Please note:
Last updated: April 3, 2012
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
| A | Back to top | |
| Terms | Undergraduate Notes | Graduate Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Academic Career | Undergraduate (UG) | Graduate (GRAD) |
| Academic Level | One of 1A, 1B, ... , 4A, or 4B. For some plans, advancement of level depends on the successful completion of the previous term whereas others depend on successful completion of a specified number of units. See Determination of Level and Term of Study in the Undergraduate Calendar for more details. | M for Masters or D for Doctorate (PhD) |
| Academic Plan | A set of courses, a number of which may be mandatory and of a specialized nature, leading toward a particular degree, option, or minor. | A set of courses, a number of which may be mandatory and of a specialized nature, leading toward a particular degree. |
| Academic Program | See Academic Plan | Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| Academic Standing | An academic indicator of your overall progress towards earning a degree. Examples of positive standings are excellent, good, and satisfactory. Many other standings may be conditional, i.e., you need to pass the stated condition to remain in your program. If you have concerns or questions regarding your standing, please contact your advisor. Advisor contact information can be accessed through the Registrar's Office website or find the corresponding department in the Department Telephone Directory. |
Not Applicable |
| ACC | Not Applicable | See Non-Graded Standings, transcript legend (pdf) |
| Add Status | This term refers to the result of your attempt to add a class to your schedule. After you click on FINISH ENROLLING, either a checkmark for Success or a red X for Error will appear. You should also look for any messages that appear in the Message column to the left of the Status column. |
Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| AEG | See Non-Graded Standings, transcript legend (pdf) | Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| Antirequisites | A condition preventing enrollment in a course. The most common antirequisites are courses that have significant overlap. Degree credit will not be granted for both the antirequisite course and a course naming it as such. | Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| Appointment | See Enrollment Appointment | Not Applicable |
| Associated Class (Assoc. Class) | The number assigned to each component (i.e., Primary Component/Meet, Related 1, and/or Related 2) that links the components together for selection purposes. For example, if you select a primary component/meet with an associated class number of 1, the related 1 and/or related 2 components must be chosen from those with the same class association number. This number appears in the associated class category of the schedule of classes. Note: An associated class number of 99 means that any time slot within each related component may be chosen. |
Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| AUD | See Non-Graded Standings, transcript legend (pdf) | Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| Audit | If a student audits a course, the student is allowed to participate in the course without being examined on its content. The student must see the instructor at the beginning of a course to establish the conditions that will need to be satisfied to receive AUD for the course. A Course Override Form (pdf) is also required. | A graduate student is permitted to enrol for a course as an audit providing it has been approved by their supervisor, graduate officer, or Associate Dean. Pick up Drop/Add form from your academic department. |
| Auto Enroll | Auto enrollment takes place when you do not have a choice of related meets. Related 1 and/or Related 2 components/meets are automatically assigned when you add the primary component for the course. | Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| B |
Back to top | |
| Terms | Undergraduate Notes | Graduate Notes |
| Building/Room (Bldg/Room) | The building and room where the individual meet will be held. | Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| C | Back to top | |
| Terms | Undergraduate Notes | Graduate Notes |
| Campus (Camp Loc) | The campus indicates which institution offers the course. Most courses are offered through the main University of Waterloo campus, but some are offered through a university college such as Renison, or in cooperation with another university, such as WLU (Wilfrid Laurier University). | Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| Catalog Number (Catalog #) | The 3-digit number that identifies a particular course (e.g., ACC 121). It sometimes has one or more letters as a suffix (e.g., FR 252A). | The 3- or 4-digit number that identifies a particular course (e.g., ECE 604, ECE 6613PD). It sometimes has one or more letters as a suffix (e.g., PSYCH 624A or ECE 6613PD). |
| Class Enrollment | The process of selecting and enrolling in courses for a particular term via Quest prior to final date for fee arrangement, having them approved, and recorded with the Registrar's Office. Some programs or plans may require mandatory core courses to be entered by the Registrar's Office. Deadlines apply. See the Calendar of Events and Academic Deadlines in the Undergraduate Calendar or the Important Dates information available on Quest. | The process of selecting courses prior to final date for fee arrangement, having them approved and recorded with the Graduate Studies Office (GSO). |
| Class Notes | Text included with some courses that provides you with information or instructions regarding the course. | Not Applicable |
| Class Number (Class) | A 4-digit number that identifies a particular course component/meet and class section (e.g., 1597 LEC 001; 1879 LAB 101). | Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| Class Permission Nbr | See Permission Nbr | Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| Class Section Nbr (Sec) | See Section | Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| Clinic (CLN) | This is a Primary Meet where teaching is devoted to the analysis and treatment of cases in various special fields normally in a specially equipped clinic setting. There may be a high student/instructor ratio. The frequency of meetings can be as many as 5 per week for a total contact time of 45 hours. | Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| Combined Sections | Two or more sections may be combined if class size permits. Classes will be taught as a single class with one instructor, one location, same time, e.g., AMATH 332/PMATH 332. Also see Held With.
