Understanding university jargon can be challenging, especially for first-generation students. This glossary decodes common “Ecu Words,” phrases, and general higher education terminology to help you navigate the college landscape with confidence.
Common University and ECU Words Explained
Academic Advisor: A staff member guiding students in course selection, major/minor choices, and fulfilling graduation requirements.
Academic Dean vs. Department Chair: A Department Chair is a professor with administrative duties within a specific department, while an Academic Dean oversees multiple departments within a college.
Accelerated Program: Allows students to graduate faster, often with stricter admission requirements and summer courses.
Accreditation: Ensures academic quality and may be tied to professional licensing exams.
Add/Drop Period: The timeframe (first five days at ECU) when students can adjust their course load without penalty.
Adjunct Faculty/Professor: Part-time instructors hired on a contract basis.
Assistantship: Primarily for graduate students, offering tuition reimbursement for working with faculty.
Associate Degree: A two-year undergraduate degree.
Audit: Attending a class without completing assignments or receiving credit.
Bachelor’s Degree: A four-year undergraduate degree requiring a declared major.
Campus: The university’s physical buildings and grounds.
Career Services: Assists students with job searches, career exploration, resume building, and networking.
Certification: A non-degree credential validating specific skills.
Clinical Education: Supervised practical experience in healthcare fields.
Cohort: A group of students progressing through a program together.
College vs. University: Colleges primarily focus on undergraduate education, while universities offer more graduate programs.
Commencement: A formal graduation ceremony.
Continuing Education: Part-time education for working adults, often for professional development.
Course Catalog: A publication outlining academic programs, policies, and courses.
Course Load: The total credit hours a student takes per term.
Credit for Prior Learning: College credit awarded for knowledge gained outside a traditional setting.
Credits/Credit Hour: Represents the workload of a course, roughly one hour of class and two hours of outside work per week.
Cupola: A replica of the original Austin Building cupola, now an ECU symbol. Legend says walking under it delays graduation.
Curriculum: The content and structure of a course or program.
Degree: A qualification awarded upon completing a course of study.
Department: An academic division specializing in a particular field of study.
Dean: The head of an academic college.
Department Chair: Manages an academic department and liaisons with the college administration.
Dissertation: A doctoral student’s final research document.
Doctoral/Terminal Degree: The highest academic degree in most fields.
Electives: Courses chosen outside of major requirements.
Employer Education Assistance: Employer-provided financial aid for education.
Faculty: Academic staff, including professors.
Faculty Member vs. Staff Member: Faculty are involved in teaching, while staff support the institution in various roles.
FASFA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid): Determines eligibility for federal financial aid.
Federal Grants vs. State Grants: Need-based financial aid that doesn’t require repayment, awarded by federal and state governments respectively.
Final Exam: A comprehensive test at the end of a course.
Financial Aid: Money to help pay for education, including grants, loans, and scholarships.
First-Generation College Student: The first in their family to attend a four-year college.
Fraternities and Sororities: Social and academic organizations for students.
Freshman/First-Year Student: A student with 0-29 accumulated credit hours.
General Education Courses: Foundational courses required for undergraduate degrees.
Grade Point Average (GPA): The average of a student’s grades.
Grading Scale: A system assigning numerical values to letter grades.
Higher Education: Formal education beyond high school.
Income-Driven Repayment Plan: Loan repayment based on income and dependents.
Internship vs. Externship: Internships are paid work experience, while externships are shorter, unpaid observational experiences.
Junior: A student with 60-89 accumulated credit hours.
Lecture: An oral presentation by a professor.
Liberal Arts: Interdisciplinary study of humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences.
The Mall: A central grassy area on ECU’s campus, home to the Cupola.
Major: A focused area of study requiring a specific set of courses.
Matriculate: To be formally enrolled in a college or university.
Master’s Degree: A graduate degree pursued after a bachelor’s degree.
Mentor: An experienced advisor providing guidance.
Midterm: An exam given midway through a course.
Minor: A secondary area of study complementing a major.
Net Price: Tuition and fees minus scholarships and grants.
Non-Traditional Student: Typically an adult student, often working, financially independent, or with children.
Orientation: A program introducing students to the institution and resources.
Pass-Fail Course: Graded as Pass or Fail instead of letter grades.
PeeDee the Pirate: ECU’s mascot.
Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy): The highest university degree, awarded for advanced research.
Plagiarism: Presenting someone else’s work as your own.
Postgraduate Education: Education beyond an undergraduate degree.
Post-Secondary: Any education after high school.
Practicum: Practical application of classroom learning in a professional setting.
Prerequisites: Courses required before taking more advanced courses.
Private College vs. Public College: Public colleges are state-funded, while private colleges rely on tuition and private funding.
Probation: Academic standing indicating a risk of dismissal due to low GPA.
Professional Certificate: Enhances skills and knowledge in a specific field.
Provost: A senior academic administrator overseeing academic programs.
Purple and Gold: ECU’s school colors.
Registrar: Manages academic records, registration, and transcripts.
Registration: The process of enrolling in classes.
Residence Hall: On-campus student housing.
Room and Board: The cost of on-campus housing and meals.
Scholarship: Financial aid based on merit or need, not requiring repayment.
Semesters: Academic terms dividing the academic year.
Seminar Course: A small, discussion-based course focused on advanced topics.
Senior: A student with 90 or more accumulated credit hours.
Servire: ECU’s motto, meaning “to serve.”
Sophomore: A student with 30-59 accumulated credit hours.
Stafford Loan: A federal student loan with a fixed interest rate.
Student Code of Conduct: Outlines behavioral expectations for students.
Subsidized vs. Unsubsidized Loan: Subsidized loans have interest paid by the government while the student is in school, unsubsidized loans accrue interest during that time.
Synchronous Learning: Online learning where students participate simultaneously.
Tenure: A permanent faculty position granted after a probationary period.
Thesis: A research paper written as part of a graduate program.
Traditional vs. Non-Traditional Student: Traditional students enroll directly after high school and attend full-time, while non-traditional students are older and may have different circumstances.
Transcript: An official record of academic performance.
Transfer Credits: Credits earned at another institution and applied towards a degree.
Tuition: The cost of instruction at a college or university.
Tutors: Individuals providing academic assistance to students.
Undecided or Undeclared: A student who hasn’t chosen a major. At ECU, this is the Major Advisement Program (MAP).
Warning: An academic status indicating a low GPA and potential for probation.
Waitlist: A list for students wanting to enroll in a full class.
Withdraw: Dropping a class after the add/drop period, resulting in a “W” on the transcript.
Work-Study Program: Federally or state-funded part-time employment for students with financial need.
