Honours

Perry Winkle · 05-07-2007, 09:54 AM

I have a question to ask of the UKian dwellers or anyone else who knows the answer.

I'm looking at going to graduate school in England. Can anyone give me a quick US->UK degree equivalency walk-through? All of this "Honours 2:1" shit is giving me a migraine, and the wikipedia article isn't any help.

FYI: I have a Bachelor's of Arts in Computer Science with a minor focus in Linguistics...if that helps.

monster · 05-07-2007, 01:08 PM

No. Is the simple answer.

They're not terribly equivalent. Why is your Comp Sci degree in Arts and not Science? What was your GPA? How "good" is the school you went to?

A First is the highest degree
2:1 (upper second) is next
2:2 (lower second) is an average degree
A third is the lowest

Honours suggests a better school/degree program. Sometimes students who are not doing so well are allowed to continue but they move to a regular degree rather than an honours one. I think the US equivalent maybe less credits being required for the degree. UK degrees don't really work on the credits system (or didn't when I was there), so that is why comparisons are so hard. Also UK students specialize much earlier than UK students, so there are not so many course requirements in field outside of their major and minor focuses, although my uni was trying to change this a little when I was a TA there.

Typically to get a first, you have to score above 70% in all exams, papers etc. Exams are generally designed so that to get a 100% you'd have to be a bloody genius. ymmv and it's been a few years since I was there -things are being more standardized and some suggest "dumbed down".

I think someone came up with a rough conversion on one of the expat sites I visit. I'll go see what I can dredge up.......

monster · 05-07-2007, 01:34 PM

http://www.britishcouncil.org/usa-ed...ivalencies.htm

here are some links to places that could convert your degree.

the site is the British Council USA

Perry Winkle · 05-07-2007, 04:50 PM

Thanks for the links. They're a big help.

It's good to know the issue confuses the hell out of other people too...

Aliantha · 05-07-2007, 07:40 PM

grant, why don't you send an email to the office of the uni you're thinking of attending in the UK? If you send your transcript with it, they'll be able to tell you what level you're at by their standards. If you also include what you're looking at going into it'll be more help.

I believe the UK system is very similar to the Australian system. Maybe you should come here instead.

monster · 05-07-2007, 09:13 PM

Frankly, If you're paying, most will take youn regardless of how stupid and/or unqualified you are. If you're bright and qualified, they still want your money, so they're not likely to tell you you're over-qualified. Pisses home students off no end, until they see the fees foreign students pay.

Perry Winkle · 05-08-2007, 09:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aliantha

grant, why don't you send an email to the office of the uni you're thinking of attending in the UK? If you send your transcript with it, they'll be able to tell you what level you're at by their standards. If you also include what you're looking at going into it'll be more help.

I believe the UK system is very similar to the Australian system. Maybe you should come here instead.

I'd love to go to school in Australia. But really, the only reason I'm considering going back to school already is that I'm treating it as kind of a contingency plan. If things progress and the situation is right, it would be an easy way to cover moving to England for a year. Yes, I think things out way too far in advance.

Quote:

Originally Posted by monster

Frankly, If you're paying, most will take youn regardless of how stupid and/or unqualified you are. If you're bright and qualified, they still want your money, so they're not likely to tell you you're over-qualified. Pisses home students off no end, until they see the fees foreign students pay.

Well, I'm bright and unqualified, and I'm paying international student rates. I'm in!

xoxoxoBruce · 05-08-2007, 07:51 PM

So this chick you're drooling over is going to England, huh.

monster · 05-08-2007, 08:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

So this chick you're drooling over is going to England, huh.

Shhhh. that's classified......

Perry Winkle · 05-08-2007, 09:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

So this chick you're drooling over is going to England, huh.

For a year. For school. Yeah...

Perry Winkle · 05-08-2007, 09:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by monster

Shhhh. that's classified......

Bruce is pretty sharp. Who knows...this could all be clever disinformation.

05-07-2007, 09:54 AM	#1
Perry Winkle Esnohplad Semaj Ton Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: A little south of sanity Posts: 2,259	Honours I have a question to ask of the UKian dwellers or anyone else who knows the answer. I'm looking at going to graduate school in England. Can anyone give me a quick US->UK degree equivalency walk-through? All of this "Honours 2:1" shit is giving me a migraine, and the wikipedia article isn't any help. FYI: I have a Bachelor's of Arts in Computer Science with a minor focus in Linguistics...if that helps.

05-07-2007, 01:08 PM	#2
monster I hear them call the tide Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Perpetual Chaos Posts: 30,852	No. Is the simple answer. They're not terribly equivalent. Why is your Comp Sci degree in Arts and not Science? What was your GPA? How "good" is the school you went to? A First is the highest degree 2:1 (upper second) is next 2:2 (lower second) is an average degree A third is the lowest Honours suggests a better school/degree program. Sometimes students who are not doing so well are allowed to continue but they move to a regular degree rather than an honours one. I think the US equivalent maybe less credits being required for the degree. UK degrees don't really work on the credits system (or didn't when I was there), so that is why comparisons are so hard. Also UK students specialize much earlier than UK students, so there are not so many course requirements in field outside of their major and minor focuses, although my uni was trying to change this a little when I was a TA there. Typically to get a first, you have to score above 70% in all exams, papers etc. Exams are generally designed so that to get a 100% you'd have to be a bloody genius. ymmv and it's been a few years since I was there -things are being more standardized and some suggest "dumbed down". I think someone came up with a rough conversion on one of the expat sites I visit. I'll go see what I can dredge up....... __________________ The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity Amelia Earhart

05-07-2007, 01:34 PM	#3
monster I hear them call the tide Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Perpetual Chaos Posts: 30,852	http://www.britishcouncil.org/usa-ed...ivalencies.htm here are some links to places that could convert your degree. the site is the British Council USA __________________ The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity Amelia Earhart

05-07-2007, 07:40 PM	#5
Aliantha trying hard to be a better person Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 16,493	grant, why don't you send an email to the office of the uni you're thinking of attending in the UK? If you send your transcript with it, they'll be able to tell you what level you're at by their standards. If you also include what you're looking at going into it'll be more help. I believe the UK system is very similar to the Australian system. Maybe you should come here instead. __________________ Kind words are the music of the world. F. W. Faber

05-07-2007, 09:13 PM	#6
monster I hear them call the tide Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Perpetual Chaos Posts: 30,852	Frankly, If you're paying, most will take youn regardless of how stupid and/or unqualified you are. If you're bright and qualified, they still want your money, so they're not likely to tell you you're over-qualified. Pisses home students off no end, until they see the fees foreign students pay. __________________ The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity Amelia Earhart

05-07-2007, 04:50 PM	#4
Perry Winkle Esnohplad Semaj Ton Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: A little south of sanity Posts: 2,259	Thanks for the links. They're a big help. It's good to know the issue confuses the hell out of other people too...

05-08-2007, 07:51 PM	#8
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	So this chick you're drooling over is going to England, huh. __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.

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