Choose from the section that is suited to you. |
Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| Component (Comp Sect) | The term used to refer to the various parts of courses (e.g., lectures, labs, tutorials, etc.). See Terminology: Type of Instruction for details. Also see Course Components |
Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| Corequisite | A course that must be taken concurrently, if it has not been taken in a prior term. | Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| Course | A unit of study relating to a specific academic discipline and identified by a course/subject name and number. All course names have abbreviations (e.g., Psychology 101 is often abbreviated to PSYCH 101). See the course abbreviations in the Undergraduate Course Description index, Undergraduate Calendar. | A unit of study relating to a specific academic discipline, and identified by a course name and number. |
| Course Abbreviations | A maximum of six letters is used to identify course subjects. Course abbreviations can be found in the Undergraduate Calendar, Course Descriptions Index. | Not Applicable |
| Course Catalog | The listing of courses which includes the description, requisites, terms offered, and special notes. | Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| Course Components | Course Component is a term used to refer to the various types of course meets.
Listed below are the available course components used in the Schedule of Classes. Click on the link beside the course component for the description. CLN (Clinic) |
Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| Course ID (Number) | The 6-digit number identifying the course; leading 0s are ignored. | Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| Course Title | The title of the course. When searching for courses in Quest, you may specify the course title or the course title keyword in the description field. | Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| Course Values | See Unit | Most courses cover one academic term and carry the weight of 0.5 units. On occasion, a course covering one term may have a unit weight of 1.0 and will meet during that term for more hours per week than does a 0.5 unit course. In some instances, a course may have a 0.25 unit weight. |
| CR | See Non-Graded Standings, transcript legend (pdf) | Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| Credential | A degree, diploma, or certificate | Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| Credit | See Unit | Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| Cross-Listed Courses | Courses which are listed under two departments and which can be taken for credit from either department, but not both. | Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| Cross-Registration | An arrangement between the University of Waterloo and Wilfrid Laurier University (WLU) which enables students of either University 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. Tuition and related fees, including fees for cross-registered courses, are payable at the University of Waterloo. Students are responsible for additional costs to WLU specific to course(s), such as costs for online courses. See Cross-Registration with Wilfrid Laurier University in the Undergraduate Calendar for more information. | Not Applicable |
| D | Back to top | |
| Terms | Undergraduate Notes | Graduate Notes |
| Definitions | The definitions listed below apply to the schedule of classes' abbreviations. Click on the link beside the defintion for the description. Subject (Course Abbreviations) Also see Schedule of Classes Definitions |
Same as Undergradate Notes except for Subject which is not applicable |
| Department | A department is a smaller subset within a faculty, such as the Mechanical Engineering, in the Faculty of Engineering. | Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| Discussion (DIS) | Teaching is based primarily on engaging the students in instructor-guided group discussions. The student/instructor ratio is similar to a seminar. The course is usually held in a smaller teaching or seminar room to facilitate more group involvement. Usually there is 1 meeting per week for a total contact time of 1 to 3 hours. | Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| DNW | See Non-Graded Standings, transcript legend (pdf) | Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| Drop | Drops the course from your schedule. If you drop a course after lectures have begun, consequences may apply. Each term there are deadlines after which you may not drop courses from your schedule without penalties. For more important date information: See the Calendar of Events and Academic Deadlines in the Undergraduate Calendar or the Important Dates information available on Quest. Undergraduate students: You can't drop your last class from your schedule. That is, if you only have one class on your schedule and you want to drop it, you'll have to complete an Undergraduate Notice of Withdrawal Form (pdf) and submit it to the Registrar's Office so that you can be withdrawn from your course. |
Drops the course from your schedule. If you drop a course after lectures have begun, consequences may apply. Each term there are deadlines after which you may not drop courses from your schedule without penalties. For more important date information, visit the Graduate Studies Calendar of Events & Academic Deadlines for Important Dates information. |
| Drop to Waitlist | The waitlist feature is currently not in use, but may be implemented in the near future. | Not Applicable |
| E | Back to top | |
| Terms | Undergraduate Notes | Graduate Notes |
| 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 of Waterloo. | Not Applicable |
| Enrollment Appointment | For continuing undergraduate students only. A block of time during which you can enroll in classes before Open Class Enrollment begins for the term. Enrollment appointments are generally only a few days, so it is prudent to plan your schedule before your appointment time.
