ACADEMICS | SERVICES & SUPPORT | STUDENT LIFE | CAMPUS CRUISER | ATHLETICS
Home > Current Students > Services & Support > Advising > Glossary
Academic Advising Center Home Page
Mission Statement
Staff of the Advising Center
New Jersey STARS Information
Open College
Faculty Office Hours and Locations
Credit by Exam Pamphlet
General Education Electives
Curriculum Checksheets
Transfer Guide
Enrollment Sequences for Selected Majors
Dropping a Course
GPA
About Advising
Glossary
College Placement Test Workshops
Developmental Courses
Math Placement Information
Academic Status
Add/Drop Form
E-mail Inquiry Survey
Guide to Self-Advising
Add/Drop Form
Whenever you need to drop a class, for any reason, you must fill out the appropriate form and have it signed by your advisor. If you want to print a copy of the Add/Drop Form, please click here. If you wish to add a class to your schedule, you can do it at the Change of Program days just prior to the beginning of each semester. You can also add courses during the first 5 days of classes.
Advisor
This is a faculty member chosen to help you plan each semester's schedule, provide information about the College and assist you with any other academic or personal concerns. After an advisor is assigned to you, you will need to meet with your advisor prior to registering each term. Within three weeks of the beginning of classes, a letter will be sent to you with your advisor's name, office location and telephone number. You can also meet with the advisors in the Academic Advising Center in Chambers Hall 109 (Phone 732.906.2596) during the academic year or in the Enrollment Center located in the lower level of the College Center during enrollment periods.
Appealing to take a Course for more than a Third Time
Students who wish to take a course for a fourth or more time must file an Appeal for Exception to College Policy with either the Director or the Assistant Director of the Academic Advising Center in Chambers Hall 109.
CampusCruiser
CampusCruiser allows students access to course listings and descriptions, class assignments, chat rooms, message boards and clubs. CampusCruiser also provides the gateway to the services of Web Advisor. WebAdvisor allows a student to view his/her grades, the name of a full time student's advisor, and for registering for courses for those eligible. For information about and access to Campus Cruiser, please click here.
Chairperson
This person coordinates and supervises curriculum planning and arranges staff assignments within a particular academic department. A chairperson may help you with planning your program, signing forms, and discussing academic problems in that department.
Changing Your Major
Whenever you need to change your major, you need to visit the Dean or Chairperson of the new major. You can also visit the Department of Counseling and Career Services, the Academic Advising Center, EOF, and MAPS to change your major. To obtain a change of major form, please click here to print out the form. Take the signed form to the Business Office and pay a $10 fee. Take the receipt and the signed form to the Registrar's Office for the change to go into effect.
College Assembly
The College Assembly provides an opportunity for faculty, students, administrators and staff to participate in College governance.
College Placement Test
A College Placement Test is given to determine skill levels and to help place students in the courses appropriate to their backgrounds and needs. All full-time students must be evaluated in reading, writing, and mathematics prior to enrolling for the first semester of study. No one may enroll in English or mathematics courses without placement testing. For more information about the College Placement Test, please click here.
Corequisite
A course that needs to be taken along with another course.
Credit
Middlesex County College assigns a given number of credits to a particular college course based on a standard of one credit for every hour per week that the course is held. for example, a course that meets for three hours each week is generally awarded three credits.
Credit Equivalent
Credit equivalents are assigned to non-credit developmental courses. Credit equivalency is used to calculate cost, determine student status, and indicate a comparable level of class time and/or workload. Credit equivalent courses are indicated on the transcript with a "Q" preceding the assigned grade. Credit equivalents count in the term GPA but not the cumulative GPA. For more information, see Developmental Courses below.
Curriculum
Curriculum is a term describing a particular course of study at the College, i.e., Accounting, Engineering Technology, Liberal Arts, Science Transfer. The terms "major" or "degree program" are often substituted for "curriculum".
Cumulative GPA
This is a cumulative calculation in which only credit courses are included. The CUM GPA is recalculated each time grades are issued. To learn how to calculate your GPA, visit our GPA Computation Page.
Dean
This person directs and controls the planning and development of the educational programs within an academic division. You may meet this person to discuss curriculum goals, course selection, and specific problems you may have withing that division. To learn the name and office location of the Dean of your Division, click here.
