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Glossary of terms (A-Z)

Last updated 27 January 2025

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This is a glossary of words and phrases commonly used at the Royal College of Art to help you navigate your experience.

A - E

B

Learning that involves a combination of on-campus and online activities.

A session that presents key information to students.

C

Scheduled staff-led time that encourages interaction and should allow opportunities for formal or informal feedback for learners. This includes any time delivered, or directly supervised, by an academic or technical member of staff.

Credits are awarded to a learner in recognition of the verified achievement of learning outcomes at a specified level. At the RCA one credit is equivalent to 10 notional learning hours. As such, a unit that involves 300 hours of learning will be assigned 30 credits. An RCA Master's degree involves 180 credits

Crits (short for ‘critique’ or ‘critical review’) are group reviews of student work, facilitated by staff.

E

The formal process of becoming a registered student after accepting an offer of admission.

F - J

G

A scheduled session between a group of students and staff to review academic progress.

I

A 60-credit concluding unit in which students engage in an extended period of independent research that results in the production of a major thesis/project that demonstrates intellectual engagement, technical skills and professional development.

A one-to-one meeting between a student and a member of staff to review academic progress and direct them towards pastoral support where necessary.

K - O

L

An educational talk given by academic staff and/or invited guests to an audience of students.

Learning outcomes are statements of what a learner is expected to know and/or understand and be able to demonstrate after completion of a process of learning.

O

An external visit delivered as part of the curriculum.

P - T

P

A task given to students as part of a unit of study.

R

At the RCA, the term ‘Registration’ is often used interchangeably with ‘Enrolment’ - see our definition of ‘Enrolment’ above.

S

A group discussion led by a member of staff that focuses on a theme.

The overall amount of time that students commit to learning as part of a unit or programme of study. This includes both contact hours and self-directed learning.

T

A scheduled session providing technical support for a specific student project. This is arranged by negotiation.

A session that enables students to use technical facilities safely and responsibly.

A session offering students an overview of a technical service and how to access it.

An interactive group session that focuses on the development of a particular technical process or skill.

U - Z

U

A self-contained learning experience with an explicit set of aims, learning outcomes and assessment outcomes. Units will be either 15, 30 or 45 credits (with the exception of the 60-credit Independent Research Project).

V

A digital platform that provides access to educational information, resources and activities.

W

An interactive group session that focuses on the development of a particular process or skill.