Developing Qualifications after degree.

Heth_2

studentphil wrote:

I am slightly concerned that by going to an ex-poly new university as some employers see them as rubbish degree factories with little quality. I worked hard to go to university with a good reputation for being world class and I just think a Masters from an ex- poly might just undermine that.

I know for me personally being disabled that an Ex-poly university would probably be more suitable for me to access and are generally warmer to disabled people than traditional universities like mine

It depends what you want to achieve with your masters. My dad went to Cambridge, then did a part time masters, followed by a part time phd at Salford University! Not first class, but it fitted in with where he was working and was vital for his future career progression and experience, which was more important than where he got the masters and phd from.
A friend of mine, who went to Oxford, is also doing a part time masters (funded/supported by his employer) at Salford. Again he has chosen this because of it is the right course to support his career, not because of the prestige of the university.
If you want to do a masters chose something that will benefit you, independently of the university.

studentphil

Heth wrote:

But surely your system takes an average of your marks in all your modules, or maybe some sort of weighted average? You can't expect to have modules in your course for which the mark doesn't count at all! I don't know how many modules and exams you have in total, but no system will ever be perfect, and obviously in any cohort of students taking a degree there will be ones who do better, and less able ones. The system needs to differentiate between them in some way.
A 2.2, if that is what degree you get, does not make you look stupid or a drunk! Plenty of people go on to be very successfull and happy with a 2.2 degree.

Yes, I can remember the first thread I did here on 3rds/ 2.2 and everyone said, without nearly no exception, that less than a 2.1 people assume you are stupid, drunk or lazy. Whilst I know what you say is correct prepception counts for a lot in the world.

studentphil

Heth wrote:

It depends what you want to achieve with your masters. My dad went to Cambridge, then did a part time masters, followed by a part time phd at Salford University! Not first class, but it fitted in with where he was working and was vital for his future career progression and experience, which was more important than where he got the masters and phd from.
A friend of mine, who went to Oxford, is also doing a part time masters (funded/supported by his employer) at Salford. Again he has chosen this because of it is the right course to support his career, not because of the prestige of the university.
If you want to do a masters chose something that will benefit you, independently of the university.

That is very true.

I might just be overly negative of ex polys. But lets say a lot of people that I know that go to them are people that have a very unquestioning view of the world (big headed but know nothing sorts) and thus I worry what that does for the standing of their courses.

Karnam

i really dont think reputation matters so much at PG level. consider city uni, a joke for most people, terrible rep for english.

but get to the journalism MA and there is nowhere better.

this is cause at PG level staff can specialise and instead of being judged on performance on the overall standing in a certain field, universities can stand out in the fields they are researching in.

and let's be honest people who do 'amazing' with 2.2s or 3rds are singled out because the commen perception is that they do so inspite of thier classification not because of it.

melancholly

studentphil wrote:

Yes, I can remember the first thread I did here on 3rds/ 2.2 and everyone said, without nearly no exception, that less than a 2.1 people assume you are stupid, drunk or lazy. Whilst I know what you say is correct prepception counts for a lot in the world.

i think what a lot of people said is that while you have the opportunity to get your head down at work, it's best to do all that you can to try and avoid being in that situation. a 2:2 will make things more difficult than a 2:1 or a first in terms of getting your first job, that's hard to avoid, but it won't stop you having a successful career long term.

just think of it in terms of all your previous qualifications - when you did your GCSE's, they were the be all and all, then the same with A levels. now you're at uni does anyone care what your GCSEs were? a 2:2 or third is not ideal, and you may not be able to apply to some jobs with it as they require higher grades, but after 3 years in a job with experience and a proven track record, your degree result will be a lot less important.

and anyway, the perception of your degree/university will be entirely dependent on what sector you want to work in. in some sectors it will matter enormously, whereas others emphasise experience much more highly.

studentphil

It is crazy this idea that less than a 2.1 is pointless because it overlooks what an achievement it is to start a completely new subject that is very complex and within 2.5 years to even pass the damn thing. I see that as a huge achievement even if no one else does.

It is very true once you have a job then all your grades are almost unimportant.

studentphil

Karnam wrote:

i really dont think reputation matters so much at PG level. consider city uni, a joke for most people, terrible rep for english.

but get to the journalism MA and there is nowhere better.

this is cause at PG level staff can specialise and instead of being judged on performance on the overall standing in a certain field, universities can stand out in the fields they are researching in.

and let's be honest people who do 'amazing' with 2.2s or 3rds are singled out because the commen perception is that they do so inspite of thier classification not because of it.

Maybe new universities can be brilliant but the gap between ex- poly and redbrick when you go to redbrick seems huge.

Jersy

Heth wrote:

So how do you think they should do things? It would be even more ridiculous fsurely or both the 1st and 2nd years of your degree course not to count at all, and everything depend on your final year modules?

im affraid that that;s the way in which my degree is classified

studentphil wrote:

I am slightly concerned that by going to an ex-poly new university as some employers see them as rubbish degree factories with little quality. I worked hard to go to university with a good reputation for being world class and I just think a Masters from an ex- poly might just undermine that.

my uni is an ex poly.. however it was one of the first, not a band wagon jumper, yes its a !!!! hole, but its looked on well



with regards to a masters,

im sure you remember my post agessssssssssss ago about worrying about how i can fare against everyone else with experiance in that uni (remember i have come as an outsider into the final year from a college where i completed my HND

I did the hardest modules in the first semeister. averaged at 58% with a full range of results

so i need to average 62% this semiester, with at least 2 of them over 60% in order to get a 2.1

one of these is courework only, so i can pull my marks up there

but i currently am looking at hte possibility of a masters!

studentphil

I have been to a few new universities and whilst they are very good with disabled people which I like. But knowing all the P*ats from school went to new universities, it does worry me what some of the students will be like.

studentphil

Jersy wrote:

im affraid that that;s the way in which my degree is classified




my uni is an ex poly.. however it was one of the first, not a band wagon jumper, yes its a !!!! hole, but its looked on well



with regards to a masters,

im sure you remember my post agessssssssssss ago about worrying about how i can fare against everyone else with experiance in that uni (remember i have come as an outsider into the final year from a college where i completed my HND

I did the hardest modules in the first semeister. averaged at 58% with a full range of results

so i need to average 62% this semiester, with at least 2 of them over 60% in order to get a 2.1

one of these is courework only, so i can pull my marks up there

but i currently am looking at hte possibility of a masters!

Best of luck for this year!!