Dean's List
Students who earn 12 or more degree credits and who achieve a grade point average of 3.25 or higher with no grade below a "C" will be eligible for the Dean's List. Dean's List will be awarded at the end of the Fall, Spring and Summer sessions for those students enrolled in 12 or more credits for that semester, or at the end of the academic year for those students who earn 12 or more credits between September 1 of one year and August 31 of the following year but who did not qualify for Dean's List in either the Fall or Spring semester.
Declaring a Major
If you enter Middlesex County College as an undeclared student, you will need to declare a major in order to graduate. To declare a major, you will need to fill out the appropriate form in the Office of Admissions. In order to change your major, you will need to see the Dean of the Division that includes your new major or the Chairperson of the new major and complete the appropriate form. You can also visit the Department of Counseling and Career Services, the Academic Advising Center, EOF, and MAPS to change your major. To obtain a change of major form, please click here. Open College students who wish to declare their major must get the Add/Drop Form signed by the Chairperson of the new major and then submit it to the Registrar's Office. Undeclared students can declare their major in the Office of Admissions with no fee.
Developmental Courses
Developmental Courses is another term used to describe Credit Equivalent courses. RDG 009, RDG 011, EST 009, ENG 009, ENG 010, MAT 010, MAT 013, MAT 014, BIO 010 and CHM 010 are developmental courses. For more information about the importance of Developmental Courses, visit our Developmental Courses Page.
Dismissal
Students who have been academically dismissed are prohibited from enrolling at the College for a period of two years. For more information on Academic Dismissal, visit our Academic Status Page or read the appropriate part of the College catalog by clicking here.
Diversity Electives
These are courses designated with GE DIV in the College Catalog. The Liberal Arts and Fine Arts curricula require a Diversity Elective. If one of the Diversity Electives is also designated as GE HUM, GE PED, GE SCI, or GE SS, it may also be used to satisfy an additional graduation requirement.
Division
Middlesex County College is composed of three academic divisions and the Division of Enrollment and Student Support Services:
BUSINESS, COMPUTER SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGIES
MARILYN LASKOWSKI-SACHNOFF, Dean, North Hall, Room 205
Accounting
Automotive Technology
Business Administration (Transfer)
Business Software Applications
Civil/Construction Engineering Technology
Option In:
Land Surveying
Computer Aided Drafting
Computer Science
Computer and Information Systems
Network Administration and Support
Transfer
Dietetic Technology
Electronic and Computer Engineering Technology
Engineering Science
Fashion Merchandising and Retail Management
Hotel, Restaurant and Institution Management
Options In:
Culinary Arts Management
Hotel/Motel Management
Restaurant/Food Service Mangement
Internet/Web Page Development
Management
Marketing
Media Arts and Design
Options In:
Advertising Graphic Design
Professional Commercial Photography
Mechanical Engineering Technology
Office Administration
Paralegal Studies
Small Business Management
DIVISION OF ENROLLMENT AND STUDENT SERVICES
MARLA BRINSON, Interim Dean, Chambers Hall
Open College
Undeclared Major
SCIENCE, MATHEMATICS AND HEALTH TECHNOLOGIES
DR. REGINALD LUKE, Dean, L'Hommedieu Hall, Room 208
Biology
Biotechnology
Chemical Technology
Chemistry
Dental Hygiene
Environmental Technology
Fire Science Technology
Health Sciences
Mathematics
Medical Laboratory Technology
Nursing-Joint Program with UMDNJ and Joint Program with RBMC
Pharmacy Assistant
Physics
Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Treatment-Joint
Program with UMDNJ
Radiography Education
Respiratory Care-Joint Program with UMDNJ
SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES
Center III Room 104
Criminal Justice
Options In:
Correction Administration
Police Science
Education Practitioner
English as a Second Language
Fine Arts
Options In:
Art
Music
Theatre
Liberal Arts
Options In:
Business
Communication
Dance
Education
English
General
History
Journalism
Modern Language
Music
Physical Education
Political Science
Psychology
Social and Rehabilitation Services
Social Science
Sociology
Theatre
Visual Arts
Division Hour
This in one hour on a specific day of the week assigned to all divisions: Mondays at 11:15am. This open hour allows the divisions to call meetings, hold workshops, or make appointments with students. No classes are scheduled during the Division Hour.
Drop/Add Form
Whenever you need to drop a class, for any reason, you must fill out the appropriate form and have it signed by your advisor. If you want to print a copy of the Drop/Add Form, please click here. If you wish to add a class to your schedule, you can do it at the Change of Program days just prior to the beginning of each semester. You can also add courses during the first 5 days of classes. This form can also be used to change your major.
