Taking your child to university is puzzling enough without having to get to grips with all of the confusing, misleading and bizarre jargon that litters the lexicon of every university. To help, we’ve put together this guide to some of the terms you may encounter.
Academic Year:
The university year runs from September to June with a break in the summer.
Undergraduate: If it’s your child’s first degree, they’ll be an undergraduate until they graduate, when they’ll become a postgraduate.
Alumni:
A wide term to refer to graduates and former students of the university.
Campus:
This primarily refers to the grounds on which the university is situated.
Dissertation:
The final piece of coursework a student will do, substantially larger and more important than regular coursework and contributing to the final grade. It will often take the form of a report or research.
Enrolment:
The process of becoming a full member of a university. This often requires obtaining a student card and filling out all the documentation required. There is often an ‘enrolment week’ where the student is required to complete enrolment by visiting their faculties and dealing with other admin tasks.
Faculty/School:
Depending on what course they’ve taken, the student’s administration will be run by one of the different faculties – it’s a good idea to find out which one!
Finals:
The most important exams as they take place at the end of a student’s studies. If finals are imminent you may not see your student for a while!
Fresher:
A first year student. Won’t just be referred to as a student, but also a ‘fresher’, ‘first year’ or ‘the new guys’.
Grades:
First
The highest grade a student can attain as an undergraduate. Traditionally if assignment score is above 70%
2:1
normally attained by a score above 60%
2:2
A score above 50%
Third
A low pass score, above 40%.
In most Universities, the first year doesn’t count towards the final grade, with only a pass required to continue into second year.
Reading Week:
A week in which usual classes are postponed, so that students can catch up on course reading. Most students see this as an opportunity to have a small holiday, but they should be used appropriately unless they want to fall behind.
Returners:
A second or third year student.
Sandwich Course:
A course which includes a year in industry, usually in the middle, making the course usually last 4 years. It’s often the student’s responsibility to find their placement, but this depends on the university and course.
Seminar/Tutorial:
This is more like a traditional class that encourages group learning and reinforces lessons learnt in the lectures. More often than not seminars or tutorials will be compulsory.
The Union:
The centre of all university activity outside of specific course hubs. The Union looks after student welfare and other facets of student life. The Union could also refer to the physical place, such as the union building or the union nightclub.
