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Postgraduate study / Pass Degree

Greetings.My name is Alexander and i have a question.I recently graduated from uni and got a Bachelor's in computer science.But with a pass degree :frown:

.If someone is interested i can explain why i got a pass.
My question is,is there a chance i can get accepted on a Master'scourse?Have in mind that i have working experience on my field,mostly as a web designer for almost 3 years.Thank you in advance.

Reply 1

Duncan2012

You're not going to get a definitive answer from TSR with what you've told us. At postgrad level each university manages their own admissions and you'll apply directly to them. You'll need to find a course and university you're interested in and ask them yourself whether they'll take you.

Reply 2

Josb

Original post by Ironicus

Greetings.My name is Alexander and i have a question.I recently graduated from uni and got a Bachelor's in computer science.But with a pass degree :frown:

What is a "pass" for a BA? When did you graduate?

Reply 3

AverageExcellence

when you say pass do you mean 30% - 40%?

Reply 4

Insight.

Pass is 40-50%, so a 3rd class degree I assume? It depends on how many people applied for masters at your uni. If too many ppl have been offered it, apply to other unis, especially in clearing for masters. If u can't find it build experience next year then apply again, it is expensive but I definitely recommend perusing it

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Reply 5

Ironicus

Original post by Insight.

Pass is less than 40 (35-39).i got 38.I got some offers so far.So i guess this answers my question.Thank you for your replies guys.

Reply 6

Klix88

Pass is a non-Honours degree. At most unis it's lower than a Third but still a scraped pass. In the OP's case they were borderline so their uni used their discretion to pass them.

As has been said above, the OP needs to contact individual unis and ask. Prodessional experience can be taken into account for postgrad study, but you still need to prove that you can perform academically. The undergrad situation may have mitigating circumstances but it's likely that there will need to be two very supportive and sympathetic academic references from undergrad teaching staff, explaining the issues and why those mitigating circumstances weren't formally applied for.

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 7

Ironicus

It is as you said.The universities that gave me offers, focused on my professional experience and that i actually had good grades (60 plus) on some modules that are relevant to the course.Anyway ,thanks to everyone!

Reply 8

returnmigrant

Info for anyone else in this position :

If you have just graduated with a basic Pass result, no University will be interested in you for postgrad - its a bit like expecting to get into Oxbridge with DDD. It aint going to happen. More importantly, you wont have any chance of getting funding - there is no automatic funding like SF and what funding there is is competitive, with a degree worse than a Third you dont stand any chance at all.

Two other important points :
1) A Masters will not somehow cancel out having an appallingly low result at undergrad level.
2) Masters degrees are demanding - if you struggled at undergrad level, then trying something harder clearly is pretty silly.

Two ways forward :
1) Wait 5 years and once you have lots of relevant work experience on your CV, the Pass degree will not be so much of an issue, especially if you can show you have developed intellectually in the meantime.
2) Look at the Open University for a p/time Masters or postgrad Diploma/Certificate while you are working. Firstly you will have an income with which to pay for it and secondly the OU wont care what your first degree looked like. OU degree are highly valued by employers and in academedia because its acknowledged that doing p/grad this way isnt an easy option and demands hard work and commitment. Details of OU here :http://www.open.ac.uk/postgraduate

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 9

Ironicus

Original post by returnmigrant

No University will be interested in you. Sorry if that hurts but its a bit like expecting to get into Oxbridge with DDD. It aint going to happen. More importantly, you wont have any chance of getting funding - there is no automatic funding like SF and what funding there is is competitive, with a degree worse than a Third you dont stand any chance at all.

Two other important points :
1) A Masters will not somehow cancel out having an appallingly low result at undergrad level.
2) Masters degrees are demanding - if you struggled at undergrad level, then trying something harder clearly is pretty silly.

Two ways forward :
1) Wait 5 years and once you have lots of relevant work experience on your CV, the Pass degree will not be so much of an issue, especially if you can show you have developed intellectually in the meantime.
2) Look at the Open University for a p/time Masters while you are working. Firstly you will have an income with which to pay for it and secondly the OU wont care what your first degree looked like. OU degree are highly valued by employers and in academedia because its acknowledged that doing p/grad this way isnt an easy option and demands hard work and commitment. Details of OU here :http://www.open.ac.uk/postgraduate

Thank you for your advice,and no it doesnt hurt me at all.You'v been quite helpful.Actually i got 2 offers so far,obviously from universities that are not on the top 50 of the ranking list and 2 rejections from uni's that are high on the list,such as nottingham.Fun fact,i got accepted for postgraduate study on nottingham 4 years ago because i had top grades in highschool.Fate has a funny sense of humor.Also i do not require funding.I work 2 jobs since 16 years old and since 21 in my area of expertise,such as web designer,SAP developer etc,including a night job (this is one big reason i couldnt get good grades in uni) so i can finance my own studies , like i did so far .I am aware of the open university and it is appealing,but if memory serves,their masters length are more than 1 year and that is not what i am looking for.Thank you again for your reply.

edit:As for your 1) and 2) points.When for example i get 40% on java,just because i did the assighment 7 hours before the deadline ( whole duration is 1 month for example) means 2 things.First.I am either irresponsible and need to grow up,or for reasons of "higher violence* i couldnt give more time to myself on doing it.Some uni's for example mailed me and asked me about this.They wanted to know if,for example,i am doing well in object oriented programming since i got 40-45%.All i had to do was to show them part of my work (official) and proof that it is my work indeed.The next step was to proove that those obligations i had that kept me away from getting good grades,are long gone.And this is how i got 2 offers so far.

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 10

Josb

Original post by Ironicus

Thank you for your advice,and no it doesnt hurt me at all.You'v been quite helpful.Actually i got 2 offers so far,obviously from universities that are not on the top 50 of the ranking list and 2 rejections from uni's that are high on the list,such as nottingham.Fun fact,i got accepted for postgraduate study on nottingham 4 years ago because i had top grades in highschool.Fate has a funny sense of humor.Also i do not require funding.I work 2 jobs since 16 years old and since 21 in my area of expertise,such as web designer,SAP developer etc,including a night job (this is one big reason i couldnt get good grades in uni) so i can finance my own studies , like i did so far .I am aware of the open university and it is appealing,but if memory serves,their masters length are more than 1 year and that is not what i am looking for.Thank you again for your reply.
edit:As for your 1) and 2) points.When for example i get 40% on java,just because i did the assighment 7 hours before the deadline ( whole duration is 1 month for example) means 2 things.First.I am either irresponsible and need to grow up,or for reasons of "higher violence* i couldnt give more time to myself on doing it.Some uni's for example mailed me and asked me about this.They wanted to know if,for example,i am doing well in object oriented programming since i got 40-45%.All i had to do was to show them part of my work (official) and proof that it is my work indeed.The next step was to proove that those obligations i had that kept me away from getting good grades,are long gone.And this is how i got 2 offers so far.

Do you really need a master? Your career seems to be on a good road already. Will a master from a crappy uni improve it that much?

Reply 11

Ironicus

Original post by Josb

Do you really need a master? Your career seems to be on a good road already. Will a master from a crappy uni improve it that much?

There are some things i lack.And you cant learn those by tutorials,Such as team management skills and advanced information systems.And a master can give me those i believe.Though i wouldn't call Derby a crappy uni.Ofc i am sure you know better if you are from the UK.I just search forums such as this to get my info.

Reply 12

sera nambuya

halo there. I graduated with pass degree at makerere university. it surprised me alot coz I was not expecting that I at least thought I would get second class lower. Now question is do I qualify to study in the USA.