Electives
Electives are courses you choose to take. They make up the difference between the specific courses required for your degree and the number of courses you need to graduate.
Full-Time Status
If you are enrolled for 12 or more credits (or credit equivalents), you are classified as a full-time student. If you register for fewer than 12 credits through the tenth day of classes for any semester, you will be classified as part-time. Part-time students may be eligible for less financial aid, veterans' benefits, and may be ineligible for their parents' health insurance benefits. You may need to be a full-time student in order to be a student-athlete, to be eligible for certain types of financial aid, or to be covered by your parents' health insurance.
GPA
This is the abbreviation for Grade Point Average. To learn how to calculate your GPA, visit our GPA Computation Page.
Grade Reports
You can obtain your semester grades through the WebAdvisor function of CampusCruiser.
H
Humanities Electives
These are courses designated with GE HUM in the College Catalog. The field of humanities includes, among others, courses in history, modern languages, philosophy, public speaking, fine arts and literature.
N Grade
The "N" grade was discontinued in Fall 2007. An instructor is obligated to assign an "N" grade when a student has not attended class a sufficient number of times to permit adequate course evaluation. An "N" grade is initiated only at midterm and will be continued as a student's final grade unless class attendance is resumed and course requirements are met sufficiently to receive an evaluated grade. "N" grades do not affect the grade point average. NO "N" GRADE WILL BE ASSIGNED AS A FINAL GRADE UNLESS THE STUDENT RECEIVED AN "N" GRADE AT MIDTERM. For more information about the "N" grade, please read the appropriate part of the College catalog by clicking here.
Open College
This is a program for full-time students at Middlesex County College which permits the student to try certain courses within a major before enrolling formally in an academic program. For more information, visit our Open College Page.
Orientation
This is an event geared to introduce students to the services available on campus, to introduce students to each other, and most importantly, to provide an overview of what to expect during the first days of class.
Prerequisite
A course that is necessary as background knowledge before attempting a higher level course or entering a specific curriculum.
Probation
This is the form of Academic Status which states that a student will be limited to 14 credits and/or credit equivalents or 4 courses, whichever is fewer. For more information on Academic Probation, visit our Academic Status Page or read the appropriate part of the College catalog by clicking here.
Restriction
This is the form of Academic Status which states that a student will be limited to 8 credits and/or credit equivalents or 2 courses, whichever is fewer. For more information on Academic Restriction, visit our Academic Status Page or read the appropriate part of the College catalog by clicking here.
Semester
The Middlesex County College calendar year is divided into halves. Each half is called a semester and is scheduled for 14 weeks.
Social Science Electives
These are courses designated with GE SS in the College Catalog. They include courses in the areas of political science, psychology, sociology, economics and AFS 121.
Suspension
This is the form of Academic Status which states that a student is prohibited from enrolling at the College for a period that includes one fall or spring semester. A suspension at the conclusion of a fall semester includes both winter and spring semesters. A suspension at the conclusion of a spring semester includes both summer and fall. For more information on Academic Suspension, visit our Academic Status Page or read the appropriate part of the College catalog by clicking here.
Term GPA
This is a student's average for one specific term. All credit and credit equivalent courses are included in the Term GPA.
Transcript
The official record of a student's academic performance which can be obtained through the Office of the Registrar.
Urban Centers
Students can attend classes at Middlesex County College's New Brunswick Center or Perth Amboy Center.
WebAdvisor
WebAdvisor provides students with on-line access to their schedules and grades. For access to Web Advisor through CampusCruiser, please click here.
Withdrawal From a Course
In order to withdraw from a course, you must complete an Add/Drop Form and return it, with the appropriate signature(s), to the Office of the Registrar in Chambers Hall. If you officially withdraw from a course prior to a pre-determined date during the semester, you will receive a grade of "W".
Failure to attend the class or verbal notification to the instructor does not constitute official withdrawal.
Full-time students who are withdrawing from all of their classes must go to the Office of Counseling and Career in Services in Edison Hall 100. If you plan to return, we advise that you apply for a leave of absence. For more information about the withdrawal dates for the current semester, visit our Withdrawing From a Course Page.
About Middlesex | Directions | Campus Directory | Employment | Library | Campus Cruiser
2600 Woodbridge Avenue | Edison, NJ 08818 - 3050 | Phone: 732.548.6000 | Information Line: 732.906.2555
Recommend this Page | Page Feedback | Website Disclaimer