Glossary of terms

Academic English Language Requirement (AELR): A specified level of attainment in English studies in NCEA, CIE, IB or equivalent required for bachelors degrees; if admitted without meeting this requirement students may satisfy it in their first year of study by passing a specified undergraduate course in academic English.

Academic Head: A person appointed to an academic leadership position with  responsibility for managing a school or department.

Academic Integrity Course: An online course designed to increase student knowledge of academic integrity, University rules relating to academic conduct, and the identification and consequences of academic misconduct.

Academic Standing: A means of measuring a student’s academic performance each semester. Students are required to pass at least 50 percent of points enrolled in a semester to maintain good academic standing. Graduated academic sanctions apply to students failing to meet this requirement.

Academic Year and Academic Year Term: The academic year begins on the first day of January and ends on the last day of December in the same calendar year. Teaching is generally conducted over semesters and quarters. The academic year term covers the same period but offers more flexible enrolment options for shorter periods of study.

Ad Eundem Statum: A means of admission to the University on the basis of a qualification awarded by a body other than the New Zealand Qualifications Authority or the University of Auckland.

Admission: The process by which a student applies, and is approved, for entry to the University and to a University qualification.

Alumni: A term describing graduates of the University and staff who have worked for the University.

Applicant: A prospective student who has applied for admission to a programme at Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland.

Bachelors degree: An undergraduate degree awarded by the University. May also be referred to as a first degree. The degree must have a total value of at least 360 points and contain a minimum of 72 points (0.6 EFTS) at NZQCF level 7 (Stage III).

Bachelors honours degree: Can be either an integrated degree combining both undergraduate and postgraduate study, usually requiring four years of full-time study, or a one-year postgraduate degree completed after a bachelors degree. In both cases, it requires the completion of at least 120 points of postgraduate level study including a research component of at least 30 points.

Campus: A geographic location where University of Auckland qualifications are delivered.

Certificate: A qualification awarded after academic study of a coherent  programme of between 60 and 120 points. Certificate of Proficiency: Recognises successful completion of a course by those who are not enrolled in a degree or diploma.

Class: A component of a course, e.g., a lecture stream.

Clinic: Student learning is primarily through the practice (or quasi-practice environment) and use of techniques for treating clients or patients. Assessment of student activities covers observation, interviewing, diagnosis, treatment, etc. E.g. medical or nursing clinical practice courses.

Committee on University Academic Programmes (CUAP): A committee of Universities New Zealand on which all universities are represented, plus a student representative. CUAP undertakes programme approval and moderation procedures for New Zealand universities, as well as providing advice and comment on academic matters and developments across the university system.

Completing student: A student whose current enrolment is designed to complete a certificate, diploma or degree.

Component Degree: One of the qualifications that make up a Conjoint Degree. A Conjoint Degree will always include two component degrees. A student is  awarded both component degrees on completion of the conjoint programme.

Concurrent teaching: Occurs when students who are enrolled for courses at different levels within qualifications attend some or all of the same classes. This is different from the situation where students enrol in a course at a higher level than might be expected and attend classes with more advanced students.

Conjoint Degree: Allows the completion of two undergraduate degrees (component degrees) in a shorter timeframe and with fewer points than would be possible through enrolling in them separately. Requires a minimum academic standard for admission and for continuation each year. While students are admitted to a Conjoint Degree, they are awarded two separate qualifications.

Core courses: Compulsory courses that cover knowledge and/or skills essential for the completion of a programme of study.

Corequisite course: A course that should be taken in the same semester as another unless it has previously been satisfactorily completed.

Council: The governing body of the University. It is composed of elected staff, students and graduates, and external appointees.

Course: A basic component of all academic programmes, it comprises structured study on a particular topic normally delivered across one or two terms. Completion of a qualification normally requires the completion of multiple courses.

Course prescriptions: A list of courses including course code, title, points value, description of content, prerequisites, corequisites and restrictions.

Coursework: Assessable work produced by students, normally submitted during teaching weeks, e.g., essays, assignments, reports, tests, creative or performance works, and practical, tutorial and seminar work.

Credit: May refer both to the points value of a course or qualification and to the recognition of study completed in another qualification or at another institution, e.g. cross credit or transfer credit.

Cross-credit: A course which is common to two University of Auckland undergraduate diplomas or bachelors degrees and is credited to both.

Cumulative Grade Point Average (Cumulative GPA): Calculated from all grades achieved by a student. May be used for selection purposes in some cases.

Current enrolment: Courses or other work taken by a student in the current academic year, quarter or semester.

Degree: Principal qualification awarded by the University of Auckland, i.e., bachelors, masters and doctoral degrees.

Department: A division of a faculty centred around a subject or group of related subjects.