Note: There is a Class Enrollment Period for students enrolling at the University of Waterloo for the first time. |
Not Applicable |
| Enrollment Capacity (Enrol Cap) | This indicates the maximum number of students allowed to enroll in each section. | Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| Enrollment Requirement Group | A group of requisites for the course that restricts the course to certain students. | Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| Enrollment Total (Enrol Tot) | This indicates the number of students currently enrolled in each section. | Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| Ensemble (ENS) | This is a Primary Meet where instruction is conducted by means of evaluating musical performance amongst a group of supporting players. Usually these meets are held in a specially equipped room with 1 to 2 meetings per week for a total contact time of 3 to 4 hours. | Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| Error Messages | See undergraduate error messages | Grad error message information to follow shortly |
| Essay (ESS) | This is a Primary Meet where evaluation is normally based on a formal written piece of work that contains a thesis, substantiated by an argument that is properly referenced. Students work independently in consultation with an instructor. Contact is usually 3 hours per week. | Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| F | Back to top | |
| Terms | Undergraduate Notes | Graduate Notes |
| Faculty | One of Mathematics, Engineering, Arts, Applied Health Sciences, Environment, and Science. | Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| Fee Arrangement | The process of paying tuition, housing, and other applicable fees to the University of Waterloo for a specified four-month term. If a student anticipates that these fees, or a portion thereof, will be covered through an approved source of financial aid, s/he must provide proof of this amount, along with a signed Promissory Note (and payment of the balance, if applicable) by the deadline indicated for that term. Detailed information and forms are available through the Finance website. | Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| Field Studies (FLD) | This is a Primary Meet where teaching is conducted outside the classroom. Work is with the primary materials in their original setting. Meetings are usually 1 to 3 per week for a total contact time of 1 to 3 hours. | Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| FTC | See Non-Graded Standings, transcript legend (pdf) | Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| Full-Time Student | An undergraduate student is considered a full-time student when her/his course load reaches or exceeds 1.5 units in a four-month term. Full-time students are assessed applicable co-operative and incidental fees if their on-campus course load reaches or exceeds 1.5 units in a four-month term.
Note: Students need to be aware that fewer than 1.5 on-campus credits will generate only part-time incidentals and may require students to self-enrol in supplementary health & dental coverage and other student services. |
For a definition of a full-time graduate student, see Regular Full-time Gradiate Students in the Graduate Calendar. |
| G | Back to top | |
| Terms | Undergraduate Notes | Graduate Notes |
| GPA | Grade Point Average. Your GPA is a direct calculation of your unit-weighted average using your numeric grades and the weight/value of each grade in units. | Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| Grading Options | Numeric Grading Basis: Effective Fall 2001, numeric grades on a scale from 0-100 are used by all faculties. Non-Graded Component: See Non-Graded Standings, transcript legend (pdf) for details of grades other than 0-100. |
Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| Grading System | Grades for all courses taken prior to Fall 2001 appear on grade reports and transcripts either as one of 15 letter grades from A plus (A+) through F minus (F-) or as numeric marks from 0 to 100.
Effective Fall 2001, numeric grades on a scale from 0-100 are used by all faculties. Averages are reported in all faculties as percentages. Average calculation values are used for calculating overall averages for students with letter grades on their records. See the transcript legend (pdf) for the conversion scale for courses taken from Fall 1971 to Spring 2001 and the key to grades (pdf) for courses taken prior to Fall 1971. |
See the transcript legend (pdf) for the conversion scale for courses taken from Fall 1971 to Spring 2001 and the key to grades (pdf) for courses taken prior to Fall 1971. |
| Graduate | Not Applicable | GRD – as in "graduate students" or "graduate studies." Refers to students who are pursuing a master's or doctoral degree. |
| H | Back to top | |
| Terms | Undergraduate Notes | Graduate Notes |
| Held With | Two or more sections may be combined if class size permits. Classes will be taught as a single class with one instructor, one location, same time, e.g., AMATH 332/PMATH 332. Also see Combined Sections.
