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A

Academic year

The period comprising a 'first session' (Autumn: February-June), a 'second session' (Spring: July-November,) and the following (optional) Summer session (December-February).
Admission requirements The minimum qualifications required for you to be considered for entry to a particular level of course.

Advanced standing

Advanced standing may be granted to a student on the basis of previous study or experience. When advanced standing is given, it means that a student does not have to undertake a particular subject because they have learned what they need to know through this previous study or experience.

Assumed knowledge

Universities often assume that you have studied certain subjects in the NSW HSC (or equivalent). For example, if HSC Mathematics Extension 1 is assumed knowledge for a particular degree and you have studied HSC Mathematics, then you may find related subjects in your degree difficult.

B

Bachelor degree

A program of study requiring three to four years of full-time study, or part-time equivalent. Also referred to as degree, program (of study) or course.

C

Credit points

You will undertake a program of subjects that will accrue credit points towards your degree. Credit points are a measure of student workload for each subject. Most subjects are single session and have a value of six or eight credit points.

Full-time students normally complete 48 credit points per year and 144 over the course of a three-year bachelor degree or 192 over the course of a four-year bachelor degree. A full-time 48 credit point year implies an average workload of 48 hours per week, including classes. Part-time students enrol in less than 36 credit points.

D

Day (delivery)

Lectures/tutorials are usually held between 8.30am and 5.30pm.

Double degree

Two degrees studied simultaneously, with two testamurs awarded, usually completed in four to six years.

E

Electives/Subjects

Most subjects are of single session duration. Some may be compulsory (core) while others can be chosen as electives - ie, these are subjects that are of most interest/relevance to you and that allow you to choose from a wider selection of topics. These subjects may be chosen to complement your major area of study.

Enrolment

After you have been offered a place in a degree, you will be required to accept the offer and enrol at a certain time. This is essentially registering for subject for each year. Successful applicants will receive enrolment details with their offer.

Evening (delivery)

Lectures/tutorials usually start after 5.30pm

F

Full-time or part-time

This is not a matter of day or night classes, but rather is determined by the number of credit points in which you enrol. Only selected subjects are offered at night. For three-year degrees, full-time students normally enrol in a total of 48 credit points annually (ie usually four subjects per session). Part-time students normally enrol in fewer than 36 credit points annually.

G

H

HECS

The Higher Education Contribution Scheme. Applicable to Australian citizens, Australian permanent residents and New Zealand citizens. The Commonwealth pays the major part of the costs involved, and students pay the remaining part of the cost.

Honours

An Honours degree distinguishes a graduate as a high achiever. Honours can be studied in one of two ways at UOW. In most three-year degrees, honours is available as an additional (4th) year of full-time study (or part-time equivalent) to students who achieve a high standard in their undergraduate degree. In a four- or five-year course, honours is awarded for meritorious performance throughout the degree, often with a weighting on the later years of the course. The admission requirements and classes of honours awarded are defined in the Course rules in the UOW Undergraduate Calendar.

I

IT

Information Technology.

ILIP

Information Literacies Introductory Program - An online course that introduces students to the skills necessary for finding, using and evaluating information at and through the Uni Library. Compulsory for all new undergraduates and new postgraduate coursework students who haven't completed the online ILIP assignment in the last 5 years.

J

K

L

Lectures

All students taking a subject attend information sessions, known as lectures, as a group. Lectures are generally one-hour long. Sometimes you may have two or more lectures consecutively.

M

Major

The majority of subject matter which is studied as a specialisation of an undergraduate degree.

N

NSW HSC

The New South Wales (Australia) Higher School Certificate.

O

Orientation

A program of pre-session events (over several days) designed to acclimatise new students to the University, its procedures, facilities and the degree programs they have enrolled in.

P

Postgraduate

The second level of tertiary study (eg. Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma, Masters degree or Doctor of Philosophy).

Q

Quota

The amount of internet usage allowed to students via the University's network. Quota is currently set at 400MB of off-net traffic with unlimited on-net traffic. Under current policy, the quota is granted as a 6 monthly allocation at the beginning of each year and is reset at midyear. More information at http://www.uow.edu.au/student/it/myaccount/index.html  

R

Recommended studies

Relevant only to Domestic Year 12 students. You may find some subjects in your degree easier to follow, if you successfully complete the HSC subjects we recommend you study.

Research

UOW provides research training for people who are interested in academic and research careers and for those who wish to advance their level of professional practice. A research program is defined as having at least 2/3 of its requirements as supervised research leading to a thesis. Coursework to the following definition in the glossary:

Coursework programs may have all (or the majority) of their requirements met by the completion of coursework subjects in a particular discipline/professional area. Normally, a full-time student undertakes 8 subjects (48 credit points) per year. Each subject is allocated a credit point value. You will normally undertake Sessional subjects (one session to complete) - usually 6 credit points each.

Rovers

Student helpers who rove around the student labs and the library to help you.

S

Session

The academic year is divided into three parts of usually 13 weeks duration: the first, second and third (optional) session. Also referred to as 'Semester'.

T

TAFE (NSW)

Technical And Further Education New South Wales. A provider of vocational education and training courses.

Testamur

The official document you receive at your graduation ceremony, signifying the award of a qualification upon successful completion of the relevant program of study.

Tutorials

Students studying a subject are frequently divided into groups for small group interactions in which students discuss subject matter in-depth, or receive personalised assistance from their tutor. Some subjects will also include seminars and/or laboratory work.

U

UAC

Universities Admission Centre. The central office that receives and processes applications for admission to most undergraduate degrees at participating universities in NSW and the ACT.

UAI rank (or equivalent)

Universities Admission Index. A number between 0.00 and 100.00 with increments of 0.05. Provides a measure of overall academic achievement in the NSW HSC (or equivalent) that assists universities in ranking applicants for university selection. It is calculated by the universities and released by the UAC. It is given to NSW HSC students who indicate they wish to be notified of their UAI. Applicants who have not completed the NSW HSC (or equivalent) will have a UAC rank calculated based on other information provided to assist in determining their eligibility for a degree. Other criteria such as a portfolio, interview, or audition may also be taken into account for certain degrees, in conjunction with the UAI rank (or equivalent).

Undergraduate course

A Bachelor degree - the first level of tertiary study.

User name

Signon name for email & internet access.

V

W

Webmail

Browser-based email, similar to hotmail.

X

Y

Z

Last reviewed: 25 March, 2008