PFEIFFER UNIVERSITY
4701 Park Road
Charlotte, NC 28209
(704) 521-9116
Fax: (704) 521-8617
Web Address: www.pfeiffer.edu
International Student Handbook
A Guide to University Study in the U.S.A.
Revised 8/21/2007
Table of Contents
Academic Terms Defined / 4
Agreement / 32
Adjusting to Customs and Life in the U.S. / 21
American Culture / 34
Applying to Pfeiffer / 9
Changes in Immigration Status / 19
Changing Degree Programs / 19
Documents to Bring With You / 12
Help / 15
Holidays (U.S.) / 22
I-20 (Page 2) / 31
Immigration / 8
Immigration Terms Defined / 6
International Center and the DSO / 8
Introduction / 3
Know Your Rights / 26
Length of Study / 19
Questions Frequently Asked / 23
Practical Training (Internships) / 17
Slang Terms/Phrases Defined / 7
Taxes / 18
Transferring to Another School / 19
Transportation/Travel / 20
Web Sites / 30
Work Eligibility / 17
INTRODUCTION
The students, faculty, and staff join in congratulating you on your acceptance into Pfeiffer University. We are very glad that you have chosen to study at Pfeiffer and will make every effort to make your time here both enjoyable and productive. We look forward to great things from you and extend our best wishes as you embark on your educational journey with us. If you have any questions or concerns regarding your immigration status, please do not hesitate to contact us.
So, why study in the United States? Here are just a few of the reasons why more than 500,000 international students from around the world are furthering their education in the United States:
Quality: U.S. colleges are known worldwide for the quality of their facilities, resources, and faculty. Accreditation systems ensure that institutions continue to maintain these standards.
Choice: The U.S. education system is unrivalled world-wide in the choice it offers regarding types of institutions, academic and social environments, entry requirements, degree programs, and subjects in which you can specialize.
Value: As an investment in your future, a U.S. degree offers excellent value for the money. A wide range of tuition fees and living costs, plus financial help from colleges have made study in the U.S. affordable for many students.
Flexibility: One of the most distinctive features of U.S. universities and colleges is the flexibility in choice of courses within a college or university, but more importantly there is also the option for students to move between one institution and another.
Academic Information
Colleges, Universities, and Institutes: The Distinction
Degree granting institutions in the U.S. can be called by any of these terms, and colleges and institutes are in no way inferior to universities. As a general rule, colleges tend to be smaller and usually offer only undergraduate degrees, while a university also offers graduate degrees. The words “school,” “college,” and “university” are used interchangeably. An institute usually specializes in degree programs in a group of closely related subject areas, so you will also encounter degree programs offered at institutes of technology, institutes of fashion, institutes of art and design and so on. Within each college or university you will find schools such as the school of arts and sciences or the school of business. Each school is responsible for the degree programs offered by the college or university in that area of study.
Types of Universities
State universities are founded and subsidized by U.S. state governments to provide low-cost education to residents of that state. They may also be called public universities to distinguish them from private institutions. State universities tend to be very large, with enrollments of 20,000 or more students. State university tuition costs are generally lower than those of private universities. Also, in-state residents (those who live and pay taxes in that particular state) pay much lower tuition than out-of-state residents. International students, as well as those from other states, are considered out-of-state residents and therefore do not benefit from reduced tuition at state institutions. In addition, international students may need to fulfill higher admission requirements than in-state residents.
Private universities are funded by a combination of endowments, tuition fees, research grants, and gifts from their alumni. Tuition fees tend to be higher at private universities than at state universities, but there is no distinction made between state and non-state residents. In general, private universities have enrollments of fewer than 20,000, and private colleges may have 2,000 or fewer students on their campuses.
Bachelors and Masters Degrees
The bachelors degree typically takes four years to complete, though some students take slightly less time to finish, while others may take longer. Bachelors degree programs include general education classes in addition to courses related to students’ actual majors. One of the attractive features of the bachelors degree program in the United States is that it is highly flexible. You can usually choose from a wide variety of courses and create your own unique program of study. The degree is awarded after you complete a specified number of credits. The first year of college is called the freshman year, the second is called sophomore, the third is junior year, and the fourth is the senior year. Courses taken in the first two years are known as lower division courses, and courses taken in the final two years are called upper division courses.
The masters degree is a graduate program at a university for students who already hold a bachelors degree. The masters degree takes approximately three years to complete. Unlike the bachelors program, the masters degree program typically includes only those courses related to the major.
Academic Calendar
The academic year will be slightly different for each school, but at Pfeiffer it normally runs from August to May and is divided into two terms called semesters. Pfeiffer also offers courses in the summer; however, the summer semesters are optional. Students can attend during the summer if they wish to finish their degree faster, to decrease their course load during the fall and spring, or to make up for courses not completed successfully during the regular academic year. The fall and spring semesters each have a week-long holiday called a “break,” and at the end of the fall semester there is a month-long Christmas holiday before the beginning of the spring semester.
The Credit System
Students at American universities complete their degrees when they have accumulated a certain number of “credits.” It usually takes between 125 and 130 credits to graduate.
Degree Courses
The individual courses that make up the degree program can be divided into the following types:
Core Courses: These provide the foundation of the degree program and are required of all students. Students take a variety of courses in mathematics, English, humanities, physical sciences, and social sciences.
Major Courses: A major is the subject in which a student chooses to concentrate. Most students major in one subject; however, some opt to pursue a double major with a related subject.
Minor Courses: A minor is a subject in which a student may choose to take the second greatest concentration of courses.
Elective Courses: These courses may be chosen from any department. They offer opportunities to explore other topics or subjects you may be interested in and help make up the total number of credits required to graduate.
