Sometimes it can seem like universities have a language of their own. This is a guide to some of the words you may see and hear.
Academic Year – the academic year usually runs from September to July.
Academic Practices – these describe the ways in which you will learn at university. Academic Practices include reading, writing and referencing in an academic way as well as the processes of critical thinking and reflection. Together these will help you to produce assignments which are both original and a true reflection of your understanding of your subject. (See Plagiarism).
Alumni – (from Amumniate meaning a period of a time as a pupil) Alumni is the name for groups of students who have gained a Degree. Alumni Associations are for students from the same university who want to keep in touch with each other.
APL or APEL (Accreditation of Prior Learning or Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning) – formal recognition of non-traditional qualifications and work experience, voluntary or paid, when applications for places are submitted. This can be particularly helpful for people returning to education after a break.
Assessment (Formative) – ongoing assessment throughout a course designed to measure understanding without the results counting towards the final course marks.
Assessment (Summative) – end of course assessment designed to measure the level of learning achieved; the results contribute to final course marks.
Assignments – set pieces of written work of a specified word length, which will be researched and written during the course. (Assignments can include Essays, Reports, or examples of practical work).
Bachelor Degrees – these are grouped into areas such as a Bachelor of Arts degree (BA), a Bachelor of Science degree (BSc) and a Bachelor of Education degree (BEd). Successful completion of a degree course entitles the student to use the initials BA, BSc or BEd after their name.
Bibliography – a list of books at the end of an assignment which have been read in the preparation stages but which are not referred to directly (see References).
Campus – name given to the site of the university where all the main buildings are. People refer to being on-campus (being at the university) or off-campus (away from it).
Careers Service – available within a university for guidance and information relating to employment or continuing education.
CATS – Credit Accumulation Transfer Scheme – recognition of additional studying which can be ‘credited’ to a degree programme. Examples include an HND, previous work on a degree course or certain professional qualifications in a chosen area of study. Universities all agree on the scheme making it easier to transfer from one institution to another.
Degree – a higher education qualification (see Bachelor Degrees, Foundation Degrees,Honours Degrees, and Higher Level Degrees).
Digital Literacies – the Internet has become integral to the higher education experience. Many teaching, learning and Library information sources will be online, most subject areas will expect assignments to be word processed and email the most common form of communication. You will need to develop confidence and competence with working in digital environments. If you feel you need additional help or support, be sure to ask your tutors or subject librarians for advice on where to go for additional training courses.
Dissertation – degrees involve independent research into an area which is often known as writing a Dissertation.
Distance Learning – students who are registered at a university but do not attend the campus are often referred to as distance learning students. Teaching and learning materials are delivered by post or online and communication is done via post, email or telephone.
Graduate and Graduation – after completion of the course students are invited to attend an award ceremony, wearing a traditional university hat (known as a Mortar Board or Cap) and a long cloak (known as a Gown), where they are awarded a Degree certificate. The award ceremony is known as a Graduation ceremony. After this, the student is no longer an Undergraduate but becomes a Graduate of the University.
Higher Level Degrees – these postgraduate degrees involve specialising in an area within a chosen subject and setting up an independent research project. Postgraduate qualifications start with PG Certificate, Diploma and Masters. Masters degrees include the Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE), an Arts Master (MA) and a Science Masters (MSc). Doctorates are higher than Masters and include the Philosophy doctorate (PhD) or Education doctorate (EdD); these entitle the holder to call themselves Doctor. For more information on the UK education classification system go tohttp://www.direct.gov.uk/en/EducationAndLearning/QualificationsExplained/index.htm
Honours – most Bachelor degrees are referred to as having Honours. Successful completion of an honours degree allows the abbreviation (hons) to be used after their name. Honours have different levels known as ‘Classes’ which are referred to as First, Upper Second, Lower Second and Third. For example BSc (hons) 2.1 after a name signifies an Upper Second class Honours degree in a science subject. There is a lower classification called a Pass which is a degree but does not qualify for the ‘honours’ label.
Mature Students – anyone over 21 is considered to be a mature student; this commonly includes students returning to education after a career or family break. There is no age limit on going to university and courses include people from a wide variety of age groups.
Plagiarism – this is cheating by copying work from elsewhere and then claiming it as your own. Universities have strict rules about including sources of information (see References or Bibliography) to try and prevent plagiarism. Universities also have plagiarism detection software which can match work with existing materials and highlight those inconsistencies in style which occur when sections of work have been copied. For more information about correct referencing and avoiding plagiarism, contact your Academic Subject Librarian through the Library.
Postgraduate – a student is one who already has a degree and is working towards a Higher Level Degree (see Higher Level Degrees).
References – a list of all sources of information directly referred to in an essay or assignment; including books, journals, newspapers and websites. References will follow a recognised style such as the Harvard style; handout sheets with guidelines will be provided. (See Bibliography)
Students’ Union (SU) – the Students’ Union runs student shops and bars and organises social events. They also campaign for student rights and are active within university central systems in particular to do with teaching and learning. Joining the Student’s Union and having an SU card entitles the holder to discount at local shops and leisure facilities. Getting involved with the Student Union is an opportunity to enhance your CV and employability skills as well as become more actively involved in your higher education experience. Go to the National Student Union website http://www.nus.org.uk/ for further information on the benefits of joining.
Tutorials – opportunities for single student, or small learning groups, to discuss with a tutor new ideas or areas of uncertainty regarding course content.
Undergraduate – the name for a student studying for their first degree which will normally take 3 years for a full time student.
Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) – a university’s intranet used to host online teaching and learning materials. A VLE is usually password protected and restricted to staff and students. Blackboard is the VLE currently used at the University of Lincoln.