Dictionary
(You may also find our searchable database of frequently asked questions useful.)
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
Access Melbourne: the University of Melbourne's combined special entry and access scholarship scheme. For more information see the Access Melbourne website.
Amenities and services fee: a fee, separate from tuition fees, which finances the activities of the Student Union, the Postgraduate Association, the Sport and Recreation Centre and the development of facilities and services of a non-academic nature.
Assessment: a piece or pieces of work on which your success in a subject is measured. It may consist of a project, assignment, paper, essay or other task.
Assessment level: for international students, your country of citizenship is allocated an assessment level by the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs for the purposes of your student visa application. Each student visa application is assessed according to this level. The assessment level is determined by the passport you hold and the visa subclass you are applying for. The assessment levels relate generally to how likely students are to comply with their visa conditions, based on previous students' behaviour. Assessment level 1 represents the lowest assessment level and assessment level 5 the highest.
Associate degree: a vocationally focused course that includes two years of student and work experience. May articulate to certain Bachelors degrees. See Course Search for details of associate degrees offered at the University.
Australian student: at the University of Melbourne an Australian student is an Australian or New Zealand citizen, an Australian permanent resident or the holder of a permanent Humanitarian Visa. If you are an Australian or New Zealand citizen, Australian permanent resident or holder of a permanent Humanitarian Visa you are an Australian student regardless of whether you also hold citizenship or residency rights for a country other than Australia. (Compare with international student.)
b
Bachelor degree: the highest undergraduate award offered, normally resulting in detailed knowledge of a particular area. It is also the most common type of undergraduate course at the University. See Course Search for details of bachelor degrees offered at the University.
Breadth component: The breadth
component of a degree will require
you to undertake one-quarter of your
three-year bachelor program in studies
outside of your core program. You
will be able to choose from a range of
subjects and clusters of subjects which
will complement and strengthen your
understanding of your core studies.
c
Capstone subject: Normally a final-year
undergraduate subject incorporating
an activity or experience, including
an examination or research project,
requiring you to consider broader
themes relevant to your discipline.
The capstone experience consolidates
the content and skills acquisition
components of your major area of
study, and encourages you to apply
those achievements both within the
capstone experience itself, and later
when you have graduated to further
study or professional life.
Census date: the date when fee liabilities are incurred. Refund of fees or waiver of HECS-HELP or FEE-HELP liability is not possible once the subject census date has passed. Your enrolment record will list each subject and its census date. For more information refer to Subject EFTSL, Level, Discipline and Census Date.
Change of preference: the opportunity given to applicants to change the preferences on their application once their results are known.
Clearly-in Rank: the point at or above which all offers for Commonwealth supported places are made to applicants. The Clearly-in Rank is not set in advance but is a product of the selection process. For more information refer to entry scores for Australian undergraduate students.
Cohort experience: New Generation degrees will provide you with more opportunities to interact and build working relationships with fellow students as you progress through your degree. The Melbourne Model will strengthen your sense of being part of a learning community.
Commonwealth supported place (CSP): an enrolment at the University which is subsidised by the Commonwealth Government. A student enrolled in a Commonwealth supported place contributes to the tuition fee for their course by paying the relevant HECS charge up front or in a deferred arrangement through the Australian Taxation Office. For more information refer to Commonwealth supported places.
Community Access Program (CAP): program offering the opportunity to study single subjects at the University of Melbourne. For more information see the Community Access Program website.
Concurrent diploma: a concurrent diploma is a qualification in an unrelated area that you can study alongside your bachelor degree. See Course Search for details of concurrent diplomas offered at the University.
Conditional offer: an offer made to an international student where the student must still meet some requirements (conditions) before they can accept their offer.
Confirmation of Appropriate Accommodation/Welfare Arrangements (CAAW): a Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (DIMIA) form that the University may sign when acceptable accommodation and general welfare arrangements have been made for international students under 18 years of age.
Confirmation of Enrolment (COE): See Electronic Confirmation of Enrolment.
