Universities have a language all their own—and that can be confusing. But don’t worry—terms like GPA, faculty and convocation will be rolling off your tongue in no time. Until then, this list should help you understand some of the most commonly used university lingo.

Academic advisor – These people know the ins and outs of a particular group of programs. They can help you sign up for courses, figure out the registration system, declare your major and so much more. Learn more about academic advising.

Academic calendar – A giant, formal online document (400-plus pages) that acts as a comprehensive guide to all of the university’s programs, courses, services and academic policies. Also includes the academic schedule (see below).

Academic schedule – An official list of university dates and deadlines (think the start of classes, deadlines to add or drop classes, payment of fees, etc.) published as part of the academic calendar. Not to be confused with the university’s events schedule, which includes dates from the academic schedule, but also lists things like speaker series and other special events on campus.

Alumni – What you’ll be called after you graduate from your program. Alumni is plural. A female graduate is an alumna and a male graduate is called an alumnus, but the informal term “alum” does the trick as a singular or gender-neutral term.

Apply – (Not to be confused with “register” or “enrol.”) When you apply, you fill in an application form indicating you want to register (sign up for courses) in a particular program. You can’t register until you have applied and been accepted to a program.

Award – A financial award (money) based on criteria such as volunteerism or leadership (additional criteria, such as academic achievement or financial need, may be considered as well). Also see “Bursary” and “Scholarship.”

Bachelor’s degree – A program of study that typically involves four years of study (also called a baccalaureate or undergraduate degree).

Bursary – A financial award (money) given based on need, but, unlike a student loan, doesn’t have to be repaid. Also see “Award” and “Scholarship.”

Capstone – Usually one of the final experiences in your program that brings together the big ideas that have been covered. A capstone can take many forms, including a course, a research project or a creative project.

Community-engaged learning – See “Experiential learning.”

Convocation – A group of people from an academic institution gathered for a ceremony. In a university setting, this is usually the name for a graduation ceremony. MacEwan has two convocation ceremonies each year, one in November and one in June.

Co-operative education – Combines classroom-based education with practical work experience in a paid employment position offered for academic credit. Also see “Practicum.”

Course – A course is made up of regularly scheduled classes, usually during one academic term, that focus on a singular topic. Each program is made up of a combination of courses.

Course outline – Think of a course outline (sometimes called a syllabus) as a road map that that outlines the overall structure of a course and tells you about the kind of learning experiences that you’ll have. Course outlines usually include the course objectives, required textbooks, readings and information on how your grade will be calculated. Make sure you know where this is and refer back to it often.

Credits – Courses (see above) are offered for credit. Each course is assigned a credit value – many are three credits each. For example, if your four-year degree was 120 credits that would mean you would need to take five courses worth three credits each over eight terms.

Dean – The person who has authority over a specific academic unit. At MacEwan, each of our faculties and schools has a dean.

Drop/Withdraw – This can be tricky. Before you do either of these things for the first time, it’s a good idea to talk to an advisor in your faculty or school. There are deadlines for when you can drop or withdraw from a course. If you drop a course before the add/drop deadline, academically, it’s like the whole thing never happened. It doesn’t appear on your academic transcript (but there can be other implications when it comes to student loans and funding, and whether you’ll get all or part of your tuition fee back). Withdrawing from a course happens after the add/drop deadline. The course will still show on your academic transcript, but it appears as “W” and doesn’t affect your GPA. Dropping or withdrawing from a course is a big decision – make sure to talk to your program advisor first.

Enrol –Once you have applied and are accepted into a program, you can sign up for courses (at MacEwan, we call it enrolling), using myStudentSystem.

Experiential learning – Opportunities to earn course credit while working with community partners. Also known as work-integrated learning or community-engaged learning. Can be placement-style with students working at a community partner site (e.g., internship, practicum, field placement, clinical placement, co-op or work placement), or project-style where students have a consulting-type relationship with a community partner (e.g., community-based research, community-service learning, community-engaged learning, consulting or live case studies).

Faculty – This word can mean two things: Faculty can refer to members of the university’s teaching staff (e.g., assistant professors, associate professors, etc.) or one of the university’s academic areas (e.g., Faculty of Arts and Science, School of Business, Faculty of Nursing, etc.).

GPA – The abbreviation for grade point average, GPA is an average of the final grades you receive in courses during a term (“Term GPA”), at certain points during your program (“Cumulative GPA”) or when you graduate (“Graduation GPA”).

