Abbreviations and Terminology

Graduate School comes with its own language of new terminology, research methods, theories, jargon, and more! UC also has many abbreviations and terms that are unfamiliar for many new members of the graduate community (students, faculty, and staff!). The links below can help clear up some of the confusion that comes with learning this new language.

Glossary of Academic Terminology: The linked glossary represents a list of the various terms and definitions that students, faculty, and staff may encounter within higher education. 

Research Glossary: The research glossary defines terms used in conducting social science and policy research, for example those describing methods, measurements, statistical procedures, and other aspects of research. 

The Glossary of Higher Ed: The Glossary of Higher Ed houses and defines “all the terms that matter in post-secondary education.”

• 6+2: Your Username (or “6+2”) is usually the first six letters of your last name followed by your first and middle initials. There are exceptions in cases of common names or users without a middle initial.
  • An easy way to find your 6+2 is to look at the letters/numbers preceding "@" in your UC email address. 
• AACRC: African American Cultural Resource Center
• Assistantships
  • GA: Graduate Assistant
  • TA: Teaching Assistant
  • RA: Research Assistant
• BCP: Bearcat Pantry
• Bearcat: UC’s mascot.
  • Both a fictitious animal and a nickname for a real animal (a binturong). The Cincinnati Zoo’s Bearcat ambassador is named Lucille. Sometimes UC students are referred to as “a Bearcat” or “Bearcats.”
• Bearcat Card: The student University of Cincinnati ID works like a kind of debit card that allows the student (or their family) to deposit money to their account and is debited when they use the card.
  • This card can be used on campus in stores, fast food places, dining facilities and vending machines. Many off-campus Clifton merchants accept this card as well. Visit the Where To Use Your Bearcat Card webpage for more information
• Buildings: View a list of all of UC’s buildings on the UC Directory website
  • 1819: The 1819 Innovation Hub
  • HSB: Health Sciences Building
  • MSB: Medical Sciences Building
  • TUC: Tangeman University Center
  • UP: University Pavilion, located on West Campus (not to be confused with University Hall on Medical Campus)
• Campuses: See the UC Maps and Directions webpage
  • West Campus
  • Medical Campus or East Campus
  • Uptown Campus – Term for referring to West Campus and Medical Campus jointly
• Colleges: See the About UC: Colleges webpage
  • A&S: Arts and Sciences
  • CAHS: College of Allied Health Sciences - you’ll sometimes hear this called “cahz”
  • CCM: College Conservatory of Music
  • CEAS: College of Engineering and Applied Sciences
  • CECH: College of Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services – sometimes referred to as “ketch” or “ketch it” to include the IT program
  • COM: College of Medicine
  • CON: College of Nursing
  • DAAP: Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning
  • LCOB: Carl H. Lindner College of Business
• Down the Drive: UC’s cheer performed at athletic events. Watch “UC Down the Drive Cheer” to learn for yourself!
• EPS: Ethnic Programs and Services
• GSA: Graduate Student Association. Department- or college-based student government.
  • GSAs report up to the GSG.
• GSG: Graduate Student Government.
  • University-wide student government for graduate students at UC.
• M-number: UC student ID number provided to students. Format is M11-22-3344.
• PAC: Programs & Activities Council, student-run event programming board, responsible for organizing large on-campus events, such as speakers, comedians, special events, and concerts.
• RSO: Registered Student Organization