Although on first glance feedback can be a bit disheartening if it isn’t very positive, it will usually give you a great deal of guidance in how to improve your learning and help you understand how to change your work for the better. If there are any aspects of the marking criteria that you don’t understand (it can often be quite vague), talk to your lecturers to clarify. Making an effort to get to know your tutors can really be the difference between getting a first-class degree and not. World Education Services (WES),[58] a nonprofit organisation which provides qualification conversion services to many universities and employers, gives 1st = A, 2:1 = A-/B+, 2:2 = B, 3rd = B-, Pass = C. The Fulbright Commission has also created "an unofficial chart with approximate grade conversions between UK results and US GPA. At the University of Oxford, a formal degree Class is given, and this is typically based on the final examinations. All rights reserved. first-degree adj adjective: Describes a noun or pronoun--for example, "a tall girl," "an interesting book," "a big house." [47], NUFFIC also noted that the grading culture is different in the Netherlands, so that it is very rare for even the best students in the Netherlands to be awarded a 9 or a 10, which represent near perfection and absolute perfection.[50]. The Durham conversion specifies GPAs for the US and letter grades/percentages for Canada[57] while the UK NARIC has separate GPA conversions for the four-year bachelor's honours, baccalauréat and professional bachelor's degrees (which differ from their US GPA equivalents by at most 0.1) and the three-year bachelor's degree (which is seen as a lower standard). Following the introduction of current regulations regarding mitigating circumstances, aegrotat degrees are less commonly awarded than they previously were.[35]. There are no set criteria for nomination to the list, but typically only a small number of students from each faculty are nominated per year. Alternatively, you can drop them an email or speak to them after class. Each student receives a formal classification for each Part (i.e. The relative proportions of different classes have changed over this period, with increasing numbers of students being awarded higher honours. [2] A 2018 study by the UK Standing Committee for Quality Assessment concluded that improvements in faculty skill and student motivation are only two of many factors driving average grades upward, that grade inflation is real, that the British undergraduate degree classifications will become less useful to students and employers, and that inflation will undermine public confidence in the overall value of higher education. This is generated once per year and recognises outstanding academic achievement in final examinations. How to Know If a Flexible Degree Is Right For You. When a candidate is awarded a degree with honours, ’(Hons)’ may be suffixed to their designatory letters – for example, BA (Hons), BSc (Hons), BMus (Hons), MA (Hons). [79], A GPA scale, tied to percentage marks and letter grades, was recommended for use nationally following the study, to run in parallel with the honours degree classification system.[79]. WHAT IS A FIRST-CLASS DEGREE? To comply with this standard, some institutions have commenced, or will commence, offering high-achieving graduates with "distinction". The First Class Degree is the highest level of degree you can acquire at the undergraduate level. [13] An MA (Hons) would generally indicate a degree award from certain Scottish universities (c.f. This has made the first-class degree evenly sought after by students and employers of all kinds … This prepares students for the research degrees later in their academic career. © QS Quacquarelli Symonds Limited 1994 - 2021. [44] A 'double first' at Oxford usually informally refers to First Class Honours in both components of an undergraduate degree, i.e., Moderations/Prelims and the Final Honour School, or in both the bachelor's and master's components of an integrated master's degree. Ordinary degrees may also sometimes be awarded to honours degree students who do not pass sufficient credits in their final year to gain an honours degree, but pass enough to earn an ordinary degree.[28]. Talk to your tutors. Some universities, such as those in Australia, offer ordinary or pass degrees, (for instance, as a three-year B.A. Attending your lectures and seminars - even the boring ones - will cut down on your study time and may help you understand the course material in a different way. The basic step to coming out with a first class degree and a good grade generally is understanding yourself and improving your memory towards achieving a first class degree. The classification system as currently used in the United Kingdom was developed in 1918. Integrated master's degrees are usually classified with honours in the same way as a bachelor's honours degree, although some integrated master's degrees are classified like postgraduate taught master's degrees or foundation degrees into: At most institutions, the system allows a small amount of discretion. Recent research suggests that by 2030, all students will graduate from some universities with a first-class degree… 3 Reasons Why STEM Students Need to Learn About Entrepreneurship, Find your perfect School and Program with our matching tool, Connect with other students on our forums. 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