TOEFL – Essential Campus Vocabulary

to declare your major

 [v. phr.] to make an official decision about a major field of study

Notes: Most students declare their major in their third year at the university.

Example: I need to declare my major soon.

degree
 [n.] a academic title awarded to a student who has completed a course of study

Notes: The three most common degrees are a bachelor’s, a master’s, and a doctorate.

Example: She graduated with a degree in music theory.

department
 [n.] a division of a college or university devoted to a particular academic discipline

Notes: There are different models of organization of faculties into departments. There are
usually departments of History, English, Physics, Chemistry, Psychology and so on. Some
academic disciplines may be part of different departments at different institutions. Courses
are generally given within a department and are often named for the department, e.g.
Physics 230: Quantum Mechanics.

Example: Can you check the list of the department offices for me, please?

department chair
 [n.] a university administrator responsible for a division of a college or university

Notes: Department chairs may be elected by the faculty of a department, appointed by the
dean of the faculty, or assigned by simple rotation from among the tenured faculty. The
professors in a department report to the department chair.

Example: You will have to speak to the department chair about auditing the class.

diploma
 [n.] the certificate of completion for a degree

Notes: Students receive their diplomas at a graduation ceremony.

Example: I‟ll show my diploma to my family and then get it framed.

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