Glossary
Academic Honors - In recognition of academic achievement each fall and spring semester, BUF publishes two lists of those earning at least twelve semester hours. The Dean’s List recognizes those who earn at least a 3.25 GPA, and the President’s List recognizes those earning a 4.0 GPA.
Accreditation - Recognition by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges that BUF meets the standards of quality in education.
Advanced Standing - status granted transfer students who enter BUF after having earned college credits elsewhere.
Appeal - The right of a student to ask that a BUF employee’s supervisor review a decision adversely affecting that student.
Associate Degree - A program of 60 to 66 semester hours that supplies a basic foundation in Bible and other ministry preparation disciplines.
Baccalaureate Degree - A program of 120 to 133 semester hours preparing graduates for ministry in evangelical churches or graduate studies.
BCM - Baptist Collegiate Ministries.
CLEP - College Level Examination Program. A series of 30 subject area examinations administered by the College Entrance Examination Board designed to grant college credit to students who have acquired specialized knowledge through experience or reading.
Code of Conduct - A formal statement of the principles of personal conduct that governs the life of the BUF student body. Violation of this code may result in mandatory counseling, reprimand, probation, suspension or expulsion. This code of conduct is found in the Student Handbook.
Dismissal - Expulsion of a student from the university for inappropriate personal conduct.
DR - Dropped. A grade received by a student who maintains enrollment in a semester, but chooses to drop a course during the seven-week drop period.
Drop/Add - A one week period beginning the first day of classes and ending the last day of the first week of the semester, during which a student may add, change or drop courses without academic penalty.
Drop Period - A seven-week period in the semester beginning the first day of the second week and extending to the end of the eighth week in which a student may drop a course without a failing grade.
Freshman - A student who has earned 0-27 semester hours of college credit.
Full-time Student - A student who enrolls in twelve or more semester hours per semester.
GED - A General Education Diploma indicating academic standing equivalent to high school graduation.
GPA - Grade Point Average. The grade average is calculated by dividing the number of grade points earned by the number of semester hours attempted. A semester GPA is the average earned for a given semester. The GPA is the average the student has earned which includes hours accumulated at BUF, reported by the SBC Seminary Extension Division, CLEP hours, and grades transferred from other colleges. Grades expressed as P or S are counted as hours earned but are not used to calculate the GPA.
Grade Points - Values assigned to each grade level earned (i.e. A--4 grade points; B--3 grade points; C--2 grade points; D--1 grade point; F--0 grade points; WP, WF, DR--0 grade points).
Junior - Students who have earned 61-91 semester hours of college credit.
Master’s Degree - A program of 30 semester hours of advanced study beyond the baccalaureate degree.
Ministry Referral - A service which shares resumes of interested students and graduates with churches, ministries, and other organizations seeking to fill ministry positions.
Music Jury - A committee of music professors who administer applied music performance examinations to all students taking private lessons on campus.
NASM - National Association of Schools of Music.
Official Withdrawal - The process initiated in the Office of Registrar which officially terminates the student’s relationship with the university for the semester. It removes the student from class rolls and activates the refund process if a refund is due.
Probation/Suspension Process - A process by which students struggling academically are aided in rebuilding their academic records. Failing rehabilitation, it provides for orderly removal on academic grounds.
SACSCOC - Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. A regional accrediting agency.
Sectional Tests - Unit, chapter, or mid-term exams given in each course during a semester.
Semester - A fifteen-week period of study scheduled in the fall or spring of the BUF calendar.
Semester Hour - A unit of measurement used to calculate college credits earned toward graduation. A credit hour is the equivalent of credit earned in a course which meets one hour per week for a semester.
Semester Examination - A final examination in any course taken for college credit.
Senior - A student who has earned at least 92 semester hours of college credit.
Session - A series of classes offered during the month of January or in the summer.
Sophomore - A student who has earned 28-60 semester hours of college credit.
Transfer Credit - Semester hours credit accepted from other colleges which are applicable to BUF degree programs.
WF - Withdrawn failing. A grade issued upon withdrawal from university which yields no quality points and is calculated in the GPA.
WP - Withdrawn passing. A grade issued upon withdrawal from university which yields no quality points but is not calculated in the GPA.