BC Transfer Guide

Academic program

A program of study, usually involving theoretical knowledge and research, and usually leading to a diploma, certificate, associate degree or bachelor's degree.

Admission

Being allowed into an institution, faculty or program once the entrance requirements are met. Some admission is limited by spaces available, and by selection criteria.

Application

The formal way of notifying a post-secondary institution that you want to be a student there.

Applied Degree

A degree in an applied subject such as accounting, interior design or forest technology.

Articulation

The system used by post-secondary institutions to determine which courses are equivalent to one another.

Audit

Taking a course for interest, and not for credit. Auditing students usually don't do assignments or exams, and don't get a grade.

Basis of Admission

The evidence, primarily academic, on which your admission decision is based, e.g., high school record, college credits and GPA, etc.

BCCAT

The British Columbia Council on Admissions and Transfer, who is responsible for the management of BC Transfer Guide and Education Planner.

Block transfer

The process whereby a block of credits is granted to students who have successfully completed a cluster of courses, certificate or diploma, recognized as having an academic wholeness or integrity, and related in a meaningful way to part of the degree program.

Calendar

The book of rules, regulations, policies, programs (and requirements), and courses for a particular post-secondary institution.

Career/technical

An applied program of study involving theoretical and practical knowledge, usually leading directly to a certificate or diploma in a specific career path.

Certificate

Recognition of successful completion of a program of study, of varying lengths, often one year.

Chair

The head of a program or department. "Coordinator" is sometimes used synonymously with "Chair."

CGPA

See GPA.

College, or Community College

In BC, an institution offering programs in a wide range of educational choices: career/technical, vocational, upgrading, academic/transfer, ESL, etc.

Concentration

A program of study with a required number of courses in a specific discipline. Similar to a Major or Minor, but with fewer requirements.

Co-op

The system of having paid work placements, usually four to eight months, as a component of a program of study.

Course outline

A description of the main content, organization and expected outcomes of a course, normally including the number of credits awarded, hours of class time, how it's evaluated, assignments, and texts (also called a syllabus).

Credit

The value given to a course. May be related to the number of hours of instruction. The majority of academic courses are worth three credits. Many degrees require 120 credits. (See also Unit.)

Dean

Head of a Faculty. For example, the Dean of Science is the Head of the Faculty of Science.

Degree

Recognition of successful completion of a program of studies (usually about 40 courses, or 120 credits, or 60 units), often with a specific Major, Minor or Concentration.

Degree granting institution

The institutions which grant bachelor's degrees.

Department

Faculty and administrators associated with a particular discipline or program (e.g. the Sociology Department).

Diploma

Recognition of successful completion of a program of study, usually two years in length. Post-degree diplomas are often one year in length.

Education Planner

Also managed by BCCAT, Education Planner provides information on programs, admission requirements, tuition fees and application dates for all of BC's 27 public post-secondary institutions.

Exemption

The waiving of a prerequisite or required course for students who have proven they have comparable learning. The student may be required to replace the exempted course with an alternate.

Faculty

The teachers at a post-secondary institution. Also a grouping of departments and programs in a similar area (e.g., Faculty of Arts).

GPA or Grade Point Average

The average overall grade for all courses taken for credit in a particular semester, year or institution. A cumulative GPA (CGPA) is the average of all grades for courses taken to date at one institution.

Institute

In BC, a post-secondary school that provides specialized training in technologies and trades, art and design, law enforcement or indigenous studies.

Laddering

A process which allows you to build upon previously earned credits or credentials, either from secondary or post-secondary institutions.

Letter of Permission (LOP)

A document which gives you permission to take a course at an institution other than the university in which you are currently enrolled. (See "The Importance of a Letter of Permission".)

Lower division (or lower level)

General introductory courses, usually making up the first two years of a bachelor's degree.

Major

A program of study in a degree where about 25-50% of the courses are in a single discipline (e.g. Philosophy, History).

Minor

A program of study requiring fewer courses than a major.

Non-credit course

A course taken for learning value. A grade may be assigned, but the course is not usually applicable to a credential.

PASBC

Post-secondary Application Service of British Columbia, which provides students the opportunity to apply for admission over the Internet (pas.bc.ca) to BC public post-secondary institutions.

Preclude

As in "precludes credit for Anthropology 301." A preclusion indicates you will not receive credit if you take the precluded course later.

Prerequisite

A course you must take before you can take a more advanced course in the discipline.

Program plan

Your informal checklist of the requirements for a program, and how many of those requirements you have satisfied with your various courses (including transferred courses).

Receiving Institution

The institution to which you are transferring.

Registration

The process of enroling in individual courses after completion of all required admission procedures.

Requirement

A course you must take in order to complete a credential.

Residency

The number of courses or credits (or percentage of the program) you must complete at an institution to graduate from that institution.

Sending Institution

The institution from which you are transferring.

Syllabus

See Course outline.

Transcript

An official transcript is the original record verifying your enrolment and achievement, and certified (e.g., by signature and/or seal) by the institution. It is normally sent directly, by mail or electronically, on your request.

Transfer

Consists of the granting of credit (transfer credit) toward a credential by one institution, for programs or courses completed at another.

Unassigned credit

Recognition of learning where the course doesn't have a specific equivalent at the receiving institution. See Types of Transfer Credit for more details.

University

In BC, a post-secondary institution that offers a range of degrees (bachelors', masters', and doctorates), post-degree certificates and diplomas, and is normally involved in research in addition to teaching.

Unit

See Credit. Only the University of Victoria uses a unit rather than a credit system: 1 unit = 2 credits.

Upper division (or upper level)

Less general, more focused courses, usually making up most of the final two years of a bachelor's degree.