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Abbreviations, Acronyms, and Codes

Described below are common codes, abbreviations, acronyms, and other types of academic shorthand that students and advisers might encounter at Penn State, along with a brief explanation of each and links to relevant websites.

Topical Index: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
List of codes, abbreviations and acronymns used at Penn State
Code Explanation
A Top
A Course suffix that indicates different versions of the same course, e.g., CAS 100A, CAS 100B, CAS 100C
A Special topics courses (x97) reviewed for inter-domain status = GA/GN
A & A Arts and Architecture
AA Arts and Architecture (college/premajor code)
AB Abington (college code)
AB Abington (campus code)
ACUE Administrative Council on Undergraduate Education
AG Agricultural Sciences (college/premajor code)
AL Altoona (campus code)
AL Altoona (college code)
AP Advanced Placement Program
APPL Course requires an application with the School of Music (course characteristic)
APPT By appointment
AU Audit, attended regularly (grade reporting symbol)
AUDN Course requires an audition (course characteristic)
B Top
B Course suffix that indicates different versions of the same course, e.g., CAS 100A, CAS 100B, CAS 100C
B Special topics courses (x97) reviewed for inter-domain status = GA/GH
BA Bachelor of Arts Courses
BA Business, Smeal College of (college/premajor code)
BC Behrend (college code)
BK Berks (campus code)
BK Berks (college code)
BR Beaver (campus code)
BW Brandywine (campus code)
C Top
C Course suffix that indicates different versions of the same course, e.g., CAS 100A, CAS 100B, CAS 100C
C Special topics courses (x97) reviewed for inter-domain status = GA/GS
CA Capital (college code)
CALC Course requires a calculator (course characteristic)
CAMP College Assistance Migrant Program
CAT Online catalog, University Libraries
CC Commonwealth Campuses
CCP College Contact Person
CCRR College Contact and Referral Representative
CCSG Council of Commonwealth Student Governments
CE Continuing Education
CGPA Cumulative grade-point average
CLEP College-Level Examination Program
CM Communications (college code)
CNCR Course is scheduled concurrently with another course (course characteristic)
CNTL Course is controlled (course characteristic)
COMM Communications (premajor code)
CORD Course is coordinated with other course(s) (course characteristic)
COST Course requires an additional fee (course characteristic)
D Top
D Course suffix that indicates different versions of the same course, e.g., ENGL 202D
D Special topics courses (x97) reviewed for inter-domain status = GA/GHW
DAA Dean/Director of Academic Affairs
DF Deferred grade (grade reporting symbol)
DN Dickinson School of Law (campus code)
DS DuBois (campus code)
DU Division of Undergraduate Studies (college code)
DUS Division of Undergraduate Studies (premajor code)
DUSC DUS-Conditional students
E Top
E Course suffix that indicates different versions of the same course, e.g., MATH 140E
E Special topics courses (x97) reviewed for inter-domain status = GN/GH
ECoS Eberly College of Science
ED Education (college/premajor code)
EM Earth and Mineral Sciences (college code)
EMSC Earth and Mineral Sciences (premajor code)
EN Engineering (college code)
ENGR Engineering (premajor code)
EOP Educational Opportunity Program
EPR Early Progress Report
EPS Educational Planning Survey
ER Behrend (campus code)
ESL English as a Second Language
EVEX Course has evening exams (course characteristic)
F Top
F Special topics courses (x97) reviewed for inter-domain status = GN/GS
FE Fayette (campus code)
FINL Course has a final exam (course characteristic)
FL Failure under pass/fail option (grade reporting symbol)
FYS First-Year Seminar
G Top
G Course suffix that indicates different versions of the same course, e.g., MATH 140G
G Special topics courses (x97) reviewed for inter-domain status = GN/GHW
GA Arts (General Education attribute)
GA Greater Allegheny (campus code)
GH Humanities (General Education attribute)
GHW Health and Wellness (General Education attribute)
GN Natural Sciences (General Education attribute)
GPA Grade-point average
GQ Quantification (General Education attribute)
GR Graduate (level code)
GS Social and Behavioral Sciences (General Education attribute)
GV Great Valley (campus code)
