Universities in The United Kingdom - Post-nominal Abbreviations

Post-nominal Abbreviations

In common with practice worldwide, graduates of universities in the United Kingdom often place not only their academic qualifications but also the names of the universities that awarded them after their name, the university typically being placed in parentheses, thus: John Smith, BSc (Sheffield). Degrees are generally listed in ascending order of seniority followed by diplomas. An exception may be made when a degree of a different university falls between two degrees of the same university: John Smith; BSc PhD (London), MSci (York).

The oldest British universities are typically denoted by an abbreviation of their Latin name. 'Oxon', 'Cantab' and 'Dunelm' for Oxford, Cambridge, Durham are almost ubiquitous except, perhaps curiously, within those institutions themselves. Sometimes, as in the case of 'Lond' for London, the Latin and English abbreviations are identical ('Londin' is also, though more rarely, used). More recently established universities also use Latin abbreviations, especially when they share the name of an episcopal see, in which case they sometimes use the same abbreviation that the bishop uses for his signature. The following are among the most common:

• Aber (Aberdonensis) for University of Aberdeen
• Cantab (Cantabrigiensis) for University of Cambridge
• Cantuar (Cantuariensis) for Archbishop of Canterbury, more commonly called a Lambeth degree and University of Kent
• Cicest (Cicestensis) for University of Chichester
• Dunelm (Dunelmensis) for Durham University
• Edin (Edinburgensis) for University of Edinburgh
• Exon (Exoniensis) for University of Exeter
• Glas (Glasguensis) for University of Glasgow
• Lond (Londiniensis) for University of London
• Manc (Mancuniensis) for University of Manchester
• Oxon or Oxf (Oxoniensis) for University of Oxford
• St And (Sancti Andreae) for University of St Andrews
• Ebor (Eboracensis) for University of York
• Winton (Wintonensis) for University of Winchester

A Latin abbreviation for the University of Wales (Cambrensis) would be liable to confusion with the English abbreviation for Cambridge.

On 30 March 2007 the University of Oxford issued a document entitled 'Oxford University Calendar: Notes on Style', which promulgated a new system of abbreviations for use in University publications. The general rule is to use the first syllable and the first letter of the second syllable. Thus Oxford and Cambridge became 'Oxf' and 'Camb'. The change was controversial (p. 2, n. 1) but was considered essential to preserve consistency since most of the United Kingdom's universities can be rendered only in English. This document also counsels against the use of parentheses.