Academic Advising
An opportunity for students to meet with their coach to obtain and review their plan of study and to select courses.
Academic Coach
College staff member or faculty member responsible for providing guidance in course or program related issues.
Academic Term (Semester)
Designated number of weeks of instruction that comprise the academic year. Fall and spring periods with 16 weeks of instruction and one week of final exams. The summer semester is shorter than 16 weeks.
Add a Course
To enroll for additional courses after registration is complete, accomplished through the Registrar’s Office.
Add / Drop Period
A set period of time after the first day of classes when students can add or drop a class through the Registrar’s Office.
Articulation Agreement
A formal agreement between NMJC and a four-year college or university which outlines specific course, grade point, and credit requirements necessary to transfer from NMJC to that four-year institution. Some articulation agreements are also established with high schools to provide advanced placement opportunities, advanced college credit, and College Career Pathways or 2 +2 articulated college credit.
Audit
To take a course in which the final grade is AU. Generally involves regular attendance and participation, but limits graded activities, such as exams; requires full payment of tuition and fees; student must register for the class through the normal processes and indicate that the class is to be taken for audit.
Career Program
A specialized degree designed to equip a student with the skills and general educational background needed for employment in a specific field.
Certificate Program
An academic program of study in a specific field intended for occupational training, upgrading or retraining, generally requiring 30 credits or less. A certificate is awarded upon successful completion of the program.
Commencement
Commencement is the formal ceremony conferring degrees and certificates upon qualified graduating students.
Common Course Numbering
Common course numbering refers to courses that are numbered the same at all New Mexico state universities and colleges.
Co-Requisite
A co-requisite is a course which must be taken at the same time as another course.
Course Reference Number (CRN)
A number assigned to a specific course section in the schedule of classes.
Credit Hour
A credit hour is a standard measure of the amount of instructional time required to successfully complete a course. (For example, ENG 111, College Composition, is a 3 Credit Hour course, which usually means it will meet for 3 hours each week.) For the length of each class session and lab hours, if any, be sure to check with your advisor or a faculty member regarding specific courses.
Curriculum
Set of courses focused in a particular field (i.e., Accounting, Criminal Justice, Liberal Arts and Sciences, Nuclear Engineering Technology, Nursing).
Degree Program
An Associate in Arts (AA) or Associate in Science (AS) or Associate in Applied Science (AAS) plan of study requiring a minimum of 60 credits for completion.
Developmental Course
A basic skill development course numbered below 100/1000 in the College catalog which is credited in meeting financial aid eligibility and veterans benefits but does not count toward the minimum requirements for graduation.
Distance Learning
Courses offered via the Internet. Also, ITV courses are considered distance learning courses.
Drop From a Course
To cease to participate in a course during the registration period, accomplished through the Registrar’s Office.
Elective
Course requirement(s) in a program of study which may be fulfilled by choosing from a variety of specified courses.
Financial Aid
Funding provided to students from various sources to assist in defraying expenses of college (See Financial Aid section of this catalog).
Financial Aid Form (FAFSA)
A standardized application including detailed financial data, which is required to determine eligibility for all financial aid programs.
Full-Time (Student)
Student registered for 12 or more credits in a semester at NMJC
GPA (Cumulative Grade Point Average)
An educational standard computed by multiplying the number of credit hours of a course by the points assigned to the course grade, then dividing by the total number of hours.
Point values are: A=4, B=3, C=2, D=1, F=0.
Graduation
Official confirmation of the completion of a certificate or degree program. Graduation is dependent on the approved completion of all program and institutional graduation requirements and is approved by the Office of the Registrar.
Hybrid / Blended
A hybrid course combines face-to-face classroom instruction and online internet-based learning. Typically, 50 percent of the time is in the classroom and 50 percent of the time students work independently on their own computers.
In-District Resident
Students whose permanent residence is in Lea County New Mexico are charged in-district tuition. They must meet the in- state residency requirements and have lived in Lea County for the past 90 days
In-State Resident
Tuition charged to students who live in New Mexico and have established residency according to the guidelines provided by the State of New Mexico. Students are charged out-of-district tuition.
