Why are Master's taught courses in the UK so stupidly easy to get into?

Pretty much anyone with a 2:1 can get into a golden triangle uni, even Billy from Midlands Polytechnic.

Hell I know someone who got a 3.0 GPA in the US, failed his IB diploma and still got into UCL for a taught master's in economics.

And the more important question - do employers know this?

Many universities treat some of their masters degrees as cash cows. Lots of wealthy foreign students willing to buy into the prestige of a British education, and plenty of graduates without jobs desperate not to be "unemployed".

Reply 2

jelly1000

21

Original post by sadhukar

Pretty much anyone with a 2:1 can get into a golden triangle uni, even Billy from Midlands Polytechnic.

Hell I know someone who got a 3.0 GPA in the US, failed his IB diploma and still got into UCL for a taught master's in economics.

And the more important question - do employers know this?

Because most Brits can't afford to pay so their aren't that many people applying. And unis desperately need the cash of those who can afford it. In many cases employers aren't impressed by masters degrees on their own, they'd rather see real life experience as well to prove that the job applicant is capable.

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 3

Kasa

20

Original post by jelly1000

Because most Brits can't afford to pay so their aren't that many people applying. And unis desperately need the cash of those who can afford it.

Im starting a master's this September..

Reply 4

M'Ling

9

They just want your money. Don't be impressed by job-dodgers who talk of their up-and-coming Masters Degree. Most Unis will only care how you do in it if you apply for a PhD.

Got the cash? Come on down! Just don't forget the cash...

Reply 5

Kasa

20

Original post by M'Ling

They just want your money. Don't be impressed by job-dodgers who talk of their up-and-coming Masters Degree. Most Unis will only care how you do in it if you apply for a PhD.

Got the cash? Come on down! Just don't forget the cash...

Great introspection, but I do feel its inappropriate for you to label those are participating in a master's course as "job-dogers".

Some, like myself, are going to do a a master's degree to strengthen their employment; Others because they love their subject area and want to learn more about it..

Good advice anyway..

Reply 6

jelly1000

21

Original post by Kasa

Im starting a master's this September..

So am I.

Reply 7

ukmed108

7

Well i would caution such easy to throw criticism. A lot of people will get scholarships like Fullbright, Rhodes etc.

Reply 8

jelly1000

21

Original post by ukmed108

Well i would caution such easy to throw criticism. A lot of people will get scholarships like Fullbright, Rhodes etc.

Those are for international students or people wanting to study abroad. Here in the UK there are no specific scholarship schemes for UK students to do a one year taught masters at home.

Reply 9

simplylldxo

14

Original post by jelly1000

Because most Brits can't afford to pay so their aren't that many people applying. And unis desperately need the cash of those who can afford it. In many cases employers aren't impressed by masters degrees on their own, they'd rather see real life experience as well to prove that the job applicant is capable.

Original post by Kasa

Im starting a master's this September..

Like Jelly1000 said, apart from teaching and perhaps the medical postgraduate degrees which are either are fully or partially funded; students have to raise the funding themselves. Take Psychology for example: you can't enter the world of Psychology without a masters.

Reply 10

nunugab

14

Original post by simplylldxo

Like Jelly1000 said, apart from teaching and perhaps the medical postgraduate degrees which are either are fully or partially funded; students have to raise the funding themselves. Take Psychology for example: you can't enter the world of Psychology without a masters.

Even though I support the sentiment of your reply, the part in bold is wholly untrue. Although it depends on what you mean by "entering the world of Psychology", if you mean getting licensed then a masters is not necessarily required but a doctorate is. If you mean having a psychology-related job then an undergraduate may suffice (RA positions etc).

Reply 11

sadhukar

OP

11

Original post by M'Ling

They just want your money. Don't be impressed by job-dodgers who talk of their up-and-coming Masters Degree. Most Unis will only care how you do in it if you apply for a PhD.

Got the cash? Come on down! Just don't forget the cash...

I've also graduated with a Masters but the more I see, the more convinced I am that I wasted alot of money for nothing. I'd also add PhD courses into the same boat actually. Some PhD students I meet seem to be there for the sparse working hours, student discounts and sports nights...

Is this the same in the US?

