CALS International Exchange: Glossary of Terms

Glossary of Terms

Cornell University consists of Undergraduate Colleges and Schools:

Graduate/Professional Colleges and Schools:

Other Academic Units:

Statutory Colleges--Agriculture and Life Sciences; Human Ecology; and Industrial and Labor Relations--receive a substantial state subsidy. They are also called state contract colleges. The state subsidy results in lower tuition for students from New York State enrolled in those colleges.

Endowed [or Private] Colleges--Architecture, Art, and Planning; Arts and Sciences; Engineering; and Hotel Administration--rely on private support. Despite the differences in funding for our colleges, all Cornell undergraduates enjoy the same quality of academic and campus life and are free to choose elective courses in the other colleges.

Courses of Study is a catalogue of Cornell University's many academic programs and resources. It contains information about colleges and departments, interdisciplinary programs, undergraduate and graduate course offerings, and procedures.

Course Time/Room Rosters are publications put out each semester by the Office of the University Registrar. Current rosters contain the more up-to-date information related to course schedules. This information can be accessed through CUINFO on the web.

CUINFO on the web is Cornell's electronic information source. Since it is not possible to keep the Courses of Study and Course and Time Rosters completely up-to-date, the most current information regarding course schedules, sections, rooms, credits, and registration procedures can be found on CUINFO.

Course Add/Drop/Change refers to periods during which students may adjust their schedules. Courses may be added, dropped, or changed online through Just the Facts, which is one of many "buttons" on the Bear Access website. Permission only courses and courses with specific add/drop procedures can be handled using a manual add/drop form. The form is completed by the student and signed by both the student's advisor and an appropriate department representative of the department offering the course. The completed form must be returned to the student's College Registrar.

Course is a class that is offered through a department.

Course Numbering System:
1000-level course - introductory course, no prerequisites, open to all qualified students
2000-level course - lower-division course, open to freshmen and sophomores, may have prerequisites
3000-level course - upper-division course, open to juniors and seniors, prerequisites
4000-level course - upper-division course, open to seniors and graduate students, 200- and 300-level course prerequisites
5000-level course - professional level (e.g. management, law, veterinary medicine)
6000-level course - graduate-level course, open to upper-division students
7000-level course - graduate-level course
8000-level course - master's level, thesis, research
9000-level course - doctoral level, thesis, research

Section [or Lab] is a component of a course. If a section is listed in the Course and Time Roster, it is required. Students, therefore, register for both a lecture and section/lab. Students are required to attend all class meetings for the course and the section/lab. Sections/labs offer students an opportunity to discuss and explore topics in a more in-depth manner.

Major is a specific program of study within a college.

Degree Program is the undergraduate or graduate degree a student is completing. For example, a Bachelor of Science, Master of Science, and Doctor of Philosophy.

Department is a unit within a college.

University Registration is the official recognition of a student's relationship with the university and is the basic authorization for a student's access to services and education. Individuals must become registered students by the end of the third week of the semester. To become a registered student at Cornell, a person must: - complete course enrollment according to the individual college requirements; - settle all financial accounts, including current semester tuition; - satisfy New York State health requirements; - have no holds from the college, the office of the Judicial Administrator, University Health Services, or the Bursar.

Quads (quadrangles) refer to the different sections of the campus that house Cornell's many colleges. The college's buildings surround an area called a quad. Although Cornell has 7 undergraduate colleges, there are only 3 quads on campus: the Ag Quad, Arts Quad, and Engineering Quad.