Lab Hours
Lab hours are learning activities, which are “hands- on” rather than the traditional lecture / discussion. Lab hours provide experiments / exercises that focus on the lecture applications. Since lab hours are the co-requisite to the lecture / discussion portion of a class, students need to register for both (lecture and lab) course reference numbers (CRN’s) in the same semester.
Non-Credit
Non-academic course oriented to personal interest or continuing education needs of persons seeking non-credit bearing instruction.
Out-of-District Resident
Students are classified as out-of-district residents if they declare their home is within the state of New Mexico but outside of Lea County. Students are charged tuition according to the out-of-district rate.
Out-of-State Resident
Students are classified as out-of-state residents if they declare their permanent residence to be outside the state of New Mexico. Students are charged according to the out-of- state tuition rate
Part of Term
A period of time within a term in which courses are scheduled. Parts of terms can be one to sixteen weeks in duration.
Part-Time (Student)
Student enrolled for 11 or fewer credits in a traditional semester.
PHI THETA KAPPA (PTK)
A national honorary organization recognizing academic scholarship by community/technical college students.
Plan of Study
A worksheet of courses required to earn a degree in a chosen area of study. Used as a road map for course selection. Used to conduct a final audit for graduation.
Prerequisite
Skill or course required for entry into a course or program of study.
Program Director
Instructor who provides in-depth information about a certificate or degree program.
Program of Study
(See Degree Program and Certificate Program)
Registration
The process of signing up for courses, including paying tuition and fees.
Residence (Credits Earned In)
A minimum of 15 credit hours applicable to an associate degree must be granted by NMJC as opposed to credits transferred in from another institution of higher education or earned through proficiency examination.
Semester (Term)
See Academic Term.
Schedule of Classes
A printed list of classes to be offered in the upcoming term, including CRN, day/time and location, with information about admission, payments and registration.
Short Session
See Part of Term.
Skill Set Certificate
A document issued by an academic division upon successful completion of a combination of approved courses that provide specific skills.
Special Topics Course
A course that is not a part of NMJC’s regular course offerings and may change each term. Topics courses complement NMJC’s regular course offerings in a subject area or program. They may emphasize subject matter or content introduced in other courses, content at a more advanced level, or content that is not covered in other NMJC courses.
Traditional Grade
Letter grade (A, B, C, D or F) used in calculating the grade point average.
Transcript
An official, permanent educational record of student’s enrollment at a college, showing courses attempted and completed, grades and grade point average, and graduation.
Transfer Credits
Credits for courses taken at another institution and counted toward a NMJC certificate or degree, or credits taken at NMJC and applied toward a degree at another institution.
Transfer Guidelines
Informal documents which suggest courses to be taken at NMJC that transfer into a four-year college.
Transfer Program
A degree program designed for students who plan to continue their academic careers beyond the associate degree level through transfer to a four-year college or university.
Tuition
Charges to student by the college for registration in credit courses of instruction.
Web Enhanced
Online course activity complements class sessions without reducing the number of required class meetings. Any course tied to the traditional classroom but involving some sort of computer usage while still anchored to the normal time spent in classes would fall into this category. Traditional courses and web-enhanced courses are very similar and therefore not usually considered to be distance learning courses.
Web Hybrid
Current convention is to classify a course as web hybrid if thirty percent (30%) or more of the course activity is provided online. Web hybrid courses feature a combination of synchronous and asynchronous delivery using online technologies such as a Learning Management System (LMS) or a website to present content.
Web Online
All course activity is delivered and completed online using NMJC’s Learning Management System (LMS) which is currently Canvas. There are no required face-to-face sessions within the course that must take place at the home campus. However, proctored examinations may be required during the course. If a proctored examination is required, the testing site must be within close proximity of the student’s location while taking the online course.
Withdraw From A Course
To cease to participate in a course after the add / drop period, accomplished through the Registrar’s Office. Student can also drop a class from the T-BirdWeb Portal.
Withdraw From the College
To cease to participate in all courses for one semester or more, accomplished through the Registrar’s Office.