Choose from the section that is suited to you. |
Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| Holds | See Service Holds/Indicators | Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| Honours | A term sometimes used to refer to a recognition of excellence that you have received. If you graduate with honours such as the "Dean's Honours List," you will have this notation appear on official University transcripts and diplomas. For details of what honours are available for your plan, look under your faculty/department in the Undergradate Calendar or Graduate Calendar. | Not Applicable |
| Honours Program | An honours undergraduate program usually leads to a Bachelor's degree. Honours programs are more demanding than General programs, both with regard to content and the number of required courses. | Not Applicable |
| I | Back to top | |
| Terms | Undergraduate Notes | Graduate Notes |
| INC | See Non-Graded Standings, transcript legend (pdf) | Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| Instructor | The name of the instructor for the individual component/meet | Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| IP | See Non-Graded Standings, transcript legend (pdf) | Not Applicable |
| L | Back to top | |
| Terms | Undergraduate Notes | Graduate Notes |
| Laboratory (LAB) | Teaching takes place in a room containing special purpose equipment required for student observation, participation, experimentation, or practice. Usually, but not always, a LAB is attached to a regular Lecture, and frequently the instructors for both lecture and lab are the same. There may be a high student/instructor ratio. Normally there are 1 to 3 meetings per week for a total contact time of 1 to 3 hours. | Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| Lecture (LEC) | Teaching normally takes place in a classroom setting. Instruction is usually in the form of a series of lectures that meet 1 to 4 times per week for a total contact time of 2 to 4 hours. Typically, there is a large student/instructor ratio. The total class size should be normally more than three students; therefore, when a lecture section is combined with another lecture section (undergraduate or graduate), enrollment may be limited to less than 3 students in either one of the class sections. | Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| 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. | Not Applicable |
| Location (Camp Loc) | The location indicates where the actual course takes place. Most locations are Canada; however, some programs allow you to study abroad. Department consent is usually required. If the course is offered online, through the Centre for Extended Learning (CEL), the location code is ONLINE (ONLN). | Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| M | Back to top | |
| Terms | Undergraduate Notes | Graduate Notes |
| Major | The area(s) of academic emphasis selected in either an Honours or a General plan. Details of course and average requirements are given in the Undergraduate Calendar. | Not Applicable |
| Maximum Units | In the enrollment appointment page, the maximum is the limit to the number of courses you may take. To override the maximum units, first consult an advisor. | Not Applicable |
| Meet | See Component | Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| Milestones | See Non-Course Milestones | Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| Minor | A group of approved courses taken by a student in an Honours or a four-year General plan in a subject outside the "major" area. Details of course and average requirements are given in the Undergraduate Calendar. | Not Applicable |
| MM | See Non-Graded Standings, transcript legend (pdf) | Not Applicable |
| N | Back to top | |
| Terms | Undergraduate Notes | Graduate Notes |
| NAC | Not Applicable | See Non-Graded Standings, transcript legend (pdf) |
| NCR | See Non-Graded Standings, transcript legend (pdf) | Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| NG | See Non-Graded Standings, transcript legend (pdf) | Not Applicable |
| NMR | See Non-Graded Standings, transcript legend (pdf) | Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| Non-Course Milestones | Milestones are required components that must be passed to satisfy degree requirements or be promoted to the next academic level. For example, a common milestone is the English Langauge Proficiency Exam (ELPE). Completion of the ELPE is often required before a specified term (e.g., for Engineering, the ELPE must be recorded before the end of the 2A term). | Milestones are non-course degree requirements (e.g., thesis, comprehensives, master's research paper) that a student must complete toward degree progress in order to graduate. |
| Non-Graded Standings | See Non-Graded Standings, transcript legend (pdf) | Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| Non-Numeric Grades | The list of acronyms on the transcript legend may be assigned to your grade for a course on your transcript instead of a percentage value. See the transcript legend (pdf) for grades prior to 2001 and a key to grades (pdf) prior to Fall 1971. | Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| O | Back to top | |
| Terms | Undergraduate Notes | Graduate Notes |
| Official Transcript | A record of your courses, grades earned, units obtained towards degree, and more. If graduate schools or employers require your transcript, an official transcript is usually ordered through the Office of the Registrar. | A record of your courses, grades earned, units obtained towards degree, and more. If graduate schools or employers require your transcript, an official transcript is usually ordered through the Graduate Studies Office.
