Glossary of Terms

Academic Evaluation

An academic evaluation report is created for all matriculated students. This evaluation matches the courses you have completed and for which you have registered with an outline of the graduation requirements for your major. The evaluation serves as a record of progress toward fulfilling degree requirements. It is commonly referred to as a Degree Audit by College personnel.

Add/Drop

Students may add/drop courses for a short time at the start of each semester -see Academic Calender. If a student elects to leave a course after the add/drop period has ended, a formal withdrawal procedure must be followed to avoid receiving an unfavorable grade for the course. Once a course is dropped during the add/drop period, it will not be shown on the transcript.

Academic Level

A students academic level (class standing) is determined by the number of credits earned toward the Sage degree:

Class Standing/Credits
Freshman 0-23
Sophomore 24-53
Junior 54-86
Senior 87 or more

AP Credit

When Sage receives a students score on an Advanced Placement examination from the College Entrance Examination Board, it is reviewed for possible credit. Generally with a score of 3 or 4 or higher, a student may be exempt from an introductory-level course in that academic area and/or receive the corresponding number of credit hours toward graduation.

Cross-listed Course

A course which is listed under two different subject headings; e.g. SCL 111 Criminal Justice Functions and Processes and CRM 111 Criminal Justice Functions and Processes. Credit is not awarded for both.

Degree Terms

A.A. - Associate of Arts
A.A.S. - Associate of Applied Science
A.S. - Associate of Science
B.A - Bachelor of Arts
B.B.A - Bachelor of Business Administration
B.F.A. - Bachelor of Fine Arts
B.S. - Bachelor of Science

Elective

A college level credit bearing course you take simply because you want to. The subject may appeal to you as an activity, hobby, art, intellectual pursuit or a chance to explore an academic area. Sage encourages you to take electives to pursue new interests or to further develop your skills and knowledge in an area.

Faculty Advisor or Academic Advisor

A full-time Sage faculty member from your academic area with specific expertise in aiding students with their educational planning, who is available to answer academic questions and offer guidance about the academic program.

Full-time student

An undergraduate matriculated student registered for 12 or more credit hours. It is recommended for students to take a minimum of 15 credits per semester to be eligible for graduation in 4 years.

General Education/LIFE Curriculum

Students will benefit from both their chosen major and a general education curriculum designed by the faculty to broaden perspectives, deepen understanding, sharpen the skills fundamental to all inquiry, and foster the habit of making connections within and among academic disciplines.

Good Academic Standing

To be in good academic standing students must achieve a 2.00 or higher cumulative GPA

Grade Point Average, GPA (Cumulative)

An average based on quality points in all courses attempted at The Sage Colleges. Does not include transfer credits from other colleges and universities.

Grade Point Average, GPA (Major)

An average based on all courses attempted in the major which are required for the major. All students must check with their faculty advisor regarding specific major GPA requirements for their department.

Internship

A credit-bearing work experience approved by your faculty advisor or academic department which fosters the development of applied skills and increases professional competence. The credit awarded is variable. To be eligible, students must have completed at least 45 college credits with an overall cumulative GPA of 2.0 and a major GPA of 2.2. Internships also require prior completion at Sage of at least 6 credits in the discipline awarding the internship credit with a grade of "C" or better. The Career Planning Office has many resources useful in the planning of field experiences. The staff can provide suggestions and assistance.

Liberal Arts & Sciences

Courses of a theoretical nature that are designed to develop judgment and understanding about human beings' relationship to the social, cultural, and natural facets of their total environment.

Major

The academic discipline a student chooses to concentrate or specialize in.

Plagiarism

The use of fact, opinions, and language taken from another writer without acknowledgement. Presenting the work of another as one's own without proper citation, or altering or inventing any information or citation in any academic exercise. Please see Student Handbook.

Prerequisite

A course or courses that must be met before a student can register for a course. Completion of prerequisites indicates that the student has the skills and knowledge required to be succesful in subsequent courses.

Quality Points

To determine a students cumulative grade point average (GPA), the College multiplies credits x quality points.

Quality Points
A+ = 4.0 B+ = 3.3 C+ = 2.3 D+ = 1.3 F = 0.0
A = 4.0 B = 3.0 C = 2.0 D = 1.0
A- = 3.7 B- = 2.7 C- = 1.7 D- = 0.7

Satisfactory Academic Progress

Federal and NYS financial aid standards that evaluate cumulative GPA and number of credits completed to determine eligbility for aid and loans.

Wait list

A wait list is created by the registration system when maximum enrollment capacity for a particular course has been reached. When you attempt to register for a course after it reached the maximum enrollment cap, you have the option to place yourself on the wait list.

Withdrawal from a course

Courses from which a student has withdrawn, after the end of the add/drop period, will be reported on the transcript with a code of W.