Registration terms glossary

Registration provides us with key data to help us ensure we have your up-to-date details and to confirm you are studying this academic year. Some of this information helps us understand different characteristics about our student body, which then helps us assess the need for different services that support these groups. The information below provides definitions to some terms that may be new to you.

Gender

The question asked is as follows: I describe my gender as:

  • Woman
  • Man
  • In another way

The options for "in another way" are listed below with definitions.

  • Gender Nonconforming: a person whose gender expression is not consistent with the societal or cultural norms expected of that gender
  • Non-binary: a person who doesn't identify as male or female are known as non-binary
  • Agender/Gendervoid: a person who doesn’t identify with the idea or experience of having a gender
  • Demi-girl: a person who partially identifies with being a girl, woman, womxn, or feminine
  • Demi-boy: a person who partially identifies with being a boy, man, or masculine
  • Genderfluid: a person who experiences moving between genders or having a gender that changes over a particular period of time. For example, from moment to moment, day to day, month to month, year to year, or decade to decade
  • Genderqueer/Queer/Androgyne: a person with a gender who doesn't categorise themselves as exclusively man or woman, or exclusively masculine or feminine
  • Pangender: a person who experiences all or many gender identities on the gender spectrum simultaneously or over time
  • None of these 
  • BiGender: someone who identifies with two distinct genders
  • Other
  • Prefer not to say

 

Pronouns

According to Stonewall, pronouns are the words we use to refer to people’s gender in conversation, for example, "he" or "she". But not everyone identifies with the binary definitions of gender (male and female) so they may prefer gender-neutral pronouns such as "they/them" or "ze/zir". Everyone within our University community deserves to be treated with dignity and respect and so understanding their pronouns is a simple gesture which has a big impact.

The question asked is: What personal pronouns do you use to describe yourself?

  • She/her/hers: for someone who might identify as female
  • He/him/his: for someone who might identify as male
  • They/them/their: for someone who might not identify as male or female. These pronouns are ‘gender neutral’
  • Ey/em/eir: for someone who might identify as trans or genderqueer and gender non-conforming people
  • Zie/hir/hir: for someone who might identify as trans or genderqueer and gender non-conforming people

 

Personal titles

Below follows definitions of different titles, though individuals may choose to use a title outside of these definitions.

The question asked is: If you use a title, which one do you use?

  • Dr: abbreviation for Doctor. Used for the holder of a doctoral degree (e.g. PhD, EdD, MD) and for medical practitioners, dentists and veterinary surgeons
  • Engineer: this title is used by persons holding degrees from accredited engineering colleges and universities
  • Miss: generally used for girls, unmarried women and married women who continue to use their maiden name. Though many women may choose to use another title, e.g., "Ms"
  • Mr: (abbreviation of "Mister") generally used in the UK for men, regardless of marital status, who do not have another professional or academic title
  • Mrs: (abbreviation of "Mistress") generally used in the UK for married women who do not have another professional or academic title
  • Ms: for women, regardless of marital status or when marital status is unknown
  • Mx: a gender-neutral honorific for those who do not wish to specify their gender or who do not identify with Mr/Master or Ms/Mrs/Miss, for example if they are non-binary
  • Prof: (abbreviation of "Professor") for a person who holds the academic rank of professor in a university or other institution. In the UK this is a senior academic position and the title is always used in preference to "Dr"
  • Rev: (abbreviation of "The Reverand") used generally for members of the Christian clergy regardless of affiliation, but especially in Catholic and Protestant denominations

 

Sexual orientation

There are multiple sexual orientations that are not listed below, but we capture information on the following genders:

  • Bisexual: a person feels attraction toward their own gender and other genders
  • Gay man: a man who is romantically and sexually attracted to men
  • Gay woman/lesbian: a woman who feels sexual and romantic attraction toward other women
  • Heterosexual: typically feel sexual and romantic attraction toward people who are of a gender different than their own. Also referred to as  “straight,”
  • I prefer not to say
  • Other

 

Care leaver

A care leaver is someone who has been in local authoritu care such as foster care or a children's home. During this time you would usually have been allocated a social worker.

 

Estranged

An estranged student is someone under 25 who has no emotional or financial support or contact from their parents or legal guardians whilst at university.

 

Carer

A carer is someone who provides unpaid care to a partner, child relative, friend or neighbour who could not manage without this help because of frailty, physical or mental illness, addiction or disability.