Associate in Arts (A.A.) Degree
A 60 credit hour college- level program designed for students who plan to transfer to a college or university to earn a bachelor’s degree. A Florida A.A. degree satisfies general education requirements at all state universities in Florida.

Associate in Applied Sciences (A.A.S.) Degree
Career path degree programs designed to prepare students for immediate employment in a specific field. These programs include greater scope and depth than certificate programs.

Associate in Science (A.S.) Degree
Career path degree programs designed to prepare students for immediate employment in a specific field. Articulated A.S. to B.S., or B.A.S. degree programs are designed to transfer to a Florida public university as a junior to complete a bachelor’s degree in that specified field.

Accreditation
Certification that the College or program has met established standards of excellence and is recognized by appropriate accrediting agencies.

Add/Drop
A designated time period during which students can make adjustments to their schedules without penalty or cost.

Advanced Placement (AP)
College credits awarded based on scores earned on subject–matter tests administered by the College Entrance Examination Board prior to enrollment at LSSC.

Appeal
A formal written request for reconsideration of an application of a college rule or procedure due to serious documented circumstances beyond the student’s control.

Articulation Agreement
A written agreement between institutions that provides students with a non-duplicated sequence of courses leading to a degree or certificate.

Articulation Agreement for the A.A. Degree
Agreements between Florida College System institutions and universities assuring junior-level status to students who complete the FCS General Education core and all graduation requirements in university parallel (A.A. degree) programs.

Attempt
Any course attempt in which a student registers and receives a grade including withdrawals.

Bachelor of Applied Science (B.A.S.)
A four-year degree designed to accommodate the unique demands for entry and advancement within specific workforce sectors.

Bachelor of Science (B.S.)
A four-year degree that prepares a student to enter an advanced position within a specialized career field. 

Banner
LSSC’s computer information system that manages all student, financial aid, financial, and personnel data for the College. The student access portion of Banner is known as myLSSC.

Canvas
LSSC’s learning management system which offers tools to facilitate computer-accessed learning including student-instructor and student-student interaction, and assessment activities.

Catalog
An online resource detailing academic policies and procedures, college and degree requirements, and course descriptions. It is published yearly and is subject to change.

College Credit Certificate Program
Career programs of shorter duration and less scope and depth than degree programs; designed to prepare students with skills needed for the workforce.

College Level Examination Program (CLEP)
General and subject exams, offered nationally by the College Board, covering material taught in college level courses. Credit for courses may be granted to students who achieve specific scores on the CLEP exams.

Common Program Prerequisites
The State of Florida has identified common program prerequisites for all university programs. These prerequisites must be completed by all students going into that field of study, must be accepted by all state universities, and must be applied toward the degree.

Compressed
A course where content is delivered in a shorter and more intensive format allowing for sequential courses to be offered in the same semester.

Conferral Date
The last day of the semester in which a student satisfactorily completes all degree or certificate requirements. This date is posted on the student’s official college transcript.

Contextualized
A course format that includes significant references to real world events and practices.

Continuous Enrollment
Enrollment in at least one of the three regular semesters (fall, spring, summer) each year.

Cooperative Education (Co-op)
Courses in which students gain academic credit as well as work experience related to their academic program.

Co-requisite
A course required to be taken during the same semester as another course.

Course Load
The number of credit hours in which a student is enrolled during a semester or term. A full-time course load is 12 or more credit hours; part-time is between 1-11 credit hours.

Course Reference Number (CRN)
The unique five-digit identifier for a specific section of a course; used for registration in myLSSC.

Credit by Exam/Examination
College credit for specific courses granted by successful completion of local or national exams.

Credit Hour or Semester Hour
Synonymous terms generally indicating the number of hours a course meet per week. Most lecture courses are three credit hours and generally meet three hours each week. Laboratories usually generally meet more than the number of credit hours assigned.

Degree Audit
A report that identifies the student’s primary program of study, lists the program requirements and summarizes the progress toward completion of a specific degree or certificate.

Degree-Seeking Student
A student who has met all admissions requirements and is following a plan of courses leading to a B.A.S., B.S., A.A., A.S., or A.A.S. degree.

Developmental Courses
Courses in reading, English, and mathematics designed to assist students in building a stronger foundation on which to advance to college-level work. Course numbers beginning with a zero (0) indicate a developmental course for which no degree credit can be earned.

