Uni speak decoded
University education comes with its own language. At least, that’s how it can seem sometimes.
Most people haven’t heard half of the acronyms and phrases before. But don’t worry, this guide
will get you and your child up to speed with ‘uni speak’.
ATAR
Australian Tertiary Admission Rank.
Indicates a student’s position
relative to all the students who
started high school with them
in Year 7. One – but not the
only – criteria for entry to an
undergraduate degree.
Commonwealth
supported place (CSP)
A place at university for domestic
students subsidised by the
Australian Government. Most
undergraduate students are
enrolled in a CSP, and can benefit
from HECS-HELP schemes. To
secure a CSP your child will need a
Unique Student Identifier.
Core subjects
The subjects in a course that all
students are required to complete.
Course
The degree or qualification being
studied. This may also be known as
a program.
Elective
An optional subject selected in
addition to the core subjects of
the course.
Faculty
A department within a university
devoted to a particular area.
Charles Sturt has three faculties.
• Arts and Education
• Business, Justice and
Behavioural Sciences
• Science and Health
GPA
A student’s grade point average,
calculated from the results in each
subject completed.
Lecture
A regular teaching session for a
large group of students.
Major study
An area within a course that allows
in-depth study in a particular field.
A major usually consists of eight
related subjects.
Minor study
A grouping of between four and
seven subjects within a course,
allowing students to focus on a
particular field.
Residential school
A short period of study, usually
three to five days, where online
students come on campus to
complete units or assessment tasks
for a subject.
School
A division of the university that
administers the courses in a
particular area of study.
Session
A period of time during which
classes are held.
Subject
A unit of study, with a number of
subjects making up a course.
Subject points
A value assigned to a subject.
At Charles Sturt, a standard
one-session subject is 8 points.
Tutorial
A regular teaching session for a
small group of students, involving
participation.
Undergraduate
A student in a university or college
who has not completed a first
degree.
Unique Student
Identifier (USI)
A USI is your child’s lifelong
education number required by the
Australian Government for anyone
studying in a CSP. A person’s USI
only needs to be created once.
Without one, your child can’t
get Commonwealth financial
assistance. Visit usi.gov.au to get
a USI.
Workplace-integrated
learning
Time spent in hands-on learning.
This may be in actual workplaces
in the community, in Charles
Sturt’s clinics and enterprises, or in
specialist facilities on campus.
19
Parent Guide