Academic Support
Study support services provided by the University to help students with any
academic issues. Also known as Learning Support, Student Learning
Academic year
Also: University year
Runs from September to June and is divided into two semesters of teaching, with
vacations at Christmas and Easter.
Admissions Office
Handles the applications to all courses and enrolments.
Alumni
Students who have graduated from the school or department; former students.
Arts
Also: Faculty of Arts
Comprises subjects such as history, classics, philosophy, music, archaeology,
English Studies, languages, and modern culture studies.
BA
Bachelor of Arts
Academic title students will be awarded on successful completion of an
undergraduate degree course, which usually takes three years of full-time study to
complete. After the award of the BA, students can put the letters at the end of their
name. BA Hons stands for Bachelor of Arts with Honours.
Bursary
A type of scholarship which contributes towards study fees and/or living costs whilst
studying at university.
Campus
Area of land on which the university buildings are located. Trinity College Campus is
in the city centre.
Chaplains
Offer religious guidance and support to those who want it.
Counselling Services
Confidential, professional advice and support with any personal, emotional or mental
health problems that students may have whilst at college.
Course
A programme of study leading to a degree or other qualification.
Credits
Points that are awarded to course module: a module is usually worth 10 or 20
credits. This is built on a nationally recognised framework; full-time students must
undertake 120 academic credits of study each year, e.g. six 20-credit modules. Parttime students normally study 60 credits each year.
Deferred entry
Delaying the entry to a course at university. Students who wish to take a gap year
after school/college usually defer entry for a year.
Degree
A higher education qualification of a certain level. There are undergraduate degrees
or first degrees, such as Bachelor of Arts or Diplomas, and various postgraduate
degrees like masters and doctorates.
Department
Subject areas are usually broken down into departmental units. For example, the
School of Languages comprises the Department of French, the Department of
German, and so on. Students usually 'belong' to whatever department teaches their
course. On a joint honours course, students have one lead department and another
partner department.
Dissertation
A written account of several thousand words on a specific subject, usually completed
in the final year of study.
Examinations
Also: exams
Method of assessment of students' academic progress. Exams usually take place at
the end of each semester, in January and in June. Information on exams are
provided by the Exams Office.
Faculty
Colleges and universities usually have five faculties; Arts, Engineering, Medicine and
Health Sciences, Science, and Social Sciences. Each faculty is made up of several
schools, departments, divisions and/or institutes.
Fees
Amount students pay each year for registration or tuition. This amount depends on
whether they study full- or part-time and are classed as an international (also
referred to as overseas) or UK/EU student for the purpose of fees.
Finals
Finals are the exams in the final year of study.
First Class Hons
Also: First Class Honours
Award of distinction, e.g. BA with First Class Honours.
Freshers
First-year students in their first few weeks at university.
Freshers' Week
First week of the first term of the first year of a university course. It's packed with
events and entertainments designed to help students settle in, make friends, and to
tell them everything they need to know about how the university and Students' Union
work.
Gap year
Many students decide to take a year off – a gap year – before going to university;
spending time travelling, earning money, or gaining work experience.
Graduand
Student in the few months between finishing their course and attending graduation.
Graduate
Someone who has successfully completed a degree course and been awarded their
degree.
Graduation
Ceremony where students are officially awarded their degree.
Grant
Students may apply for grants which pay for their tuition and living costs.
Halls
Also: Halls of Residence
Refers to the accommodation blocks which traditionally provide catered meals,
cleaning, heat, light and electricity, and a variety of amenities such as common
rooms and TV lounges.
Hons
Also: Honours; honours degrees
Most undergraduate degrees offered at Nottingham are honours degrees.
Depending They are split into: first class honours (or firsts), upper second class or
2.1 (pronounced 'two-one'), lower-second class or 2.2 (a 'two-two'), and third class
honours (third). If a student does badly, but not quite badly enough to fail, they might
not get an honours degree, but an ordinary degree instead.
International students
Also: Overseas student
Students are classed as international or overseas students for fees purposes. In
general, someone who is not an European Union (EU) or EAA national or has lived
outside the EU in the last 3 years, is classed as an international student.