Academic Honesty
The Pfeiffer Honor Code explains the standards of academic honesty for students and describes faculty responsibilities. Students and faculty are expected to be familiar with the standards. The Code defines student behavior which violates the standards and the penalties for violations. It also defines the circumstances under which such penalties may be imposed.
1) Helping a friend on an examination is prohibited and will have severe consequences.
2) Plagiarism (copying other people's written work from a book or paper) is not acceptable, and is a form of cheating.
3) Possible consequences of academic dishonesty include an “F” in the course academic, probation or dismissal from school.
Grading and Testing System
The grading system is fully explained in the university catalog. Some exams are multiple-choice or short answer. Faculty members often give short quizzes or interim tests throughout the semester.
What is a GPA?
Each student completes his or her degree with a grade point average (GPA). A cumulative grade point average is the GPA for all courses taken throughout the degree program.
ACADEMIC TERMS DEFINED
Academic Advisor: A member of the university’s faculty who helps students with academic matters.
Academic Year: The period of formal instruction, usually August – May.
Accreditation: Approval of the university by nationally recognized professional associations or regional accrediting bodies.
Add/Drop: A process at the beginning of a term when students can delete and add classes with an advisor’s permission.
Audit: To take a class without receiving academic credit toward a degree.
Bachelors Degree: Degree awarded upon completion of approximately four years of full-time study in the liberal arts or sciences.
Catalog: An official publication providing information about a university’s academic programs, facilities, entrance requirements, and student life.
Commuter Student: A student who lives off-campus.
Core Requirements: Mandatory courses required for completion of the degree.
Course: Regularly scheduled class sessions of one to five hours per week during a semester. A degree program is made up of a specified number of required and elective courses.
Credits: Units that universities use to record the completion of courses (with passing grades) that are required for an academic degree. The catalog defines the number and kinds of credits that are required for the university’s degrees.
Electives: Courses that students choose to take for credit toward their intended degree; these are different from courses that are required for the degree.
Fees: An amount charged by universities, in addition to tuition, to cover costs of institutional services.
Final: A cumulative exam on a particular course subject covering material throughout a specific period, possibly from the very beginning to the end of the semester.
Financial Aid: A general term that includes all types of money, loans, and work/study programs offered to a student to help pay tuition, fees, and living expenses.
Grade/Grading System: The evaluation of a student’s academic work.
GPA: Grade Point Average. A system of recording achievement based on a numerical average of the grades attained in each course.
Graduate: A student who has completed a course of study. A graduate program at a university is a study course for students who already hold a bachelors degree.
High School: The U.S. term for secondary school.
Honors Program: A more challenging program for students with high GPA’s.
Liberal Arts: A term referring to academic studies of subjects in the humanities, the social sciences, and the sciences.
Major: The subject in which a student wishes to concentrate.
Minor: A subject in which the student takes the second greatest concentration of courses.
Prerequisite: Programs or courses that a student is required to complete before being permitted to enroll in a more advanced program or course.
Registration: Process through which students select courses to be taken during a semester.
RA: Resident Assistant. A person who assists the residence hall director in campus residence halls and is usually the first point of contact for students with problems or questions regarding dorm life. RA’s are students at the college who receive free or reduced accommodations in return for their service.
Scholarship: A study grant of financial aid, usually given at the undergraduate level, that may take the form of a waiver of tuition or other fees.
SAT: Scholastic Assessment Test. A primarily multiple-choice test of mathematics and English abilities that is required by many U.S. colleges and universities for admission into an undergraduate program.
School: A general term for any place of education
Section: Regularly scheduled class sessions are held of one to five hours per week during a term. Many of these class sessions are offered at different times, days, and places during the week. Each scheduled class is identified as a section. Students choose the course section that best fits their schedules.
Semester: Period of study usually lasting 16 weeks or ½ the academic year.
Syllabus: An outline of topics covered in an academic course and the professors’ policies, procedures, and standards.
TOEFL: Test of English as a Foreign Language. An English language proficiency examination required of applicants whose native language is not English.
Transcripts: A certified copy of a student’s educational record
Tuition: The money an institution charges for instruction and training (does not include the cost of books).
University: A large post-secondary institution that offers both undergraduate and graduate degree programs.
IMMIGRATION TERMS DEFINED
DSO: Designated School Officials (DSO’s) are individuals who have been specifically authorized by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to conduct certain immigration transactions for Pfeiffer University. These individuals include: Becky Treece and Dr. Jim Gulledge. Anyone needing to contact one of these DSO's should call (704) 463-3365.
USCIS: Abbreviation for the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Service. This government agency is a division of the Department of Homeland Security and responsible for enforcing United States immigration laws.
SEVIS: The Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) is a government, computerized system that maintains and manages data about foreign students and exchange visitors during their stay in the United States.
SEVIS Fee: A $100 fee paid to the Department of Homeland Security BEFORE applying for an F-1 visa. (See Applying to Pfeiffer for more information).
Passport: The passport is a document issued by your government giving you permission to travel outside your country. It is renewed through your embassy or the nearest consul. It is your obligation to keep your passport valid and is a condition for maintaining legal student status. To renew your passport, your embassy may need a letter verifying that you are a full-time student. You may request this letter from the Registrar's Office.
Visa: The visa is permission granted by the United States government to enter the United States. It is a multi-colored stamp inside your passport. The visa is issued by an American Embassy or Consulate abroad. Unless you transferred to Pfeiffer from another school inside the United States, the annotation section of your visa should indicate Pfeiffer University. If you plan to travel outside the United States and your visa has expired or you have changed your status, you will need to obtain a new visa from an American Embassy or Consulate abroad. IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO RENEW YOUR VISA WHILE YOU ARE INSIDE THE UNITED STATES.