Glossary

Whitworth Lingo

Big 3: Whitworth's three main on-campus behavioral policies: 1) No possession, consumption, or distribution of alcohol, drugs or controlled medication without a prescription; 2) No cohabitation; and 3) No violent or destructive behavior.

Core: Whitworth's worldview studies courses. SCS students take either Core 150 – Ancient & Modern Worldviews in Christian Perspective or Core 300 – Worldview, Reality, & Human Nature.

HUB: The Hixson Union Building (HUB) is home to the dining hall, the Mind & Hearth Coffee House, educational support services, the career center, and more!

Little 3: The three unofficial tasks students must accomplish before they graduate from Whitworth: 1) catch a virgin pinecone; 2) get hit in the head with a Frisbee; and 3) drop a plate in the dining hall.

U-District: Our downtown location at 534 E. Spokane Falls Blvd., Spokane, WA 99202

Virgin pinecone: A pinecone that has not yet touched the ground. Students are encouraged to catch one before graduating from Whitworth.

Academic Lingo

A.A. (Associate of Arts): A two-year degree designed to transfer into bachelor's degree programs.

A.A.S. (Associate of Applied Science): A two-year degree designed to prepare students for employment. Whitworth offers transfer-friendly options for A.A.S. and other applied associate degrees.

Advisor: Assistant Directors of each SCS program serve as academic advisors to assist students with creating a degree/certificate completion plan to help them achieve their academic goals.

Asynchronous vs. Synchronous: If you have a course in an asynchronous format, you will complete your coursework independently. If you have a synchronous class, you will participate in real time with your instructor and classmates. Some classes may have both synchronous and asynchronous components.

B.A. (Bachelor of Arts): The most common four-year degree offered at most universities.
Cohort: Students in the teacher certification and business programs experience the courses in their major in a designated sequence with the same group of students, creating a team-like environment.

CLEP: College Level Examination Program – A program of examinations designed to assess student mastery of introductory college course material in particular subject areas. A student may earn credits for certain courses based on their scores for these exams.

Drop vs. Withdraw: Drop – removal of a course prior to the last day to add/drop. A full refund is given if payment has been made. Course does not appear on the student's transcript. Withdraw – exiting a course after the last day to add/drop. This results in a W on student's transcript. Student still pays for all or part of the course.

DSST: DANTES Subject Standardized Tests – A program of examinations designed to assess learning acquired outside the traditional classroom. A student may earn elective credits for passing scores on these exams.

Electives: Courses outside of the major and shared curriculum requirements that count toward total credits for graduation.

FAFSA: Free Application for Federal Student Aid – this is the form used to determine eligibility for all means of financial aid.

Flexible Learning Options: Flexible learning options allow students to choose between online and in-person attendance based on their preferred learning style and schedule.

Online: Students who choose to attend classes online will attend remotely via a videoconferencing platform. In-person: Students attending in person will have class on campus in north Spokane or at the U-District location.

GPA (Grade-Point Average): A calculation made on a 4.0 scale based on your grades and the number of credits you have taken.

Interdisciplinary Degree: A degree that crosses boundaries between academic disciplines. Continuing Studies interdisciplinary degrees include Public Service Administration, Human Services and Humanities.

Master's Degrees: Master of Arts (M.A.), Master of Business Administration Degree (MBA), Master of Business Leadership (MBL), Master of Science in Financial Planning (MSFP), Master of Education (M.Ed.) – graduate degrees obtained after a bachelor's degree.

Pell Grant: A federal grant based on financial need and enrollment.

Self-Service: Whitworth's online platform used to register for courses, view program evaluations and schedules, view final grades and GPA, and more.

Shared Curriculum: A set of courses that fulfill the curriculum requirements of a liberal arts education at Whitworth.

Session: Each term is divided into two or three six-week increments called sessions. The academic year consists of eight sessions: three in fall, three in spring, and two in summer.

Step-Up: A program offered to current seniors eager to get started on graduate course work. Students may earn up to earn up to six credits applied to their undergraduate degree by taking graduate-level courses. Step-Up courses are then waived for the master's degree if the student is admitted to the graduate program.

Term: A group of sessions. Continuing Studies has three terms: fall, spring and summer.

Upper-Division Courses: Courses with a level of 300 or above. 36 credits of upper-division coursework are required for a bachelor's degree.

Waitlist: A list you can join if a class is full. If space opens up in the class, students on the waitlist may have the opportunity to enroll.