Important Terms & Abbreviations

Add/Drop Slip: A form available in college and school Dean’s Offices. With this form you can add a course during the first week of school, drop a class within the first two weeks, or change the grade mode of a course. The add/drop slip is signed by both the course instructor and your academic adviser. Once signed, return it to the Arts & Sciences Dean’s Office in the Harmon Fine Arts Center (FAC), Rm 268A.

Area of Inquiry (AOI): Ten AOIs comprise a portion of Drake’s general education plan, called the Drake Curriculum (DC). To graduate, you must complete one course in each of the ten AOIs, with the exception of Science and Historical Foundations, where two courses are required. **If completing the AOIs with the Honors Track, you will need to meet different requirements.

AS: The abbreviation for Arts and Sciences.

Audit: To audit a course means that you attend the course, but are not responsible for completing homework or taking exams. The course will appear on your transcript, but will be designated as an AU for audit. Normal fees apply to audited courses. You may not audit a course that is required for your major or general education requirements.

CBPA: The abbreviation for the College of Business and Public Administration.

CPHS: The abbreviation for the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences.

Credit/No Credit (CR/NC): After achieving sophomore standing, a student may elect to register for a maximum of 12 credit hours of work (of the total 124 credit hours required for the degree) on a credit/no credit basis. Students registered for this option are designated by an appropriate statement on the instructor’s list. Neither the "credit" nor the "no credit" grades are included in the student’s cumulative grade-point average.

The student may elect any course in the University open to students who meet the usual standards for admission to the course except a course that satisfies basic requirements, or a primary or related course applying to the major. Not more than seven credit hours may be taken in a semester on this basis. A student receives credit for a course in which the student earns the equivalent of the grade of "C" or better. The student must have a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 2.75 before registering for a course on a credit/no credit basis. A senior with at least a 2.00 cumulative grade-point average is eligible to take a maximum of two courses in a semester on a credit/no credit basis, provided the advisor has approved the arrangement.

Although the University requires that a student indicate at the time of registration that a specific course is being taken on a credit/no credit basis, some exceptions are made allowing students to change from credit/no credit grading to regular letter grading—or from regular letter grading to credit/no credit grading—until the midpoint of the semester, or, in the case of short courses, no later than one week following the midpoint of that course. Students should be aware that most law schools and many graduate schools recompute a student’s grade-point average in such a way as to count courses graded "no credit" as "F" grades.

Cum Laude: At commencement, those students with a 3.50–3.69 cumulative GPA are recognized as cum laude graduates.

Dead Day: A Friday at the end of each term reserved for study. On this day no courses take place and campus activities aren’t scheduled.

Double Dip: The term used when you take a course that fulfills a requirement for both your major and an Area of Inquiry (AOI).

Drake Curriculum (DC): Drake’s general education program, consisting of a First Year Seminar (FYS), Areas of Inquiry (AOIs) and a Senior Capstone.

FAFSA: Free Application for Federal Student Aid. This is the federal form you must complete each year if you hope to qualify for financial aid, including federal student loans.

Fine Arts Center (FAC): The Fine Arts Center (FAC), also known as the Harmon Fine Arts Center is the location of the Arts and Sciences Dean’s Office. You can find the Arts and Sciences Dean’s office in Rm 268A (north side of the building, second floor).

First Year Seminar (FYS): A course requirement as part of the Drake Curriculum (DC). Students entering directly from high school or those transferring with fewer than 30 hours are required to take a FYS. FYS courses are topical in nature and give students an introduction to reading and writing at Drake.

Independent Study: A course you design with the help of a faculty member to explore a topic not covered in a regular course at Drake. To register and earn credit for an independent study, you must complete the Independent Study/ Internship/ Undergraduate Research Registration Form.

Internship: An experience in which a student completes work with an organization and has a professor oversee that work. To register and earn credit for an internship, you must complete the Independent Study/ Internship/ Undergraduate Research Registration Form.

Magna Cum Laude: At commencement, those students with a 3.70–3.89 cumulative GPA are recognized as magna cum laude graduates.

Senior Capstone: A project, paper or experience that is the culmination of your learning at Drake. A senior capstone is required for graduation from Drake.

SLC: The abbreviation for the Student Life Center on the first floor of Olmsted.

SJMC: The abbreviation for the School of Journalism and Mass Communication.

SOE: The abbreviation for the School of Education.

Summa Cum Laude: At commencement, those students with a 3.90–4.00 cumulative GPA are recognized as summa cum laude graduates.

Validation: When you attend the first day of classes, you validate your attendance and keep your seat in the class. If you don’t attend, or validate, you will be dropped from the class. This is the policy followed by all colleges and schools at Drake, so it holds true for Business, Education, Journalism and Pharmacy courses alike.

Withdraw or “W”: If you wish to drop a course after the first two weeks of the semester, but before the midpoint of the semester, you may do so, but your grade in the course will be a “W.” Some graduate schools may look unfavorably on a W, so think carefully before taking a W.