When I first started thinking about going to University,
I realised there were some terms and concepts
I would need to get familiar with.
Say for example the difference between a course and a degree.
Knowing these terms made it easier to understand what my choices were
and what I needed to do next.
So let me help by taking you through the most important ideas.
Ok who's first?
Person #1: Okay, I'll start.
What exactly is a degree?
Narrator: A degree is the qualification you get
when you complete your studies.
Say you complete all your studies for a Bachelor of Arts program,
then you will receive a Bachelor of Arts degree.
Bachelor degrees are normally the first ones people do
and are called undergraduate degrees.
Then they move onto graduate programs
like Master and Doctoral degrees.
When you complete your studies,
ANU will give you a testamur -
which is a degree certificate.
Person #1: What is a course?
Narrator: Courses are the building blocks of your degree.
For example,
"Introduction to Commercial Law" is a course
which you complete along with other courses towards your degree.
Undergraduate courses usually go for one semester -
which is half a year -
and normally include lectures and tutorials every week.
Person #2: What's the difference between a lecture and a tutorial?
Narrator: A lecture is usually held in a large theatre
where a teacher gives a talk.
A tutorial is more like a small class with fewer students
and more personal interaction.
Person #2: Do units have anything to do with lectures and tutorials?
Narrator: Sort of,
a unit is the way ANU determines
how much each course is worth in your degree.
So a course is worth six units in most cases.
Full-time students normally take four courses each semester -
which is 24 units for the length of their degree.
Person #1: I have another course question
...what is a major and minor that I've heard people refer to.
Is that like a group of similar courses?
Narrator: Exactly.
A major is a group of eight courses in a particular subject.
A minor is a group of four courses in a single subject.
Now, depending on what you're studying,
whether it is Biology or International Relations,
there will be different major and minor requirements.
Generally most degrees will require that you do at least one major.
Person #2: Ok, so what courses can I take in my majors and minors?
Narrator: Most majors and minors give you lots of courses to choose from,
and these are listed on the Programs and Courses website.
Choosing your courses based on what you're interested in
is the really fun part.
Person #1: Does every course I do need to fit into a major or a minor?
Narrator: No, you can take what are called 'elective courses'.
Depending on what degree you are enrolled in,
there will be different amounts of electives to choose from.
Check the Programs and Courses website for more information.
Person #2: Can I study courses in any order?
Narrator: Not exactly.
Think of a degree as a building.
You need to lay the foundation before you can build the walls.
So more difficult courses require you to have some prior knowledge,
which you get by doing pre-requisite courses.
For example, you need to do Psychology 1 and Psychology 2
before you can do Developmental Psychology.
Make sense?
Person #1: Yup.
Narrator: I'm glad you're now across all the important information
so that you can start your University adventure with us.
If anything is still unclear, head
to the Students webpage for more info.