Note: If you were a former University of Waterloo undergraduate student, your transcript will reflect your entire University of Waterloo academic record - graduate and undergraduate.) |
| Open Classes Only | This searching option will list only classes with spaces available to enroll in; that is, they are not full. | Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| Open Enrollment | During this period, enrollment is open to all students; this period is usually longer than enrollment appointments. | During this period, enrollment is open to all students. |
| Open Entry/Exit Classes Only | Currently, the University of Waterloo has no Open Entry classes. A future update may use this feature. | Not Applicable |
| Option | A specified combination or grouping of courses which provides a secondary emphasis in certain plans. The emphasis may be in another academic subject or in a career-oriented area. | Not Applicable |
| Oral Conversation (ORL) | Teaching is based primarily on engaging the students in instructor-guided group discussions and verbal interaction, usually in a language other than English. The student/instructor ratio is similar to a seminar. The course is usually held in a smaller teaching or seminar room to facilitate more group involvement. Usually there is 1 meeting per week for a total contact time of 1 hour. | Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| P | Back to top | |
| Terms | Undergraduate Notes | Graduate Notes |
| Part-Time Student | An undergraduate student is considered a part-time student when her/his course load is less than 1.5 units in a four-month term. | For a definition of a part-time graduate student, see Regular Part-time Graduate Students in the Graduate Calendar. |
| Permission Nbr | A special number required to authorize enrollment in some courses or to override class size limits. See the instructions from the "How do I add classes?" page on permission numbers. | Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| Plan | See Academic Plan | Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| Practicum (PRA) | Supervised placement time in a work setting exercising practical routines and techniques related to a particular academic plan or option.
This is a Secondary or Tertiary Meet where research and analytical skills are demonstrated based on the practical application of material learned in the Primary Meet. Usually a formal report summarizing the skills learned is required. Facility requirements will vary by discipline. In some disciplines the course may need a specially equipped room and may meet off campus. Meetings are usually 1 to 3 per week for a total contact time of 3 to 10 hours. |
Supervised placement time in a work setting exercising practical routines and techniques related to a particular academic plan. |
| Pre-Enrollment | The process of making course requests for future terms using Quest. Faculties will make teaching plans using this course demand data. Visit the Future Term Course Offerings List - Undergraduate to view the available future term courses. | Not Applicable |
| Prerequisite | The requirement(s) that must be met in order to be eligible to enroll in a course. Prerequisites may include passed courses, registration in a specific program or plan and an academic level or academic standing. | Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| Primary Component/Meet | The main component/meet for the course. It's the first component listed for every course, and the class section number beings with a "0" (e.g., LEC 001). | Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| Project (PRJ) | Similar to the Reading component, learning usually takes place as a result of independent study/research. In this case, however, it makes use of special purpose equipment for student observation, participation, experimentation, or practice. This component is used at the undergraduate level only. There is usually a smaller student/instructor ratio. | Not Applicable |
| Program | See Academic Plan | Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| Q | Back to top | |
| Terms | Undergraduate Notes | Graduate Notes |
| Quest | The University of Waterloo's student information system | Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| R | Back to top | |
| Terms | Undergraduate Notes | Graduate Notes |
| Reading (RDG) | Unlike Lecture, Seminar, and Discussion, learning takes place as a result of student independent study under the supervision of an instructor. Normally there is a one to one student/instructor ratio, although, there may be several students studying the same topic with the same instructor. Typically, there is no defined time/room booking and usually the student(s) meet with the instructor on an informal basis. | Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| Registered Status | Under student finances, the status of their arrangement with the University of Waterloo for payment is shown here. Check finance for more information on student fees, including fee payment instructions and deadlines.
