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• Glossary
• STU

Glossary

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S

• Score
  The provisional result of an Assessment Component, prior to compilation and conversion to percentage Mark and Grade according to the University grading scheme.
• Semester
  An academic Teaching Period generally of 12 weeks duration. See also Standard Teaching Period.
• Sequential Degrees
  A program in which a 300-point Bachelor Degree is followed by a second Bachelor Degree in which the student completes 200 points, the 100 points for which Credit is given consisting largely of breadth studies.
• Shared Coursework Program
  A coursework degree program taught by the University and one or more partner tertiary institutions that is accredited by both tertiary institutions, collaboratively developed and delivered, and which leads to an award from one or both of the participant institutions.
• Shepherd
  A designated member of an Academic Board committee who provides advice and guidance on: • the completion of the course approval or major change form, including curriculum design; • procedures for a new course or change to an existing course, new subjects etc; • establishment or changes to scholarships and awards; • recommendations to the President of Academic Board on late change requests. An undergraduate and postgraduate shepherd is usually appointed for each Faculty.
• Shorter Assignment
  A piece of Assessment, completed outside class time and by a pre-determined due date. This includes but is not limited to short essays, take-home tests, problem sets, short reports, or other written projects, design or programming tasks, usually submitted to teaching staff in class. Shorter assignments are often weekly tasks (e.g. laboratory reports; weekly tutorial exercises) and may be grouped together as a single component of assessment. See also Longer Assignment.
• Special Circumstances
  Circumstances which have a significant impact on the student, affecting their ability to complete their study in a unit.
• Special Consideration
  A process which enables a student whose study has been significantly affected by circumstances outside their control to seek adjustments to assessment requirements, conditions or timing.
• Special Consideration Committee (SCC)
  A degree-based committee responsible for the implementation of the Special Consideration process.
• Special Examination
  A form of additional assessment normally offered to students on the basis of an application for special consideration. Special Xxaminations may be awarded to students whose initial mark is either a pass or a fail, and can be marked to the full range of marks (i.e. 0-100%). See also Supplementary Examination.
• Specialisation
  Constitutes an area of academic or vocational expertise in which students focus their studies within their degree.
• Standard Teaching Period
  A defined Teaching Period (may include semester 1, semester 2, Summer semester, or any trimester in programs taught in trimesters) in which students in a particular course are expected to be enrolled. See also Non-Standard Teaching Period.
• Standard Teaching Semester
  The usual teaching semesters, approved by Academic Board annually, comprising semester 1, 2 and a summer semester of 6 weeks.
• Stream
  A pathway to completion of a course, involving focused study within a specific area, and intended to produce specific outcomes. The term Stream may mean either: (a) a combination of subjects giving students a qualification in a particular area of a degree course, often designed to satisfy requirements of a professional institute, e.g. civil engineering stream in Bachelor of Engineering course, building stream in Bachelor of Planning and Design course; or (b) a combination of subjects defining different ways in which a student can meet the requirements of a course.
• Student
  Student means: (a) a person enrolled at the University in a course leading to a degree or other award; or (b) a person who is designated as a Student or is of a class of persons designated as Students by the Council pursuant to section 9(2)(c) of the Act or pursuant to any statute to be a Student.
• Student Advisor
  A professional staff member based in a student centre or graduate school with primary responsibility for advising Students with respect to enrolments, Majors, enrichment opportunities and administrative matters.
• Students Potentially at Risk
  Students commencing tertiary study who are judged to be at risk of not making satisfactory progress in their courses.
• Study Load
  Number of points in which a student is enrolled in a Standard Teaching Period.
• Subject
  A unit of academic work having a discrete designated code and title in which Students enrol and complete specific work requirements and on completion of which the Student is awarded a Grade, such Grades appearing on a student’s academic record. A subject commonly: • is an eighth of a year’s workload; • is one Study Period in duration; • carries a specific credit value towards an award.
• Subject Code
  Each Subject is identified by a unique Subject Code. Subject Codes are based on a model where ‘AREA’ represents the area of study, ‘X’ represents the level and ‘0009’ is a unique identifier; AREAX1009. Thus, a first year history subject might be coded as HIST10001.
• Subject Coordinator
  An academic staff member with overall responsibility for the administration, planning and delivery of a Subject.
• Subject Guide
  A publication, authorised by the Subject Coordinator, which contains subject-specific information, including assessment information, subject information such as the class schedule and weekly topics, and readings and resources assembled for the Student.
• Supplementary Examination
  A form of Additional Assessment normally offered for specified Subjects only where failure in a Core Subject in a professional or fixed course will significantly impede a Student's progress or completion. See also Special Examination.
• Supporting Documentation
  Documentation provided by a Student as part of an application to provide evidence of their claim.
• Suspension
  Forced cessation of study in a particular degree course for a defined period (usually one year).
• Swot Vac
  A period of time between the Teaching Period and the Assessment Period during which teaching and assessment are suspended to allow preparation by students.

T

• Take Home Examination
  An Open Book Examination where the Student completes the examination paper within a specified time frame outside a formal examination setting. See also Open Book Examination.
• Teach Out Degrees
  Undergraduate degrees no longer open to first year intake that predate the introduction of the undergraduate degrees under the Melbourne Model.
• Teaching Department
  The department with which the Subject Coordinator is affiliated.
• Teaching Period
  A formal term within the Academic year in which a Student may be enrolled in and complete the requirements of at least one Subject.
• Temporary
  A situation or attribute that results in Academic Disadvantage that is likely to last for less than six months.
• Termination of Enrolment
  Forced cessation of study in a particular degree course for an indefinite period.
• The Act
  Means the University of Melbourne Act 2009.
• Thesis
  A dissertation putting forward and argument based on original research, submitted in partial or total fulfilment of the requirements of a higher degree. See also Coursework Thesis.

U

• Unapproved Leave
  The enrolment status of a Student who, having not applied for leave before the last date for withdrawal without penalty (i.e. without a 'WD' grade being recorded), subsequently withdraws from all their subject enrolment.
• Unfinalised Results
  Results unavailable prior to the Results Release Date because the student concerned has received a formal variation the terms of Assessment (e.g. an Extension of time on an assignment or Special Consideration necessitating a Special Examination).
• University
  Means the University of Melbourne.
• University Award Course (non-AQF)
  A course accredited by the University which leads to an award on successful completion but is outside the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF).
• University Breadth Subject (UBS)
  An interdisciplinary subject taught collaboratively by different teaching departments and examining contemporary social issues from multiple perspectives. University Breadth Subjects are available as breadth in all bachelor degrees that require a breadth component.
• University of Melbourne Extension Program (or equivalent)
  A program in which secondary school students can complete university subjects as part of a secondary education program.
• Unsatisfactory Progress
  Normally, failure to pass a defined percentage of the points, or failure in Compulsory or Core Subjects undertaken towards a course. See also Academic Status.