Diagnostic English Language Needs Assessment (DELNA): Designed to assess the academic English language skills of incoming students to facilitate access to support. All students should do DELNA at the beginning of their studies. Some degrees require it.

Diploma: A University qualification, which may be awarded at undergraduate or postgraduate level.

Direct entry: Entry into a higher level of a subject or the later part of a degree without completion of the normal prerequisites.

Discipline: A branch of knowledge which is researched and taught at the University.

Dissertation: A written research component of a degree or diploma worth between 60 and 80 points.

Distinction: Postgraduate degrees and postgraduate diplomas may be awarded with Distinction to signify a highly superior level of performance.

Doctoral degree: A qualification at an advanced level requiring an original contribution to knowledge.

Electives: A defined set of courses for a diploma or degree from which a student may make a choice.

End of lectures: The final day of the final teaching week of an academic term. The final lecture for a particular course might occur before this day.

Enrolment: The process by which a student, having gained admission to the University and to a qualification, selects and gains entry to courses and classes.

Equivalent full-time student (EFTS): The unit on which Student Achievement Component (SAC) funding for tuition is negotiated between the University and the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC).

Equivalent prior study: The alternative study and the related standard that must be achieved for admission to a programme.

Examination: Formal assessment under supervision occurring after the teaching in a course has been completed.

Exit qualification: A qualification, usually of a lesser credit value, that can be awarded to a student when they are unable to or choose not to complete the qualification in which they are or have been enrolled. A student may not commence study towards an exit qualification. It is only awarded following prior enrolment in an alternative qualification.

Faculty: An organisational unit responsible for the delivery of academic programmes and research. Faculties usually comprise a number of schools or departments.

Field studies: Learning or investigation is primarily carried out in the field rather than in a classroom or laboratory. Field work courses tend to be in archaeology and geography.

Flexible learning: Learning characterised by a mixed mode of delivery and assessment of instructional material.

Future17: A multi-institutional and multidisciplinary global education initiative. It is a 15-point course requiring approximately 150 hours of work, as for a stage three undergraduate course. Successful participants receive credit towards their University of Auckland programme of study.

General Education: General Education courses are identified by a ‘G’ after the course number and are listed in the General Education Schedules.

Generative pre-trained transformer (GPT): Used in chatbots such as ChatGPT, a GPT can generate natural language answers to prompts when trained on a large language model (LLM). Use within academic coursework may be at the discretion of faculties.

Grade Point Average (GPA): A means of measuring a student’s performance at this University. The average grade achieved over a period of time expressed numerically on a scale between 0 (no passes) and 9 (A+ average).

Grade Point Equivalent (GPE): A means of measuring a student’s prior relevant academic performance and experience from another institution. Grades or marks achieved at external institutions and/or in examinations (such as NCEA) expressed as an equivalent to a Grade Point Average on the scale 0–9.

Graduand: A person who has completed the requirements for a degree but has not yet had the degree conferred.

Graduate: A person on whom a degree has been conferred.

Graduate certificate: A qualification open to graduates or to those who have been able to demonstrate equivalent practical, professional or scholarly experience of an appropriate kind, comprising a coherent programme with a total value of not fewer than 60 points, 40 of which (0.33 EFTS) must be at NZQCF level 7 (Stage III) or higher.

Graduate diploma: A qualification normally open to graduates or to those who have been able to demonstrate equivalent practical, professional or scholarly experience of an appropriate kind, comprising a coherent programme with a total value of not fewer than 120 points. Of these, 72 points (0.6 EFTS) must be at NZQCF level 7 (Stage III) or higher.

Honours: Degrees, in some cases completed within prescribed time limits, may be awarded with honours which signify advanced or distinguished study. A programme must include a minimum 30-point research component for students to be eligible for honours.

Interfaculty programme: A programme where responsibility for development and delivery is formally shared by more than one faculty, or a programme which was developed for the purpose of being made available to a broad range of students not necessarily associated with a specific faculty, and usually managed centrally.

Invigilated examination: The process of physical or online monitoring of an examination to ensure that students do not indulge in unfair means that can hamper the integrity of an examination.

Laboratory: A teaching session of a practical nature, which includes demonstration, supervised exercises and hands-on activities. E.g. science laboratory, computer laboratory.

Late Year Term: A period of about 12–13 weeks used for teaching or research. It starts on 1 December and finishes on the last Saturday before the beginning of the first semester of the following academic year.

Lecture: A basic unit of instruction.

Level: The academic level of study in a subject, that relates to a level on the NZQCF. May also be referred to as Stage in undergraduate qualifications.

Limited entry: Applied to a course or programme for which the number of students that can be accepted is limited because of constraints on staffing, space or equipment.

Major: A required component of a bachelors degree, including a specified number of points in a subject at the most advanced level.

Masters degree: A degree programme at a higher level than a bachelors degree that meets specific requirements, including at least 40 points of study at NZQCF level 9.

