Uni Terminology
Academic Record. Student's written statement of the units studied and grades received.
Advanced Standing. The granting of credit towards the completion of a course based on studies or experience gained elsewhere. This can be achieved through the ‘recognition of prior learning’ and/or ‘credit transfer’.
Alumni. The term given to students upon graduation.
Assessment. Process by which a student’s progress or achievement in a unit is evaluated, including assessment methods such as assignments, in-class tests, examinations, project work, seminar papers and tutorial participation.
Associate Degree. A qualification which requires a minimum of two years of full-time or equivalent part-time study.
Bachelor Degree. A qualification which requires three or four years of full-time or equivalent part-time study.
Campus. Term given to different university sites. ECU has campuses at Bunbury, Churchlands, Joondalup and Mount Lawley.Certificate.
Certificate. An award which generally requires a minimum of one year of full-time or equivalent part time study
Census Date. Also known as the “financial penalty date”, the census date occurs during each Teaching Period (eg Semester 1, 2 and Summer School). This represents the final day for withdrawal from a unit without incurring a financial liability for that unit. For details on census dates for specific units follow the links through the fees calculator at fees.ecu.edu.au. Students must make their up-front payments and submit their requests for Commonwealth assistance by the census date each semester.
Contact Hours. Hours a student is required to spend at lectures and tutorials, normally on campus.
Commonwealth Assistance Notice (CAN). A notice that contains information about a student’s enrolment and use of Commonwealth assistance. Providers must issue a CAN to each of their Commonwealth assisted students within a certain timeframe.
Commonwealth Assisted Student. A student who is a Commonwealth supported student or who is in receipt of a HELP loan or a Commonwealth Learning Scholarship.
Commonwealth Contributions. Contributions that the Commonwealth makes towards the cost of a student’s education through the Commonwealth Grant Scheme.
Commonwealth Higher Education Student Support Number (CHESSN). A unique identifier for each student that accesses Commonwealth assistance for higher education.
Commonwealth Supported Place. A higher education place for which the Commonwealth makes a contribution towards the cost of the student’s education.
Commonwealth Supported Student. A student who occupies a Commonwealth supported place.
Course Code. A sequence of three characters used to identify each course of the University. For example, the Bachelor of Science (Biological Sciences) course has course code B73.
Credit. The provision of credit in a course as the result of a successful recognition of prior learning or credit transfer application.
Credit Transfer. The recognition of a unit, module or qualification an individual has achieved (through formal learning) to gain entry or claim credit in an ECU course. Credit based on credit transfer is determined by assessing the extent to which the prior achievement is equivalent to the required learning outcomes or competencies in an ECU module, unit or units.
Cross-institutional Program. A program of study comprising a unit or a set of units of study being undertaken with one provider (the host provider) as part of a course of study for which the student is enrolled with another provider (the home provider). There are a number of other criteria that must be met for a program to be considered cross-institutional.
Cut-off Score. The minimum Tertiary Entrance Rank (TER) for entry to a particular ECU course.
Domestic Fee-Paying Student. A domestic student who is not Commonwealth supported for a unit of study. Fee-paying students pay full tuition fees.
Diploma and Advanced Diploma. An award which normally requires two years of full-time or equivalent part-time study.
Double Degree Program. Double degrees are normally the length of the longest degree plus one additional year of study ie four or five years of full-time or equivalent part-time concurrent study for two awards in a wide range of disciplines. Double degrees are available in selected areas only and incorporate study in two different fields.
Elective. A unit of study that a student chooses to undertake which will count towards and enable completion of course requirements. Electives can be selected from a wide range of units offered within the University. Many course structures allow for the undertaking of electives in addition to core units, which are compulsory. The range and number of elective units that you must choose will vary according to the course structure. Students normally choose electives to complement their degree or intended career choice although unrelated subjects can be taken for personal interest.
Eligibility Score. The eligibility score is a TER score determined by the University as the lowest score at which any student, whether Commonwealth supported or domestic fee-paying, may be considered eligible for an offer of a place in a course, excluding special entry. Being eligible does not guarantee entrance to a course.
Exemption. The provision of credit in a course as the result of a successful recognition of prior learning or credit transfer application.
Faculty. Title given to academic organisational units within the University. ECU’s five faculties are: Business and Law; Computing, Health and Science; Community Services, Education and Social Sciences, Regional Professional Studies; and Communications and Creative Industries.
FEE-HELP. A loan scheme to help eligible non-Commonwealth supported students pay their tuition fees.
Fees. Fees are all the monies you must pay to access certain services, including tuition fees and the amenities and services fee.
Guild. Student organisation providing students with opportunities for a wider range of education experiences, including recreation, sporting, social, intellectual, cultural, and community conscious pursuits.
HECS-HELP. A scheme that includes up-front payment discounts and loans to help eligible Commonwealth supported students defer payment of their student contributions.
HESA. Higher Education Support Act. The legislation which governs university funding and administration, particularly with regards to enrolments and higher education entitlements. As a student you will have to carefully assess your eligibility criteria for HECS-HELP, FEE-HELP etc before committing yourself to a particular course. See hesa.ecu.edu.au or www.goingtouni.gov.au
Honours Degree. Degree courses taken with honours require advanced study of up to one year full-time following the first three years of a Bachelor course. Successful honours graduates may be eligible to proceed to Stage 2 of Master degrees or directly to doctoral studies.
