Plagiarism Issue and Postgraduate Application.

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Hello,

I am a new member in the forum and I really need your help. I was an international student and I was studying in a UK university at master's level. I had a personal conflict with a professor because of a totally unfair mark that he gave me. I asked him to involve an external examiner. I was completely sure about my work. He tried to avoid it. He told me that we will "discuss" it. The time was passing and I was waiting for an external examiner. I have also addressed this problem to the Module Leader. No one could give me an answer. No external examiner was finally involved. The answer came later...I received a 0% mark in the next assignment (It was a compulsory course and that professor was teaching that too) and I was directly accused of plagiarism. My marks were up to 78, except this one. I felt devastated. Completely lost. I didn't know what to do. He told me that I had one more chance to resubmit my assignment...that maximum mark that I could receive was 40%. I resubmit it but I still have panic attacks after that. I am trying to overcome it, but I can't. I want to forget this traumatic experience and to continue my studies pursuing for another, more specialised master. But how can I do that? My transcript has a 0% mark which has been transformed into a 40%. What should I do? I am thinking to apply for this university without refering at all to my first master's degree. What is your opinion? I really need some help.

If your academic reference from your former uni mentions an upheld accusation of plagiarism, you are very unlikely to get onto a Masters in the UK. It's a shame you weren't able to resolve it.

KLix88 I have the same opinion as you. I have decided my application to be based only on my undergraduate studies. I am not going to risk it.

KLix88 I have the same opinion as you. I have decided my application to be based only on my undergraduate studies. I am not going to risk it.

That's a very risky strategy.

Unfortunately, UK Masters applications require you to disclose all previous qualifications - you will not have the option to omit results you don't like. If your first Masters comes to light during your second Masters when you did not declare it, you will be withdrawn from your second Masters.

So, what should I do?

If I leave my first Masters out, there is a chance for the second university to find it out.

If I include it, a zero mark in my transcript will be an indication of a plagiarism issue.

What would you do in my position? There is no hope for me to continue my studies, right?

Must admit, I wouldn't be hopeful. Personally, I'd be more worried about the academic references (at leadt one of which which would be expected from your most recent uni and not your undergrad uni).

Unfortunately, not fighting a plagiarism accusation via your uni's official appeals process, will generally be taken as an admission of guilt by UK unis. It's unlikely that you would find an academic willing to put their neck on the line by providing a reference from someone who had been penalised for plagiarism.

I thought you said it got upgraded to a 40%.

There isnt an easy and obvious choice. I'd have thought a plagiarism charge would be fatal to many applications.
If you dont mention it or at least make a full disclosure, then that is by default a failure to make a full declaration.
Alternatively if they pick up on it, then they may query it or form their own opinion.

You have a reference from the course leader. Its still hard to understand what has happened with your degree and why you didnt dispute the charge and as a neutral I would assume theu had a point.

Either way is a risk, but one is more honest than the other. I do get where your concern is from, but if you dont disclose (they may never find out), then thats the risk you take. I'd tend to think the more prestigious the degree, then the more likely they are to question what happened.

The only answer I have is talk to and take the advice of your referee, as he knows you, knows the dispute and yet is still prepared to give you a reference.

I have already found an academic. He is now the programme leader and he has provided me with an excellent reference, indicating that I am a high caliber student and without making any reference to the plagiarism issue. Is that a good sign?
I am asking this because my transcript still has the zero-40% mark.