NOUN
General
National Open University of Nigeria
Nigeria's open and distance learning university, designed for flexible study across many locations.
NOUN Student Resource
NOUN Glossary for Prospects & Students
Understand the common acronyms, portal terms, admission words, course registration language, result terms and important things every NOUN prospect or student should know before making decisions.
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NOUN terms explained
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Common NOUN Acronyms & Terms
Tap a category or type any word to find the meaning quickly.
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ODL
General
Open and Distance Learning
The learning system used by NOUN. Students study with course materials, online platforms and study-centre support.
LCMS
Portal
Learning Content Management System
An online learning/content platform used for access to academic resources where applicable.
GST
Courses
General Studies
Compulsory general courses usually taken by students across different programmes.
NOU
Courses
NOUN General Course Code Prefix
Some general courses now use NOU prefix, such as NOU107/NOU707/NOU807, depending on programme and level.
TMA
Assessment
Tutor-Marked Assignment
Continuous assessment usually completed online before exams. Always submit before the deadline.
POP
Assessment
Pen-On-Paper Examination
Physical written examination, usually for higher-level or specified courses.
E-Exam
Assessment
Electronic Examination
Computer-based examination commonly used for many lower-level courses.
CBT
Assessment
Computer-Based Test
A test or exam taken with a computer system.
SIWES
Courses
Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme
Industrial training/practical work requirement for some programmes.
IT
Courses
Industrial Training
Practical training requirement in some programmes. Confirm whether it applies to your programme.
Project
Courses
Final Year Research Work
A supervised research work required by many undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.
Seminar
Courses
Academic Seminar Paper/Presentation
Required in some programmes, especially at higher levels. It may be non-examinable depending on the programme.
Practicum
Courses
Supervised Practical/Field Work
A practical learning component required in some professional programmes.
Matric Number
Portal
Student Identification Number
Your official student number after admission. Keep it safe and use it for portal activities.
Application Number
Admission
Admission Application ID
Generated during the admission application process before full matriculation.
RRR
Payment
Remita Retrieval Reference
The payment reference generated through Remita for school-related payments.
Remita
Payment
Payment Gateway Used for Many Institutional Payments
Used to generate and process official payment references.
Wallet
Payment
Student Portal Funding Balance
Funds deposited into the student portal for registrations and other school payments.
Semester Registration
Registration
Registration for a New Semester
Usually required before course and exam registration can be completed.
Course Registration
Registration
Selecting Courses for the Semester
Students must register the correct courses for their programme, level and semester.
Exam Registration
Registration
Registering Courses for Examination
A course must normally be registered for exam before the student can sit for it.
Credit Unit
Courses
Course Weight/Load
Each course has units. Total units affect workload, registration limits and CGPA calculation.
Core Course
Courses
Compulsory Programme Course
A course required for your programme and must be passed where applicable.
Elective Course
Courses
Optional/Selectable Course
A course chosen from available options, depending on programme requirements.
Carryover
Results
Failed or Uncompleted Course
A course that must be retaken or resolved before graduation, depending on the student's academic record.
Missing Result
Results
Result Not Yet Showing or Not Captured
A course result that is not displaying. Students should keep records and follow official complaint channels.
Result Upload
Results
Release of Scores/Grades
When course results become available on the portal or result-checking system.
CGPA
Results
Cumulative Grade Point Average
The overall grade point average across completed semesters/courses.
GPA
Results
Grade Point Average
The grade point average for a particular semester or set of courses.
SOP
Admission
Statement of Purpose
May be requested for some postgraduate applications or academic processes.
SPGS
Admission
School of Postgraduate Studies
Handles postgraduate programmes and postgraduate-related academic processes.
PGD
Admission
Postgraduate Diploma
A postgraduate qualification that may support entry into master's programmes, depending on requirements.
M.Sc.
Admission
Master of Science
A postgraduate master's degree, usually available in selected disciplines.
MBA
Admission
Master of Business Administration
A professional master's degree in business administration.
M.Ed.
Admission
Master of Education
A postgraduate master's degree in education-related fields.
MPhil
Admission
Master of Philosophy
A research-focused postgraduate pathway that may lead to PhD depending on performance and requirements.
PhD
Admission
Doctor of Philosophy
A doctoral programme. Applicants should confirm interview, research and SPGS requirements.
DE
Admission
Direct Entry
Admission route into higher levels for qualified candidates. Programme/discipline matching is very important.
O'Level
Admission
Ordinary Level Result
WAEC, NECO, NABTEB or equivalent result used for undergraduate admission screening.
OND
Admission
Ordinary National Diploma
Can support Direct Entry admission where the discipline matches the target programme.
