing
  • AHS, Surgical Technology
  • ARB, Arabic (archived Fall 2023)
  • ARC, Architecture
  • ART, Art
  • AUT, Auto Mechanics
  • BIO, Biology
  • BUS, Business
  • CHE, Chemistry
  • COMM, Communication Studies
  • CPT, Carpentry
  • CUL, Culinary Arts
  • CS, Computing Science
  • DPR, Computer Information Systems (archived Fall 2022, see CS)
  • DRA, Drama
  • ECE, Early Childhood Education
  • ECO, Economics
  • EDU, Education
  • EGR, Engineering
  • ELL, English Language Learners
  • ELT, Electrical Occupations
  • EMER, Emergency Management and Planning
  • EMS, Emergency Medical Services
  • EMTP, EMT Paramedic
  • ENG, English
  • ESL, English as a Second Language (archived Fall 2024, see ELL)
  • ESS, Earth and Space Science
  • FRE, French
  • FST, Fire Science Technology
  • GER, German (archived Fall 2023)
  • HIS, History
  • HRM, Hotel and Restaurant Management
  • HUM, Humanities
  • HUS, Human Services (archived Fall 2024)
  • HVA, Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration
  • IMM, Interactive Multimedia
  • INT, Interdisciplinary
  • IST, Industrial Systems Technology
  • ITA, Italian (archived Fall 2023)
  • MAT, Mathematics
  • MPT, Municipal Police Training
  • MTT, Machine Tool Technology
  • MUS, Music
  • NAP, Nurses Aide Program
  • NDT, Neurodiagnostic Technology (archived Fall 2023)
  • NET, Network Engineering
  • NUS, Nursing
  • OCS, Occupational Studies
  • PCT, Process Control Technology
  • PHI, Philosophy
  • PHY, Physics
  • PLB, Plumbing
  • PLG, Paralegal Studies
  • POL, Political Science
  • PSY, Psychology
  • REA, Reading
  • RTH, Respiratory Therapy (archived Fall 2023)
  • RUS, Russian
  • SCI, Science
  • SOC, Sociology
  • SPA, Spanish
  • STEM, Science, Engineering, Technology & Math
  • SWO, Social Work
  • TCC, Technical Department Core
  • TCS, Construction Technology
  • TDD, Drafting and Design Technology
  • TEC, Technical Study
  • TEL, Electronics Technology
  • TME, Mechanical Technology
  • TSC, Trauma Studies
  • WLD, Welding