Terminology

Includes component types Academic, Laboratory, Rehearsal/Performance, and Special Project.

Section number is unique to subject, catalog number, meeting time, professor teaching, and the term and year offered; can be cross-listed within or outside the subject. Sometimes multiple section numbers are reported under one controlling section.

Notes about Labs: There are three types of labs at Santa Clara University

Categorizes undergraduate students by the number of units earned towards a bachelor’s degree. Units may be earned by completing courses at Santa Clara, at another institution (transfer, study abroad), or testing (e.g. AP).

Students who have earned fewer than 44 units are classified as first-year (aka "freshman"); students who have earned 44 units but fewer than 88 are classified as sophomores, students with 88 units but fewer than 132 are classified as juniors, and students with 132 or more units are classified as seniors.

Note that academic level is distinct from year-in-school, and so it is possible to have, e.g. a second-year freshman, a first-year sophomore, or a fifth-year senior. For completeness, all graduate students are assigned a level of ‘GRAD’.

To be in good academic standing at the University, a student must normally be enrolled for 12 or more units, must maintain a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0 based on all courses taken at Santa Clara, and must have completed at least a minimum number of units as specified in the Bulletin. Failure to meet these requirements may result in academic probation or disqualification from future registration at the University.

Students in their last term of enrollment before completing a degree may be classified as a full-time student when enrolled for less than 12 units.

Academic majors, minors, and certificates. 

Count of declared primary and secondary plans; a duplicated count.

Primary Plan: Major or minor in position 1

Secondary Plan: Major or minor in position 2, 3, 4

An individual hired into a position as a research staff, laboratory instructor, or field instructor; full-time.

An individual hired into a position as a research staff, laboratory instructor, or field instructor; part-time. This includes individuals who are teaching while on leave from other professional employment; part-time

The period generally extending from the start of fall term in September to the end of spring term in June, equated to three quarters or two semesters (i.e. School of Law or Jesuit School of Theology). Summer term always trails the academic year and may or may not be included depending on context. Academic year is coincident with Financial Aid Year; not to be confused with Fiscal Year. Rendered as YYYY-YYYY+1; when rendered as a single number, it is displayed as YYYY. Hence the academic year of 2020 refers to the period of 2020-2021

Regional or national private educational associations that assess whether institutions have met specific criteria aimed to measure quality. Institutions are accredited when the criteria are met and may then be eligible for federal benefits such as Title IV student financial aid. 

Scores on the mathematics, English, reading, science reasoning, and composite scales of the ACT Assessment test.

Non-tenure track faculty serving in a temporary or auxiliary capacity specific courses on a course-by-course basis.  Excludes regular part-time faculty, full-time professional staff who may teach individual courses (e.g., a dean or academic advisor), and appointees who teach non-credit courses exclusively.

Applicants granted an official offer to enroll.

Scores on standardized admissions test.

Advanced Placement courses are college-level courses taught in high school.  Students may take an examination at the completion of the course to measure proficiency; students receiving acceptable scores may earn college credit.

Questionnaires administered to alumni to determine their satisfaction with programs and services, as well as their current educational and employment status. Alumni are surveyed six months after receiving a degree. 

Someone who has been awarded a degree from an educational institution.

A person having origins in any of the original peoples of North and South America (including Central America) who maintains cultural identification through tribal affiliation or community attachment.  Non-Hispanic.

See IPEDS Ethnicity Reporting Rules for clarification on IPEDS race/ethnicity reporting.

The total expenditures associated with tuition, required fees, and room & board for a typical student.

An individual who has fulfilled the requirements to be considered for admission, including payment of the application fee.

A person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian Subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippine Islands, Thailand, and Vietnam.  Non-Hispanic. 

See IPEDS Ethnicity Reporting Rules for clarification on IPEDS race/ethnicity reporting.

The annual cost of an average accommodation type and meal-plan to use for comparison purposes.  SCU uses a standard residence double and mid-range meal-plan. 

A bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, doctoral degree, licentiate, certificate or credential qualifying program (CQP) earned by an undergraduate or graduate student.

Equivalence and ranking of degrees, certificates, or other formal awards.

An award (baccalaureate or equivalent degree, as determined by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education) that normally requires at least four years but not more than five years of full-time equivalent college-level work.

Selected data collected from different institutions in an effort to develop meaningful comparisons between Santa Clara University and its peer and aspirational institutions.

A person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa.  Non-Hispanic. 

See IPEDS Ethnicity Reporting Rules for clarification on IPEDS race/ethnicity reporting. 

A box and whiskers plot displays the median and spread in a set of data points. The range (excluding outliers) is shown by the upper and lower lines extending vertically from the box. The box represents the interquartile range and includes the middle half of the data set. The location of the box illustrates the skewness of the data.

Boxes indicate the interquartile range (IQR) of the data. IQR=all data between the 25th and 75th percentile.
Whiskers display all points within 1.5 times the IQR (in other words, all points within 1.5 times the width of the adjoining box), or all points at the maximum extent of the data.

The Carnegie Foundation's classification system is widely used to distinguish higher education institutions in terms of their degree programs and mission as an institution.