Graduand – What you are called during the short period of time between finishing the coursework in your program and receiving your degree or diploma. When you walk across the stage at convocation, you become a graduate (and an alum of MacEwan University).

Graduate – See “Graduand.”

Honours – An honours degree usually involves extra research training, has different requirements than a standard degree, and is often an advantage when applying for graduate school. Not every degree has an honours program. Check with individual faculties to see if the program you’re interested in has an honours option.

Labs – Some courses have what’s called a lab. This is a separate, scheduled part of the course where you might do experiments or have hands-on access to instruments and equipment.

Lecture – An educational class that typically involves a faculty member speaking about a topic. Lectures can also involve other activities.

Major – In some programs, students choose a major – a particular area of study to focus on during their degree (e.g., in the Bachelor of Arts program, you might major in Anthropology or English, while in the Bachelor of Commerce, you might choose Marketing or International Business). Some programs do not have majors (e.g., Bachelor of Science in Nursing).

Master’s – A master’s degree is the first level of graduate study. To apply to a master’s program, you must already hold an undergraduate degree (a bachelor’s degree). Master’s degrees usually take two years to complete. Note that MacEwan is an undergraduate university and does not offer master’s programs.

mêskanâs – An abbreviated name for the university's digital learning environment (paskwâwi-mostos mêskanâs). See below. 

Minor – Most programs that have majors (see above) often also have minors – a secondary area of focus. For example, a Bachelor of Arts student might major in Psychology and minor in Sociology.

myStudentSystem – The university’s student information system used to track your application, enrol in courses, pay fees and manage your personal information.

Office hours – Faculty members hold regular office hours during the semester. This is a great time to introduce yourself or ask questions. (Making sure to talk to your profs is the number one piece of advice our graduates share.) Check the course outline (a.k.a. syllabus) to see if your faculty member prefers students to drop in or make an appointment during office hours.

Open studies – A flexible way to take university-level credit courses without registering in a specific certificate, diploma or degree program.

paskwâwi-mostos mêskanâs – The university's digital learning environment where you’ll find information about your courses, participate in discussion boards and view your grades. 

PhD – A doctoral degree (also called a Doctor of Philosophy, or PhD for short) is the next level of graduate study after a master’s degree. It is the highest level of degree that a student can achieve and is based on extensive research in a person’s chosen field. Note that MacEwan is an undergraduate university and does not offer master’s programs.

Practicum – An on-the-job learning experience that is part of a course. Practicums are generally unpaid (as opposed to co-operative education) because they involve learning how to do a job in a heavily supervised setting rather than performing work duties all day long.

Provost – A university’s chief academic officer. The provost is responsible for creating and implementing the university’s academic priorities.

Register – See "Enrol."

Registrar – A university’s registrar is the person responsible for keeping students’ records. The registrar oversees the Office of the University Registrar, which handles enrolment services, admissions and convocation.

Scholarship – A financial award (money) given to a student based on academic performance. Also see “Award” and “Bursary.”

Semester – See “Term.”

Students’ association – An official body that represents and advocates for all students at a university and at all levels of government. At some universities, this body is called the students’ union. At MacEwan, it’s the Students’ Association of MacEwan University (SAMU).

Students’ union – See “Students’ association.”

Study abroad – Officially called Education Abroad, this includes opportunities to study in different parts of the world, including exchanges, summer programs, internships, and volunteer and work experiences.

Syllabus – See “Course outline.”

Term – The academic year is divided into three terms: Fall (September to December), Winter (January to April) and Spring/Summer (May to August). The Spring/Summer term is also divided into two separate sessions. The academic schedule includes dates for every term and session. Sometimes the words “semester” and “term” are used interchangeably.

Tuition – Tuition fees cover the cost of instruction and are based on the number of credits you take in a term. Tuition is just one part of your university fees. Other costs include books and supplies, and mandatory fees for things like the students’ association, health care, information technology, etc.

Undergraduate – Undergraduate programs lead to bachelor’s degrees. All degree programs at MacEwan are undergraduate programs.

U-Pass – Provides students with access to Edmonton, Strathcona County, St. Albert, Leduc, Fort Saskatchewan, Spruce Grove, and Beaumont transit services. The U-Pass is a mandatory service for most students, and is paid for as part of your tuition and term fees.

Withdraw – See “Drop.”

Work-integrated learning – See “Experiential learning.”