VOLcabulary
As a new student, you will undoubtedly hear many unfamiliar words and phrases during orientation. Hopefully, this list of terms and definitions will help you make sense of it all!
Catalog: Your “contract” with the University. This publication contains all academic policies and procedures, college and degree requirements, faculty, and course descriptions. You are responsible for knowing information provided in this publication. Now available online! http://catalog.utk.edu/
Circle Park Online: Web-based registration system located at http://cpo.utk.edu.
Closed Course: A course that is filled to capacity and has no available spaces. Special permission from the instructor and department is needed to add a closed course. A wait list option is available for some courses.
Concentration: A specific focus within a major; for example, English majors may choose to concentrate in either literature or creative writing.
Course Load: The average course load for any semester is 15 to 16 credit hours. Students registered for at least 12 hours are considered full-time.
Credit Hours: Refers to the number of credits or units earned by successfully completing a course. This is approximately equal to the number of hours the class meets per week; also referred to as semester hours.
Elective Course: A course that does not fulfill a specific requirement but that may be used toward the total number of credit hours needed for graduation.
Light the Torch: “UT’s First-Year Experience” brings together various components of a student’s first-year experience, beginning with a pre-orientation web-based program through the completion of the first year with a focus on those experiences known to support student success and persistence to graduation. http://torch.utk.edu
Major: Concentrated study in a subject area of special interest. A full list of majors and programs of study can be found here: http://www.utk.edu/academics/programs/
Minor: An optional secondary field of study in a subject area of special interest.
Net ID: The first part of a student’s UTK email address received once attendance at UTK is confirmed. Your Net ID is used each semester to register for courses, to log into your UTK email account, and to sign onto Blackboard. Learn more
Prerequisite: A course to be completed or a level of skill or knowledge to be demonstrated before you may enroll in a particular course or degree program or associate with a particular college.
Section Number: A three-digit number that identifies the section of a particular course when multiple sections of the same course are offered.
Student ID Number: Unique nine-digit number generated for students upon admission to the University. This number begins with three zeros.
University/College/Department: The University of Tennessee is made up of 9 undergraduate colleges (Arts and Sciences, Business Administration, Education Health and Human Sciences, etc.) which are then divided into departments (English, Math, Accounting, Nutrition, etc.).
Wait List: Registration option on Circle Park Online for some courses. This allows students to automatically enroll in a closed course as seats become available.