Cal Grant recipients are recipients of grant funding under Cal Grant A, B, or C. Cal Grant recipients must meet eligibility and financial requirements as well as any minimum GPA requirements.  For the purpose of retention and graduation rates, Cal Grant recipient status mirrors the requirements for Federal financial aid status and is determined during year one.

The method by which an institution structures most of its courses for the academic year.

Census Date is the date each term when a "snapshot" of all students enrolled or faculty/staff employed is extracted. These data are fixed and used for official reporting purposes to the Department of Education and other external agencies. Census data, being stable and reliable, are used for grant applications, accreditation reports, and institutional planning needs. Since these data are consistently measured and tractable, they form historical trends and support data-informed decision-making. Starting in fall 2023, the census date has been redefined to align with the university policy on the last day to drop without a “W”; this is determined by each unit’s the academic calendar. This is typically the end of week 4, inclusive of the weekend. Data for prior terms is restated per the revised definition.

Promulgated by the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics, these codes represent a nationally used, common taxonomy for the classification of higher education degree programs.  A six-digit code in the form xx.xxxx that identifies instructional program specialties within educational institutions, assigned to each degree program at the time it is established.

Student-organized sports clubs that are not regulated by the NCAA or NAIA and do not have varsity status; compete against other clubs from outside universities

A collection of students, each of whom has passed a common entrance standard, who enter a university at the same time in pursuit of a common degree objective along a common timeline.

The academic term or year designating when a particular cohort matriculated to Santa Clara.

A survey administered to graduating students which asks questions on a wide range of outcomes such as academic success, personal development, the student experience at their academic institution, and post-graduate plans and employment.

A class section where class offerings exist in two or more subjects.  In data on this website, the Combined Class Section will either be segmented from the non-combined sections and Enrollment for each section of the combined class will be displayed; or if an unduplicated count of class sections is required, then the controlling class section is assigned to the home department for the teaching professor.

Section number is unique to subject, catalog number, meeting time, professor teaching, and the term and year offered; can be cross-listed within or outside the subject.

Previously referred to as cross-listed classes.

The result of a national collaboration between publishers and academia to improve and standardize the compiling and reporting of information by academic institutions.  The Common Data Set contains a diverse array of information, including enrollments and degrees conferred, a profile of first-year students, annual expenses, financial aid, faculty, class sizes, and policies on transfers, academic offerings, student life.

A graduate student enrolled in more than one degree or program status during an academic term.

Programs and courses designed specifically for individuals who have completed a professional degree, to obtain additional training in their particular field of study.

In situations of Combined Class Sections, the Controlling class section is assigned to the home department for the teaching professor.

Section number is unique to subject, catalog number, meeting time, professor teaching, and the term and year offered; can be cross-listed within or outside the subject. Sometimes multiple section numbers are reported under one controlling section.

Classes part of the University's Core Curriculum.

Core 2009: Designates core classes from 2009-2010 and forward

Old Core: Designates core classes prior to 2009-2010

Recognition of performance in an instructional activity (course of the program) that can be applied toward the requirements for a degree, diploma, certificate, or other formal awards.

The total number of units that contributed to the student's award; includes transfer units, test credits, and un-graded units.

An award conferred by a postsecondary education institution to recognize the successful completion of a program of studies.

Students enrolled in courses for credit who are recognized by the institution as seeking a degree or formal award.

Includes students received the following grades; D+,D,D-,F,NC,NP,W

Allocation of purchasing points each term for the use of food and beverages on campus.

Basic: Available for all students.

Preferred: Available for all students; more points than the Basic plan.

Basic dining plan Junior/Senior: Available for Junior and Senior students only; fewer points than the Basic dining plan.

Apartment: Available only for Junior or Senior students living in apartment accommodations; plan with the fewest amount of points.

The highest award a student can earn for graduate study.

A Program in which students may complete the requirements for two undergraduate bachelor degrees simultaneously. 

A Program in which students may complete two undergraduate plans of study simultaneously.

The number of terms a degree-seeking undergraduate student declared an academic plan; inclusive of first and last term of enrollment.

A non-binding admission program that allows you to get an admission decision sooner. Admission decisions include: admit, deferred to Regular Decision, or denied. Early Action applicants are not limited to just applying to Santa Clara but must ensure adherence to the program rules of other colleges.

Early Decision I (ED I)

The Early Decision I (ED I) option is for applicants who have decided that Santa Clara University is their first choice and who are committed to enrolling at Santa Clara University if accepted. Applicants with alumni ties will receive the most consideration for their affiliation with Santa Clara University during the ED I process.

Early Decision I is a binding admission program. By applying ED I, applicants make a commitment to enroll if admitted to SCU. Applicants may not submit an Early Decision I applications to other institutions.

Applicants may apply to other Early Action programs, but must agree to promptly withdraw their application from all other institutions if admitted to SCU.

Decisions for students applying ED I are mailed in late December. The enrollment deposit deadline for admitted ED I applicants is January 7. Denied applicants are not reconsidered during Regular Decision.

