Associate Degree
The graduation document issued by the college for completing at least 60 units with a grade point average of 2.0, including requirements for general education and a major as specified in the catalog.

Certificate
A document awarded in occupation/vocational programs for completing requirements for a major as specified in the catalog.  Certificates are not issued for completing transfer requirements.

Certification
A process applicable to either the California State University (CSU) System, or University of California (UC) System, in which a community college verifies that the student transferring to any CSU or UC has completed the general education requirements necessary for transfer.  Students can request certification for the CSU General Education Breadth Requirements or the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC).

Continuous Status
Students are considered in "continuous attendance" for any semester in which they enroll and for the following semester.  This allows a student to "stop out" for one semester and not enroll in classes while still maintaining a continuing student status.  Please see a counselor for information on "stopping out" for one semester.  Summer sessions are not included in this policy.

Credit/No Credit
When taking a graded course for credit/no credit, a letter grade of "C" or better must be achieved to receive a "credit" grade.  Students must file a special form to take a graded course for "credit/no credit".  Deadlines for this option are listed in the class schedule.  Courses offered only on a credit/no credit basis are listed in the catalog.

CSU General Educational Breadth Requirements
CSU bound students seeking Breadth Requirement certification will be certified as completing up to 39 lower division units of general education required by the CSU system.

Curriculum
A group of required courses leading to a degree or certificate.  Also, it is used to refer to all the course offerings of a college.

Dismissal or Disqualification
The procedure of dismissing a student from the college for poor academic achievement or for incurring excessive withdrawals.

Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum
For students deciding between a CSU or UC campus, IGETC outlines a general education program which community college students can use to satisfy lower division general education requirements at any CSU or UC.  This should appeal to students who want to deep their options open before making a final decision about transferring to a particular segment or campus. 

Lack of Progress Probation
Any student who has enrolled in a total of at least 12 semester units (beginning with the Fall of 1981 semester) at Cuyamaca College shall be placed on lack of progress probation when the student's cumulative units indicate 50% or more units of "W", "I", and/or "NC".

Lower Division
The freshmen and sophomore years of study in a college program.  Typically courses numbered 100 - 200.

Major
Series of courses in a student's main area of interest.  Declaring a major is done through the Admissions and Records office.

Matriculation
Completion of all necessary steps including application, assessment, orientation, educational planning, course selection and enrollment.

Petition
A formal written request to an administrative officer for special consideration regarding a specific requirement, appeal, policy, or readmission to the college.

Prerequisite
Previous background or course completions required for entry into a class.   Prerequisites for classes are indicated in the Cuyamaca College catalog.

Priority Wait List (entry into closed classes)
If a class you wish to enroll in is closed and you would like to get into the class, place your name on the priority wait list for the class by using Web Connect. Attend first class meeting to determine your possibilities of enrollment in the class.

Semester
The academic year from August to June is divided into two sixteen (16) week terms called "semesters."  Students are graded at the end of each semester.

Student Grievance and Due Process
The college has established and published Student Grievance and Due Process Procedures which were developed to ensure the students receive full and just due process of law.   A copy of the Student Grievance and due Process Procedures appear in the Cuyamaca College catalog.

Transcript
A copy of student's academic record at a college or university.  Unofficial copies of transcripts are available in the Counseling Center.  Official copies of transcripts must be obtained in the Admissions and Records office.

Unit
Measure of the quantity of hours in a course.  Usually, one (1) unit of lecture equals 1 hour per week of class time.  However, if the course includes one (1) unit of laboratory, then it will equal 3 hours per week of class time.

Upper Division
The junior and senior years of study in a college program.  Typically courses numbered 300 - 500.