Glossary

The University authority that administers the regulations on behalf of the Vice-Chancellor and the Academic Board. Chaired by Mr Bob Gidlow, the AAC grants admission, confirms courses of study, awards credits, confirms grades and considers applications for special consideration.

The Academic Board comprises elected professors, librarian, divisional directors and representatives of staff and students. The Board advises the Council on academic matters.

An academic co-ordinator is a member of the academic staff who is given delegated authority to approve a student’s course of study.

A copy of a student’s complete academic record at university.

This means “of equivalent standing”. If you hold a university entrance qualification for a country other than New Zealand you may apply for admission on the basis that the qualification is equivalent to that required for New Zealand entrance. If you have studied at a tertiary institution in the past you may apply to be admitted with credit from your previous study towards your proposed course of study.

A first or undergraduate degree normally requiring three or four years’ study. A bachelor’s degree usually requires specialisation and progression to an advanced level in at least one field of study.

Each subject is assigned to a timetable block. Each block is then allotted certain hours in the week, during which lectures etc will take place.

A yearly publication of the University, which is the official list of regulations, courses, dates and other information.

A subject taught and assessed, as required for a degree or diploma, but not for credit to a degree or diploma. Anyone who passes a subject for a Certificate of Proficiency may apply to receive a certificate that states that the pass was granted. If a subject is passed for a Certificate of Proficiency, then in many cases, it may later be credited to a degree or diploma.

When a student enrols in a subject at Lincoln University at the same time as studying at another tertiary institution then the student is said to be concurrently enrolled.

Students with good academic records may apply for special permission to enrol for two degrees at the same time. By cross-crediting up to 10 units to both degrees and the additional work, the student can complete two three year degrees in four years.

The core of a degree or diploma is the set of compulsory subjects that must be passed before the degree or diploma can be awarded. There are two types of core. A core is soft when the regulation states that students must choose at least a certain number from a specified list of core subjects. A core is hard if all of the subjects in the core list must be
taken.

The Council is the governing body of the University.

The certificate, diploma, degree for which a student registers. Each course consists of a number of subjects, which are set out in the regulations for the course.

A course advisor is a member of the academic staff who is appointed to advise students on the selection of subjects and other matters relating to their course of study.

The part of the registration card that is retained by the Registry following Registration as an official record of the subjects for which a student is registered. Each course of study change is recorded on the course card.

A student’s course of study is the set of subjects he or she is registered for in the current academic year.

A credit towards a degree or diploma is a decision by the University that a student has completed study that is the equivalent of the work required for a particular subject. A credit is awarded to a student on the basis of previous study towards another qualification.

Please provide if you have a substantial gap between your last tertiary studies and/or and are relying on your employment or project experience for entry;

This should be brief, and must include tertiary education and any employment or project experience.

A degree is a programme of advanced study taught primarily by teachers who are active in research in their field.

A diploma is a sub-degree qualification. There are two sorts. An undergraduate diploma is a course requiring at least one or two years of full-time study. A postgraduate diploma normally requires a degree for admission and usually requires one year’s full-time study for completion.

A person who has completed the University’s requirements for a diploma and has been awarded the diploma.

A dissertation is an extended research essay.

A student who takes one bachelors degree followed by, or concurrently with another is said to be taking a double degree. This is similar to a conjoint degree, but allows fewer units to be cross-credited and requires a normal semester load of subjects.

A subject that is not part of the core of a course but which is available to students enrolled in that course is called an elective.

Enrolment is the process whereby students notify the University of an intention to study and provide to the University the detailed information on themselves, their status and their study intentions.

A member of the academic staff responsible for the organisation of a subject. Usually, the examiner does much of the lecturing in the subject. Although other members of the staff may give lectures in the subject, the examiner is the person who is responsible to the Divisional Director for the conduct of the subject.

A decision by a university to exclude a student from continuing studies at that university, usually on the grounds of unsatisfactory academic performance.

An exemption is a decision that a particular student will not be required to complete a core subject or will not be required to pass a certain subject for prerequisite purposes. An
exemption decision is made on the grounds of the student’s previous study.

A faculty at Lincoln University is a group of staff members who conduct, or assist in the conduct of, teaching and research in a particular field.

Faculties also group departments and research centres together.

If your choice of subjects is approved by an academic coordinator before Registration, you will be given the right to by-pass the course advice section during Registration. This will reduce the time it will take you to register.

Certain subjects include field trips or tours. These may be visits to a business, a farm, a factory or some other place where you may see applications of the work you are studying. A trip is one day or less, while a tour lasts several days.

A fixed course is a compulsory course in a degree.

Each course has a defined number of units that make up a full-time course of study. This is very important for student allowances or loans purposes and for international students.

A grade is awarded after the examination in a subject and measures the student’s performance in the subject. The highest is A+ and the lowest is E.

A person who has satisfied the requirements for a degree and has received that degree.