Early Decision II (ED II)

Similar to Early Decision I,  Early Decision II (ED II) option is for applicants who have decided that Santa Clara University is their first choice and who are committed to enrolling at Santa Clara University if accepted.

By applying ED II, applicants are making a commitment to enroll if admitted to SCU. Applicants may not submit Early Decision II applications to other institutions.

Applicants may apply to other Early Action programs, but must agree to promptly withdraw their application from all other institutions if admitted to SCU.

Decisions for students applying ED II are mailed by February 15. The enrollment deposit deadline for admitted ED II applicants is March 1. Denied applicants are not reconsidered during Regular Decision.

The number of students attending Santa Clara University sorted according to student characteristics such as age, gender, full-time/part-time status, race/ethnicity, and residence. Headcounts are based on the number of students enrolled during the Fall term.

See entry for Cohort.

Persons whose primary assignment is for the purpose of conducting instruction and research. The designation as "faculty" is separate from the activities to which they may be currently assigned.

Faculty Clusters >> 

Faculty in Ethnic Studies, Liberal Studies, Women's and Gender Studies, Public Health Science, and Environmental Studies and Sciences are assigned to clusters according to their areas of expertise as determined by the Arts & Sciences Dean's Office. As such, these academic departments/programs may be reported in more than one cluster. Faculty in Science and Technology are assigned to clusters based on terms of their academic contract.

Monetary support in the form of loans, grants, and scholarships provided to students to pay for their college education.

Identifies the period commencing in fall term through the subsequent summer term (i.e. summer is a trailing term). Financial Aid year is coincident with Academic year (including summer; not to be confused with Fiscal Year. Rendered as YYYY-YYYY+1; when rendered as a single number, it is displayed as YYYY+1. Hence the Financial Aid year of 2020 refers to the period 2019-2020.

The definition of first-generation used by SCU’s Office of Admissions has changed over time. Prior to fall 2013, a student was classified as first-generation if neither parent (guardian) ever attended a four-year college or university. Beginning in fall 2013, students are classified as first-generation if neither parent (guardian) completed a baccalaureate degree. The latter is the definition used by the federal government and by institutions that use the common application. 

A professional degree prepares the conferee for a particular profession by emphasizing skills and practical analysis over theory and research. Most but not all of the professions associated with professional degrees are professions that require licensing in order to practice as a professional in the field

Defined by IPEDS for the purpose of calculating retention and graduation rates. A degree-seeking student who has no prior postsecondary experience attending any institution for the first time at the undergraduate level. Fall term students who attended for the first time in the prior summer term or who entered with advanced standing based on credits earned in high school are included. Once included in a specific cohort, a student is never removed, even if they cease attending. They may be excluded from calculations based on death or disability, military deployment, or service on an official church mission or with a foreign aid service of the Federal government. Cohorts are established at specific points in time, either per term or academic year. This cohort is typically segmented by enrollment level (full-time vs, part-time) as determined in their first term of enrollment.

See First-time, Degree-seeking, Undergraduate

A student attending any institution for the first time at the undergraduate level.  Includes students enrolled in the fall term who attended college for the first time in the prior summer term, as well as students who entered with college credits earned before graduation from high school. 

Faculty holding fixed-term lecturer appointments of not more than three years (this category was formalized in 2006-07). Prior to 2006-07, this category included all faculty holding lecturer appointments. Full-time.

Faculty hired for a period of one academic term or one academic year; they are not tenured and do not accumulate credit towards tenure (this category was formalized in 2006-07). Prior to 2007-08, this category included all faculty holding academic year appointments with FTE >=0.5 and <1.0.  Part-time.

The first term a degree-seeking undergraduate student declared an academic plan measured in relative terms.

Identifies non-overlapping periods between July 1, YYYY and June 30, YYYY+1. Often used for financial and compliance reporting (e.g. IPEDS). As a single number, fiscal year is rendered as YYYY+1. Summer term straddles two fiscal years and is most often treated as a leading term, i.e. summer YYYY is part of fiscal year YYYY+1. The date of a summer event determines what fiscal year is assigned. Events describing the first day of classes, typically in June, are assigned to the prior fiscal year. Summer events on July 1 or later are assigned to the current fiscal year (e.g. July 1 census enrollment or August 31 degree posting).

A first-year undergraduate student as defined by the HERI Freshman Survey. For SCU purposes, freshman has been replaced by first-year student.  

The survey issued biennially to all incoming first-time Santa Clara students to build a profile of student characteristics before they are enrolled at Santa Clara.

Faculty appointed to a full-time faculty position who hold a full-time administrative position; examples include the President, Provost, and Academic Deans.

A numerical designator for an appointment based on 100% for full time. An FTE for a full-time employee is 1.00. (Two people each serving in half-time faculty positions would equal, together, one FTE faculty position.)

A measurement equal to one student enrolled full time in a term.  Total FTE enrollment is either full time plus the calculated equivalent of the part-time enrollment (UG and Executive MBA) or is unit-based (all other programs).

