Failed undergrad module, but great masters - barrier to PhD?

Hello,

I am just entering the second year of my masters degree, part time, and I am considering whether I would like to, in the future, pursue further research at PhD level. This is very early consideration - I have discussed as a concept with my personal tutor, but not yet formulated a proposal or approached potential supervisors.

I am a mature student - I completed my undergrad 13 years ago in a subject unrelated to what I study now. I went straight into industry and have had a successful career, again unrelated to my previous study, which was the catalyst for my postgrad. My work and postgrad study are related, my undergrad is not - aside from the fact that a Batchelor’s degree was a necessary requirement to be accepted into the masters in the first place.

I expect to get a merit or distinction in my masters, assuming nothing goes terribly wrong this year, based on my performance last year.

My undergrad is a 2:1 (67).

I failed an assessment during my second year of undergrad. It was a single assessment module, and the resit was capped at pass, so my transcript shows 2 attempts at one 2nd year module, capped at pass. There were no mitigating circumstances and I never tried to claim any - I just did a shoddy job on an assessment at a time when I managed my time poorly, and redid it.

My third year results were outstanding (83 dissertation), my PG results are very good so far, and I have an otherwise unblemished academic and professional career. I am professionally accredited in my work, in an area related to my PG study.

I was prepared to discuss this in my PG application, but nobody asked me about the fail on my transcript. My references came from my employer, as the professors I was best known to as an undergrad have retired, and nobody at the university could give a personal reference, but they did confirm my 2:1. Therefor, PhD references would likely be more PG personal tutor and my dissertation supervisor.

My question is - to what extent is this likely to be a barrier to further research? The assessment in question was not a research project and though am prepared discuss it if required, I don’t want to make a big deal of it if potential supervisors or institutions won’t care and/or it wouldn’t come up.


Am I overthinking it?

Thank you.
P