Enroll Request: Fees Arranged: Coop: |
Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| Related Component 1 (Rel 1) | The second component/meet of the course. It begins with a "1" in the leading position of the class section number (e.g., LAB 101). | Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| Related Component 2 (Rel 2) | The third component/meet of the course. It begins with a "2" in the leading position of the class section number (e.g., TUT 201). | Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| Requirement Designations | Detailed information is available from the transcript legend (pdf). | Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| Reserve Capacity | The portion of a class enrollment capacity that is reserved for a particular group of students. This designation appears on the schedule of classes, directly beneath each section that has a reserve capacity assigned.
Example:
|
Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| RPL | See Non-Graded Standings, transcript legend (pdf) | Not Applicable |
| S | Back to top | |
| Terms | Undergraduate Notes | Graduate Notes |
| Schedule of Classes | The online list of classes offered for a particular term, with details such as times, locations, and instructors.
Link to Schedule of Classes for Undergraduate Students Link to Schedule of Classes Definitions |
The online list of classes offered for a particular term, with details such as times, locations, and instructors.
Link to Schedule of Classes for Graduate Students Link to Schedule of Classes Definitions |
| Section (Sec) | The 3-digit number that identifies a particular section of a course component/meet (e.g., LEC 001). | Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| Seminar (SEM) | Teaching normally takes place in a less formal teaching atmosphere than a lecture. There is typically a smaller student/instructor ratio than with a lecture. The course is usually held in a smaller teaching or seminar room to facilitate more group interaction than occurs in a lecture course. Usually there is 1 meeting per week for a total contact time of 1 to 3 hours. | Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| Service Holds/Indicators | A Hold is a notice that may affect your use of Quest, or your interaction with the University of Waterloo. For instance, if you owe fees or other goods, or have committed an academic offence, you may find a Hold placed on your account. Holds may prevent you from receiving transcripts, or enrolling yourself using Quest.
See the instructions on the "How do I remove a hold (service indicator) from my account?" Quest help page. |
Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| Session | A term is normally divided into two (2) sessions: one for regular on-campus courses, the other for online course offerings. In the fall and winter Terms, both sessions are around 13 weeks long. During the spring term, there may be other sessions, such as "First 3 Weeks" (of July), "Second 3 Weeks" (the following 3 weeks), and "Summer Session" (all 6 weeks together). | Not Applicable |
| Specialization | A specified combination or grouping of courses which provides a primary emphasis within a plan. | Not Applicable |
| Status | The status of a class may be open for enrollment if spaces are available; otherwise, it is closed.
This term also refers to the result of your attempt to drop/update a class to your schedule. After you click on FINISH ENROLLING, either a checkmark for Success or a red X for Error will appear. You should also look for any messages that appear in the Message column to the left of the Status column. |
Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| Student ID | A unique 8-digit number assigned to every student when they apply to the University of Waterloo. | Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| Studio (STU) | This is a Primary Meet where teaching consists of instructor coaching focused on practical skills execution, normally in a room with special purpose equipment, such as, audio visual recording equipment, theatre technical equipment, etc. There are strict limit capacities on enrollment. Meetings are at least 2 times per week for a total contact time of 4 or more hours. | Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| Subject | The subject is the area of study. To look up a subject code (e.g., Computer Science is CS) while you are in Quest, click the select subject button OR look on the Course Abbreviations list. | The subject is the area of study. To look up a subject code (e.g., Computer Science is CS) while you are in Quest, click the  icon. |
| Subject Abbreviations | See Course Abbreviations | Not Applicable |
| Swap Status | This term refers to the result of your attempt to swap a class. After you click FINISH ENROLLING, either a checkmark for Success or a red X for Error will appear. You should also look for any messages that appear in the Message column to the left of the Status column. | Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| T | Back to top | |
| Terms | Undergraduate Notes | Graduate Notes |
| T | Not Applicable | See Non-Graded Standings, transcript legend (pdf) |
| TBA | To Be Announced; check back at a later date. | Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| Term | A term is a particular 4-month period within which sessions are defined and fees are arranged. It is also used with reference to work terms for students in the co-operative system of study. For undergraduate students, an academic year is usually 2 academic terms if you are in the regular system of study in which full-time students take 5 courses per term. See Terms Offered, Terminology in the Undergraduate Calendar. | A particular four-month period within which sessions are defined and fees are arranged. Also used with reference to work terms for students in the co-operative system of study. |
