On a recent visit to London, I heard someone describe his higher education as “two, one,” and someone else said “two, two,” which seemed to impress everyone. What does this mean?
The passing grades in UK degrees are: first, two-one, two-two and third class degrees.
There used to be three levels of (bachelor’s) degrees in the U.K. - a first-class, a second-class, and a third-class degree. It was sort of like being told your grade average for your entire college education just as you graduated. First is better than second is better than third. Then they decided that the second-class degrees ought to be more finely divided, so they established a two-one and a two-two, so the order is now first is better than two-one is better than two-two is better than three. This is not a grade in any individual course but an evaluation of your entire college studies.
Was that system different a hundred years ago? I was just reading a play that takes place in Oxford in the 1800s, and the system there seemed to be First through Sixth, not First through Third. When did it change?
There is also slang for these awards.
A “Geoff” is a first (Geoff Hurst – played in the England Vs. Germany World Cup final in ’66)
A “Desmond” is a Two-two. Named, obviously, after the South African Archbishop.
And a Thora or Richard is a Third (named after the actor Thora Hird or King Richard the Third)
There isn’t slang for a 2-1 , as far as I know.
J.
the classifications mentioned (1st, 2:1 etc) refer to an honours degrees, whcih is what most students take these days (e.g. BSc Mathematics (hons). Students may also obtain a pass degree, without these classifications. Certainly in the past, the honours could be considered an extra (my sister studies an extra year to get her honours). I’ve no idea if this is the case any longer - my own experience is that student embark on an honours degree and are awarded a pass if they fail some component, so it is considered a less good degree than a 3rd.
As for how they are made up - this varies between courses and institutions. Your first year studies don’t usually count towars your final award. Usually, your second year marks make some contribution, with the final year contributing the most. In univerity exam board speak, marks from units taught on particular years are often referred to as “levels”, which acknowledges that not every student follws the standard path, e.g. some might be studying part time, thus taking fewer units over a longer period of time. Another a modular scheme, where “modules” are taught as self contained units and count as credits towards an overall mark. Again, modules could have a “level” and subsequently a weighting, thus fitting into the standard 3 year (or 4 year sandwich) model.
Are you sure the play is referring to classes of degree, Vastard? The years of study at a secondary school are referred to as first form through to sixth form (usually lower and upper sixth).
Above the levels of degree mentioned so far there are also the starred first (1*), or first with distinction, and the double-first, which is a first class honours degree awarded in two subjects simultaneously.
To make it even more confusing, it is easier to achieve first class degrees in some courses and in some institutions.
Thus, a first class degree from college A, may objectively be easier to obtain than a first from college B.
And a first in English may be easier to obtain than a first in Land Economy.
Does this not apply in America? Is a maths degree from MIT no harder than a degree in “_______” from ChEAPdegreesNOW!!!@hotmail.com?
While we’re on the subject, I might as well mention the randomness of naming a degree: some places give BA, BSc, BMath, for a (Batchelors) degree in something, science, but others give BA for everything. A fourth year, generally involving some research is Msomething. Cambridge and Oxford have to be different and award an MA cantab or MA oxon for a 3 year course (citing tradition).
How do other countries do it?