Fall 2011 to Present:
The FTE is calculated as it was prior to Fall 2011 for undergraduates and those in the Executive MBA program for both full-time and part-time students.  Other full-time students FTE is calculated using the table above but the full-time FTE is not capped as it was in prior years.  The FTE for part-time students is calculated as it was prior to Fall 2011.

Prior to Fall 2011:
A student taking units as described above is considered full-time and equal to one FTE.  Any excess units do not increase full-time headcount or FTE within a career, however, a student may be full-time in a career where their head is not counted.  This may result in the sum of a full-time FTE to be greater than the sum of the full-time heads.  A student taking fewer than the number of units noted above is considered part-time, with a headcount equal to one, and an FTE of less than one, based on units taken divided by FTE units.

A student enrolled for 12 or more quarter credits each term.

Grading Policies and Regulations (Law)

Grades are assigned by the instructor to reflect the quality of a student’s work. The University uses the following grades:

A: Excellent
B: Good
C: Adequate
D: Barely Passing
F: Not Passing
P: Pass
NP: No Pass

The grades A, B, C, and D may be modified by (+) or (-) suffixes. Grade point values per unit are assigned as follows:

A+=4.33
A = 4.00
A- = 3.67
B+ = 3.33
B = 3.00
B- = 2.67
C+ = 2.33
C = 2.00
C− = 1.67
D+ = 1.33
D = 1.00
D− = 0.67
F = 0.0

Withdrawn (W) 

The mark of “W” is assigned by the Office of the Registrar when a student completes the formal requirements for dropping a class or withdrawing from the University after the last day to drop classes without a W. A mark of “W” cannot be changed to any other grade or mark. A mark of “W” is included in the student’s academic record and appears on the student’s transcript, but is not included in the calculation of the student’s grade point average. 

LL.M. in U.S. Law Grades

Current Policies:

Students in the LL.M. program in U.S. Law are graded on a Pass/No Pass basis in all courses.

Students in the LL.M. program in U.S. Law for whom English is a second language in which they have not reached academic competence may request additional time, up to time and a half, for exams. These students may also request the use of a translating dictionary. Absent an approved request for language accommodations, students are required to follow standard exam rules.

Students in the Exchange-to-LL.M. program in U.S. Law are graded on a Standard Letter Grade basis and are not eligible to petition for language accommodations.

Grade Option Petition:

Students in the LL.M. program in US Law may petition to be graded with regular letter grades (A, B, etc.) instead of Pass/No Pass. To do so:

1. Secure all necessary approval signatures on the LL.M. in US Law Grade Option Petition form
2. Submit the form to the Law Student Services Office by the end of the 4th week of classes during the fall and spring semester and by the end of the 2nd week of classes in the summer term
3. Students can rescind this request until the end of the 10th week of classes during the semester and by the end of the 3rd week of classes in the summer term. After this time, students may not elect or rescind a grade option change
4. Summer term deadlines will apply to off-cycle and short-term courses

Some classes are only offered on a Credit/No Credit basis and the option cannot be changed. These are designated as Credit/No Credit on the schedule of classes. 

Credit/No Credit

In certain elective courses, no letter grades are awarded. Students are evaluated in terms of whether their work meets the level of competence in the course. (In a graded course, this would be a grade of C or above.) Students who perform at or above the level of competence receive a grade of “credit.” Students who perform below this level receive “no credit”, and the course does not count toward the hours required for graduation. CR/NC units are not counted toward the maximum number of units permitted on a P/NP basis.  

Pass/No Pass

Students may choose to take non-required courses that are normally graded A through F on a P/NP basis.

For the fall and spring semesters students must elect the P/NP option within the first four weeks of the start of the semester and for the summer session, students must elect the option within the first two weeks of the start of the session. The election must be made in writing and submitted to the Student Services Office. The P/NP election is irreversible after the fourth week of fall or spring or after the second week of summer class.

J.D. students may take no more than two elective courses on a P/NP basis in any one semester and no more than 12 units on a P/NP basis during the entire program of study. More such units are recorded on student transcripts but do not count toward graduation.

Students in the LL.M. in Intellectual Property Law and LL.M. in International and Comparative Law programs may take no more than 4 units on a P/NP basis during the entire program of study. More such units are recorded on student transcripts but do not count toward graduation.

Students who achieve a grade of C or better in a course for which they have elected the P/NP option receive a grade of “pass”. Students who achieve a grade of C-, D+, D, or D- receive a “no pass”. Failing students receive an F.

Transcript posts indicate P, NP, or F. Grades posted as NP do not count toward the minimum units required for graduation. Under no circumstances should a student ask to see the actual grade received.

For honors consideration, J.D. students must have a minimum of 65 units of traditionally graded credit (i.e., excluding both P/NP and CR/NC units). Transfer J.D. students must have 50 units of traditionally graded credit. 

Audit

Generally, the right to audit courses is limited to practicing attorneys and judges. Current students may petition to audit a course on a space-available basis. Tuition is charged for audited courses which are designated as such on students’ transcripts. 

