Academic terminology

Course (module): this is a discrete unit of learning made up of credits and have it’s own assessment 

Optional course (electives/outside courses): these are courses that you can decide to enrol in, which can be courses within your own School or from other areas of the University 

Credits: this is the system for working out how your degree programme is weighted and how much they contribute to your overall grade. On full-time degrees, you usually study 120 credits each year and this will be made up of different courses with varying credits. 

Learning outcome: when each course is designed, the academic who teaches it will decide on what they want you to learn, know or be able to do because of studying that course. You will be assessed on how well you can achieve the learning outcome described per course.  

Choose your optional courses 

Lecture: this is a large-group teaching session run by a lecturer and typically within a lecture theatre (there could be up to 500 people together). There may be online alternatives to some lecture style teaching, depending on the course. Lectures are typically recorded too. You will be expected to listen to the information presented and take notes. The purpose of a lecture is to introduce you to a topic.  

Tutorial/seminar: this is a small group teaching session run by a supervisor (sometimes a current PhD student). These are opportunities for students to discuss the learning and ask questions. These are typically not recorded and there may be online alternatives, depending on the course. You will be expected to read course material in advance and contribute to discussions.  

Journal article: piece of scholarly work that academics publish in journals and are used to disseminate, share or research information. 

Peer review: an action taken by other academics to ensure a paper submitted to a journal is assured of quality. 

Referencing: this is the way that you alert your reader to where you gathered your ideas and who has influenced your thinking in any of your assignments. There are different referencing styles depending on the subject and you learn what style is required as soon as possible. If you are unsure, there is good general reference guidance:  

Cite Them Right (external link)  

Lecturer/Senior Lecturer/Reader/Associate Professor: these are your academic staff who teach and assess your courses. They also conduct their own research and support research activity for their chosen subject.  

Professor: these are the highest rank of academic staff at the university and being appointed to this position is a promotion following meeting certain criteria to their role.  

Assessments

Your assessments will be marked by the people that teach you. Each course clearly explains how and when you will be assessed and how they will be graded on the Degree Regulations and Programmes of Study:

DRPS (Degree Regulations and Programmes of Study) 

There is a process of internal moderation where another academic will assess a sample size of graded work and then the final grades will be awarded after an academic from another university checks that the grades are fair, consistent and aligns with how the subject is assessed in other universities.  

Plagarism: this is where a student uses other people’s work and presents it as their own. This is a serious offence and can result in expulsion from university.  

What is academic misconduct? 

Good Academic Practice

Grades: The grading at Edinburgh may be different to what you expect or experienced before. It is very important that you gain a full understanding of this for your academic programme at the start of your studies. If this has not been made clear to you, than you need to ask them directly. 

Extended Common Marking Scheme

Extensions and Special Circumstances (ESC): If you submit work after the deadline date, there will be penalties. We know that sometimes things can happen in your life, which are beyond your control and can have an adverse impact on your academic performance. The ESC is a process for requesting additional time, in most cases, with submitting your work. 

• An extension (if approved) allows you seven extra days on an assignment (not including an exam)
• Special Circumstances is when a situation out of your control has affected your studies. SCs allow the school to be made aware of this and support you

Extensions and Special Circumstances 

Feedback

Feedback is important to get from your academics and your peers. You will not usually be able to give drafts of your work to anyone before you submit. One of the skills you will gain as a student is the ability to evaluate and improve your own work.  

You will get direct feedback when your marked assignments are returned. This feedback should help you to think about how to build on what you have done well and identify actions to improve your future work.