Course: a degree or program studied. The University offers courses at various levels: undergraduate, postgraduate and short course. See Course Search for details of courses offered at the University.
Coursework: a program of study comprising individual subjects undertaken through tutorials and lectures. (Compare with research.)
CRICOS code: under the ESOS Act (2000) all courses offered to international students must be registered with the Department of Education, Science and Training. Registered courses are given a CRICOS Code.
Cross-disciplinary experience: You will be able to study subjects that build on cross-disciplinary research and take advantage of the various areas of expertise in the University.
d
Department: the smallest academic division. A faculty may contain departments which deal with a particular subject area, for example, the Faculty of Arts contains the Department of History.
DEST: Department of Education, Science and Training. Australian Government department. For more information see the Department website.
DIAC: Department of Immigration and Citizenship. Australian Government department. For more information see the Department website.
Diploma: see Concurrent diplomas.
Disability Liaison Unit (DLU): a support service to assist students with disabilities to access additional support and resources to enable them to undertake their studies at the University and to fully participate in the university environment. For more information see the Disability Liaison Unit website.
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD): this type of postgraduate course consists of independent and sustained research on a particular topic, conducted under academic supervision. The research is expected to make a significant new contribution to the discipline. For more information see the School of Graduate Studies website.
Doctorate: this type of postgraduate course provides specialised professional training to advance practice and knowledge in a specific area. Doctorates are provided through coursework and research courses and include the Doctor of Philosophy. See Course Search for details of doctorate degrees offered at the University.
e
EFTSL (equivalent full time student load): a measure of study load. One EFTSL is equivalent to 100 credit points and represents a standard annual full time load.
Electronic Confirmation of Enrolment (eCOE): international students require an eCOE in order to apply for their student visa. The eCOE is provided by the University once the student has accepted their offer and paid their first instalment of tuition fees.
e-Learning: Education delivered by electronic means and which can be done on demand.
English language requirements: specific English requirements that all students must meet before they are able to receive an offer to study at the University. Details of these requirements and how applicants can meet them are available for undergraduates and postgraduates.
ENTER (Equivalent National Tertiary Entrance Rank): percentile ranking showing VCE students' comparative placement in their VCE age group in that year on the basis of their VCE studies.
ESOS Act: Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) Act 2000. Enacted by the Australian Parliament, it establishes a National Code of Practice for, and regulates the delivery of, education services to international students. For more information refer to Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) Act 2000.
Extension Program: program allowing academically gifted Year 12 students the opportunity to study a first-year university sequence while still at secondary school. For more information see the Extension Program website.
f
Faculty: an organisational structure within the University which coordinates the work of the departments, where teaching and research take place. For more information see the faculty websites.
Fee place: an enrolment at the University where a student is responsible for the full cost of the fee-based enrolment as these places are not covered by a government subsidy. Fee places are offered in addition to Commonwealth supported places. For more information refer to Tuition fees.
FEE-HELP: a government loan program available to students enrolled in fee places. For more information see the Department of Education, Science and Training website.
g
Graduate certificate: this type of postgraduate course provides expertise in a specialist area. Graduate certificates have a typical length of 0.5 EFTSL. See Course Search for details of graduate certificates offered at the University.
Graduate diploma: this type of postgraduate course provides expertise in a specialist area equivalent to a major at undergraduate level or specialist training at postgraduate level. Graduate diplomas have a typical length of 1 EFTSL. See Course Search for details of graduate diplomas offered at the University.
Graduate professional entry degree: A
graduate degree introduced under the
Melbourne Model that is professionally
accredited and leads to specific career
outcomes. Examples include the
Juris Doctor, Master of Architecture
and Master of Education. A graduate
professional entry degree is one where the content of the course is regulated
by a professional organisation or
association outside of the University.
If you complete a specified program
of study you are eligible to receive
accreditation or become a member
of a professional group (or be able to
do so once you complete graduate
professional experience requirements).
Graduate school: As distinct from schools within faculties, graduate schools are organisational structures which provide graduate education in specific areas, for example the Melbourne Law School, or the Melbourne School of Management.