However, the status of an individual student is determined by an appropriate
member of staff in Admissions.
International Office
Provides specialist support and guidance for students, staff and visitors from over
150 countries.
IS
Information Services
Unit responsible for all library and IT services and support at college or university.
IT Help desk
Provides support for the IT needs for both staff and students.
Joint honours
Also may be known as TSM
Undergraduate course that is split between two subjects. Each year the course
consists of core and optional modules in both degree subjects. Some joint honours
courses also allow students to study a small number of subsidiary modules –
modules from departments or schools outside your degree subjects.
Lecture
One of the main methods of teaching at universities. Lectures tend to be larger than
a regular school class and less interactive.
Lecturer
Academic at a certain level in the hierarchy, well above postgraduates but below
professors and deans.
Mature student
Defined as someone who will be 23 or over on entry to university.
MA
Masters of Arts
A type of degree that leads to a postgraduate qualification; a higher degree than a
bachelor degree.
Modules
At university students take a certain number of modules, course units, each year. On
most courses you have a number of compulsory core and optional modules.
MPhil
Masters of Philosophy
Posgraduate research degree; lower qualification than the PhD but of higher degree
than a masters degree.
MSc
Master of Science
A type of degree that leads to a postgraduate qualification (i.e. a higher degree than
a bachelor degree, BSc).
Open days
An opportunity for prospective students to be shown around the university.
Part-time student
Students who take the same combination of modules but spread them over a longer
period.
PhD
Doctor of Philosophy
Advanced academic degree that usually involves extensive research and an original
thesis.
Postgraduate
Also: Postgrad; PG
Student continuing formal education after graduating with a bachelors or first
degree. The bachelor degree is usually followed by a masters degree (e.g. MA).
Other postgraduate or PG degrees include MPhil and PhD.
College tutor
Students may be assigned to a college tutor who provides academic guidance and
pastoral care.
Portal
Also: Intranet Portal
Website that can only be accessed by University students and staff and provides a
range of personalised tools and information.
Practical
Another method of teaching and learning; usually used in science subjects.
Professor
Senior academic staff, well respected in their field of study. Often the head of a
department/school/faculty.
Prospective student
Someone who is interested in studying at a particular university.
Prospectus
Also: PG prospectus; online prospectus
Different word for catalogue or brochure; can be used for both print copy or online
version.
Registration
Before students begin their studies, and again at the start of each new academic
year, students must register with the college to confirm personal and course
details. They also confirm that they agree to pay the fees and observe the
regulations while being a student.
Registration fees
Registration fees are set by the college and paid directly by the student.
Sabbatical
Also: Sabb
Every year at most universities, a few students take a year off their studies to be
employed by the Students' Union (SU). Sabbatical positions usually include roles
such as SU president, welfare officer, communications officer, etc.
Semester
A semester is the American word for a term and is used in Ireland to describe
American-style college terms that are longer (usually about 15 weeks. The year is
divided into two semesters (Autumn and Spring).
Seminar
A teaching class, overseen by a lecturer, in which anything from half a dozen to
about 35 student discuss do exercises. They're similar to tutorials but involve more
students.
Single honours
An undergraduate degree involving one main subject; as opposed to a joint honours
degree.
Socs
Short for 'societies' which are the student clubs ranging from serious political
battlegrounds to sporting teams, from cultural groups to seriously silly socs.
Student Card
A multi-function plastic card issued to all students and staff. The card can be used to
gain access to the libraries' services and certain buildings. It is also used for student
discounts from certain retailers and to authorise photocopying on campus.
Study abroad
Students may spend the third year of their university course in a different country.
Colleges encourage study abroad and offers a range of opportunities, including the
Erasmus scheme.
SU
Students' Union
Almost all universities have a Students' Union and students are usually automatically
members, though they can opt out if they wish. A SU is usually a services and
representative organisation run by students for students.
Tutor
An academic who oversees or supervises the work of individual students.
Tutorial
A small group of students who meet up with a tutor and discuss their studies.
Undergraduate
Also: Undergrad; UG
A student doing their first degree, e.g. bachelor degree.