NCE
Admission
Nigeria Certificate in Education
Can support Direct Entry admission, especially for education-related pathways where accepted.
HND
Admission
Higher National Diploma
Can support Direct Entry or postgraduate eligibility depending on programme rules and discipline match.
B.Sc.
Admission
Bachelor of Science
An undergraduate degree qualification. Relevant for postgraduate applications.
B.A.
Admission
Bachelor of Arts
An undergraduate degree qualification in arts/humanities-related fields.
LL.B
Admission
Bachelor of Laws
Undergraduate law degree. Law-related admission requirements should be checked carefully.
Transcript
Documents
Official Academic Record
Required for many postgraduate processes and some academic verifications.
Provisional Admission Letter
Admission
Temporary Admission Confirmation
Admission evidence issued before final clearance or full student status is completed.
Study Centre
General
NOUN Support/Service Location
A location where students can access support, documentation services and some academic activities.
Facilitation
General
Tutorial/Academic Guidance Session
Learning support sessions arranged for courses where available.
Clearance
Admission
Document/Admission Verification
A process where submitted credentials and admission records may be checked.
Convocation
Graduation
Graduation Ceremony
The formal ceremony for approved graduating students.
Graduation List
Graduation
Approved List of Graduating Students
A list confirming students approved for graduation/convocation.
Statement of Result
Graduation
Official Result Summary
A document showing a student's completed academic performance after graduation approval.
Certificate
Graduation
Final Award Document
Issued after successful completion and fulfillment of all graduation requirements.
Portal
Portal
Official Online Student Platform
Used for student login, payments, registrations, records and other academic services.
Faculty
General
Academic Division
A broad academic unit that houses related departments/programmes.
Department
General
Programme/Discipline Unit
The unit responsible for specific academic programmes or fields.
Level
General
Stage of Study
Examples include 100L, 200L, 300L, 400L, 500L, 700L and 800L depending on programme.
100L
General
First Undergraduate Level
Common entry level for new undergraduate students.
200L/300L
Admission
Higher Undergraduate Entry Levels
Usually tied to Direct Entry eligibility and strict discipline matching.
700L
General
Postgraduate Diploma/Master's Level Category
Often used for postgraduate courses depending on programme structure.
800L
General
Higher Postgraduate Level Category
Often used for master's/doctoral course classifications depending on programme structure.
Non-Examinable Course
Courses
Course Without Standard Exam Fee/Exam Sitting
Some courses are assessed through project, seminar, practicum, SIWES, field work or other formats.
Exam Clearance
Assessment
Approval/Readiness for Exam
Students should ensure their registrations, payments and documents are correct before exams.
Exam Slip
Assessment
Printed Examination Registration Evidence
A document showing registered exam courses and exam details where applicable.
Course Material
Courses
Official Study Material
The main reading material for NOUN courses. Students should use the right material for each course code.
Past Question
Assessment
Previous Exam Question
Useful for exam preparation but should not replace full study of course materials.
Important Things to Note
Simple guidance to help prospects avoid admission mistakes and help students manage registration, results and graduation better.
For Prospects
- Choose your programme based on your actual credentials, not just interest. NOUN can be strict with discipline matching, especially for Direct Entry and postgraduate admission.
- Confirm O'Level subject requirements before buying or processing any admission form.
- For Direct Entry, your OND, NCE, HND, B.Sc. or other qualification should match the programme you want to study.
- Postgraduate applicants should check whether their first degree, PGD, grade/class and discipline qualify them for the programme.
- MPhil and PhD candidates should confirm interview, research and School of Postgraduate Studies requirements before proceeding.
- Use a valid email address and phone number during application because admission updates and portal access may depend on them.
- Keep your RRR, payment receipt, application number and login details safe. Do not send them to untrusted people.
- Before making payment to any consultant, confirm your eligibility and ensure your credentials are complete.
For Students
- Register your semester, courses and exams early. Waiting until deadline periods can cause portal pressure or mistakes.
- Do not register courses blindly. Confirm your programme level, semester, outstanding carryovers and required credit units.
- Submit TMA before the deadline. Missing TMA can affect your final score.
- Download or save your course registration, exam registration, payment receipts and important portal records.
- Track your results every semester and follow up early on missing results or wrongly captured grades.
- If you fail a course and later pass it, ensure your CGPA analysis treats the cleared attempt correctly.
- Use past questions wisely, but study the course material because questions can change.
- Before graduation, check for outstanding courses, missing results, project/seminar issues and required documents.
Useful NOUN Update Tools
After learning the terms, use these student tools to make better academic decisions.
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