Some degrees may be awarded with honours. In some cases honours involves one extra year of study. In other cases, it involves an enriched course of study, while in others the
award of honours recognises the standard of the student’s work. There are different classes of honours, with first class honours denoting the highest award.

A student from overseas, studying in New Zealand on a student permit.

If you do not have the documents to prove you are a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident then you are referred to as an International student.

All international students require a current and valid passport. The name in your passport must match the name recorded on the documents you supply to support your application to study. Before you can complete your enrolment and registration you will need to have supplied Student Administration with a copy of your current and valid Student Visa.

Many subjects have laboratory requirements. These are usually practical sessions related to lecture material.

The main method of teaching at university.

Subjects are taught at different levels that reflect the difficulty and the degree of advancement of the subject.

A limit placed on the number of students that can be registered for a particular subject.

In special circumstances, students may enrol more than half-time and be given the benefits of full-time status. This is called limited full-time.

An area of study in which you specialise by taking a group of subjects including advanced level subjects.

An advanced course taken by a graduate. The master’s degree usually builds on the area of specialisation and commonly involves research and a thesis.

Please ensure the names on all your documentation match. The name on your proof of identity document should match the name on the documents proving your academic achievements, and on any other supporting documents. The name on your proof of identity document should also match the name you applied to the University with.

If the names on your documents don't match you need to provide proof explaining why they are different.

Please note that Lincoln University does not accept faxed or scanned identity documents.

To prove New Zealand citizenship you need to provide verified copies of one of the following

• your birth certificate if you were born in New Zealand
• a New Zealand passport
• a Certificate of New Zealand Citizenship.

To prove you are a permanent resident in New Zealand you need to provide verified copies of one of the following

• a passport with a Residence Permit or Returning Resident’s Visa
• a letter from the New Zealand Immigration Service of the Labour Department together with your passport (if your permit has not yet been issued)
• an Australian passport.

Permanent Residents must ensure that all pages of their passport relating to their name, date of birth and country of citizenship are copied, as well as their Residence Visa or Permit, and each photocopied page is verified.

A programme of events at the start of the year to introduce new students to university life.

A student who fails a subject or receives a restricted pass in that subject and who wishes to repeat that subject may apply to be exempt some or all of that subject’s tests, assignments and field trips. This is called a partial waiver of assessment. A partial waiver will never cover the final examination.

When only a portion of the units required for full-time study are taken the student is said to be part-time. Part-time study does not qualify a student for student allowances or some of the student loans provisions.

A higher degree following an honours or masters course. A PhD involves research and a thesis. The minimum time required for a PhD is two years’ full-time study.

Normally undertaken by people who have qualified for a bachelor’s degree.

Some course regulations require a specified period of related practical work to be completed before the student may graduate or be awarded their certificate or diploma.

Pre-enrolment is the process of applying for admission to an undergraduate course.

In some cases, students may not enrol in an advanced subject unless they have satisfactorily completed a lower level subject in the same field. In this case, the required lower level subject is called a prerequisite. A subject is only listed as a prerequisite for an advanced subject if the University considers that students could not reasonably be expected to handle the advanced subject without having the prerequisite.

Some degrees and diplomas require students to enrol in a particular set of subjects in a year and allow no electives. In this case, the students are said to be following a prescribed
course.

A prescription for a subject is a brief list of the topics to be covered in that subject.

An increasingly common term used as an alternative to ‘course’.

This should include the following:

1. Courses taken and marks/grades achieved
2. Key to the grading system
3. Confirmation that you have completed the course requirements or graduation certificates if applicable, unless your qualifying degree is from Lincoln University

When one subject is thought by the University to be important, but not absolutely essential, as preparation for an advanced subject, the subject will be listed as recommended
preparation for the advanced subject. You are advised to have taken the recommended preparation before enrolling in the advanced subject. You are not, however, required to have taken the recommended preparation.

Students can apply to have their examination script remarked if they believe an error has been made. Application must be made within 28 days of the publication of results.

Students can apply to have the marks for a subject recounted if they believe an error has been made. Application must be made within 28 days of the publication of results.

Registration is the process of confirming a student’s enrolment. The student attends the appropriate timetabled registration session and pays fees.

Registry staff is responsible for the general administration of the University including the enrolment of students and all administrative matters resulting from that enrolment including fees and examinations.

The regulations of the University and the course regulations for degrees, diplomas and certificates are the rules by which staff and students operate. The regulations are listed in the Lincoln University Calendar.

A restricted pass is a C- grade. This is usually awarded for a mark of 47, 48 or 49% in the final grade. A restricted pass is a pass for all purposes except in a prerequisite. Each course has limits on the number and level of restricted passes that may be credited to the course. Refer to the Section Restricted Passes.

