Some informal “university” verbs – useful in speaking

Graduate

To complete a first university degree successfully
I graduated from the University of Salford in 2009.

My graduation ceremony was in 2009.

Curriculum
The group of subjects studied in a school, college, etc.

Schools must ensure they have an excellent curriculum.

Qualification
An official record showing that you have finished a training course or have the necessary skills, etc

Good qualifications are really important if you want to get a well-paid job.

I am qualified to teach English.

Coursework
Regular work done by students as part of a course, but assessed independently of formal exams.

The coursework on my degree was really difficult.

Co-educational
When male and female students are taught together in the same school or college rather than separately

Co-educational schools prepare students for their future better than single-sex schools.

Cheat
To behave in a dishonest way in order to get what you want

He did really well in his exams but he cheated. He copied from a friend.

Cheating on exams is not recommended.

Literacy
The ability to read and write.

Literacy rates have declined considerably in Western countries over the last decade.

However, most children are literate.

Illiterate
Unable to read and write

Many children in the poorest countries areilliterate.

Primary (elementary) Education
First years of formal education from around age 5 to 11.

A good primary education is crucial for a child's development.

Secondary Education
Education during the time as a teenager.

I loved it at my secondary school as I had so many friends.

Higher (tertiary) Education
Non-compulsory education after finishing school, such as university, as well as vocational education and training at colleges.

60% of children now go into higher education after they finish school.
Concentrate
To direct your attention or your efforts towards a particular activity, subject or problem
It is difficult toconcentrate on my work if there is a lot of noise.

I keep losing concentration due to the noise.

Definitions

• to attend classes: to go to classes
• bachelors degree: an undergraduate course which usually lasts 3-4 years
• boarding school: a school where pupils live during term time
• distance learning: a way of studying where tuition is carried out over the Internet or by post
• face-to-face classes: as opposed to distance learning the traditional way of studying in a classroom with colleagues and a teacher
• to fall behind with your studies: to progress less quickly than others
• to give feedback: to offer guidance on a student’s work
• a graduation ceremony: an event where a successful student receives his or her academic degree
• higher education: education, usually in a college or university, that is followed after high school or secondary school
• an intensive course: a course that offers lots of training in order to reach a goal in as short a time as possible
• to keep up with your studies: to not fall behind
• to learn something by heart: to memorize it
• a mature student: a student who is older than average and who has usually returned to education after a period at work
• masters degree: a period of study which often follows the completion of a bachelors degree or is undertaken by someone regarded as capable of a higher-level academic course
• to meet a deadline: to finish a job or task in the time allowed or agreed
• to play truant: to stay away from classes without permission
• private language school: an independent school run as a business concern
• public schools: exclusive independent schools in the UK
• a single-sex school: a school where only boys or girls attend (as opposed to a mixed-sex school)
• to sit an exam: to take an exam
• state school: a school paid for by public funds and available to the general public
• subject specialist: a teacher who has a great deal of knowledge about the subject they teach.
• to take a year out: to spend a year working or travelling before starting university
• tuition fees: the money paid for a course of study
• to work your way through university: to have a paid job whilst studying to support yourself financially
• curriculum-the full range of subjects offered be school or group of school
• syllabus (syllabi)-the content of elements taught in a specific subject
• formal examinations –exams where answer set written or spoken questions without assistance
• continuous assessment –giving students marks for course work or projects, rather than formal exams
• motivate-stimulate, instigate
• assessment- evaluation, appraisal
• academic achievement (performance)-
• further education-education after leaving school at the minimum age
• higher education =tertiary
• group work
• teacher-led lessons
• autonomous learning- through independent study and research
• study skills
• to synthesise sources-use a variety of sources and combine them
• rote-learning-by repetition and memorizing items
• to supplement-to add extra content or material
• to assimilate knowledge- absorb and understand, comprehend
• make a speech- give talks
• guided learning-under supervision of a teacher
• data-gathering- collecting information, usually in numerical form
• distance learning –be the Internet
• self-study- using a course without teacher involvement
• to sift information-
• to marshal facts-to organize facts in support of idea
• to discriminate between sources- decide whether one source is better or more reliable
• an integral part of the syllabus =essential
• work/ sudy under supervision – under direction of
• apply knowledge
• KNOWLEDGE-INTELLIGENCE
• TEACHER=EDUCATOR=ASSISTANT=SUPERVISOR=LECTURER
• To give advice-advise
• To give feedback on
• Coordinate studies
• Misleading sources=unreliable

Types of schools

• Boarding school – where the students live, eat and sleep during the school term
• Private school – where parents have to pay for their child to enrol
• Public school [US English] – a school which is free and paid for by the government
• Public school [UK English] – an exclusive, expensive school, run independently
• Co-education – where male and female students study together (also referred to informally as a co-ed school)
• Single-sex school – where only male or only female students attend

Types of education

• Primary education
• Secondary education
• Tertiary education (also referred to as Higher education) – this is the first level of schooling that is not compuslory (you don’t have to go). This includes universities and colleges

Types of certification

• A certificate – issued for a short course
• A diploma – issued for a course that is shorter than a degree
• A degree – issued by a university at the end of longer course of study
• A masters (degree) – issued by a university when the students has completed further study beyond a degree (often in a more specialised field than a degree)
• A doctorate – this is the highest level of study issued by a university