A

Academic Titles - Professor/Reader/Senior Lecturer/Lecturer

These are the different names given to academics with Professor being the most senior and Lecturer the most junior. Many of the staff teaching you will have PhDs/doctorates.  Both are the highest academic qualifications; a PhD is achieved by research and a doctorate combines research and professional practice.  Someone with a PhD/ doctorate can use the title Doctor (Dr).

C

Campus

The grounds or buildings of a university. Royal Holloway is a campus based university and this means university student accommodation, teaching and administrative building are close to each other in the same grounds. Royal Holloway has two campuses: one in Egham and in in Central London

Campus Connect

This is an important portal through which you can pay your fees, change your personal details, access your unique candidate number and perform a number of other tasks.

Course

Your degree programme, e.g. BA Geography.

D

D&N

The Disability and Neurodiversity Team and part of the larger Wellbeing group. They are all here to support you with your health, wellbeing and experience.

E

EWD or Davison Building

The Emily Wilding Davison Building which houses the Library. it’s commonly known as Davison, the EWD or the Library. Emily Wilding Davison was a suffragette and alumna. Other notable Royal Holloway graduates are here.

F

Founders

This is the main building on the Egham campus and is home to some undergraduate students, the Picture Gallery and the Chapel. It  also has a Reading Room for quiet study as well as office space for staff members.

L

Lab classes

Labs are usually associated with Science subjects and are sessions where students will build on the material from a lecture by applying it to practical experiments. A student may have a number of labs weekly depending on the subject and modules studied.

Lecture

A timetabled class during which an academic lecturer or visiting speaker presents information about a particular topic. Typically, a lecturer will only introduce the main ideas during lectures; students are expected to do further reading and study around the topic outside of the lecture.

M

Module

A unit of teaching and learning done on a course. Each module has a code (e.g. EN1570) which shows the department (EN is English) and year of study (1xxx is for first year undergraduate).

A typical module lasts one term, includes a weekly lecture and seminar, and includes two assessments. However, this will vary depending on the module and the course.

Moodle

Royal Holloway’s virtual learning environment where you will find information about each of the modules you will take. Once you have received your Royal Holloway username and password, you will be able to access this.

P

Principal/Vice Chancellor

The most senior member of staff, who leads Royal Holloway and is responsible for the strategic development and running of the University. Her name is Professor Julie Sanders.

R

Reading list

A list of resources which has been put together by those teaching you on a particular module. The resources are designed to help you to develop your knowledge of the core principles, theories and ideas that you will be studying as well as giving you the opportunity to explore different areas in greater detail. You will have a reading list for each module you take.

Reading/Study Week

The Autumn and Spring Terms each have 10 weeks of teaching and many departments have a Reading/Study Week after the first 5 weeks of teaching. The week is there for students to catch up on reading and study but no one will ask you to account for how you have spent your time during that week. Check with your department(s) when you start your course to see if they have a Reading/Study week and when it will take place.

Referencing

This is what you do when you acknowledge that the information or view point you provide in a piece of text is from an external source (i.e. not your own idea). There are set rules on how to reference and cite sources, and disciplines have their preferred referencing styles (Harvard, APA, MHRA, MLA, OSCOLA...). Your department will tell you which one to use.

RoHo/Holloway/RH/RHUL

Names for Royal Holloway.

S

Seminar

A timetabled class during which students discuss a particular topic with other students and their teacher. The discussion is often based on a particular reading which students have done.

SSC

The Student Services Centre, which is located in the EWD. For information about the services offered in the SSC and how they will help you during your first few weeks at Royal Holloway, please click here.

Student Handbook

This is an important source of information which you will need to refer to during your time at Royal Holloway for information about your department, degree course, assessments and how you will be marked and student regulations.

Student ID Card

This is your personal Royal Holloway identity card. It will have your photo, your student number and show whether you are an undergraduate or postgraduate. You will receive it shortly after arriving at Royal Holloway.

Student Intranet

A  central source of information for all students. The intranet is where important messages may be posted as well as e-mailed to you so do check it regularly.

SU/RHSU

The Students’ Union

W

Welcome Week/Freshers Fair

The first week of the new academic year is Welcome Week and one of the main events which takes place during it is Freshers Fair when you will have the opportunity to find out about all the activities you can do when you are not studying.

Workshop

A timetabled class during which students participate in activities relevant to a particular topic. Activities might include trying something in practice, solving a problem or applying a theory to a real life event or issue.

What's a typical week like? 

The first week of the academic year is Welcome Week (also known as Freshers’ Week). Welcome week includes lots of social events, but new students may also be expected to attend some introduction classes.

The number of hours teaching you will have each week depends on the subject you are studying and the numbers of modules you are taking. Sciences subjects typically tend to have more teaching hours because of lab classes.

Watch a typical week from one of our current students. 

How is the academic year structured? 