DirectConnect® to UCF
Guarantees general admission to UCF with an earned associate degree from one of the partner colleges.  Partner colleges include:  LSSC, Daytona State College, Seminole State, Eastern Florida State College and Valencia College.

Discipline (Academic)
A field of study in which a student may concentrate (e.g., psychology, accounting, biology).

Drop
Procedure students use at specified times to remove a course from their schedule. Students are not obligated to pay tuition and fees for courses that they drop, and these courses do not show on students' transcripts or count as an attempt. Students drop classes themselves via myLSSC. Once the drop period has ended, students may exit a course only through the withdrawal process. (See Withdrawals)

Dual Enrollment
A Florida program that allows eligible students from public, private, and recognized home education programs to take college level courses while enrolled in high school, earning both high school and college credit.

Early Admissions
An accelerated full-time dual enrollment program with specific eligibility criteria. 

Electives
A broad grouping of courses that meet degree requirements. The A.A. degree requires 24 credit hours of electives; A.S. and A.A.S degrees have fewer or no electives. Choices should be based on the student’s degree program at LSSC as well as courses required for transfer into a specific major.

Enrollment Verification
Verification of current and past term enrollment requested via myLSSC.

Exempt Status (Developmental Education)
Status of a student who entered 9th grade in a Florida public school since the 2003-2004 school year and earned a Florida standard high school diploma, or a student who is serving as an active duty member of any branch of the U.S. Armed Services will not be required to complete placement testing and developmental education courses.

Exit Tests
Tests used to move from developmental to college-level classes.

Expulsion
Student status under which a student is permanently barred from attending LSSC.

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
Also known as the Buckley Amendment, FERPA is a law that protects the privacy of students’ education records and establishes students' rights to challenge the content of educational records.

Fee
A financial charge for courses or services.

First-Time-in-College Student (FTIC)
A term used to define first time college students following the completion of a high school diploma, GED or home education program.

Florida College System (FCS)
A network of 28 public state colleges in Florida that offer associate degrees, workforce training, and certificate programs. FCS institutions provide accessible and affordable higher education opportunities to students across the state, serving as a bridge to four-year universities or as a pathway to entering the workforce directly. FCS is governed by the State Board of Education.

Florida Statutes
A collection of state laws organized by subject area that are created, amended, or repealed on an annual basis.

Floridashines.org
A website providing information about Florida postsecondary institutions; degree programs, prerequisites, and transfer and degree requirements; admissions requirements; financial aid, scholarships, and loans; student academic records (transcripts); assessing interests for potential majors and careers; and researching careers, salaries, and regional job availability.

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
A government form used to determine a family’s “financial need”.  Students complete the FAFSA on a yearly basis (www.fafsa.gov), and financial aid uses the information to determine financial aid eligibility.

Freshman
A generic term used for a student who is enrolled with fewer than 30 college-level credits toward a degree.

Full Cost of Instruction
Tuition and fees equivalent to the Florida non-resident cost. (See Third Attempt Rule)

Full-Time Status
Enrollment in 12 or more credit hours in fall, spring and summer AE; six or more credit hours in Summer A or B.

Fully Online
A course, generally offered in Canvas that may include publisher materials selected by the instructor, in which all or most of the assignments are completed online. The fully online class may meet in-person less than 20% of the total course hours. Note: Additional fees apply.

General Education Courses
Basic liberal arts courses required as the foundation of the university parallel A.A. degree. Some General Education courses are also required in the B.A.S., B.S., A.S., and A.A.S. degree programs.

Gordon Rule
A Florida Rule (6A-10.030) requiring that all A.A. or bachelor’s degree students earn a “C” or higher in prescribed writing and mathematics coursework before completing an LSSC degree and prior to entering upper level courses.

Governing Catalog
The catalog in effect at the time of a student’s initial enrollment in associate or bachelor's degree credit courses. This catalog determines graduation requirements provided the student has maintained continuous enrollment and completes the requirements within 6 years.

GPA (Grade Point Average)
A measure of the student’s academic standing. GPA is calculated by the total quality points earned for college level courses taken at LSSC and transfer institutions divided by total attempted credit hours.

Grade
Alphabetical measures of academic success.

Grade Forgiveness
A grade of “D” or “F” earned in the first attempt in a course is replaced by the grade earned in the next attempt. The initial grade will always remain on the student’s transcript but is not calculated in the LSSC GPA.

Graduation Application
The application that students must submit via their myLSSC account in order for LSSC to award a degree.

Grievance
A written claim by a student alleging improper, unfair, arbitrary, or discriminatory action involving the application of a specific LSSC Board Rule or LSSC Administrative Procedure.

Hold
A block on student access to transcripts, grades, diploma, or registration because of financial or other outstanding obligations to LSSC.

Hybrid Course
A hybrid class blends online and face-to-face on-campus delivery of the course content and instruction. A substantial proportion of the content is delivered online.

Incomplete Grade
Grade (I) is given only when the student has been in attendance, has done satisfactory work for the majority of the current semester, and has furnished proof to the instructor that the work cannot be completed because of circumstances beyond the student's control. Students who do not finish the required work and submit it for a letter grade by the designated deadline will automatically receive an "IF (Incomplete/Failure) grade in the course.

Initial Attendance Verification
A designated attendance verification period during the beginning of each semester. Financial Aid and VA benefits may be negatively impacted if a student is reported as not-attending class during designated attendance verification periods by LSSC faculty.

Independent Study
An opportunity for students to earn college credit through non-classroom student-faculty interaction and course content. Special permission is required.

Junior
A generic term used for a student who has completed between 60-89 college-level credits toward a degree.

Lakehawk Account
Your username and password (generally FirstName.LastName@student.lssc.edu) that you use to access online services through single sign-on.

Lakehawk Mail
Your student email account (generally FirstName.LastName@student.lssc.edu) powered by Microsoft 365. You will access this with your username and password through single sign-on. All college correspondence is sent to Lakehawk Mail rather than personal email addresses.  

Limited Access Program
An academic program to which admission is limited to students who have met specific course, grade, test score, or other designated requirements.

Meta-Major
A set of broad content areas that students choose upon enrollment that includes a set of courses that meet academic requirements that are common across several disciplines and specific programs of study.

myLSSC
An online platform to access resources at Lake-Sumter State College, including payroll, timesheets, finance, grades, and other functions

New Student Advising and Registration (NSAR)
A required pre-registration program that provides necessary information and academic advising for first-time-in-college and dual enrollment students.

Non-Credit
A course for which college credit is not granted.

Non-Degree Seeking Students
Students taking courses for personal enrichment, teacher certification, or job enhancement but not working on completing requirements for a specific degree.

Non-Exempt Status (Developmental Education)
Status of students who do not meet the exemption criteria will follow LSSC’s established placement testing and developmental education requirements. (See “Exempt Status”)

Non-transferable Course
A course that provides the student training in discipline-specific skills as part of a program not intended for transfer to a related baccalaureate degree or a course for which a student receives articulated credit for demonstration of technical skills. These courses may not be transferred to the Associate in Arts (AA) degree within the institution. Some institutions may choose to articulate a course designated by LSSC as non-transferable. This would be left to the discretion of the receiving institution.

Non-transferable Program
An academic program designated as an Associate in Applied Science or a certificate program aligned to an Associate in Applied Science program. This type of program is typically designed to prepare individuals for direct entry into employment by providing training in discipline-specific skills.

Nursing Information Session
A required assembly of pre-nursing students to be completed prior to submitting the application to the Nursing program.

Parking Decals
Required for display on all student, faculty, and staff vehicles parked on LSSC property. Students are responsible for knowing and abiding by all parking regulations.

Part-Time Status
Students enrolled for fewer than 12 credit hours in fall, spring, or summer AE semester; or fewer than six credit hours in summer A or summer B terms.

PERT
The Postsecondary Education Readiness Test is the specific placement test used at LSSC to determine the appropriate level for non-exempt new students to begin their math, reading, and English coursework.

Prerequisite
A course or placement test score requirement that must be satisfactorily completed before a related higher- level course can be attempted.

Probation (Academic)
A status given to students who fail to maintain satisfactory academic progress. Probationary students must meet with an academic advisor, and if receiving aid, a Financial Aid staff member.

Quality Points
The value, ranging from 4 – 0, for grades from A – F, for all courses completed and used in the calculation of a student’s GPA.

Real-Time Online Course
An online course that requires student attendance at virtual class meetings designated on the course schedule and in the syllabus.

Regionally Accredited Institution
Colleges and universities accredited by any of the following six regional associations: Higher Learning Commission, Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.

Registration
The process of reserving a seat for courses and class meeting days, times, instructors, campuses and formats. Students are responsible for knowing the registration dates each semester, completing their own registration online via myLSSC, and paying tuition and fees by the established deadlines.

Residency
To qualify for in-state tuition and fees, students must sign an affidavit and supporting documentation confirming that they have resided in Florida for the 12 consecutive months prior to the start of classes for the semester in which they wish to enroll.

Returning Student
A student who has previously attended LSSC but has not been enrolled at LSSC for 3 semesters or more. Returning students must reapply using the free Admissions Application.

Rubric
A clear, graphic method used by some faculty members to show students how the quality of their work will be graded, often presented in a chart format.

Satisfactory
A grade awarded to students taking a course on a Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory basis who successfully fulfill all requirements for that course. Appears on a student’s transcript as an ‘S.’

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
Specific criteria that must be met in order to retain federal financial aid benefits.

Seated Course
Course content and instruction is delivered in-person on campus.

Semester
An academic period for which classes meet. Fall and spring semesters are approximately 16 weeks; summer AE semester is approximately 14 weeks; and summer A and B terms are approximately seven weeks each. Mini-terms, or mini-semesters, vary in length.

Single Sign-On
Allows you to log onto multiple services at LSSC using one username and password. Most online services will your Lakehawk Account (FirstName.LastName@student.lssc.edu) for single sign-on.

Senior
A generic term for a student who has completed 90 or more college-level credits toward a degree.

Sophomore
A generic term for a student who has completed between 30-59 college-level credits toward a degree.

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
The accrediting body that guides curriculum requirements and faculty credentials for LSSC degrees, technical certificates, and academic programs.

Standards of Academic Progress
The College’s minimum expectations of academic progress. Academic standings include good standing, probation, continued probation and suspension.

STEM
An acronym for “Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics”.

Student Government Association (SGA)
The official representatives of the student body to the college administration in matters concerning student life.

Student Email
See Lakehawk Mail.

Student Identification Number
See X-ID.

Suspension
Student status under which a student is not permitted to attend LSSC for a specified period of time.

Technology-Enhanced (TE)
Seated courses that meet on campus for all of their scheduled hours and have additional activities (e.g., homework, quizzes, and discussion groups) posted in Canvas or other publisher access for the course.

Term
See “Semester”

Third Attempt Rule
Governs the number of times students may attempt courses, developmental as well as college-level, pursuant to Florida statutes. Students are allowed a total of three attempts per course, the third attempt costing the student the full cost of instruction. An attempt includes any time a student stays enrolled in a course beyond the drop period and earns a grade, including “D,” “F,” “W,” “I,” or “U”.

Traditional Online Course
An online course with no scheduled meeting times and students complete work individually.

Transcript
A student’s official academic record of courses, grades, and test scores maintained by the LSSC Registrar. Students may view the contents on their transcript via myLSSC and may request to have printed or electronic copies sent to other institutions or employers.

Transfer Plan
A guide for A.A. students that includes the common program prerequisites required for their intended major at Florida state universities.

Transfer Student
A student who attended another college or university before attending LSSC.

Transient Student
A student who enrolls in one or more courses at LSSC to apply to academic requirements of another institution, or an LSSC student who enrolls in one or more courses at another institution to apply to degree requirements at LSSC.

Tuition
A fee charged for each credit hour of instruction.

University
An academic organization which grants degrees in a variety of fields. It is composed of a number of “schools” or “colleges,” each of which encompasses a general field of study (e.g., journalism, medicine, agriculture).

Unsatisfactory
A grade awarded to students taking a course on a Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory basis who do not successfully fulfill all requirements for that course. Appears on a student’s transcript as a "U".

Withdrawal
A student’s voluntary exit from a course(s). The student’s transcript will reflect a grade of “W,” and this will count as one attempt for each of the courses involved. (See Third Attempt Rule). If the withdrawal process is not followed by the deadline, a grade of "F" will be earned by the student. 

Writing Emphasis "Gordon Rule"
A Florida Rule (6A-10.030) requiring that all A.A. or bachelor’s degree students earn a “C” or higher in prescribed writing coursework before completing an LSSC degree and prior to entering upper level courses. 12 semester hours of writing coursework (designated with the GRW code) is required to meet this requirement. 

X-ID
The LSSC identification number assigned by LSSC for every student, faculty, and staff member and used in place of the Social Security Number to help protect the privacy of students and employees. The X-ID begins with an upper-case X, followed by eight digits.