GWS Writing/Speaking (General Education attribute)
H Top
H Honors course or section (course suffix and attribute code)
HB Harrisburg (campus code)
HH Health and Human Development (college code)
HHD Health and Human Development (premajor code)
HN Hazleton (campus code)
HY Hershey Medical Center (campus code)
I Top
I Incomplete (grade reporting symbol)
I Special topics courses (x97) reviewed for inter-domain status = GS/GH
IB International Baccalaureate Program
IC Intercollege programs (college code)
IL International Cultures (Cultural Diversity attribute code)
INFST Information Sciences and Technology (premajor code)
INTG Course is integrated with other courses (course characteristic)
IS Information Sciences and Technology (college code)
ITS Information Technology Services
IUG Integrated undergraduate/graduate degree programs
IVID Course uses interactive video (course characteristic)
J Top
J Individualized instruction (course suffix)
J Special topics courses (x97) reviewed for inter-domain status = GS/GHW
K Top
K Special topics courses (x97) reviewed for inter-domain status = GH/GHW
L Top
L Lab section (course suffix)
LA Liberal Arts (college/premajor code)
LAB Laboratory Section
LD Late drop
LEAP Learning Edge Academic Program
LEC Lecture section
LIAB Course has liability attendance policy (course characteristic)
LV Lehigh Valley (campus code)
LW Law (level code)
M Top
M Writing Across the Curriculum and Honors (course suffix)
MA Mont Alto (campus code)
MAC Morgan Academic Center
MD Medical (level code)
MEP Multicultural Engineering Program
MRC Multicultural Resource Center
MS Military Science (ROTC) (college code)
N Top
N Inter-Domain course suffix
NACADA The Global Community for Academic Advising
NC Non-credit (level code)
ND Nondegree students
NG No grade (grade reporting symbol)
NK New Kensington (campus code)
NR Nursing, School of (college code)
NSO New Student Orientation
NURS Nursing (premajor code)
O Top
OCLC Course meets at an off-campus location (course characteristic)
OSA Office of Student Aid
OUR Office of the University Registrar
P Top
P Pass (noncredit course) (grade reporting symbol)
PC Penn College (Pennsylvania College of Technology) (college code)
PMAJ Premajor status
PREQ Course has prerequisites (course characteristic)
PS Pass (pass/fail option) (grade reporting symbol)
PSU Pennsylvania State University
Q Top
Q Inter-Domain and Honors course suffix
R Top
R Recitation section (section suffix)
R Research (grade reporting symbol)
RI Resident Instruction
ROTC Reserve Officers' Training Corps
S Top
S First-Year Seminar (course suffix)
SA Satisfactory achievement (grade reporting symbol)
SAP Satisfactory Academic Progress (student aid)
SAP Suggested Academic Plan (bulletin)
SATL Course is offered at multiple locations via satellite uplink (course characteristic)
SC Science, Eberly College of (college code)
SCIEN Science, Eberly College of (premajor code)
SDR Student Disability Resources
SEGM Course is segmented (course characteristic)
SGPA Semester grade-point average
SH Shenango (campus code)
SI Supplemental Instruction
SITE Schreyer Institute for Teaching Excellence
SL Schuylkill (campus code)
SRTE Student Ratings of Teacher Effectiveness
T Top
T First-Year Seminar and Honors (course suffix)
U Top
U United States Cultures/International Cultures and Honors (course suffix)
UAO Undergraduate Admissions Office
UC University College (college code)
UE Undergraduate Education
UFO University Fellowships Office
UG Undergraduate (level code)
UN Unsatisfactory achievement (grade reporting symbol)
UP University Park (campus code)
UPUA University Park Undergraduate Association
US United States Cultures (Cultural Diversity attribute code)
V Top
W Top
W Official withdrawal (grade reporting symbol)
W Writing Across the Curriculum (course suffix)
WB Wilkes-Barre (campus code)
WC World Campus (campus code)
WEB Web course; offered entirely through the Internet (course characteristic)
WEP Women in Engineering Program
WISE Women in the Sciences and Engineering
WS Scranton (campus code)
X Top
X Writing Across the Curriculum and First-Year Seminar (course suffix)
XF Failure, academic dishonesty (course grade)
XS Study Abroad (location code)
Y Top
Y Writing Across the Curriculum course and United States Cultures/International Cultures (course suffix)
YK York (campus code)
Z Top
Z Linked Course (course suffix)