I 2 - Undergraduate Calendar - University of Waterloo

Glossary of Terms
Academic Program
A series of courses, a number of which may be
mandatory and of a specialized nature, leading toward
a particular degree. Details of the several types of
programs offered such as Honours, General, Pass,
Preprofessional, Professional are given in the
Calendar.
Antirequisites
Courses with significant overlap. Degree credit cannot
be obtained for both the antirequisite and the course(s)
naming it as such.
Corequisite
A course required to be taken concurrently with, or
passed prior to registration in, another course which
lists it as a corequisite.
Prerequisite
A course required to be passed prior to registration in
another course which lists it as a prerequisite.
(‘Consent of instructor” is sometimes listed as an
alternative to or in addition to a prerequisite.)
Course Practicum
A unit of study relating to a specific academic
discipline, and identified by a course name and
Supervised placement time in a work setting
exercising practical routines and techniques related to
number. a particular academic program or option.
Credit
A unit of an academic program earned toward a
degree by successful completion of a course. A credit
weight of 0.5 is normally assigned to a one term
course. Credit weights are used in the calculation of
averages for academic standing. Most courses have
credit weights of 0.5, but some have weights such as
0.25, 1.0, 2.0. Further explanation is on p. 1:7.
Cross-Listed Courses
Courses which are listed under two departments and
which can be taken for credit from either department,
but not both.
Cross-Registration
An arrangement between the University of Waterloo
and Wilfrid Laurier University which enables students
of either tJniversity to take courses at the other
institution: the purpose is to provide access to courses
which are not offered at a student’s home institution.
Elective
A course not specifically required for a degree but
counting towards it, to be chosen freely by the student
either from within a specified group of courses or
more broadly from courses offered anywhere across
the University.
Letter of Permission
A document permitting a student to take specified
courses at another university to be considered for
credit toward a particular University of Waterloo
degree.
Major
The area(s) of academic emphasis selected in either
an Honours or a General program. Details of course
and average requirements are given in academic
program sections of the Calendar.
Minor
A group of approved courses taken by an honours
student in a subject outside the “major” area. Details
of course and average requirements are given in
academic program sections of the Calendar.
Option
A specified combination or grouping of courses which
provides a secondary emphasis in certain programs.
The emphasis may be in another academic subject, as
in Honours Chemistry (Physics Option), or in a career-
oriented area, such as Honours Physics (Business
Administration Option), or Honours Mathematics
(Teaching Option).
Preregistration
The process of selecting courses prior to registration,
having them approved by a faculty advisor and
recorded with the Registrar’s Office.
Registered Student
A student is considered to be registered if the
student’s selection of courses has been approved by a
faculty advisor and the student has made the
appropriate arrangements with the University to pay
the required fees.
Term
A particular four-month period of academic
registration: Fall term - September to December;
Winter term - January to April; Spring term - May to
August. Also used with reference to work terms for
students in the Co-operative system of study.
7