College

In college, a minor is a secondary area of academic study that a student completes alongside a major. It usually requires a planned set of courses in a subject, but it is smaller and less extensive than a major, and the exact requirements vary by school and program. What a college minor represents A minor […]

In college, MFA usually means Master of Fine Arts, a graduate degree focused on developing advanced creative practice in fields such as writing, visual art, theater, film, and design. It combines sustained studio or workshop work with critique and, often, a substantial project or portfolio; it is not the same as an MBA or an

In college, a major is the main subject area a student chooses to study in depth as part of an undergraduate degree. It shapes many of the courses they take and usually appears on the degree they earn, but it is not the only subject they study or necessarily a fixed career choice. What a

In college, “LEC” usually means lecture: a class meeting in which an instructor presents material to a group of students. You may see the abbreviation beside a course section in a schedule, registration system, or syllabus; its exact use can vary, so check the course details at your school. What LEC means on a college

Junior standing in college generally means a student has completed enough academic credit, or met an institution’s equivalent progress requirements, to be classified as a third-year undergraduate. It is an academic classification—not a guarantee that someone has attended college for exactly three years, has a particular major, or will graduate on a set schedule. What

In college, “JUCO” means junior college, an informal term for a two-year college. People most often use it for community colleges and other institutions where students can complete college coursework, earn an associate degree or certificate, and sometimes prepare to transfer to a four-year university. What the term refers to JUCO is short for “junior

An IP grade in college usually means “In Progress”: the course or required work is not yet complete, so the instructor has not posted a final grade. It is generally a temporary status rather than a failing mark, but its effect on credits, GPA, and deadlines depends on your school’s rules and the reason it

In college, independent study is a for-credit learning arrangement in which a student explores an academic topic through self-directed work, usually with guidance from a faculty supervisor. It may take the form of a reading course, a research project, a creative endeavor, or another structured study plan approved by the college. What Independent Study Means

In college, “in residence” generally means that a student is living in housing associated with the institution, such as a campus residence hall, or is meeting a school’s requirement to complete some study at that institution. The exact meaning depends on where the phrase appears: a housing form may refer to where you live, while

In college, the humanities are fields of study that explore human culture, ideas, values, creativity, and experience. They commonly include subjects such as history, literature, philosophy, languages, religion, and the arts, using interpretation and evidence to understand how people make meaning and how societies change. What the Humanities Include Humanities is an umbrella term, not