This discussion is now closed.

Check out other Related discussions

What does (Hons) mean?

Scroll to see replies

Sinuhe

Every enrolment certificate my college have given me has the following phrase:
'This is to certify that Mr XYZ is a full-time registered undergraduate student at XYZ College in the University of Oxford, studying for an MChem Honours degree in Chemistry.'
So I'm guessing we do have honours degrees. :smile:

Ah, right. Thanks for clarifying. :smile:

But what on earth is an enrolment certificate and what would you need it for?

Reply 41

Kitty Pimms

hobnob

Ah, right. Thanks for clarifying. :smile:

But what on earth is an enrolment certificate and what would you need it for?

Good question. Erm, council tax exemptions maybe? Although obviously not a major issue if you're actually living in college... :confused:

Reply 42

apotoftea

Just to throw fuel onto the fire - where am I (going by what's in my handbook) you get an ordinary degree if you don't get the required credits (to not do it, you basically have to fail 4 modules or not do a dissertation and fail another)

You'd have to have a fantastic average though to still get away with a first.

Reply 43

Sinuhe

hobnob

Ah, right. Thanks for clarifying. :smile:

But what on earth is an enrolment certificate and what would you need it for?

Hehe, it's just a letter signed and stamped by the college to confirm that you're a student. I don't think UK students really need enrolment certificates very often (except perhaps for council tax purposes as IlexAquifolium suggested), but I've needed one for lots of things - for arranging medical insurance, to prove that I've progressed to the next year so I can continue to get my scholarship, to get cheaper city bus tickets, to open a student deposit account, and I'm sure lots of other things I'm forgetting at the moment.
But then, I live in a heavily bureaucratic country that loves documents with various official looking stamps, so ... :rolleyes:

Reply 44

The Boosh

hobnob

But it's not quite as simple as that, actually, is it? I'm pretty sure Oxford doesn't have honours degrees, for example, so if I were to put "(hons)" after my BA that would be inaccurate.

i quoted the oxford engish dictionary

Reply 45

hobnob

Sinuhe

Germany, right? :biggrin:

Reply 46

The Boosh

this is a really daft thread. is it really this difficult????

Reply 47

hobnob

The Boosh

this is a really daft thread. is it really this difficult????

Well, no, I think we're just a bit bored, really... :wink:

Actually, come to think of it, why isn't this thread in GUD? :confused:

no idea

hobnob

Well, no, I think we're just a bit bored, really... :wink:

Actually, come to think of it, why isn't this thread in GUD? :confused:

cus for such a complex subject, only those with Hons can surely comprehend the system, so they turn to us gogs.

Reply 50

Eubacterium

On my undergrad, no matter how someone did in other units, if they failed their dissertation, they were not awarded their degree, which apparently did happen to someone who was doing well otherwise. :s-smilie:

Reply 51

Eubacterium

Lucien_Roach

Someone told me you get a degree no matter what.
Just if you get below 40% you lose the honours bit and just get a degree.
Whereas a 3rd, 2:2, 2:1 and 1st all are honours degrees.

But don't ask me I only am taking one!

Only if the person gets 35-39% in certain universities. UEA only awards honours now.

Reply 52

Spanky Deluxe

hobnob

But surely you couldn't actually get a "first without honours" in most cases because a lot of exam regulations specify that one of the conditions of getting a first is that you pass all papers and/or all of your marks are above a certain limit? :confused:

Oh I'm sure it would never actually happen. I'm just saying what I was told by the department at my previous university when I asked out of interest. I don't think any universities would let actually let you complete a degree without honours because like I said, its worth diddly squat.

Reply 53

Eubacterium

Spanky Deluxe

UEA used to and the OU will award a degree without honours if someone takes second year units instead of third year modules.

Reply 54

ChemistBoy

You can do ordinary and special degrees by not taking the honours programme at St Andrews - these aren't classified. Basically, if you are getting good grades in modules then you'll go on and get an honours degree, ordinary and special degrees are those who aren't capable of completing the honours programme.

Reply 55

Athena

Sinuhe

Yup, I needed one, because I live out of college accommodation (like a lot of second year undergrads at Wadham and Teddy Hall, to name a few).

Reply 56

Milady de Winter

According to my final transcript from Oxford, which I had to send off for postgrad applications, the university doesn't technically award degree classifications at all - either you pass with Hons, or without, or fail outright. The 1st/2:1/2:2 classification is only for the "convenience" of employers, other universities, etc.

Reply 57

Milady de Winter

And - I understand that the correct form for an Oxbridge degree is BA/BSc (Oxon), or BA/BSc (Cantab), not (Hons) - for those who care :smile:

Reply 58

Spanky Deluxe

Milady de Winter

And - I understand that the correct form for an Oxbridge degree is BA/BSc (Oxon), or BA/BSc (Cantab), not (Hons) - for those who care :smile:

I don't know about 'correct' form. (Hons) can be written after any honours degree. (Oxon) and (Cantab) are just ways to say where your degree is from. People from UoL universities can write (Lond). Its not really used by anyone outside of public school websites though in my experience.