The Student Room Group
Reply 1
Single honours is where you have one main subject, but in years 1 and 2 you can usually pick subsiduary modules too. In joint honours degrees, you study two subjects equally and don't usually have the option to pick subsids. If you study a single honours degree, you get a lot of breadth in one subject, whereas in joint honours, you have depth in two subjects but not necessarily breadth. Neither is necessarily seen as better than the other, so pick what's best for you. Not sure about the postgrad question, but I'd imagine you'd be able to get a place with a joint honours degree, or you'd be warned about it beforehand.
Reply 2
Basically everything said above is correct. Can help on the postgrad bit though - I just completed my degree in Classics and English and am now going on to do a master's in linguistics - so not only can you go on to do a master's in one of the two subjects if your BA is joint hons, you can go on to do a master's in a different subject altogether (as long as it's still halfway related of course!).
Reply 3
thanks alot that really helped, it's just that I was worried joint honours was seen as worse than single and that you couldn't do a masters course properly if you had joint but now I understand, thanks again
Reply 4
yassa
thanks alot that really helped, it's just that I was worried joint honours was seen as worse than single and that you couldn't do a masters course properly if you had joint but now I understand, thanks again


No its definatly not seen as worse. Often if the subjects are complimentary and studying one aids in the study of the other it can actually be seen as benefical. Look at PPE for example, probably the most respected arts degree, and its Philosophy, Politics and Economics. The reason for this being that its probably harder to study 2 subjects to 3rd year degree level than it is to just study one, espeically if the methologys are different.
It actually involves more work, but is rarely recognised for that fact, which is shame.
simon123
The reason for this being that its probably harder to study 2 subjects to 3rd year degree level than it is to just study one, espeically if the methologys are different.

Agreed. Not many people realise this.
Reply 7
cutandpasteandtwisty
Agreed. Not many people realise this.


Exactly, I think sometimes people even percieve it to be somehow easier as if your doing two subjects surely you cant be reaching the same standard, but I think thats wrong. As I mentioned earlier, in terms of arts degrees PPE at Oxford is the top of the pile. You have to study Philosophy, Politics and Economics all to 3rd year degree level. I realise that you specialise into one of these subjects but you still have to take modules in the other two. To study 3 subjects to 3rd year degree is a great achievement as the subjects although complmenting each other are also very diverse, hence the huge respect for PPE graduates.
Reply 8
I think it's also a disadvantage doing Joint Honours in the sense that if you're doing a full course in one subject, each extra modules informs and improves your understanding and performance of the other modules. So you're at a disadvantage against your peers who by default have a broader perspective of their subject. Still, it's far more interesting to do joint honours in my opinion.
Reply 9
I have heard that it is more difficult to get a first when you study joint honours, is this true???
Reply 10
Given that NONE of my Classics and English contemporaries got Firsts (neither did I), whereas several Firsts were given for Single Honours English and Single Honours Classics, this may well be the case. Either that or we're all stupid :p:
Reply 11
Is it really that much more work if you do joint honours?... I am a little worried about this, but I can't bear to give up one subject for the other!!
Depends on the subjects. I did a joint honours and didn't find the workload too bad. You do have to make sure equal attention is given to both, though.
I have applied for joint honours (either American and English Studies/Literature) and am wondering about the work load but hopefully will not be too much extra :biggrin: