AU Curriculum Handbook
Curriculum Terms Glossary
SECTION ONE:
Overview of Curriculum Development
Curriculum Defined
Overview of Development Process
Proposal Submission
Who to Contact For Help
SECTION TWO:
Antioch University Curriculum Change Process
Purpose of the Academic Change Approval Process
Guiding Principles of the Academic Change Approval Process
Curriculum Change Timelines
Curriculum Change Process Levels
Expedited Review
Internal Review
External Review
Certificate Programs
SECTION THREE:
Curriculum Details
Curriculum Policies
Antioch University Curriculum Elements
Proposal Details
Curriculum Terms Glossary
This section provides a glossary of terms and acronym definitions for the curriculum area, listed in alphabetical order.
Accreditation Council of Art Therapy Education (ACATE)
A programmatic or professional accreditation for Art Therapy.
American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists (AASECT)
A programmatic or professional accreditation for Sexuality Education and Sex Therapy.
Academic credit
The amount of units for a course offering. Antioch University follows the Carnegie Unit System. The Carnegie formula presumes that one credit represents no less than one hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of two hours out-of-class student work over the duration of a term; or the equivalent amount of work over a different period of time; or at least the equivalent amount of work in activities such as internship, practicum, etc. (For more information, see policy 5.203 Program Length and Credit Hour). These hours of work—whether classroom, practicum, and/or homework—are assigned a value of one unit.
Academic year
The academic year is defined as summer through spring, using three semesters or trimesters, four quarters, or one annual term. Semesters terms run May through April (Summer, Fall, Spring) for four months each. Quarter terms run July through June (Summer, Fall, Winter, Spring) for three months each. The annual term runs June through July, using all twelve months. In addition, the Antioch MFA program uses an extended semester that runs 6 months in length. Summer/Fall term runs June through November, and Winter/Spring term runs December through May.
Accelerated Admission
A process by which Antioch students at a lower academic level may seek early admission to a higher academic level. Credits from the higher academic level are used to meet requirements of the lower academic level, if by doing so the student earns enough credits at the higher level not used by the lower level to meet university minimums for the higher level. The standard approach is the Fast-Track option. Programs that have specific accreditation or licensure requirements may be approved for the Early Decider exception.
American Dance Therapy Associate (ADTA)
Also, programmatic or professional accreditation for dance/movement therapy.
Annual Term
See Academic Year.
Board of Governors (BOG)
Antioch University’s leadership is comprised of a Chancellor, University Leadership Council, and a Board of Governors who work together to further the University’s mission and support faculty and students in all our programs. For more details, see this LINK to the Antioch website.
Bureau of Private Postsecondary Education (BPPE)
The approval body in the state of California.
Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP)
A programmatic or professional accreditation for counseling.
Commission on Accreditation for Marital and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE)
A programmatic or professional accreditation for couple, marriage, and family therapy.
Campus Academic Affairs (CAA)
Local academic affairs body, based on the campus or non-place-based program unit, such as AU Online.
Certificate
A collection of courses that constitute a program, containing at least 9 semester or 12 quarter credits, and fewer total credits than a degree.
Colleague
The brand name of the student information system (SIS), which houses student records, faculty/employee records, programs, courses, etc. It is hosted by Ellucian, the parent company.
Concentrations
A collection of courses that make up a focused area of study. At the undergraduate level, this group contains at least 24 semester or 36 quarter credits. At the graduate level, this group contains at least 9 semester or 12 quarter credits.
Continuing Education (CE)
Courses taken for professional development in a specific field, such as education or psychology. These offerings do not apply toward an academic degree or certificate. They may be a single course offering, or multiple courses that make up a certificate. Courses may be offered for CE credits, CE units, or CE hours. These courses are transcripted separately from the academic credit transcript. CE offerings follow the traditional curriculum development and review process.
Cost Center
The revenue code used to allocate tuition and fees to a department and, in certain instances, to a specific program unit.
Course sequences
A plan of coursework to be taken to fulfill prerequisites and progress through the program in a logical way.
Courses
A course is an academic offering, defining the title, description, number of credits for the study. A section of a course has an instructional method and faculty instructor associated with it. If synchronous, it will include day and time, and if face-to-face may include a room assignment.
Curriculum
A program and a collection of courses that lead to the completion of a program of study, often leading to a degree or certificate.
Credit hours guidelines
Each academic unit must determine credit hours in a standardized fashion, adhering to the federal definition of credit hour (see 5.203, Program Length and Credit Hours).
CRM
Customer Relationship Manager, used for admissions processing. The current system in use is TargetX.
Degree
A collection of courses that constitute a program, containing at least 120 semester or 180 quarter credits at the undergraduate level, and at least 30 semester or 45 quarter credits at the graduate level.
Distance Education definitions
Education that uses one or more of technologies to deliver instruction to students who are separated from the instructor and to support regular and substantive interaction between the students and the instructor, either synchronously or asynchronously.
Doctoral
The academic level that follows the master’s degree. Courses are typically numbered in 7000 or 8000 range.
Early Decider
A track of study where bachelor’s students overlap master's coursework with the end of their bachelor's coursework, or master's students overlap doctoral coursework with the end of their master's coursework. Students apply and are accepted to the higher-level program for a future term, and take higher-level coursework to complete the lower-level program. Enrollment is reported at the lower-level, tuition is charged at the lower-level program rate, and financial aid eligibility is assessed at the lower level. The lower-level degree is conferred when all requirements are completed. The transcript documents the start of the higher level only after the lower-level degree has been conferred.
Elective
A course that is chosen for a student’s plan of study, rather than prescribed by the degree plan.
Embedded (certificate)
Courses taken as part of a degree program that also pertain to a certificate program. The certificate may be earned as part of the degree coursework.
En Passant Program
A program where the student can earn one credential while in pursuit of another, such as earning a master’s degree ‘along the way” to completing the doctoral degree.
Extended Semesters
See Academic Year.
Fast track
A track of study where bachelor’s students overlap master's coursework with the end of their bachelor's coursework, or master's students overlap doctoral coursework with the end of their master's coursework. Students are admitted to the higher-level program as provisional admits, using the alternate admissions process. Enrollment is reported at the higher level, tuition is charged at the higher-level program rate, and financial aid eligibility is assessed at the higher level. The transcript documents the start of the higher-level prior to the lower-level being conferred. The lower-level degree is conferred when all requirements are completed. (Accelerated Admission to AULA's MAP program approved for Early Decider pathway.)
Graduate
The academic level that follows the bachelor’s degree. Courses are typically numbered in 5000 or 6000 range.
Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
The current accrediting body for Antioch University.
Individualized
A program or portion of a program (such as a concentration or specialization) that is determined by the student in consultation with and approval by the adviser.
Lower Division
Courses at the first and second year bachelor academic level. Courses are numbered 1000 and 2000.
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
An agreement that Antioch and another institution have made to negotiate course or student sharing.
New Hampshire Department of Higher Education (NHDOE)
The approval body in the state of New Hampshire.
Non-course
Requirements for a program that are not courses, such as a portfolio, competency, or hours of internship.
Ohio Department of Higher Education (ODHE)
The approval body in the state of Ohio.
Partnership
An agreement that Antioch and another institution have made to negotiate course or student sharing.
Plan of study
The sequence of courses that a student will take to complete a program or degree. This may be general, as a template for all students in a program, or a tailored for a specific student, which is also referred to as a program plan.
Program plan
A student-specific sequence of courses that a specific student will take to complete a degree or program. This is often as part of an individualized program, or may be required as part of a probation or academic plan.
Quarters
See Academic Year.
Required
A course or series of courses that must be completed to earn a degree or credential or to complete a course of study.
Semesters
See Academic Year.
Specialization
A collection of courses that make up a focused area of study. At the undergraduate level, this group contains at least 24 semester or 36 quarter credits. At the graduate level, this group contains at least 9 semester or 12 quarter credits.
In some clinical programs, a specialization is distinct from a concentration.
Specialized Program Accreditation
Also, programmatic or professional accreditation. This includes AASECT, ACATE, ADTA, APA, CACREP, COAMFTE, NADTA.
Stand-alone certificate
A course of study resulting in a certificate that is not part of another program. A student may take this type of program concurrently with another program.
University Academic Affairs (UAA)
The university team that supports academic programs in accreditation, academic planning and project management, and reporting.
University Academic Council (UAC)
The university-wide body that, as far as academic change is concerned, reviews new programs and substantive academic change requests.
Upper Division
Courses at the third and fourth year bachelor academic level. Courses are numbered 3000 and 4000.
Undergraduate
Courses or programs at the bachelor academic level. Courses are often numbered 1000, 2000, 3000, or 4000.
University catalog
The collection of programs and their requirements for a given academic year. Other matters about the institution, its policies, tuition and fees, required disclosures, and other services are often included. This document is used for planning and prospective students, as well as sharing with accrediting bodies and state agencies.
University Leadership Council (ULC)
Antioch University’s leadership is comprised of a Chancellor, University Leadership Council, and a Board of Governors who work together to further the University’s mission and support faculty and students in all programs.
University Registrar’s Office (URO/AURO)
The office of the registrar, which serves all campuses and programs of Antioch University, regardless of location. The staff are specialized by area – curriculum, registration, student records integrity, transfer credit management, academic standing, narrative evaluation and grading, and degree conferral.
US Department of Education (USED)
The government agency who oversees education in the United States and approves university programs for eligibility for students to use federal financial aid.
Terms
See Academic Year.
Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC)
The approval body in Washington State.