Perceptions of BA without hons?

omelette451

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Be thankful you missed the days when the results of your whole degree rested on 3rd year final exams. Students today don't know the meaning of the word pressure! (Not aimed at you, Bestpud.)

Ooh, I'm not sure about that! My degree, which I finished last June, was entirely based on my 4th year 'Final' exams. And yes, it was horrible.

bestpud

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Be thankful you missed the days when the results of your whole degree rested on 3rd year final exams. Students today don't know the meaning of the word pressure! (Not aimed at you, Bestpud.)

No, I quite agree.

You would, I am sure, be horrified to see the type of work that can pass ONW!

In my second year I did what I would term a shocking essay, as I hated the module and just wanted to pass it (I lost the will to live by about week three!) Anyway, I actually wrote the 2000 words, from start to finish and off the top of my head (although I did have a couple of references), during an episode of 'The Apprentice', and handed it in.

I was sweating a bit as results day approached, because I thought I may have gone too far and actually failed it; I expected a D at best.

Well, you could have knocked me over with a feather when it came back as a C+!

People do fail, but I have no idea how! It really was an awful assignment!

In the feedback, I have often been told my spelling and grammar are good/excellent/impeccable even, and when I asked my personal tutor why they bothered commenting on things like that, he replied, 'because it is a rarity!'

Ok, these people are only going to get a third, or 2:2 at best, but I think it's sad they can get as far as HE at all, let alone pass tbh.

Errata

omelette451 wrote: »

Ooh, I'm not sure about that! My degree, which I finished last June, was entirely based on my 4th year 'Final' exams. And yes, it was horrible.

Phew - pleased to read this, I was hoping I hadn't been diddled by having to sit sudden death finals.

bestpud

omelette451 wrote: »

Ooh, I'm not sure about that! My degree, which I finished last June, was entirely based on my 4th year 'Final' exams. And yes, it was horrible.

Some are, but many don't have exams at all.

We only had to sit one exam on my course - a seen question. The ironic part is I am fine with exams, on the whole! :rolleyes:

Not sure I like the idea of the whole course resting on one set of them though! :eek:

Oldernotwiser

bestpud wrote: »

No, I quite agree.

You would, I am sure, be horrified to see the type of work that can pass ONW!

In my second year I did what I would term a shocking essay, as I hated the module and just wanted to pass it (I lost the will to live by about week three!) Anyway, I actually wrote the 2000 words, from start to finish and off the top of my head (although I did have a couple of references), during an episode of 'The Apprentice', and handed it in.

I was sweating a bit as results day approached, because I thought I may have gone too far and actually failed it; I expected a D at best.

Well, you could have knocked me over with a feather when it came back as a C+!

People do fail, but I have no idea how! It really was an awful assignment!

In the feedback, I have often been told my spelling and grammar are good/excellent/impeccable even, and when I asked my personal tutor why they bothered commenting on things like that, he replied, 'because it is a rarity!'

Ok, these people are only going to get a third, or 2:2 at best, but I think it's sad they can get as far as HE at all, let alone pass tbh.

Wouldn't surprise me one little bit; I stopped being a student less than 10 years ago (second time round, for pleasure) and the changes were just amazing. I sometimes think you have to put more effort into failing these days!

Oldernotwiser

omelette451 wrote: »

Ooh, I'm not sure about that! My degree, which I finished last June, was entirely based on my 4th year 'Final' exams. And yes, it was horrible.

I hadn't realised the old ways were still with us. Would you mind my asking where this was?

omelette451

bestpud wrote: »

Some are, but many don't have exams at all.

We only had to sit one exam on my course - a seen question. The ironic part is I am fine with exams, on the whole! :rolleyes:
Not sure I like the idea of the whole course resting on one set of them though! :eek:

Even worse, it was ten three-hour written exams in two weeks!

Bluebird24

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Be thankful you missed the days when the results of your whole degree rested on 3rd year final exams. Students today don't know the meaning of the word pressure! (Not aimed at you, Bestpud.)

That's what my parents say but then they didn't have to write any dissertations.

Modules definitely do make it easier but at least it's not like A-Levels where you can just resit without any penalties as many times as you can fit in. My degree classification was based on exams in January and May in the second and third years and on essays and 'oral contribution' in every module in each semester. As well as the big D of course! I definitely wouldn't have fancied it all coming down to finals. I don't think that's particularly fair either.

Errata

Exams test a student's ability to think quick and think correct. Something they'll need in the big, bad world of employment. Banking excepted, where apparently all you need is to be a good guesser.

Oldernotwiser

Bluebird24 wrote: »

That's what my parents say but then they didn't have to write any dissertations.

Before "dissertations" many courses had an extended essay in the final year. Changing the name of these pieces of work just tries to make more of something than it really is; like "graduating" from high school, or even (heaven help us!) from primary school!