At Royal Holloway, there are 3 terms each academic year: Autumn, Spring and Summer. The first 2 have 10 weeks of teaching each and the last is when many final module assessments take place. The term dates are available here.

Work experience

We'll support you with real world experience to build your skills

Royal Holloway will support you to find your own work experience and provide opportunities to give you access to employers before you graduate. From placements to part time jobs to jobs fairs, our outstanding Careers Service and your department can show you how to access opportunities. We’ll help you to reflect on any paid or voluntary work you do during your studies or holidays so that you can create effective CVs and applications for your future career opportunities.  

Job fairs
Our careers service hosts several job fairs annually giving you direct access to employers. Last year nearly 200 employers attended our job fairs at Royal Holloway, including our twice yearly Part time Job Fair.  The Part Time Job Fair runs at the start of the autumn and spring terms offering part time opportunities on and off campus that you can do while you study. 

Job Shop
Our Job Shop is on the Careers Portal and is our online job board where you can browse available roles and apply online. Watch this short video showing you how to search for jobs using the Careers Portal

Meet the employer drop-ins

We regularly host employers and alumni of Royal Holloway at drop-in sessions, where students can have informal chats, either 1:1 or in small groups. You'll be able to book 15-minute appointments or just drop in to talk to employers helping you to gain insights into different roles, the application process, or to find out which key skills employers value.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn is a great tool for research jobs and careers, connecting with alumni and enabling recruiters to find you. We encourage our students to start building their LinkedIn profiles from day one and run termly LinkedIn day profile checks led by employers and careers staff as well as a photobooth where you can get a free professional headshot to boost your profile.

Sector themed weeks
In the autumn and spring term the careers service run a variety of sector themed weeks, based on some of the most popular industries for our graduates. These weeks incorporate a variety of different activities including employer presentations, alumni panels and interactive skills sessions which aim to give you a real life understanding of different roles across a particular sector and a deeper understanding of the types of qualities and skills different organisations might prioritise. You'll get great insight through these sessions, and they might also spark a new career path you hadn’t considered before.  

For more information about all our fairs, workshops and other employability events keep checking the Student Intranet - go to a careers event

Employability Support

Our Careers Service includes our team of professionally qualified and dedicated careers guidance practitioners embedded into curriculum across departments and in the Careers Hub.  Our team of employability experts are friendly, supportive and are available to all students across all years offering guidance and support whether you have lots of ideas or no ideas at all. They can also offer support on job hunting strategies, making applications for post graduate study and offer a practice interview service for students who have a confirmed job interview. The team offer individual 1:1 appointments, both in person and online and support you for up to two years after graduation.

Find out which careers consultant is linked to your department - Meet the careers service team.

To book an appointment with our career consultants just visit Student Intranet - Book an appointment 

Careers Coaches

We also have a team of engaging and very knowledgeable student career coaches and helpdesk assistants.  They are available in person in the Careers Hub and you can drop by anytime during term time Monday to Thursday 10am–4pm and Friday 10am-3pm.  You may also see them out and about at our events ready to answer any employability questions you may have so be sure to stop and say hello!  They are fully trained in all things CV and can signpost you to all our resources, including job searching websites our range of E-learning employability courses plus our online platforms designed to help you to put together an effective CV, application, or prepare for interviews.

Build your employability skills through hundreds of opportunities

Volunteering is a great way to make a difference and meet new people, and it can help you to develop a range of employability skills. If you have limited work experience or need some UK experience on your CV then volunteering can be a great place to start. With over 100 volunteering opportunities at Royal Holloway, all with varying levels of time commitments you will be sure to find something to suit you.

Our award-winning Volunteering team

Royal Holloway's Volunteering team received the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, the highest award given to volunteer groups across the UK in recognition of outstanding work done in various communities. You're in good hands and will have access to amazing opportunities. 

Online Volunteering Platform

Our online platform will link you to charity roles, student-led projects, and policy research opportunities. Read more about volunteering opportunities to build your skills and watch the video below from our students.

For some of our second year students this online programme will give you the opportunity to learn how to make yourself more employable, gain in-depth support and guidance from professionals in the Careers Service, leading to a  2 – 4 week summer placement.

Read more about the summer skills placement programme

We have partnerships around the world giving you the opportunity to experience what it’s like to study or volunteer outside of the UK for up to one year. These opportunities are usually open to students in their penultimate year of their degree. Click on the links for more information. 

Funding to go places

If you’ve not travelled abroad before or would like to study or volunteer overseas but are worried about the cost, grants from our Turing Funding could be for you. Funding is available for international experiences at the end of your first year for up to four weeks.  

The Student Entrepreneurship Service is available to support you with starting your own business or going freelance, through workshops and one-to-one appointments. Based in the Careers and Enterprise Hub alongside our careers team for more information  come along and speak to our Student Experience and Enterprise Officer.