Grading Policies and Regulations (non-Law)

Grades are assigned by the instructor to reflect the quality of a student’s work. The University uses the following grades:

A: Excellent
B: Good
C: Adequate
D: Barely Passing
F: Not Passing
P: Pass
NP: No Pass

The grades A, B, C, and D may be modified by (+) or (-) suffixes, except that the grade of “A” may not be modified by a (+) suffix. Grade point values per unit are assigned as follows:

A = 4.0
A- = 3.7
B+ = 3.3
B = 3.0
B- = 2.7
C+ = 2.3
C = 2.0
C− = 1.7
D+ = 1.3
D = 1.0
D− = 0.7
F = 0

Unit credit, but not grade point credit, is awarded when the grade of “P” is assigned. Unit credit is not awarded when the grade of “NP” is assigned.

The University also uses the following marks for which no unit credit or grade point value is granted:

I: Incomplete
N: Continuing work
NS: No Show
AUD: Audit
W: Withdrawn

Pass/No Pass (P/NP)

A grade of “P” signifies that the quality of work done is equivalent to a letter grade of “C” or higher, while a grade of “NP” denotes work at the level of “C-” or lower. A maximum of six courses taken under the pass/no pass option in which the student receives a mark of “P” can be used to fulfill the unit requirements for graduation.

Some courses are offered only on a pass/no pass basis. If a graded option is not available, a course can satisfy Core, major, and/or minor requirements. The pass/no pass option cannot be requested for a course that satisfies a major, minor or core requirement or a major or minor elective requirement. A student with junior or senior standing and a declared major may choose to take an elective course on a pass/no pass basis. Students may enroll in only one elective course on a pass/no pass basis per quarter. Students may choose the pass/no pass option for a class through the end of the fourth week of classes, but may not change the grading option after that date.

Incomplete (I)

The mark of “I” (incomplete) may be assigned by the instructor when a student does not complete some essential portion of the assigned work in a class because of extraordinary circumstances beyond the student’s control. The unfinished work must be completed and given to the course instructor within three weeks of the beginning of classes in the next scheduled term (not the student’s next term of enrollment), excluding summer session, unless extraordinary circumstances require an extension. A request for an extension must be submitted in writing by the instructor and approved by the University Registrar within the original three-week period. Extensions shall not be for longer than two academic quarters after the mark of “I” was assigned, excluding summer session. An incomplete that has not been completed within the specified deadline or has not received an approved extension will be converted to a grade of “F.”

Continuing Work (N)

The mark of “N” (continuing work) may be assigned by an instructor when course requirements span more than one term. When the course requirements are completed, the instructor assigns a standard grade. A student may not graduate and receive a degree with a mark of “N” on their academic record.

No Show (NS)

The mark of “NS” (no show) may be assigned by an instructor when a student never attends a class and does not drop the class. A mark of “NS” cannot be changed to any other grade or mark after it is assigned by the instructor. A mark of “NS” is included in the student’s academic record and appears on the student’s transcript, but is not included in the calculation of the student’s grade point average. 

Audit (AUD)

The mark of “AUD” is assigned when a student enrolls in a class on an audit basis. A mark of “AUD” cannot be changed to any other grade.

Withdrawn (W)

The mark of “W” is assigned by the Office of the Registrar when a student completes the formal requirements for dropping a class or withdrawing from the University. A mark of “W” cannot be changed to any other grade or mark. A mark of “W” is included in the student’s academic record and appears on the student’s transcript, but is not included in the calculation of the student’s grade point average.

Grade Point Average

A student’s grade point average is determined by multiplying each grade point value by the number of quarter units assigned to the course, adding these grade point units from all courses taken, and dividing this sum by the total number of quarter units for which letter grades were reported. 

Grades earned in courses in SCU-operated or SCU-affiliated study abroad or domestic study programs are included in the calculation of a student’s grade point average. Grades earned in courses at other institutions accepted for transfer credit are not included in the calculation of a student’s grade point average.

A standardized test that graduate business schools use to evaluate candidates.  The verbal section of the GMAT measures the ability to understand and analyze written material, and the ability to recognize and conform to the conventions of standard written English.  The quantitative section measures a person's ability to reason quantitatively, solve mathematical problems, and interpret data presented in graphical form.  The analytical writing section measures a person's ability to effectively communicate ideas through writing and the ability to critically assess an argument.

The General test is composed of the verbal, quantitative, and analytical/ analytical writing sections. The verbal section measures your ability to analyze and evaluate written material and synthesize information obtained from it, to analyze relationships among component parts of sentences, to recognize relationships between words and concepts, and to reason with words in solving problems.  The quantitative section measures your basic mathematical skills, your understanding of elementary mathematical concepts, and your ability to reason quantitatively and solve problems in a quantitative setting.  The analytical writing section is a new section introduced beginning in October 2002 that tests your critical thinking and analytical writing skills.

A student who holds a bachelor's or first-professional degree, or equivalent, and is taking courses at the post-baccalaureate level.

Graduating in 14 academic terms or fewer.

Graduating in 17 or more academic terms.

Graduating in four years, which is equivalent to 15 or 16 academic terms.

A questionnaire administered annually to seniors approximately six months after graduation; asking students to evaluate their satisfaction with instruction, programs, services, and educational/career-related plans. 

