Jargon buster
At university, the teaching methods and methods of assessments might vary to what you have previously experienced in school or college.
There are terms which you may have heard before, but feel unsure about what they actually mean in practice. We hope this jargon buster will be useful as you begin thinking about what university-level study entails.
Campus-based university - A university that is situated on one site, with student accommodation, teaching and research facilities and social events located all together.
City-based university - A university that has buildings all around the city, so not everything is in one place. For example, you may have to walk to a different street or part of the city for teaching or to go to the library.
Commuting student - Students who travel to and from university for their teaching and to socialise.
Accommodation - University-owned accommodation where most students live in their first year. Usually, each student has their own bedroom and there is a shared kitchen. Student accommodation could also be referred to as “halls of residence”.
Year in industry - An extended period of work experience undertaken by a university student looking to add an element of real-life professional development as part of their degree programme. This opportunity allows students to better prepare themselves for the workplace and develop practical skills as well as academic ones. A job could be offered, upon completing their degree, to students who excel during their time working within the industry.
Fresher - A first-year student, fresh to higher education (HE).
Freshers’ week - Your first week as a HE student. This is a really exciting week, involving lots of introductory talks, social events and taster sessions. This week is designed to introduce new students to their university and course.
Bachelors of Arts (BA) - A degree course that focuses on arts and humanities subjects, eg English Literature, History or Languages.
Bachelors of Science (BSc) - A degree course that focuses on the sciences, eg Biology, Chemistry or Maths.
Campus - This is where university buildings are located, such as accommodation, academic departments, libraries, labs, lecture theatres and small study spaces. Some university buildings are all together across one or two campuses, and some are spread out across a city or town.
Degree - The qualification you receive at the end of your higher education studies.
Graduate - Someone who has completed and graduated from an undergraduate degree course.
Graduation - The award ceremony at the end of your degree where you celebrate your academic achievements with family and friends. This is where university students wear a cap and gown.
Higher education (HE) - The level of education you undertake after you have completed post-16 studies (such as A levels and BTECs). You might study a HE course at a university, in a further education college or with an online provider.
Joint honours degree - A degree that allows you to study more than one subject, such as Maths and Music, French and Law, or Criminology and Sociology. Although you would be studying two subjects, you graduate with one degree.
Postgraduate - A higher level of study for graduates who have completed and graduated from an undergraduate degree course.
Prospectus - A book or online document containing general information about a university, as well as specific course information.
Research-intensive university - A university committed to carrying out brand-new research in the hope of making new discoveries. The research is carried out by academics who then teach students about their research. Often, students support academics with their work, particularly postgraduate students who have already completed one degree course.
UCAS - Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS), is the main application service for higher education courses. The UCAS website also provides lots of useful information on applying to HE, student finance, choosing a course and places to study.
Undergraduate - The first level of higher education study; someone doing their first degree.
Contact time - Time spent with members of university staff. The main examples are lectures, seminars and labs.
Labs - Sessions where students studying a science-based subject gain practical experience of the techniques described in lectures. Usually, students will have to write a report about what happened afterwards.
Lecture - A talk given by a member of academic staff about their research, ideas and theories to a large group of students, typically taking place in a large hall. Lectures usually help to guide independent learning and understanding of a particular topic.
Module - A class that you take as part of your course. You will have modules that are compulsory and others that you can choose yourself. They often last for a term or sometimes a full year and offer a chance to focus on something that you really enjoy and want to look at in more depth.
Reading week - A week in the middle of term where there is no scheduled teaching (lectures or seminars). You are expected to fill your time with independent study. Not all students get a reading week - it depends on your course.
Seminar - A lesson that involves a smaller group of students who meet, with an academic tutor, to discuss a subject in depth. The discussion could expand on the topic of a lecture or your own reading. Typically, you would be expected to prepare for a seminar by doing allocated work in advance. Seminars provide a good opportunity to ask lots of questions.
Closed exam - An exam you sit under traditional exam conditions, at a specific time and in a specific place, with everyone else who takes the relevant module.
Cumulative assessment - A series of tasks, such as lab reports, portfolio work, weekly class tests and reflective journal entries, which are assessed throughout the module.
Dissertation - Typically completed in your final year, an extended essay ranging from 8,000 to 12,000 words. This provides a really exciting opportunity to delve into a specific subject area that really interests you and to do your own research. You will be assigned a supervisor within your academic department who will help along the way.
Open exam - Students are examined by being given an assessment which they take home to complete in a limited time, for example over the course of 24 hours or over the course of a couple of days. In some cases, an open exam takes place in the form of research, ahead of a closed exam immediately following it.
Posters/presentations/group work - In some cases, students are assessed by posters or presentations they create. Sometimes these tasks are undertaken individually, and other times in groups.