Students may not receive credit for two subjects that have a substantial amount of material in common. If there are two subjects in the same schedule that have a substantial amount of common material, then there will be a restriction between them. In that case, you may not credit both to the degree or diploma.

A student who has previously studied at Lincoln University.

The list of subjects available to students enrolled in a course is called the schedule. The schedule usually includes the subject code, subject name, prerequisites, recommended
preparation and restrictions.

The academic year is divided into two halves called semesters. The word ‘semester’ derives from the Latin words for ‘six’ and ‘month’.

Whilst this is not mandatory for those applying for a Postgraduate Certificate or Diploma, we encourage you to submit one since at times additional information will aid your application.

The statement of research interest is used by the University for two main purposes: 

1. To assess your relative preparedness for postgraduate study
2. To assist with matching you with appropriate supervisors

Note that your statement need only be 2 to 3 pages in length but it must be written in your own words. If you have already prepared a draft research proposal, you may submit this as your statement.

If applying for Masters which includes a dissertation, please use the following guideline:

• Write about a couple areas of study you have particularly enjoyed and/or would like to pursue further at postgraduate level
• Describe one or two projects that you have undertaken as part of your previous degree work or employment that are relevant to these areas

If applying for research based degree PhD or Masters by thesis only or coursework and thesis, please use the following guidelines:

• Include at least a page on the background to the problem, issue or area that you propose to research. This should set the research into its context and include a few citations to key literature
• State the overall research aims or research hypotheses to be tested, i.e. what the research will attempt to accomplish
• Describe a proposed approach for the research, i.e. the steps that you could follow to fulfil the research aim or test the research hypothesis
• Include full references for any literature referred to in your statement
• Submission of a statement does not commit you or the University to undertake the proposed research. Your eventual research project will emerge as the result of negotiation between you and the research advisors
• The statement is not the same as the formal research proposal that you will produce for your thesis (although the statement may be helpful in developing the full proposal)
• You are strongly urged to discuss your research interests with an advisor before submitting your application. The advisor will be in a position to provide feedback on a draft of your statement

The word stream has two meanings at Lincoln:

1. It can refer to a course of study leading to a major within a degree, for instance, in the B
   Sc, there are eleven streams available (biochemistry, etc) each of which has a required set
   of subjects.
2. It also refers to a subgroup of a class in a subject. For instance, a class may be split up
   into different groups for laboratory classes. These groups are also called streams.

Located in Student Services, ground floor, George Forbes Building. Student Enquiries staff will be able to put you in touch with the most appropriate person to deal with any queries regarding your enrolment, course of study, fees, scholarships or any other administrative matters.

Outgoing, Lincoln students apply through International Student Services to study for one or two semesters at one of our partner institutions.

Incoming, Students from our Partner Institutions apply through their international office to study at Lincoln for one or two semesters.

International Students may enrol at Lincoln University for one or two semesters either via direct enrolment or through a third party provider, agent.

The components or modules of a course are called subjects. A subject is a module of workfor which a grade is given that appears on the student’s transcript.

Swap course from any degree means select any course at Lincoln University that you have met the entry requirements for.

When you 'swap course from the same degree', you select an elective course chosen from within the degree schedule.

A daily programme of the time and place where subjects are taught. All students receive a copy of their course timetable at registration.

A transcript of your academic record is a copy of the record of your enrolment and grades.

A student who has had previous tertiary education within New Zealand but who was not last enrolled at Lincoln University.

Sometimes, when changes are made to regulations or subject schedules, it turns out that students who began under the old rules are unable to meet all of the new requirements. In this case, the University usually will set up transitional arrangements, which may include transitional prerequisites. These arrangements will normally apply for a particular group of students and normally only for a limited period.

If your documents are in other languages please have this translated into English by an authorised translator. You must submit the original and the translated documents  for assessment.

A small group teaching session where academic issues and problems of a subject are discussed with a tutor.

A university student studying for a bachelor’s degree or a certificate or diploma course that did not require a previous degree for admission.

Units are the measure of the ‘size’ of a subject. Degree subjects are of one, two or three units. The undergraduate diploma’s subjects may be of one, two, three, or four units.

Students whose academic progress is unsatisfactory may be excluded from further enrolment or may have conditions or limits placed on their enrolment. The regulations that
define what constitutes unsatisfactory progress are set out in the Calendar.

A verified copy is a photocopy signed by someone in authority, who has seen the original document and checked that the photocopy is a genuine unaltered copy of that original.  The verifier must be an authorised person such as a Justice of the Peace, Solicitor, Registrar or Deputy Registrar of the Court.

In smaller communities, members of the community in positions of trust who are accessible to students, such as school principals, are also acceptable.

Please ensure that the person who verifies your document[s] prints their full name, address and uses their official stamp if they have one.  Solicitors, registrars and Justices of the Peace usually have official stamps.

A list of Justices of the Peace in New Zealand can be found in New Zealand’s Yellow Pages of the telephone book.