The percentage of students in a cohort who graduate within designated bands of time. The cohort of first-time, full-time, baccalaureate students who enter the institution during the Fall quarter is tracked for eight years.  Transfer students are also tracked for eight years.

A count of individual, non-duplicated students/faculty/staff. 

A person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race. 

See IPEDS Ethnicity Reporting Rules for clarification on IPEDS race/ethnicity reporting.

A special program for very able students offering the opportunity for educational enrichment, independent study, acceleration, or some combination of these. 

Academic work is chosen or designed by the student with the approval of the department concerned, under an instructor's supervision, and usually undertaken outside of the regular classroom structure. Includes component types Independent Study, Internship, Project/Thesis, Practicum.

Those members of the instruction/research staff whose major regular assignment is instruction, including those with released time for research.

Category: Groups instructors into high-level reporting categories.

Type:  Groups instructors into reporting categories more detailed than “category”. See "faculty categories" for more notes.

Recreational sports teams open to all students within Santa Clara University; compete against other teams within Santa Clara University.

Sports teams at the varsity level at which student participation is regulated by the NCAA or NAIA; compete against outside university teams.

Short-term supervised work experience usually related to a student's major field, for which the student earns academic credit.

The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System.  A system of interrelated surveys conducted annually by the U.S. Department's National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).  See IPEDS Use the Data for details on how survey data are used.

Education at a school with a Jesuit religious affiliation consisting of grades nine through twelve.

Two or more institutions sponsor an academic program leading toward a degree.  The participating institutions administer and share academic responsibility for the joint program.

The cumulative GPA of the student at the end of their last term in an academic plan; this may be at completion when they earned a degree or when they dropped the plan from their record.

A student who takes fewer units than the full-time threshold set by Santa Clara University for a program of study.

An organized collection of printed, microform, and audiovisual materials that provide necessary equipment and services for students and faculty.

The academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits.  A student who successfully completes the courses prescribed in an academic major qualifies for an undergraduate degree.  

An award that requires the successful completion of a program of study beyond the bachelor's degree; demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice. 

The National Center for Education Statistics, which is the statistical branch of the Office of Educational Research and Improvement, a principal operating component of the U.S. Department of Education. 

Recipients of a prestigious national award given to approximately 2,000 high school students each year who exhibit academic excellence. Students qualify as National Merit finalists based on scores from the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, supporting information submitted on their academic work, and a recommendation from their principals. 

A questionnaire administered to samples of first-year students and seniors that assesses students' level of engagement in their academic careers.  The NSSE measures five key clusters of activities that research has shown to be tied to desired collegiate outcomes: level of academic challenge, student-faculty interactions, active and collaborative learning, enriching educational experiences, and a supportive campus environment.

A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands. 

See IPEDS Ethnicity Reporting Rules for clarification on IPEDS race/ethnicity reporting. 

Persons who were hired for full-time permanent employment for the 1st time, or after a break in service, between July 1 and September 30 of the survey year.  These do not include persons who have returned from sabbatical leave. IPEDS definition.

Designates classes that are not New Core in 2009 and/or Old Core prior to 2009.

A course of activity having no credit applicable toward a degree, diploma, certificate, or other formal awards.

A student enrolled in courses for credit who is not recognized by the institution as seeking a degree or formal award.

A person who is not a citizen or national of the United States and who is in this country on a visa or temporary basis and does not have the right to remain indefinitely. May also be referred to as Non-US Citizens. 

See IPEDS Ethnicity Reporting Rules for clarification on IPEDS race/ethnicity reporting.

Faculty who are not tenured and who do not accumulate credit towards tenure; hired on an annual basis.

Faculty who are not tenured and who do not accumulate credit toward tenure; hired on a term-by-term basis.

Faculty with continuing or renewable-term lecturer appointments but are not tenured or on tenure track.

The amount of time necessary for students to complete all requirements for a degree or certificate according to the institution's catalog.

Faculty who hold special continuing appointments as an adjunct professor, adjunct associate professor, or adjunct assistant professor (there are no faculty in this category after 2003-04); full-time.

An education consisting of grades nine through twelve at a school designated as not Religious, Catholic, Private or Public.  

Faculty holding term appointment other than lecturer; examples include Dean's Executive Professor, Legal Analysis, Research and Writing Instructor, Supervising Attorney, Director of the Legal Analysis, Research and Writing Program, Director, Academic Success Program, Teaching Scholar, Senior Fellow, Staff Attorney, University Professor (from 2004-05 forward, this category includes appointments of adjunct professor, adjunct associate professor, and adjunct assistant professor); full-time.

Santa Clara does not offer part-time Bachelor's degree programs nor admits undergraduate students on a part-time basis. In rare cases new students may be permitted to reduce their enrollment to less than full-time; these students are reported, per Department of Education requirements, under the status of "part-time".

Provides grant assistance to eligible undergraduate postsecondary students with demonstrated financial need to help meet educational expenses. 

Percent Completed Plan

Percentage of degree-seeking, undergraduate students who completed an academic plan of those who “Declared in Plan”.