Undergraduate and Graduate are the same for the following:
The breakdown of the 4-digit number for terms is as follows:
For example, if you wish to find the Winter 2010 term, the first digit should be "1" since 2010 is in the 21st century. The next 2 digits should be the "10" in 2010. The last digit should be "1" since the winter term begins in January. Therefore, Winter 2010 is represented by 1101; Fall 2010 is represented by 1109; Winter 2011 is represented by 1111. |
||
| Term Activation | Not Applicable | Grad term activation information to follow shortly |
| Test Slot (TST) | Used only to designate a time slot for holding mid-term exams. Tests are conducted in lecture-type seating equipped with tables and chairs. Tests for a course are usually held once or twice per term for a period of 2 to 3 hours each time. A specific calendar date for each test slot must be included with each TST component section. | Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| Test Slot - Lecture (TLC) | This component is used in situations where the course has multiple lecture sections and reserve caps and the department does not care how many reserved students go into each section, but they want an overall number of reserved students in the entire course. This means that the course is setup with one TLC primary component and LEC is the secondary component. | Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| Transcript | See Unofficial Transcript or Official Transcript | Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| Tutorial (TUT) | Often optional, a Tutorial is a meeting designed to provide the student with additional information and assistance with the course material that is presented in the Primary Meet. The format is typically in the form of an open discussion or problem solving session. There may be a high student/instructor ratio. Lecture or Seminar type seating may be utilized. Usually there is 1 meeting per week for a total contact time of 1 to 3 hours. | Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| U | Back to top | |
| Terms | Undergraduate Notes | Graduate Notes |
| Undergraduate | UG – as in "undergraduate students" or "undergraduate studies." Refers to students who are pursuing a bachelor's degree. | Not Applicable |
| Unit | The credit value associated with a course. Unit weights are used in the calculation of averages for academic standing. Most courses have unit weights of 0.5 and are of one-term duration. Some courses have other weights such as 0.25, 1.0, and 2.0. | The credit value associated with a course. Unit weights are used in the calculation of averages for academic standing. Most courses have unit weights of 0.5, but some have weights such as 0.25, 1.0, 2.0. |
| Unofficial Transcript | A record of your courses, grades earned, units obtained towards your degree, and more. Unofficial transcripts are for viewing purposes only and can be obtained through University of Waterloo's online student information system: Quest. If graduate schools or employers require your transcript, they usually need an official transcript. | Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| UR | See Non-Graded Standings, transcript legend (pdf) | Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| UW, uWaterloo, University of Waterloo | University of Waterloo | Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| W |
Back to top | |
| Terms | Undergraduate Notes | Graduate Notes |
| Waitlist | This feature is currently not in use but may be implemented in the future. | Not Applicable |
| Waitlist Capacity (Wait Cap) | This indicates the maximum number of students allowed to occupy the waiting list associated with a specific course section. Note: Wait Lists are currently not in use. | Not Applicable |
| Waitlist Total (Wait Tot) | This indicates the number of students currently occupying the waiting list associated with a specific course section. Note: Wait Lists are currently not in use. | Not Applicable |
| WD | See Non-Graded Standings, transcript legend (pdf) | Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| Week Days | The following list of the abbreviations are used for the days of the week. M (Monday) One place where these abbreviations are used is the schedule of classes. |
Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| WF | See Non-Graded Standings, transcript legend (pdf) | Not Applicable |
| Wild Card | When you are searching in Quest, you use this option with another field to allow all courses containing the value to be shown. E.g., entering 1 in Catalog Number with the Wild Card option may produce courses with Catalog Numbers such as 101, 105, 217, 341, etc. Entering a % sign in the Catalog Number will produce all courses for that subject. | Not Applicable |
| WLU | Wilfrid Laurier University | Same as Undergraduate Notes |
| Work Term (WRK) | This is a Primary Meet component that is only used on a Co-operative Education course to represent an official work term placement. | Not Applicable |
| Workshop (WSP) | This is a Primary Meet where teaching includes intensive instructor/student contact as well as independent project work. It may be held in a theatre, studio, or a specially equipped room. Projects may include such topics as audio-visual recording, theatrical scenic painting, puppet construction, costume construction. There are strict limit capacities on enrollment. The duration of a workshop is 4 hours or more at least twice per week. | Same as Undergraduate Notes |
University of Waterloo
200 University Avenue West
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2L 3G1
519 888 4567
contact us | www.uwaterloo.ca | www.quest.uwaterloo.ca | privacy
