Academic Transition & Support

Academic Appeal

If there have been circumstances beyond your control that have negatively affected your academic performance, you can bring forward an academic appeal. Learn more about appeals from the Office of the University Ombudsperson or your faculty office.

Academic Term

A portion of the academic year when the university holds classes. Queen’s has three academic terms within a calendar year.

• Winter term: January–April
• Summer term: May–August (session lengths vary)
• Fall term: September–December

See your Faculty Academic Calendar for specific dates.

Acronym

An abbreviation formed from the initial letters of other words and often used as a word. There are a lot of acronyms used at Queen’s. Here are some of the most popular:

• QUIC: Queen’s University International Centre
• JDUC: John Deutsch University Centre
• SASS: Student Academic Success Services
• SEO: Student Experience Office
• AMS: Alma Mater Society
• ARC: Athletics and Recreation Centre
• KGH: Kingston General Hospital
• ITS: Information Technology Services

Your faculty and department may also use their own acronyms. If you’re not sure what they mean, ask!

Campus

The grounds and buildings of the university. Queen’s has two campuses in Kingston: Main Campus and West Campus (where the Faculty of Education and the School of English are located).

Convocation

A graduation ceremony where degrees and diplomas are granted. Find more information about Queen’s convocation.

Degree/Major

A degree is earned after completing the requirements of a program. A major is the discipline of focus of a degree. For example, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Cultural Studies means that “Bachelor of Arts” is the degree, and “Cultural Studies” is the major.

Department/Discipline

An academic department is a division or unit within a faculty that focuses on a particular academic discipline, or a field of study or knowledge. For example, the Department of History is focused on the discipline of history.

English as an Additional Language (EAL)

Students with “English as an Additional Language” are students who learned to speak English after their first language, or are multilingual. Queen’s has switched to using the term “English as an Additional Language” (EAL) instead of "English as a Second Language" (ESL). The reason for this is to acknowledge that some students speak more than two languages. Visit SASS’s EAL page for EAL support.

Faculty

A word that can mean two different things:

• A group of university departments in a specific subject area. For example, Faculty of Arts & Science, Faculty of Engineering, etc.
• The teaching body of the university. For example, a professor or instructor is a member of the faculty.

Lecture/Seminar/Tutorial/Lab

The different kinds of classroom structures at Queen’s. Lectures include classroom-based instruction where the focus is on the presentation of information. Tutorials and labs supplement lectures and allow for discussion and interaction. Seminars are also classroom-based, usually in smaller groups for upper-year classes, and include discussion of, and engagement with, class material.

SOLUS

An acronym for the Student On-Line University System. SOLUS is Queen’s electronic registration system where you can register for courses, see your daily class schedule, and check your account fees, among other things. It is accessible through my.queensu.ca. If you need help registering for courses, book an appointment with an advisor in your faculty.

Transcript

An official document prepared by the Office of the University Registrar that contains a student’s educational record. See more information about Queen’s transcripts.

Academic Integrity

The practice of honest and responsible scholarship. Violations can have serious consequences – you can read about violations on the Queen’s Academic Integrity website. Complete SASS’s Academic Integrity module to learn more about this important subject.

Analyze

An academic assignment might ask you to demonstrate various skills, like analyzing or evaluating content. Read through some common assignment terminology and gain an understanding of what an essay or project is asking for. Additionally, always clarify assignment expectations with your instructor. To get an idea of how much time the various steps of an assignment should take, use SASS’s Assignment Planner.

Citations, Citation Styles, and Citation Managers

Academic writing depends on the ability to properly give credit to other scholars for their ideas, through citation. Citation styles “are a set of rules or standards established by a specific society, association, or publisher for documenting various sources of information” (Queen’s University Library – learn more about citing sources). Citation managers help collect, organize, cite, and share references. Explore the Library’s overview of citation managers.

Office Hours

Most professors set aside a few hours a week to meet with students who have questions. Office hours are usually indicated on the syllabus and are great opportunities to discuss challenges, clarify information, ask questions, get feedback, and get to know your professors.

OnQ

The name of Queen’s learning management system. It is used to deliver online academic courses and to supplement face-to-face instruction. To understand all of its functions, read about OnQ support here.

Prerequisite

A course that must be completed before you can take another course at a higher level. It is important to ensure that you have the prerequisites for a course before registering. Check in with an academic advisor or department administrator for support.

Procrastination

A habit of postponing doing your work that often causes stress because of the self-motivated nature of studying at Queen’s. Access some resources about motivation and procrastination on the SASS website. Book a one-on-one Learning Strategies Advising appointment with an advisor to help improve your academic motivation.

Syllabus/Course Outline

A document received at the beginning of a course that communicates the content and expectations of the course. It usually includes contact information for your instructor, the learning outcomes of course, the schedule of readings and assignments, the course policies, and more. The syllabus is your guide for the course, so it is important to understand all of its content.

Teaching Assistant (TA)

These are individuals, usually graduate students, who help professors mark assignments and may run tutorials or labs. Tutorials are less formal than lectures and allow students to ask questions about material taught in lectures. Some courses may have a scheduled tutorial every week, but other courses may not have any at all. TAs also hold office hours.

Textbook/Course Pack

Courses may require the purchasing of textbooks or course packs to supplement in-class content. These are books on the study of a particular subject.

Thesis Statement

The central argument of an academic essay. Usually stated in an essay’s introduction to inform the reader of the argument that will follow in the body of the essay. Learn more about developing a thesis statement from SASS.

Cohort 

A group of graduate students who start their program in the same year and progress together for the duration of their program. Your cohort has the potential to become a supportive community as you all move through your program.

Conference Presentation

An oral or poster presentation given at an academic conference to present research.

Doctoral Candidate

A PhD student who has completed all their coursework and comprehensive exams and is working on a dissertation. They may also be referred to as ABD (All but Dissertation).

Graduate Chair/Graduate Program Assistant

Every department with a graduate program has a graduate chair that oversees the program. The graduate program assistant or graduate coordinator is responsible for the daily administration and operation of the program. Along with your supervisor, these individuals should be your main sources of information and support.

Monograph

A detailed written study on a particular subject, usually in book form.

Peer-Review

The process of a group of experts in a field evaluating the work of a scholar to determine suitability for publication.

Qualifying or Comprehensive Exam

An assessment that shows your understanding of a field of study and determines if you are knowledgeable enough to be a doctoral candidate. Exam requirements differ across departments and disciplines.

Scholarly Journal

A collection of research articles that is published regularly throughout the year in a specific academic field or area of research. The articles contain original research and are usually peer-reviewed.

SGPS

An acronym for the Society of Graduate and Professional Students. It is the student society that represents and advocates for graduate, law, and consecutive education students at Queen’s.

SGSPA

An acronym for the School of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs. The school houses 125 Queen’s graduate programs, and offers support services and professional development experiences for graduate students. 

Thesis/Dissertation

These terms are often used interchangeably, but generally a thesis is completed as part of a research-based master’s degree. A dissertation is completed as part of a doctoral degree. Both support candidature for a graduate degree.

Writing Process

Effective writing in graduate school is a process that takes work before getting to a final draft. Take advantage of writing and learning support programs on campus to develop skills and effectively engage in this process. SASS has a page dedicated to graduate student academic support.