Percent Earned a Degree

Percentage of degree-seeking, undergraduate students who earned a degree, either in the selected academic plan or in a different academic plan, of those who “Declared in Plan”

Provides low-interest loans to eligible postsecondary students (undergraduate, graduate, or professional students) with demonstrated financial need to help meet educational expenses.  Formerly National Direct Student Loans. 

A measure of the rate at which students persist in their educational program at an institution expressed as a percentage.

An award that requires completion of an organized program of study requiring 18 credit hours beyond the bachelor's; designed for persons who have completed a baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of master.

An award that requires completion of an organized program of study of 24 credit hours beyond the master's degree, but does not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of master.

Difference between % Earned a Degree and % Completed Plan for degree-seeking undergraduates.

A major, minor, or certificate that a student has declared in position 1.

Gifts to Santa Clara University from alumni, corporations, foundations, trusts, and associations.

Education at a school controlled by a private individual(s); supported primarily by private funds; consisting of grades nine through twelve.

An education consisting of grades nine through twelve; at a school whose programs and activities are operated by publicly elected/appointed school officials and primarily supported by public funds.

Faculty appointed for one quarter or semester to teach classes; part-time.

The full-time equivalent for faculty.  The FTE for quarterly part-time faculty is calculated based on actual classes taught.  For the School of Law, a full-time teaching load is 2.57 classes for a term, while for all other schools/colleges a full-time teaching load is 3.0 for a term.  So every academic class is assigned an FTE of 0.389105058 for Law and 0.33333333 for all other schools/colleges.  For independent study classes, the number of credit hours for the class is divided by 12(for Law)or 15(for all other schools/colleges).  If a class is team-taught, the FTE is divided among instructors.

Race/ethnicity is self-reported. Students may change their race/ethnicity through Human Resources self-service. This report represents the most recent race/ethnicity recorded in Santa Clara University's system of record, PeopleSoft. For consistency in multi-year reporting, any changes made to race/ethnicity are retroactively applied to all prior year data for each individual.

A category used to describe groups to which individuals belong, identify with, or belong in the eyes of the community. The categories do not denote scientific definitions of anthropological origins. A person may be counted in only one group. 

See IPEDS Ethnicity Reporting Rules for clarification on IPEDS race/ethnicity reporting.

Race/Ethnicity, Nonresident alien is its own IPEDS reporting category that pulls out Nonresident aliens from the other race/ethnicity categories.  

A category used to classify students or employees whose race/ethnicity is not known and institutions are unable to place them in one of the specified racial/ethnic categories. 

See IPEDS Ethnicity Reporting Rules for clarification on IPEDS race/ethnicity reporting.

Regular Decision is a non-binding admission program. It is the standard method of applying to a university and allows us to consider applicants for the first semester or second-trimester senior-year grades in our evaluation.

Regular Decision applicants are notified of their admission status via mail by April 1.

To facilitate a comparison of students entering at different points in time (e.g. fall 2010 or spring 2013), all measurements are based on a student’s relative term. There are four terms per year and, e.g. each first-time undergraduate student starts in term one and is expected to complete their degree within 16 terms.

Education at a school with a religious affiliation consisting of grades nine through twelve. 

Faculty holding renewable-term lecturer appointments of an initial term of three years (this category was formalized in 2006-07); full-time.

Faculty holding renewable-term lecturer appointments of an initial term of three years; they are not tenured and do not accumulate credit toward tenure (this category was formalized in 2006-07).  FTE is >=0.5 and <1.0 and is based on a full-time equivalent course load of six courses for Law and nine courses for all other schools/colleges; part-time.

A fixed sum charged to students for items not covered by tuition and required of such a large proportion of all students that the student who does not pay the charge is an exception.

A person's permanent address determined by such evidence as a driver's license or voter registration.  For entering first-year students, the residence may be the legal residence of a parent or guardian.

A person who is not a citizen or national of the United States and who has been admitted as a legal immigrant for the purpose of obtaining permanent resident alien status. 

See IPEDS Ethnicity Reporting Rules for clarification on IPEDS race/ethnicity reporting. 

Percent of students entering each fall term as first-time, full-time, degree-seeking students who return as second-year students.  Students are included in the retention cohort if they start their college careers at SCU or another institution during the summer and continue at SCU in the fall term.  Students who have achieved sophomore standing as a result of dual credit or Advanced Placement (AP) credit are also included in the cohort.

An examination administered by the Educational Testing Service and used to predict the facility with which an individual will progress in learning college-level academic subjects.

A major, minor, or certificate that a student has declared in positions 2, 3, or 4.

Faculty with a continuing appointment at the rank of senior lecturer; full time.

The overall standing of a person in the stratification system of a society, based on education, income, and occupational prestige (derived from responses to the HERI Freshman Survey). The Santa Clara SES is a composite indicator that is normalized within each entering cohort; so by design, each entering cohort will be ranked by their SES score into five equal-sized groups (quintiles). SES-SCU quintiles are labeled and ordered as [5: upper, 4: upper-middle, 3: middle, 2: lower-middle, 1: lower]. Students who did not complete the HERI Freshman survey and students who entered in years the survey was not administered are coded as ‘unknown’ SES. SES is available for 85% of entering students in the years the survey was administered.