Guaranteed ENTER: a pre-determined academic standard for Australian applicants at which (provided prerequisite studies and any other specific course requirements are met) applicants will be eligible for a place. Commonwealth supported places will be offered first, on the basis of academic merit, and all remaining eligible applicants will be offered an Australian fee place (provided they have expressed a preference for such a fee place). For more information refer to entry scores for Australian students.
Guaranteed pathway: a predetermined standard of achievement in Year 12 and during undergraduate study which if met will guarantee a place in a New Generation graduate program.
h
HECS: the charge incurred by a student enrolled in a Commonwealth supported place. For more information refer to Commonwealth supported places.
HECS-HELP: a government loan program available to students enrolled in a Commonwealth supported place who wish to defer payment of their HECS contributions. For more information see the Department of Education, Science and Training website.
Honours: a one year extension (with a research component) of a three year bachelor degree or the award given to high-performing students following a four year bachelor degree.
i
IELTS test: an international English language test recognised by the University as meeting the English language requirements of the University. For more information about this test see the IELTS website.
Interdisciplinary area: an area of study informed by several academic disciplines. For example, biotechnology is informed by the academic disciplines of science and engineering.
International Baccalaureate (IB): an international pre-university course of study administered by the International Baccalaureate Organization based in Geneva. For more information refer to International Baccalaureate.
International student: at the University of Melbourne, an international student is any student who is not an Australian or New Zealand citizen, or who is not an Australian permanent resident or holder of a permanent Humanitarian Visa. (Compare with Australian student. )
l
Lecture: large formal classes in which lecturers present course material to all students enrolled in a given subject. (Compare with tutorial.)
m
Major: a sequence of subjects undertaken within an undergraduate degree that, when put together, form a specialisation in a certain area of study.
Masters: this type of postgraduate course provides advanced specialist or professional training in a particular discipline or interdisciplinary area. See Course Search for details of masters degrees offered at the University.
Mature Age Entry: see entry for Non-Year 12 Applicants.
MBA (Master of Business Administration): the University's MBA program is taught and administered by the Melbourne Business School. For more information see the Melbourne Business School website.
n
New Generation undergraduate degree: The six undergraduate degrees introduced in 2008 under the Melbourne Model are: Arts, Biomedicine, Commerce, Environments, Music and Science. These three-year undergraduate degrees are focused broadly on the Arts and the Sciences and offer pathways into employment, professional graduate programs or research higher degrees. The New Generation undergraduate degrees aim to produce graduates who are academically excellent, knowledgeable across disciplines, leaders in professions and communities, fluent between cultures, and active global citizens.
Non-Year 12 Applicants: You are considered a Non-Year 12 Applicant if you are:
- Not currently studying an Australian Year 12 qualification
- Studying an overseas secondary school qualification
- Already (or previously) enrolled at a tertiary institution and wish to apply to the University of Melbourne.
The University does not offer a specific mature age entry scheme. All applicants are subject to the same entry standards and requirements, including Year 12 and Non-Year 12 applicants. See Non-Year 12 Applicants page for further information.
o
OS-HELP: a Government loan program available to students in a Commonwealth supported place who will be participating in an exchange or study abroad program for which the student will receive credit towards their University of Melbourne degree. For more information see the Melbourne Abroad website.
Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC): health cover which international students must hold for the full duration of their course to meet the requirements of their student visa. For more information see the website of the University's Overseas Student Health Cover provider, OSHC Worldcare.
p
Permanent residency (PR): if an international student obtains Australian permanent residency status either before commencing or while enrolled at the University, they must notify the University immediately, as they cease to be an international student and become an Australian student. If permanent residency is obtained before commencing, notify the International Centre. If PR is obtained after commencing, students should contact both their faculty and the Student Administration Office. For more information see the arrangements relating to the payment of fees.
PhD: see Doctor of Philosophy.
