Glossary of terms N - Q

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N O P Q

N

National Priority areas: study areas for which the Commonwealth offers additional assistance, either through offering additional places, increasing Commonwealth contributions or reducing the maximum student contribution amounts for a place. Currently, education and nursing are the National Priority areas.

NESB: non-English speaking background.

non-award studies: a unit or group of units which a student undertakes at the University other than as part of an award course of QUT.

non-Commonwealth supported student: see fee-paying student.

O

offer: an invitation made to a prospective student to enrol in a course of study.

OLT: see Online Learning and Teaching.

Ombudsman: See Student Ombudsman.

Online Learning and Teaching (OLT): a site accessed via the QUT Home Page or QUT Virtual on the Internet that provides a range of information and tools relevant to a specific unit, for example, the unit outline, lecture schedule, lecture materials, assessment details. From 2008 QUT Blackboard replaces OLT for all faculties.

online enrolment: a web-based facility available through QUT Virtual that enables all students (both commencing and continuing) to complete the required enrolment procedures.

Oodgeroo Unit: a body that actively recruits Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students into QUT courses. The Unit also offers academic and personal support to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.

OP: See Overall Position.

OP Guarantee: a QUT initiative that guarantees a place in a course of study for applicants who receive an OP 1-5 (or an entry rank of 93 or better), regardless of the selection rank for that course.

ordinary SLE: see Student Learning Entitlement.

Orientation Week: a program of activities designed to familiarise new students with QUT.

OSHC: See Overseas Student Health Cover.

OS-HELP: a cash loan available to eligible students who undertake some of their course overseas.

Overall Position (OP): indicates a current Queensland Year 12 student’s state wide rank order position based on overall achievement in authority subjects. The OP rank may be used to assess eligibility for admission to undergraduate courses.

overseas student: see international student.

Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC): compulsory health insurance, which is purchased by international students for the duration of their study in Australia.

P

part-time student: a student who attends the University for less than 75% of a standard full-time credit point load. Part-time study is not a reflection of the time of day classes are held.

password: a secure identification code required by staff and students to access computer-based systems at QUT.

pathway: an alternative means of gaining entrance to university.

PCA: see Personal Competencies Assessment.

PELS: see Postgraduate Education Loans Scheme.

Personal Competencies Assessment (PCA): a pathway to entry into tertiary study. It requires a written statement demonstrating how through life experience the applicant has developed the capacity to successfully complete a tertiary course. It exists mainly for people without formal educational qualifications or those who feel that their formal qualifications may be insufficient to gain entry to their preferred courses.

PG: See postgraduate course.

PhD: Doctor of Philosophy. See research higher degree.

plagiarism: representing another person's ideas or work as one's own by copying or reproducing without appropriate acknowledgment of the source.

postgraduate course: a course of study leading to an award of graduate certificate, graduate diploma, master's degree, professional doctorate or doctor of philosophy. Postgraduate study usually requires successful completion of an undergraduate degree or equivalent learning as a minimum entry requirement.

Postgraduate Education Loans Scheme (PELS): a Commonwealth Government interest-free loans scheme for domestic fee-paying postgraduate students undertaking non-research courses. From 2005 this terminology will no longer apply, see instead Higher Education Loan Programme and FEE-HELP.

practicum (prac): that part of a course or study designed to develop practical skills or to demonstrate the practical foundation of a theory.

pre-1997 student: a pre-2005 student who commenced their course prior to 1997.

pre-2005 student: a student who commenced their course prior to 2005 and who may be eligible to have their access to student support programs determined under the Higher Education Funding Act 1988.

preparatory studies: a study program which, if completed successfully to the specified level, meets entry requirements for a formal university course.

preregistration course: a course designed for people to gain a degree level qualification to satisfy registration requirements of professional bodies (eg Queensland Nursing Council).

prerequisite unit: a unit that must be passed before a nominated unit can be undertaken.

probation: a 12 month enrolment restriction applied to students whose performance is unsatisfactory. During that time the student must consult the course coordinator and follow the enrolment program that they design. If performance continues at an unsatisfactory level the student may be excluded.

professional membership: professional organisations, associations, institutes and societies to which a student or a graduate of a particular program may be qualified to join.

prospective student: a person who has made enquiries about a course of study but is not yet enrolled for that particular course. This includes people who may have made an application for admission.

Q

Q-Step program: a program that provides the opportunity for people from low-income backgrounds to enter QUT's undergraduate courses with special consideration. Assistance through Q-Step may be given to both Year 12 school-leavers and non school-leaver applicants who can show that their education has been disadvantaged by their financial circumstances.

QTAC: see Queensland Tertiary Admission Centre.

QTAC code: a code allocated to courses offered through the Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre (QTAC).

Queensland Core Skills Test (QCS): a statewide test available to Year 12s and private candidates that is based on common elements of the Queensland senior curriculum. It must be taken to be eligible for an OP and FPs.

Queensland Studies Authority (QSA): the body responsible for syllabus development, assessment and the transition to tertiary education and post-school destinations for Queensland students from preschool to Year 12.

Queensland Tertiary Admission Centre (QTAC): the body that acts on behalf of universities and TAFE institutes to publish course information and requirements, provide application materials and receive and process applications.

quota: the number of student places available in a course.

QUT: Queensland University of Technology.

QUT-Access: the combination of username and password that allows students and staff to access services such as email, QUT Virtual and the Internet.

QUT Blackboard: a web-based system for accessing your course learning materials. Replaces the previous Online Learning and Teaching (OLT) system from 2008. Blackboard is linked from the QUT homepage.

QUT Handbook: the authoritative version of courses and units published at the beginning of every year. The Handbook also contains Student Rules and policies and procedures.

QUTIC: see QUT International College.

QUT Information Services: the first point of call for questions about QUT. Call centre staff can help with course information, administrative processes and other student matters.

QUT International College (QUTIC): provides pathway programs for international students including Foundation, university diplomas, and English language courses.

QUT Virtual (QV): a QUT web site that holds personal records and important information for students and staff.

QV: See QUT Virtual.