Abbreviations and Terms

UMN, UofM: University of Minnesota
UMTC: University of Minnesota Twin Cities
Internet ID / x500: Same as your email before the '@.' Used for UMN email, MyU, campus computers, and more.
U-Card: University identification card
U-Pass: Discounted University bus and train card for metro transit.

CBS: College of Biological Sciences
CCAPS: College of Continuing and Professional Studies
*This will show up on your transcript as it hosts all non-degree students.
CDES: College of Design
CFANS: College of Food, Agricultural, and Natural Resource Sciences
CSE: College of Science and Engineering
CSOM: Carlson School of Management
CLA: College of Liberal Arts
CEHD: College of Education and Human Development

ISSS: International Student and Scholar Services. This office serves international students and scholars, provides visa advising, and offers cultural programming.
SUA: Student Unions and Activities. This office works with our more than 600 student groups on campus and provides free activities throughout the year.
MELP: Minnesota English Language Program. The ESL center on campus that can remove AZ holds.
Rec Center: The Recreation Center on campus which provides free access to recreation and sports facilities.
H&RL: Housing and Residential Life. This office handles all housing-related issues.

Schedule Builder: Tool used to search for classes and create your class schedule. It does not enroll you in classes.
Drop: Cancelling your enrollment in a class. This must be done officially through your MyU registration tool.
Add: Adding a class to your schedule. This must be done officially through your MyU registration tool.
Swap: Replacing one class with a different class.
Waitlist: A waitlist occurs when a course is full. You can add yourself to the waitlist to be enrolled in the course if an opening occurs.
Permission number: A number given to students to add courses that require additional permission from a department.
Academic Advisor: A person on campus assigned to help a student choose classes. This person works with students and classes from a specific college or department. Exchange students should contact the ISSS office for further assistance.
Course Career: Term used on Course Search. Only select "Undergraduate".

Credits/units: Credit hours. This is generally how many hours you’ll spend in class per week. For every credit/hour in class, expect to spend 1-2 hours a week on homework outside of class. Each student should register for 13-16 credits.
Term: The semester in which you are studying (Fall or Spring).
LEC: Lecture. This refers to the type of class. This will be a lecture setting with minimal participation.
DIS: Discussion section. This refers to the type of class. This will be a smaller section of students with more participation required. Many classes have 2 parts that are both mandatory (Lecture and discussion or lab)
LAB: Lab section. This refers to the type of class. This will be a smaller section of students that participate in laboratory activities.
Location: Choose classes that meet at: UMTC, East Bank; UMTC, St. Paul; or UMTC, West Bank.

AZ Hold: A hold that prevents you from registering for classes. It means that you may need to take a test or extra ESL classes because of a lower ESL test score.
AI Hold: A hold that prevents you from registering for classes. It means you need to complete the International Student Preparation Course and the ISSS Check-In through MyISSS after you arrive in the U.S.

H or V: Honors Students Only. Do not take. (e.g., AGRI 5304V or AGRI 5304H).
W: Writing Intensive. Courses with a W following the course number satisfy the writing intensive requirement for liberal education (e.g., AGRI 5304W). These classes have a significant number of writing assignments.
cr: Credit. Classes can be 1-4 cr [max 6 cr]
prereq: Course prerequisites. A requirement needed before taking the course.
equiv: Equivalent.
fr, soph, jr, sr: Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, Senior.
#: Approval of the instructor is required for registration.
%: Approval of the department offering the course is required for registration.
@: Approval of the college offering the course is required for registration.
fall, spring, every year: Term(s) the course is typically offered.

In-Person Classes: Students and instructors meet in person for class at regularly scheduled days and times.
Remote-Instruction Classes: Students and instructors must be online at the same time, at scheduled days and times. 100% of instruction is online with no in-person meetings. Exams are also all online.
Online Classes: Instructors provide materials and assignments that students access online at any time or within a given time frame (such as one week), rather than instructors and students meeting together as a class on a regular schedule. Exams are also all online.
Blended Classes: Students can expect a combination of delivery methods: in-person and online or remote.

0000-0999: There is no credit for these courses.
1xxx-3xxx: For Undergraduates. (Recommended)
4xxx-5xxx: Primarily for Undergraduate students in their fourth year of study.
*Only if you have studied subject in your home country. Not recommended otherwise.
6xxx-8xxx: Not available to most exchange students.

A-F only: A-F grade basis only; course may not be audited or take pass/fail. (Recommended)
S-N only: S-N grade basis only (pass/fail), course may not be audited or taken A-F. (Not recommended)
Aud: Audit. Course may be audited (attended) for no grade. No credit granted. (Not available)