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A to Z of university terms

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

A

Academic transcript

  • A formal record of results achieved during studies

Advanced standing

  • If you have previously studied a unit at another institution that is recognised as equivalent by the university then you can apply to skip that unit
  • Another term for credit transfer

Assessment

  • Determines your overall grade in each unit
  • Depending on units completed, your grade will be based on your performance in a combination of written assignments, essays, tests, laboratory tasks and exams

Award

  • The official name for a university course at Monash

B

Bachelors degree

  • Take three to five years full time study to complete
  • Some focus on one or two major areas of study, others are specifically directed at professional practice and membership (e.g. law, accounting, architecture, etc)

C

Campus

  • Grounds and buildings at the University. Monash has six campuses in Victoria, Australia, one in Malaysia and one in South Africa

Certified copies

  • Copies of academic transcripts, statements, results et cetera that have been verified by appropriate personnel as genuine reproductions
  • Often required when lodging applications to study

Course/degree

  • Your particular qualification or degree (eg. Bachelor of Arts)
  • Made up of a set number of units, some compulsory (required) and some elective
  • Once you have completed the required number of units you are eligible for the particular qualification or degree

Credit points

  • All units studied within a course have a credit point value
  • A single unit usually comprises six credit points
  • A standard year workload for a full-time undergraduate student is 48 credit points (eight units each year, four units each semester)
  • To complete a three-year degree course, a minimum of 144 credit points will be required

Credit transfer

  • If you have previously studied a unit at another institution that is recognised as equivalent by the University, you can apply to not study that unit again
  • Another term for advanced standing

D

Department/school

  • Each faculty has a number of departments or schools representing specialty areas within the faculty

Doctor of philosophy (PhD)

  • Traditionally a research program completed in three or four years of full-time study
  • Some PhD programs now offer a limited coursework component
  • PhD programs enable you to undertake substantial, original research conducted under expert academic supervision
  • You submit a thesis report to earn a PhD

Double degrees

  • Study two degrees at once by compressing the two together and reducing the number of electives
  • All ten Monash faculties offer double degrees

E

eCOE (electronic Confirmation of Enrolment)

  • This is issued when the International Admission Office receives payment of your fees as stated in your offer letter.
  • If you are applying from a country assessed at level 3 or 4, you need to take/send your eCOE to your nearest Australian Embassy/Diplomatic Mission to complete processing of your student visa.

Enrolment

  • The period before commencement of studies in which students speak to course advisers, sign up for their courses and select units.

External PhD

  • Flexible research option enabling off-campus study for a PhD
  • You must discuss your progress on a monthly basis with your Monash-based supervisor and undertake the equivalent of 15 days on-campus per year
  • You do not qualify for a student visa, so as an external PhD student you need to conduct research primarily outside Australia

F

Faculty

  • A faculty is made up of schools and departments each focusing on a special area of study within the discipline
  • Monash has 10 faculties, each representing a particular area of study
  • The Monash faculties are:
    • Arts
    • Art and Design
    • Business and Economics
    • Education
    • Engineering
    • Information Technology
    • Law
    • Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences
    • Pharmacy
    • Science

G

Graduate certificates

  • Can be the first half of a graduate diploma or an academic award in its own right
  • Six months of full-time study
  • Courses of less than 10 months may have visa restrictions. See the Department of Immigration and Citizenship website for more information.

Graduate diplomas

  • One-year, subject-based programs, providing the equivalent of an undergraduate major
  • Usually in a different discipline to that previously studied at undergraduate level
  • Add a new and different qualification (such as teaching) to the one you have
  • Enhance your career options or prepare for further graduate study

H

H1

A First Class Honours degree or equivalent (where an overall mark of 80 per cent or more has been awarded for a whole course)

H2A

A Second Class Honours, Division 1 degree or equivalent (where an overall mark between 70 and 79 per cent has been awarded for a whole course)

Honours year

  • One-year course for high achieving students, after a three-year bachelors degree
  • An opportunity to undertake more specialised, advanced work in one or two disciplines
  • Undertake research into an area that interests you and submit a thesis on your findings

I

International student

  • You are an international student if you are not an Australian or New Zealand citizen or do not hold Permanent Residency status in Australia.

J

K

L

Lecture

  • A speech or explanation of a given subject delivered to a class
  • Lectures are usually delivered to a large number of students
  • Seminars and tutorials after the lecture are usually made up of smaller groups

Lecturer

Teaches classes or lectures to a larger group of students undertaking the unit

M

Major

  • The main areas of study taken in a degree (i.e. Commerce degree majoring in Management)

Masters degree by coursework

  • Subject-based program at the higher degree level
  • Some programs offer a research component
  • Extend knowledge and skills and enhance career options

Masters degree by research

  • Research-based program where you undertake substantial and independent research under expert academic supervision
  • If eligible you may upgrade from masters to doctoral level of studies in your first year of study

Masters preliminary/qualifying year

  • Either a year of coursework or a program that has coursework and research combined
  • Preparation for masters level studies in either coursework or research mode

Monash Entry Package

  • An offer for two or more Monash programs grouped together (eg. Monash College and Monash University )

N

O

Offer

  • A place made available to you for study at the University
  • Once you have received an offer, you may accept, reject or defer

Orientation

  • Orientation Week (O-week) involves academic, social and informative activities on each campus that:
    • Introduce you to the services and facilities at Monash
    • Help you adjust to living and studying in Australia at university
    • Provide opportunities to make new friends through social activities

P

Pathway programs

  • If you qualify for direct entry to the University, you may be offered an alternative entry option (pathway) such as a Monash College diploma program or English language course

PVA (Pre-Visa Assessment)

  • If you are applying from a country assessed at level 3 or 4, you need to contact your nearest Australian Embassy/Diplomatic Mission when you receive your offer, for
    an initial assessment to be made on your visa application.
  • The PVA measures your ability to meet the student visa requirements relevant to your assessment level.

Postgraduate

  • You have previously completed a bachelor degree
  • Study is at a higher level, usually Masters or PhD

Postgraduate diplomas

  • One-year program to build upon studies previously completed at bachelor-degree level
  • Preparation for further graduate study by coursework or research

Professional doctorate

  • Normally combines independent research under expert academic supervision, and subject-based study
  • Usually takes four years to complete

Q

R

S

Semester

  • The word semester literally means 'six months'.
  • The University year is divided into two semesters (Semester 1 and Semester 2) and refers to the two periods during which classes are held.

T

Tutor

  • A tutor teaches classes (tutorials) to a smaller group of students

Tutorial

  • Classes that go into detail on the material discussed in lectures
  • Generally more interactive than lectures, due to the smaller class size

U

Undergraduate

  • Studies making up a bachelor degree
  • Usually the first 3-5 years of university study

Unit

  • Module of academic study (sometimes called a subject)
  • A unit forms part of a degree and has its own assessment procedures
  • You will receive a grade and percentage mark for all units completed

V

Visa

  • An official authorisation permitting entry into and travel within Australia
  • If you are not an Australian or New Zealand citizen or do not hold Permanent Residency status in Australia, you will require a student visa to study at Monash

W

X

Y

Z