Postgraduate certificate: this type of postgraduate course provides current research and knowledge in a specialist area, typically building on the area of your undergraduate degree. Postgraduate certificates are typically 0.5 EFTSL in length. See Course Search for details of postgraduate certificates offered at the University.
Postgraduate course: further degree or course of study at a higher level than a bachelor degree. At the University of Melbourne, courses defined as postgraduate include: graduate certificate, graduate diploma, postgraduate certificate, postgraduate diploma, masters, doctorate. (Compare with undergraduate course.)
Postgraduate diploma: this type of postgraduate course provides current research and knowledge in a specialist area, typically building on the area of your undergraduate degree. Postgraduate diplomas are typically 1 EFTSL in length. See Course Search for details of postgraduate diplomas offered at the University.
Preference: a course that an applicant has listed on their application.
Prerequisite: prescribed studies that must be completed to be eligible for a course. For details of prerequisites for specific courses see Course Search.
Pre-Visa Assessment (PVA): the preliminary assessment of a student visa application by the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs. International students from Level 3 and 4 countries require a pre-visa assessment before they can accept their offer.
r
Research: postgraduate courses by research consist of independent and sustained research on a particular topic conducted under academic supervision. They usually comprise a thesis and potentially a small coursework component. Research degrees offered by the University are doctorates and masters. (Compare with coursework.)
Research Training Scheme (RTS): a scheme providing Commonwealth-funded higher degree by research students with an entitlement to a HECS exemption. For more information see the Department of Education and Training Research Training Scheme website.
s
Selection: process by which the University makes a decision regarding applications for entry to the University.
Sequential degrees: Two undergraduate degrees completed one after the other. You may be able to complete two three-year undergraduate degrees in five years (same period as in the current double degree) if you are eligible for crosscredit.
Specialisation: see major.
Student contribution amount: see HECS.
Student learning entitlement: Australian students receive a student learning entitlement providing access to seven years of equivalent full time study in a Commonwealth supported place.
Student visa: international students must apply for a student visa to be able to study in Australia. You can only be granted a student visa if you wish to undertake a registered course on a full-time basis. For information about the types of student visas and how to apply, please refer to the Department of Immigration, Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs website.
Subject: a unit within a course. For example, the subject Aboriginal Art can form part of the Bachelor of Arts course. You can search for undergraduate subjects using the online handbook.
t
Temporary residency (TR): a temporary resident is regarded as an international student and must pay international student tuition fees. A student who is a temporary resident is not eligible for overseas student health cover. The holder is allowed to undertake part time studies, however, clarification from the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs is required.
TIS (Tertiary Information Service): the Tertiary Information Service is an official collective of university, TAFE and other education providers who run free information sessions for Year 12 students across Victoria. For more information refer to Tertiary Information Service.
TOEFL test: an international English language test recognised by the University of Melbourne as meeting the English language requirements of the University. For more information about this test refer to the TOEFL website.
Tutorial ("tute"): small classes in which material from lectures and readings can be discussed in detail. (Compare with lecture.)
Typical course fee: typical course fees have been calculated to give future students an idea of possible tuition fees. These fees are based on the current discipline fee bands and average enrolments of past students in that course. Actual tuition fees payable are based on the particular subjects you choose to study. For more information refer to Tuition fees.
u
UMAT (Undergraduate Medicine and Health Sciences Admission Test): a requirement for Australian students in most health courses at the University of Melbourne. For more information see the UMAT website.
Undergraduate course: a first course at university. Courses vary in length, usually of three to six EFTSL duration. At the University of Melbourne, courses defined as undergraduate include bachelor degrees, bachelor degrees (honours), some associate degrees and concurrent diplomas. (Compare with postgraduate course.)
Under-represented school: a school which has been designated under-represented in the current year for the purposes of Access Melbourne.
v
VTAC (Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre): all Australian students (and international students studying in Victoria) apply through VTAC for most undergraduate courses (and some postgraduate Education courses) at the University. For more information see the VTAC website.
VCE (Victorian Certificate of Education): standard secondary school qualification undertaken by students in Victoria.
Visa: see student visa.