See the Institutional Research Issue Paper for further details.

Specialized accreditation normally applies to the evaluation of programs, departments, or schools which usually are parts of a total collegiate or other post-secondary institution.  The unit accredited may be as large as a college or school within a university or a small as a curriculum within a discipline.

Tests prepared and administered by an agency independent of any postsecondary education institution, for purposes of making available to prospective students, information about the students' academic qualifications relative to a national sample.  Examples are the SAT and ACT assessment tests.

STEM Designated Program of Study (STEM):  refers to an academic degree program that qualifies an F-1 nonimmigrant student to apply for the STEM OPT extension under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) regulations.​ The DHS has defined "STEM fields" as those included under the U.S. Department of Education's Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) taxonomy, specifically within the two-digit series covering engineering, biological sciences, mathematics, and physical sciences, as well as related fields. The list of qualifying CIP codes is updated periodically. Santa Clara extends this designation to all POS based on their CIP or parent CIP.

Full-time

Undergraduate: Students enrolled in 12 units or more per term; prior to Fall 2010, full-time was defined as enrolling in 10 or more units per term.

Graduate: Status is dependent on individual program definitions.

Part-time

Undergraduate: Students enrolled in 11 or fewer units per term; prior to Fall 2010, part-time was defined as enrolling in 9 or fewer units per term.

Graduate: Status is dependent on individual program definitions.

Continuing: Students enrolling in the graduate program the following term; continuing their graduate studies.

A report that articulates university-wide goals and provides a framework for the development of detailed action plans to achieve these goals.

A person who has actively entered into a relationship with an academic program of Santa Clara University in an officially recognized capacity.

Also known as the "Student Right-to-Know and Campus Security Act" (P.L. 101-542), which was passed by Congress on November 9, 1990. Title I, Section 103, requires institutions eligible for Title IV funding to disclose completion or graduation rates of certificate or degree-seeking, full-time students, entering an institution to all students and prospective students.  Further, section 104 requires each institution that participates in any Title IV program is attended by students receiving athletically-related student aid to annually submit a report to the Secretary.  This report is to contain among other things graduation/completion rates of students receiving athletically-related student aid by race/ethnicity and gender and by sport, and the average completion or graduation rate for the four most recent years.  These data are also required to be disclosed to potential student-athletes (and others) when the institution offers athletically-related student aid.

An index of the average student FTE enrollment in relation to faculty FTE.

A Santa Clara University defined category whose race/ethnicity includes: American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, Black or African American, Hispanic of any race, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, or Two or more races.

Any arrangement by which a student completes part of the college program studying in another country. It can be at a campus abroad or through a cooperative agreement with another US college or an institution of another country.

An academic term occurring during the Summer months (June through September) where multiple courses and sessions are offered.  The Summer term consists of multiple Summer sessions. 

A program designed to prepare students to meet the requirements for certification as teachers in elementary, middle/junior high, and secondary schools. 

Faculty who hold appointments at the rank of
Professor, Associate Professor, Assistant Professor, and Acting Assistant Professor; full-time.

Faculty who are on tenure-track but are not tenured; full-time. 

Faculty who are tenured or on tenure-track; full-time.

The total quarter credit hours recorded on the student's academic record as accepted by the institution as transfer credit from all previously attended institutions. 

A student entering the reporting institution for the first time but known to have previously attended a postsecondary institution at the same level (e.g., undergraduate, graduate).

Amount of money charged to students for instructional services. Tuition may be charged per term, annually, per course, or per credit.

A category used to classify individuals who self-identified with more than one race/ethnic category.  Non-Hispanic. 

See IPEDS Ethnicity Reporting Rules for clarification on IPEDS race/ethnicity reporting.

A student enrolled in a four-year bachelor's degree program.

A category that aggregates IPEDS race/ethnicity classifications to include: American Indian or Alaska Native, Black or African American, Hispanic of any race, and Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander. Persons classified as ‘two or more races’ are evaluated based on their constituent responses, e.g. a person self-reporting as white and  American Indian would aggregate to URM, while a person self-reporting as white and Asian, would not aggregate to URM.

A prestigious award that is given to one of the top-ranked students in the graduating class.

A technique for creating images, diagrams, or animations to communicate a message. 

Faculty holding a position at Santa Clara University while on leave from other professional employment; full-time.

Faculty holding an academic year term appointment at Santa Clara University while on leave from other professional employment. FTE is <1.0; part-time.

A List of students who meet a university's admission requirements but will only be offered a place in the entering first-year class if space becomes available.

A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, North Africa, or the Middle East. Non-Hispanic. 

See IPEDS Ethnicity Reporting Rules for clarification on IPEDS race/ethnicity reporting.

Measures the duration of time since a student entered tertiary education.
For Santa Clara's Quarter system:

There's an analogous definition for Semester programs.

Note: Year in school is adjusted for transfer students, to account for their class standing at matriculation.

 the percent of admitted students who choose to enroll at a given college.