Maximum full-time enrolment: 80 points per semester, 30 points in Summer School, 45 points per quarter or 60 points in Late Year Term.

Merit: Postgraduate degrees and postgraduate diplomas may be awarded with Merit to signify a superior level of performance.

Micro-credential: A stand-alone unit of study of between 5 and 40 points that certifies the achievement of a specific set of skills and knowledge and has demonstrable support from relevant industries, employers or communities.

Minimum full-time enrolment: 50 points per semester, 25 points in Summer School, 25 points per quarter or 50 points in Late Year Term.

Minor: A component of a degree including a specified number of points above Stage I in a subject.

Mode of Examination: The way an examination is carried out, including paper-based or digital (computer-based or online) delivery. Examinations in digital modes may be completed as invigilated or non-invigilated examinations.

Module: 45 points focused on a particular skill or area of study. Restricted to undergraduate degrees.

New Start: Provides part-time University preparation courses for adults over the age of 20 who need skills and confidence to undertake academic study.

New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA): The government agency that administers the National Certificates of Educational Achievement (NCEA)
qualifications for secondary school students, and is responsible for the quality assurance of non-university tertiary training providers in New Zealand.

New Zealand Qualifications and Credentials Framework (NZQCF): A national framework that provides a hierarchy of levels of knowledge and skills that describe what graduates of qualifications know and can do, along with the characteristics of learning at each level. All secondary and tertiary qualifications and credentials approved by NZQA or Universities New Zealand are listed on the NZQCF.

Nominee: An individual who has been delegated authority from the Dean or Academic Head, for example, to grant approvals with regard to a particular process, e.g. concession requests.

Normal full-time study: A student workload of 120 points in one year.

Online campus: Where the teaching occurs online without the requirement to attend on-campus classes. Communication between teachers and students is via a learning management system and email and reliable internet access is required.

Online study: Courses or programmes that are specifically developed for delivery online and do not require students to attend the University in person.

Part: A defined subdivision specified in the regulations of some degrees.

Plussage: A method of calculating the final result a student has gained in a course by counting either the final examination grade or a combination of final examination grade plus coursework, whichever is to the student’s advantage.

Point(s): A value assigned to a course or other work to indicate its weighting within the University of Auckland’s certificates, diplomas and degrees. May be referred to as credit(s) at other institutions.

Postgraduate: A student studying towards a postgraduate programme. May also refer to the programme itself. Represents study at levels 1–7 on the New Zealand Qualifications and Credentials Framework (NZQCF).

Postgraduate certificate: A qualification that builds on attainment in the prior degree, normally open to graduates or to those who have been able to demonstrate equivalent practical, professional or scholarly experience of an appropriate kind, comprising a coherent programme with a total value of at least 60 points. The courses or other work prescribed must be higher than NZQCF level 7 (300-level).

Postgraduate diploma: A qualification that builds on attainment in the prior degree, normally open to graduates or to those who have been able to demonstrate extensive practical, professional or scholarly experience of an appropriate kind, comprising a coherent programme with a total value of at least 120 points. The courses or other work prescribed must be in advance of NZQCF level 7 (300-level).

Postgraduate programme: A programme at a higher level than a bachelors degree that is normally open to graduates or in some circumstances to applicants who have demonstrated an equivalent level of preparation. Represents study at levels 8–10 on the New Zealand Qualifications and Credentials Framework (NZQCF).

Practicum: The student applies previously acquired knowledge and skills in a supervised situation which approximates the conditions under which the knowledge/skills may ultimately be used in employment. E.g. practice teaching, practicums, internships.

Prerequisite: A requirement that must be met before commencement of study for a particular course or programme.

Prescribed texts: Textbooks which are considered essential to a course.

Proctor: A staff member who deals with non-academic misconduct and disputes involving students. The Proctor can also provide advice on disputes involving a member of staff.

Programme: A prescribed set of one or more courses or other work which on satisfactory completion leads to the award of a University of Auckland certificate, diploma or degree.

Programme Grade Point Average (Programme GPA): A grade point average calculated using all the courses that are assigned to a student’s programme. Often used for selection to postgraduate programmes at the University.

Programme schedule: A list of the courses prescribed for a programme which forms part of the regulations.

Project: A piece of investigative written work on an approved topic.

Quarter: A period of about 11 weeks which usually includes 10 teaching weeks and an additional week for study and examinations.

Qualification: An approved programme of study (degree, diploma or certificate) that students enrol in at the University. Qualifications vary in level and duration and represent a specific level of achievement and learning in a particular field. A student is awarded the qualification upon successful completion of their programme of study.

Reassigned course: A course satisfactorily completed for one programme which has been transferred to another programme.

Recognition of Prior Academic Study (ROPAS): A means of assessment of previous study for applicants from another institution for admission or credit to the University.