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 12

frozen_fire

12

I'm starting a research masters at Imperial in October. These days in my discipline, having a masters on the CV is almost a prerequisite to doing a PhD cos you don't gain enough lab experience in the constraints of an undergrad degree. However, doing a masters because you have nothing else to do is pointless in my opinion- there needs to be some thought behind spending that extra money and whether it will actually benefit you career wise.

Reply 13

Observatory

20

The 'Golden Triangle' is supposedly Oxford, Cambridge, ICL, LSE, UCL and KCL.

There are a number of masters which you can only get into with a 1st at at least the first 4.

If you had said Russell Group, it would have been more sensible.

Reply 14

sadhukar

OP

11

Original post by Observatory

The 'Golden Triangle' is supposedly Oxford, Cambridge, ICL, LSE, UCL and KCL.

There are a number of masters which you can only get into with a 1st at at least the first 4.

If you had said Russell Group, it would have been more sensible.

Once again, no. Please do your own research before commenting. I speak as a person who has applied to various MSc. courses and did one, and chose that one in particular because it was economically more viable, because I didn't want to move to another town and because I already had a job offer so I didn't see it necessary to go to Oxbridge for the name, unlike SirMike here who's obviously trying to make up for something. I think a 'redemption masters' is what people call it.

That being said, some courses are first only in the university which is regarded as its specialty, for example ICL requires a first for CS, but I still got the offer because I had 2 internships in 2 different investment banks (although obviously it doesn't usually happen).

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 15

Observatory

20

Original post by sadhukar

Once again, no. Please do your own research before commenting. I speak as a person who has applied to various MSc. courses and did one, and chose that one in particular because it was economically more viable, because I didn't want to move to another town and because I already had a job offer so I didn't see it necessary to go to Oxbridge for the name, unlike SirMike here who's obviously trying to make up for something. I think a 'redemption masters' is what people call it.

That being said, some courses are first only in the university which is regarded as its specialty, for example ICL requires a first for CS, but I still got the offer because I had 2 internships in 2 different investment banks (although obviously it doesn't usually happen).

The fact that you succeeded getting into some masters at one of those doesn't contradict my position that there are some - but not necessarily all - courses that require a 1st. In fact I know of one that won't even look at you unless you have >80% in physics or maths; mere ordinary firsts need not apply.

Moreover it's easier to get into a CS masters than to get 2 investment bank internships. A reasonable complaint still if you think that degree class is everything and work experience shouldn't be taken into account, but doesn't at all justify the claim that "pretty much anyone" can be admitted to these courses provided they have a 2.1. More like a small number of people with mitigating circumstances.

(I would've taken the job.)

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 16

Theophile

5

Original post by sadhukar

I'd also add PhD courses into the same boat actually. Some PhD students I meet seem to be there for the sparse working hours, student discounts and sports nights...

Is this the same in the US?

Right, you met 2 or 3 PhD students enjoying student discount and sport nights and you conclude from that it's easy to get into a "golden triangle" university for phds?
Well done

Btw I doubt there are that many sparse hours during a phd.

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 17

sadhukar

OP

11

Original post by Theophile

Right, you met 2 or 3 PhD students enjoying student discount and sport nights and you conclude from that it's easy to get into a "golden triangle" university for phds?
Well done

Btw I doubt there are that many sparse hours during a phd.

And how many PhD students do you know? Do you honestly also think that that's the only metric I go by other than, you know, I talk to them?

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 18

the greatest

14

A masters course is generally seen as the least useful/necessary degree compared to a PhD and a BSc, to employers I mean. People will only take masters for numerous reasons (i) further studies for a PhD (ii) Change career path, so for example if you did engineering and wanted to be an actuary, one could easily do an MSc innit (iii) People feel guilty they didn't achieve their desired uni at BSc and feel they would like to achieve more, or for the sake of not wanting a job so quickly (iv) International students wanting to settle in a western/new country

For these reasons, universities have realised the potential of making large amounts of money and considering a large chunk of these will be international students, more money will continue to be spent. I'm not saying a masters is useless, far from it but in certain situations people do masters for reasons which might not benefit their career compared to their regular BSc. Also that now and in the future many PhD places offered are via a doctoral trianing centre which composes of a general first year masters, so this method allows the transistion for people with just an UG degree, so master level courses on their own (in the sciences anyway) are becoming a less traditional way of persuing further studies.