Systems compared: the US and the UK
In US universities, many of the words for people and places are the same as those used in the UK (see Unit 18), but there are some differences.
Terms with different meanings in US and UK university systems
US example	meaninglcommem	UK example	meaning/comment
Are you faculty or student?	If you are faculty, you are a member of the academic staff.	The faculty will have to come to a decision on this.	Faculty refers to a group of departments (see Unit 18) with similar interests.
The grading rubric for term papers has been revised.	A rubric is a set of criteria or guidelines which tells how an assignment will be graded or scored.	Some students misread the exam rubric and didn't answer enough questions.	Instructions on an exam paper or in a textbook as to how a task must be done.
1 went to college in St Louis. 1 attended Washington University. 1 took some fascinating courses at college.	The word co//ege in American English refers broadly to the undergraduate experience, whether it is at a two-year community college, a four-year college, or a large state university in the US. A specific institution can be a college (granting undergraduate degrees only) or a university (granting undergraduate and graduate degrees).	She went to university in Scotland. She graduated from university in 1996.	In British English, university refers to the undergraduate experience. In both American and British English, no article is used before college or university in these examples.
Her brother went to school at Harvard.	School is often used to mean university. A common question is'Where did you go to school?" meaning "Where did you go to college?'	1 went to school in London, then 1 went to university in Bristol.	Refers to primary or secondary education; school can also refer to a university department which covers several different teaching areas (e.g. School of English and Journalism).
Different US terms
I wonder who should be on my PhD committee1. My advisor2 suggested Dr Fry and Dr Roe. I have a lot of studying to do. I have my comps3 in two weeks.
Let's meet in Harley Commons4 at 7.30 pm, and we can study for tomorrow's quiz5, OK? It was tough being a freshman6 because I wasn't used to such difficult finals7, but life got a bit easier when I became a sophomore8. It was easy enough as a junior', but then it got tough again when I was a senior10.
As a graduate student", I get to attend seminars with some of the top people in my field. The fraternity12 and sorority15 houses are all round the edge of the campus.
' a group of teachers who advise a PhD student 2 equivalent of the UK supervisor (see Unit 18) 3 short for comprehensive examinations, subject-area tests required of graduate students in some areas of studies 4 area where students can meet socially and eat in dining halls 5 short test on areas which have been taught * new, first-year undergraduate (also used in the UK) 7 final examinations at the end of the semester 8 second-year student, from the Greek sophos, wise, and moros, dull 9 third-year student 10 fourth-year student 11 student with a bachelor's degree (e.g. BA, BS) who is enrolled in a master's degree programme, equivalent of postgraduate student in the UK 12 a social organisation for male students 13 a social organisation for female students
Academic Vocabulary in Use
Exercises
19.1    Look at A. Who is more likely to be speaking - a British person or an American? Why?
1
can eat
here. J
^   All professors use the same rubric for grading term papers.]
^--
I went to school at Millintown, where I got my masters and PhD, j
My department is within the Faculty of Engineering.
The rubric required students to answer all three questions on the. exam paper.
'-^—'-■-----------— '
I 9.2    Put these levels of student in an American university in order of seniority, starting with the first-year student. Explain what kind of student each term refers to.
graduate student     junior     freshman      senior sophomore
19.3 Are the following statements true or false? If false, explain why they are incorrect.
1 An advisor is someone who helps American students with their emotional problems.
2 Women usually join a fraternity.
3 Finals means a student's last semester at university or college.
4 A PhD committee is a group of graduate students.
19.4 Use the clues to complete the crossword. Across
1 Sometimes used to refer to college or university in the US
2 A short test of material that has been taught
3 Test to assess whether a student knows subject material required for a graduate degree
4 A social organisation for female students
5 A fourth-year student in the US Down
6 A second-year student
7 A general word meaning academic staff in the US
Academic Vocabulary in Use 47