The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System - Glossary

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U.S. Department of Education
Institute of Education Sciences

Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System

Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System

Glossary

The online version of the IPEDS Glossary provides definitions for almost 500 postsecondary-related terms used in the collection and dissemination of IPEDS data.

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Term	Definition	Related terms
Full-time student	Undergraduate—A student enrolled for 12 or more semester credits , or 12 or more quarter credits, or 24 or more contact hours a week each term. Graduate—A student enrolled for 9 or more semester credits, or 9 or more quarter credits, or a student involved in thesis or dissertation preparation that is considered full time by the institution. First-professional—As defined by the institution.