I graduated with an unclassifed degree about 15 years ago..?

Question

The reason why it was unclassified is because I failed the dissertation, and obviously encountered problems when trying to find a graduate job, because employers usually look for at least a 2:2. However, after spending about 10 years in the working world doing administration, customer service and credit control jobs, I feel that I need to go back to university in order to get a post graduate degree to progress further with my career.

However, upon querying about the courses available at my local university, the careers adviser informed me that I have not even passed my 1st degree since it was unclassified and that I cannot possibly do a post graduate course!

Can you please tell me if an unclassified degree means that I have failed my degree entirely and that I need to complete the dissertation stage again in order to do a post graduate course, or can I do a post graduate diploma without having to do back to complete my 'honours' part of the degree.

Answer 1

Try to consult with the Admission Office or the Registrar to the college that you intend to be, ask them to help.

Answer 2

You do have a degree, but an unclassified degree is lower than a third class honours degree, so wouldn't get you onto some postgradaute courses such as teacher training.

The best thing to do is phone the college/uni you want to attend and talk to an Admissions Officer. You'd be classed as a mature student, and therefore may be accepted on the basis of an interview and your work experience rather than your qualifications, though you might be asked to do a one year 'Access' course at an FE college to refresh your study skills before embarking on a university course.

You could also enquire at the Open University about 'topping up' to an honours degree - you may only have to do a few modules with them, and if successful could then apply to any postgrad course you liked.

Answer 3

Maybe you should contact the university you graduated from and ask them to clarify exactly what they mean by an unclassified degree? Maybe they can explain the situation to the university you want to do postgrad work at, if they feel that the work you completed is adequate to enable you to successfully complete a postgrad qualifiaction.

My brother found himself in a similar situation, he failed the final year of a masters program, but got a 2:1 on his third year exams, so he ended up graduating with a BA (no hons) in Chemistry.

He worked in call centres for a couple of years and then got accepted onto the graduate programme as an internal recruit, he's now doing a much more satisfying job and training as an accountant, so it seems like it doesn't have to bar you from a successful career - any possibility of internal promotion for you?

Answer 4

I have a degree and a masters degree. If your degree was unclassified, then really it is another way of saying you have not passed. That's the bad news out the way.

The good news is that degrees do not always guarantee you a better career- believe me, i have first hand experience of that!!!! There are loads of out of work graduates and post graduates!

You have lots of work experience which in my opinion is often just as useful.

Don't worry about all the degree stuff, concentrate on skills that may help you progress in your career. Training- computing, customer service courses etc.

If you would ike to do a degree, get in touch with the ou(open university)- they are not condescending and very helpful. Another option may be a retake with your old uni if you feel up to it and it is recent enough. From past experience, courses i've dropped out of i've never returned to- or i probably would have made the effort with them in the first place.

Find out more about what your chosen career needs in the way of qualifications and match this up with your skills.

Some uni's take people on to post grad courses that have relevent work experience, but this is rare.

I'm sure you will find the right course for you-
try http://www.learndirect.co.uk/
or
http://www.open.ac.uk/

Answer 5

Hi,

Some interesting but senseless and uninformed answers here.

You have a pass degree. This simply means you did not pass with honours i.e you got a BA as opposed to a BA (Hons). No matter what anyone else tells you, yes you do have a degree.

As for doing a masters degree, well, it all depends on the subject and the demand for the course. I did my MSc in Quality Management and one of my colleagues only got a third in economics but she was still permitted onto the course. She did very well and got her MSc. There was another person with us who didn't have a degree but had been in quality for 12 years. He also did well and got his MSc.

Do not be put off. It is a matter of finding the right course. You have been working for all this time so you should be credited with that.

Keep looking, you will get there in the end.

Good luck.

Answer 6

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Answer 7

You finished your education fifteen years ago, so that makes you at least 35, and only now do you decide that you want to "further your career" which I assume would take a minimum of two years. Haven't you left it just a TINY bit late for all that now?