Lab. A class conducted in a laboratory (computing, science or other) where the practical components of learning are normally carried out following delivery the theoretical material delivered during a lecture.
Major. A sequential set of units in a specified discipline which constitutes part of a course or courses.
Minor. Recognised package of units which requires completion of fewer units than a major (normally six units).
Mixed Mode. Students who combine on-campus studies with external or online units.
Off-Campus Study. Study undertaken externally or online.
Part-time Student. Student who is enrolled for less than 75% of a maximum semester unit load.
Postgraduate Student. Student enrolled in a doctoral, master, postgraduate or graduate diploma/certificate course. A research postgraduate is a student enrolled in a doctoral or research master degree.
Practicum. A part of a course providing learning experiences outside the University in a relevant professional setting such as a school or hospital. During the professional placement, the student may either be an active participant or merely an observer. A practicum may be undertaken as either part of a unit or as a complete unit within a course.
Prerequisite. Requirement which must be satisfied to enrol in a specific course, or unit (eg a pass in another unit).
Quota. Limit on the number of students accepted into a course, unit, or the University.
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). The recognition of skills and knowledge an individual has achieved outside the formal education and training system (through non-formal or informal learning) to gain entry or claim credit in an ECU course. Credit based on recognition of prior learning is determined by assessing the extent to which the prior learning is equivalent to the required learning outcomes or competencies in an ECU module, unit or units. It is important to check whether recognition will be obtained well in advance.
Required Units. Units within a course structure which students must complete in order to fulfil the requirements of a course.
School. Title given to academic organisational units within each faculty of the University.
Semester. The name given to the two standard teaching periods (Semester 1 and 2) in the Academic Year, in which the majority of on-campus students are required to attend in order to complete their course.
Student Contributions. Contributions that Commonwealth supported students make towards the cost of their education, known as the student contribution amount.
Supporting Major. See ‘Major’
Teaching Period. The period of time within which a unit is offered by the University. Semester 1, 2 and Summer School are the three most well-known examples of teaching periods.
Testamur. The testamur is the official award certificate bearing the ECU Graduation Seal conferred by University Council to a student on graduation.
Undergraduate Student. A student pursuing an Associate or Bachelor’s Degree.
Unit. Basic component of study, normally completed over one teaching period. A combination of foundation/core, major, minor and elective units make up a degree structure.
Award Definitions
Recognition
Edith Cowan University is a member of the national unified system of Australian Universities, the Association of Commonwealth Universities, and the Australian Vice-Chancellors' Committee.
ECU awards are recognised nationally and internationally. Rigorous accreditation procedures used by the University, and consultation with professional and vocational groups, assure appropriate professional recognition of programs.
Universities throughout the world recognise, for exchange purposes, the study programs and degrees offered.
Certificate
Certificates usually require a minimum of one year of full-time or equivalent part-time study.
Diploma and Advanced Diploma
Diplomas and Advanced Diplomas normally require three years of full-time or equivalent part-time study. Completion of a Diploma or Advanced Diploma will normally provide advanced standing when enrolling in a Bachelor degree in the same area.
Associate Degree
Associate Degrees require a minimum of two years of full-time or equivalent part-time study. They provide focused introductory programs which parallel closely corresponding degree courses. A completed Associate Degree provides advanced standing when enrolling in a Bachelor degree in the same area.
Bachelor Degree
Bachelor degrees are awarded following the successful completion of a course of three or four years of full-time or equivalent part-time study. A degree will often qualify a person for admission into commercial and service occupations, and the professions.
Bachelor Degree (Unspecified Double Majors)
The University offers double majors, which can be completed within the structure of an ordinary undergraduate Bachelor degree course. However, students who undertake a Bachelor degree also have the option of undertaking a Double Major that has not been specified within the structure of their chosen course. This double major will consist of all compulsory units from a discipline offered by the University as another degree. It will usually require a student to complete additional units to the standard Bachelor degree in order to complete the award. There may be significant variation in the number of units required between and across disciplines.
At graduation students completing an award with a Double Major will receive one testamur for the degree in which they were admitted to the University. The testamur will include the double major.
Students wishing to pursue this option must seek advice from the staff of the Faculty to which they were admitted, regarding the proposed combination of majors they wish to pursue.
Double Degree Program
Double degrees normally require four years of full-time or equivalent part-time concurrent study for two awards in a wide range of disciplines. Double degrees are available in selected areas only and incorporate study in two different fields. Students undertaking double degrees are required to complete all of the formal requirements of each of the two awards and undertake study which, in total, exceeds the length of the longer of the two awards by at least one year of full-time study. Honours may be undertaken in either or both of the awards. A student who completes the requirements of one of the awards and wishes to graduate in that award may transfer enrolment to the single degree course for that purpose. Continuation in the other award will also require the student to transfer enrolment to the remaining single degree course.
Honours Degree
Degree courses taken with honours require advanced study of up to one year full-time following the first three years of a Bachelor course. Successful honours graduates may be eligible to proceed to Stage 2 of Master degrees or directly to doctoral studies.
General Structure of Undergraduate University Awards
Most undergraduate awards offered by the University provide opportunities for students to complete major studies and to complement these with a second major, or with minor, and/or elective studies from other fields. Typical patterns require students to complete approximately half the course in their major area of study and support this by study in one other field, therefore completing a double major or, by selecting minor and elective studies from a range of alternate areas.