As you spend time as a student at Augusta University, you will become acquainted with lots of unique lingo and verbiage. Below, we have taken the opportunity to introduce you to a variety of different terms and policies that you, at some time or another, may come in contact with in conversation with other students, campus staff, and faculty members.
A major is an academic course of study, with specific requirements within an academic department. The major comprises roughly one-half (60 hours) of a degree program. To graduate, students must have a major.
A minor is a secondary area of academic emphasis and usually requires 18 hours of academic coursework beyond the major of interest’s coursework. There are a variety of reasons why a student may add a minor to their degree plan.
General education provides students with their best opportunity to experience the breadth of human knowledge and the ways that knowledge in various disciplines is interrelated. In the University System of Georgia, general education programs consist of a group of courses known as the Core Curriculum as well as other courses and co-curricular experiences specific to each institution. The Core Curriculum provides some flexibility in which courses the student takes based on their individual interests; therefore, substitutions of courses from outside core curriculum or from other areas of the core curriculum are generally not permitted except under extraordinary circumstances.
Visit the University Catalog and select “Core Requirements” from the side navigation panel to view a detailed explanation and breakdown of the core curriculum.
Regents GPA:
Term GPA:
Transfer GPA:
Overall GPA:
Below we provided basic terminology that you will see through out your college career.
Majors
An academic course of study, with specific requirements within an academic department. The major comprises roughly one-half (60 hours) of a degree program. To graduate, students must have a major.
Minors
A secondary area of academic emphasis and usually requires 18 hours of academic coursework beyond the major of interest’s coursework. There are a variety of reasons why a student may add a minor to their degree plan.
INQR 1000
A one credit hour, seminar course designed to engage first and second year students in the discovery, exploration and analysis of ideas. Students should take INQR 1000 within the first two years of a student’s undergraduate career. INQR 1000 is not required for students who transfer to Augusta University with more than 60 credit hours.
Academic Standing
A policy that governs students whose institutional GPA falls below a 2.0, the GPA necessary for graduation. Students will be placed on Academic Probation or Suspension based on several factors. The academic standing policies can be found in the University Catalog under Academic Regulations.
Catalog
Source for information about all of the university degree and program requirements, including course descriptions, pre-requisite information, and academic policies and procedures. Students should utilize the catalog associated with their most recent admissions term as policies can change from year to year.
Co-Requisite
Courses that must be taken together in the same term are co-requisites. Courses that require co-requisites are noted in course descriptions printed in the Catalog.
Add/Drop
A period at the beginning of each semester during which students are able to drop courses for which they have previously registered and/or add any additional available courses to their schedule. The add/drop dates are generally noted in the university’s Academic Calendar.
Full-Time
Students taking 12 or more credit hours are considered full-time; however, students should take 15 to 17 credit hours each Fall and Spring semester in order to graduate in four years. Note: 15-17 hours may not be attainable for the student with dual enrollment, advanced placement or transfer credit.
Grade Point Average (GPA)
A measure of academic performance on a 4-point scale. A student’s GPA can be viewed in JagTrax, the student degree audit.
Pre-Requisite
A course that must be satisfactorily completed prior to taking another course. For example, before taking ENGL 1102, a student must first pass (with a minimum grade of C) ENGL 1101. Prerequisites may be found at the end of course descriptions in the Catalog.
POUNCE
POUNCE is the University’s online student information system. Maintained by the Registrar’s Office, it includes information about registration, student information and records, student fees, financial aid, and more.
Withdrawing From Course
Withdrawing from a course means exiting a course after add/drop concludes. Withdrawing from a course can create significant problems for financial aid and delay graduation. Students are always encouraged to speak to the professor of the course they wish to drop regarding whether a withdrawal is necessary. Students should also consult the Office of Financial Aid to determine the implications of withdrawing from a course after the add/drop deadline. Students are required to complete withdrawal form which can be accessed via the Registrar’s website and are required to get the signature of their professor and Academic Advisor before the form can be processed by Records.
Graduation Requirements
All candidates for the bachelor’s degree at Augusta University must satisfy the following conditions:
Specific graduation requirements for each program can be found in the University Catalog.
Any undergraduate student whose institutional grade point average (GPA) at the conclusion of any semester is below a 2.00 shall be placed on academic probation. Undergraduate students at Augusta University who are on academic probation must have their course schedules approved by their advisors prior to registration. They may continue to attend only if they meet the following minimum academic standards, which are based on progression level.
| Progression Level | Term GPA | Institutional GPA |
| 0-29 | 1.50 | 1.00 |
| 30-59 | 2.00 | 1.60 |
| 60-89 | 2.00 | 1.90 |
| 90 & above | 2.00 | 2.00 |
Students who are on probation and fail to meet either the minimum Term of the Institutional GPA requirements specified above will be suspended. Students who meet the Term GPA requirement will remain on probation until their Institutional GPA is at or above 2.00, at which time they will return to good standing. Some programs within the University maintain academic standards specific to their degree requirements which may exceed these basic requirements.
Academic Suspension
The mandatory minimum term of suspension shall be one semester. Students wishing to return to the University after a suspension must petition for reinstatement (see below “Requesting Reinstatement from Academic Suspension”). If reinstatement is approved, the student will be placed on academic probation, and may be subject to additional conditions of continuation established by the University at the time of reinstatement. Should the probationary student achieve good standing, the student will be subject to the policy guidelines for students in good standing.
Academic suspension carries with it a mandatory one-semester period during which the student is not allowed to enroll at Augusta University – or to take coursework elsewhere with the intention of transferring it back to AU.
Reinstatement from suspension is considered only after a first suspension but is not assured. Students who have completed, or are in the process of completing, the mandatory semester of academic suspension may petition to return to classes by writing a letter of request to be reinstated at Augusta University.
Students who have been suspended a second time are placed on Academic Dismissal status and are not eligible for reinstatement. They may be considered for readmission to AU only if granted academic renewal. See Augusta University Policy Academic Standing for Undergraduate Students.
Students that wish to be considered for reinstatement must submit petitions to the Dean of his/her major college (see below).
Remember that “honesty is virtue” when submitting your letter of reinstatement.
