- Academic Year: The university year which normally runs from September to July of each year.
- Access Course: A course for mature students (over 21), who do not have the appropriate formal qualifications to enter Higher Education. Successful completion will allow them to start a HE course.
- Access Funds: Money given to universities to assist students in financial difficulty. There is a special application procedure to assess if students are eligible and how much they should be awarded.
- Alumni: A graduate or someone who has successfully passed a course at university.
- APEL: APEL or Assessment of Prior Experiential Learning can be used as an alternative to formal qualifications to assess a student's suitability to enter Higher Education.
- BA: The short title Bachelor of Arts degrees e.g. BA Sociology, awarded to students who have successfully passed (graduated) their degree course in Arts subjects.
- BEd: Bachelor of Education (Teaching degree), awarded to students who have successfully passed (graduated) their degree course in Education.
- BEng: Bachelor of Engineering, awarded to students who have successfully passed (graduated) their degree course in Engineering.
- BSc: Bachelor of Science e.g. BSc Computing, awarded to students who have successfully passed (graduated) their degree course in Science subjects.
- Bursary: A grant awarded to a person on application who fulfils specific criteria.
- Campus: The buildings and grounds at which a university or college is based. Sometimes universities have a number of different campuses e.g. De Montfort University has campuses at Bedford and Leicester. The word campus is only used to refer to buildings grouped together in one area.
- Clearing: A system (operated by clearing houses such as UCAS or NMAS see below) that operates after A Level results are known which allows prospective students without a university place to apply a second time for vacant places, which haven't been filled by first round applications.
- CATS: The Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme (CATS) determines how and when students are deemed to have reached a certain level. (For example when they have reached the standard required by a certain qualification.) The scheme is recognised within and between institutions. This allows students to transfer more easily between institutions and take their qualifications/level reached with them.
- Combined Honours: A degree in which a student studies a combination of two or three different subjects.
- Diploma: A qualification awarded for a course of Higher Education.
- Dissertation: An extended essay or report usually of several thousand words on a specific subject completed during a course of study.
- Distance Learning: This is where students study from home, but are provided with specially prepared learning materials often in the form of TV and radio programmes, correspondence materials, video, computer network, or CD ROM. The institution they are registered with is also responsible for marking and commenting on their work, and providing counselling and tutorial support.
- EDEXCEL: EDEXCEL is an awarding body for qualifications.
- Faculty: A group of several related departments within a broader academic area, that are jointly administered. For example, Faculty of Humanities at DMU administers areas including History, English and Theatre.
- Foundation Degree: This is a recognised FE course that prepares students who have qualifications acceptable for general entry, but are not appropriate to a specific course of study.
- Further Education: FE provides education and courses in a wide range of subjects and levels for those over 16. Courses provided include A2s, ASs, AVCSs, National Diplomas and Key Skills. They can be taken in their own right or by students using them to meet entry requirements to Higher Education.
- Graduate: A person who has completed and passed a degree course.
- Halls of Residence: University owned accommodation in which students often live while studying. This can be self-catered or catered.
- Hardship Fund: This is a money which is given to universities to assist students in financial difficulty. There is a special application procedure which assesses whether students are eligible and if so how much they should be awarded.Higher Education: HE provides education and training for students aged 18 and over, who have completed the required amount of study at FE level. Qualifications on offer include HNCs, HNDs and Degrees.
- Higher degree: This is a degree above bachelor's level, such as a master's degree or doctorate.
- HNC: Higher National Certificate. This qualification can be gained with fewer units than the HND.
- HND: Higher National Diplomas normally last for two years and are usually in vocational subjects, such as Business and Finance. At the end of the course you can often add a top up year to gain a degree.
- Honours Degree: A course of higher education study undertaken at university, normally lasting three or four years.
- Joint Honours: An honours degree where two subjects are studied to the same depth.
- Key Skills: Key skills are skills which are important in all aspects of life. They are Communicaton, Application of Number, Information Technology, Improving Own *Learning and Performance, Problem Solving and Working with Others.
- LEA: Local Education Authority.
- Lecture: A formal instructive talk given by a subject specialist to a group of students. Students listen and make notes although some involve interaction between student and lecturer.
- MA/MSc/MPhil: MA/MSc degrees are awarded to graduates who have undertaken a further course of study after an honours degree. Masters degrees may be taken following a period of work experience, and some courses take the form of company training programmes. MPhil degrees are a masters degree which a student is awarded after a period of research rather than by following a taught masters course.
- Major/Minor Honours: A degree where a student studies two subjects, but concentrates on one, which is their major subject, whilst studying a second subject in less detail, and this is known as their minor subject.
- Mature Student: Students who are over 21 when they start their course.
- Module: A unit of study that explores a specific area within a subject, for example The Cold War. A number of modules make up an award, such as a degree.
- Mentor: A member of university staff who discusses progress and problems with individual students.
- NMAS: Nursing and Midwifery Admissions Service. Responsible for processing for diploma level, pre-registration nursing and Midwifery Progammes.
- Open/Flexible Learning: Open or flexible learning allows students to study at their own pace. They use learning centres where they have full access to materials and resources. These centres also provide them with counselling, and tutorial support as required.
- Opportunity Bursaries: A grant of £2000 available over three years for students within certain geographical areas and who may have financial constraints which may inhibit participation.
- Placement Year: A year, which is part of a university course, but where the student gains experience in the workplace. A placement year is usually the last but one year of any course.
- Plagiarism: Using or copying another person's work without acknowledgement and with the intention of passing it off as one's own. This is cheating and is not allowed at university.
- Postgraduate: A student who has completed their degree and progresses on to more advanced study at university.
- Prospectus: A brochure giving details of a university/college and its courses, entry requirements and campuses.
- Semester: The DMU academic year is divided into two semesters or blocks of study.
- Seminar: A meeting between a lecturer and a small group of students to study or discuss an aspect of the course, which is being taught.
- Sandwich year: A course of study which includes a year of practical work undertaken in an organisation outside the university, but which has some relevance to the student's programme of study. The sandwich year is usually the penultimate year of a degree programme.
- Single Honours: An honours degree course during which a student studies a single subject.
- SLC: Student Loans Company. They provide financial assistance in the form of loans to students. These loans are not paid back until after the course has ended, and the students have started earning.
- Term: The academic year is divided into three terms, or blocks of study.
- Tuition Fees: Course fees which are payable to the university to cover the tuition cost. It is estimated that about half of all students at university will not pay any tuition fees.
- Tutorial: When the tutor meets with a student or a small group of students to take part in a discussion based on the subject or subjects being studied.
- UCAS: The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service, which is responsible for processing applications for courses at universities and colleges.
- Undergraduate: A person who is still studying for a first degree.
- University: A community of scholars, researchers, teachers and students. A University is an organisation which has the statuatory authority to award bachelors and higher degrees.
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