Regulation: A rule set down by the University.

Research essay: A research-based essay on an approved topic, normally worth up to 30 points.

Research Masters: A research-based programme of study that includes either a 90 or 120 point thesis or research portfolio.

Research portfolio: A coherent, integrated programme of research-based work, normally worth 90 or 120 points.

Research project: A piece of research-based work on an approved topic, normally worth between 30 and 60 points.

Restriction (restricted course): A course in which the learning objectives, content and/or assessment are so similar to a second course that a student cannot be enrolled in or be credited with both courses towards a certificate, diploma or degree. In some cases, a restricted course may be taken and credited as a Certificate of Proficiency.

Schedule: University lists of courses, credits or limitations, often in tabular form.

School: A division of a faculty, which may comprise departments or disciplines that teach and research similar or related academic subjects.

Semester: A period of about 15 weeks which includes about 12 teaching weeks and about three weeks for study and examinations. In addition there is a mid-semester break of up to two weeks.

Seminar: Instruction is primarily through small group teaching for small groups of students, focusing each time on a particular subject. All students are required to actively participate. Seminars can include dialogue with a seminar leader or instructor, or the more formalised presentation of research by participants.

Senate: The academic committee established by Council under section 18(2) of Schedule 11 to the Education and Training Act 2020. It includes all the professors, as well as representatives of sub-professorial staff, professional staff and students.

Session: Time period usually within a term but may start or finish before or after the standard term dates. A term may have multiple sessions.

Short course: A non-credit bearing learning activity designed to provide knowledge and skills in a specific area, often for professional development or personal interest. Lasting up to several weeks, short courses can be taken online, on-campus or through a combination of both.

Specialisation: A programme of related courses normally comprising more than 50 percent of a qualification.

Stage: The academic level of study in a subject, that relates to the level on the NZQCF.

Studio: A method of instruction which focuses on learning through action and developing an assessable creative and/or design process, performance or product. E.g. dance/music composition or performance, fine arts, architectural design studios.

Subject: An area of learning which may be provided by a school or a department, or by departments offering related courses.

Summer School: A six-week period at the commencement of the academic year during which a select range of courses is taught and assessed.

Summer Start: A six-week programme for domestic and international school leavers to transition into university study and complete one course towards their degree before the start of Semester One.

Syllabus Plus: The University’s timetabling and room booking system. The Syllabus Plus year begins on the Monday of the week which includes 1 January; e.g. if 1 January falls on a Wednesday, then the Syllabus Plus year will begin on Monday 30 December.

Taught Masters: A programme of study that is normally based on an undergraduate degree and includes coursework consisting of courses, project work and research in varying combinations. Masters degrees that build on generic attributes and/or experience (often called ‘conversion masters’) are usually in professional fields and are recognised as appropriate professional preparation by the industry concerned.

Term: A broad reference to a period of enrolment such as a semester, quarter or session.

Test: A controlled assessment that would ordinarily be conducted in an invigilated setting at a specified time outside of the examination period, that counts towards the final grade of the course, and is time-limited.

Thesis: A research component of a postgraduate programme having a value of 90 or 120 points which will have a written component but may also include design, creative or performative elements.

Transfer credit: Credit granted towards a University of Auckland qualification from work successfully completed at another tertiary institution.

Tutorial: A small group-learning session. Learning is primarily through less formal, smaller regular classes in which material from lectures and readings can be discussed in more detail.

Undergraduate: A person studying towards a first degree. May also refer to the level of a qualification, usually being a bachelors degree or certificate or diploma. Represents study at levels 1–7 on the New Zealand Qualifications and Credentials Framework (NZQCF).Undergraduate course: A course at Stage I–V taken as part of an undergraduate academic programme. Represents study at levels 1–7 on the New Zealand Qualifications and Credentials Framework (NZQCF).

Undergraduate Targeted Admission Schemes (UTAS): Admission schemes designed to improve access into higher education for students from under-represented equity groups.

Universities New Zealand — Te Pōkai Tara: A statutory body responsible for the quality assurance of qualifications in New Zealand universities.

Unspecified campus: Applies to courses where the teaching occurs through scheduled face-to-face interactions on sites that are not recognised University of Auckland campuses. Examples include the provision of courses where the course material is delivered in local work-related environments.

Waipapa Taumata Rau (WTR) core course: A 15-point requirement for some undergraduate students in their first year of study. Each course provides a foundational understanding of knowledge systems relevant to that faculty and the significance of place-based knowledge including Te Tiriti o Waitangi. It delivers essential skills and capabilities including communication and collaborative skills and critical and ethical thinking to ensure success as students transition into University, move through their degrees, and enter the workplace.

Workshop: Presentation of themes and concepts related to a course on an ongoing basis. May involve practical learning activities, discussion, interaction and debate.