This discussion is now closed.

Check out other Related discussions

A Levels Blacklisted

Reply 40

18

[QUOTE="Vincente"]

[Sephirona
ICT has a 100% pass rate in my 6-form. I personally think that Economics A-lvl shouldn't be in the list./QUOTE]

The list states home economics not straight A level economics which is a 'traditional' A level subject.

Thanks for clearing it up.

I always thought that you would need A-lvl Media, to do a BA hon in Media studies. Is this right?

Reply 41

bradburyj

12

in my experience "traditional" subjects aren't always harder. For Example I took Biology, Chemistry, Psychology and Physical Eduation to A level. Chemistry is very hard however i actualy found Biology to be easier than Physical Education which is concidered a blacklisted subject. do they make these lists on difficulty of courses or simply because they are not traditional, original subjects?

Reply 42

ChemistBoy

16

Sports science was one of the toughest courses in the first year at my university - many people who were getting good marks in other courses barely managed a pass. I really want to know what the factors going into these decisions were - knowing what many academics that I work with think of many of the subjects listed I have a fear that this is just based on latent prejudice.

Reply 43

Ghost Grey

2

Originally posted by Morbo
This is not new news. Cambridge have had that list for years.

Proves what a waste of time reading the Daily Experess is, the fact that there team are useless and can't find any 'new' news.

Originally posted by Sephirona
I always thought that you would need A-lvl Media, to do a BA hon in Media studies. Is this right?

No, not really it depends on the course and institution. For some specific film degrees you need filming experience i.e in A-level Media. I know that Birminghams Media, Culture and Society course (or whatever it's changed to now) one needed an A-level in Media i.e Media print, Media studies, Media and Communiciations, Communications etc.

BTW How many more of these "OMFG BLACKLISTED SUBJECTS!!! I do A-level Dance, Media and Golf studies. OH NO!?! I was hoping to get into Brasenose College to study PPE" threads are we going to have?

Reply 44

BluesMan

13

bradburyj

in my experience "traditional" subjects aren't always harder. For Example I took Biology, Chemistry, Psychology and Physical Eduation to A level. Chemistry is very hard however i actualy found Biology to be easier than Physical Education which is concidered a blacklisted subject. do they make these lists on difficulty of courses or simply because they are not traditional, original subjects?

They might not provide any useful information for uni.

If I invented a Suduko A Level where you became a god at games in newspapers, and made it so the students had to work 18 hours a day for 2 years just to get a C, it might well be a lot harder than traditional subjects. But it wouldn't provide any useful information therefore is useless.

Reply 45

dogtanian

16

Jurisprude

I largely agree with the idea of a blacklist. But am slightly peeved at the LSE's putting LAw on there.

My understanding was that a lot of Law tutors don't like A Level Law because the students would have to unlearn half the stuff they were taught before getting to the degree level stuff.

As for the topic, big deal. The university can set whatever requirements it likes, A Level wise. If it thinks some subjects don't prepare a student for their degrees, then fair enough. they probably know better than us on this one.

Reply 46

ChemistBoy

16

BluesMan

If I invented a Suduko A Level where you became a god at games in newspapers, and made it so the students had to work 18 hours a day for 2 years just to get a C, it might well be a lot harder than traditional subjects. But it wouldn't provide any useful information therefore is useless.

To be fair this is a bit of a reductio ad absurdam given that, for example, the field of physical education or communication studies is significantly broader than the study of a particular puzzle-solving game and clearly the study of both will impart some relevent information and transferable skills for higher study.

Reply 47

Hopping Mad Kangaroo

15

ChemistBoy

Sports science was one of the toughest courses in the first year at my university - many people who were getting good marks in other courses barely managed a pass. I really want to know what the factors going into these decisions were - knowing what many academics that I work with think of many of the subjects listed I have a fear that this is just based on latent prejudice.

Its certainly a way of reducing the amount of state school students that get a place at a top uni. Personally I do think some of these A-levels should possibly not be ran, to protect students.

Reply 48

Drogue

19

EvenStevens

Is it only Oxbridge and LSE that does this?

Cambridge and LSE. Oxford doesn't. My offer included business studies.

Also, remember that A levels purpose, for top universities at least, is not to show you know stuff (except for maths and some sciences), but to show you can learn stuff. Memorising subjects aren't useful, subjects that make you think and argue are. As are hard sciences, since you need to have a base of knowledge in those.

Reply 49

affinity89

17

3232

my revision notes for Sociology were about 5 times the size of those for History and 10 times the size of those for English Lit. Subjects like English Literature and History don't need much knowledge, they're about refining your essay technique and learning to cater to what the examiners want, to get a decent mark in sociology you need to memorise the names, dates and details of numerous (150+) studies and concepts and then employ them in the exam. It's much harder.

I have to disagree with pretty much everything mentioned here. I study History, and in my AS exams I had to revise from a multitude of lever-arch files. The dates, names and more importantly causes for and consequences of events to be remembered ran into the hundreds. Furthermore, the exam was not a simple process of rehashing this class-taught material. On my paper's you had to analyse the situation and use a breadth of knowledge from other sources to get a C. To go on to gain higher grades, the need for personal, independent thought and proposals increased. The knowledge you remember from class should only act as a springboard, aiding you in truly displaying your techniques as a historian.

I do not think for a second that sociology is an easy subject, and disagree with this perception of some A-Levels being soft. After all, difficultly should not relate solely to academic criteria - a subject like Media Studies is difficult in terms of personal creativity, analytical thought, dedication to the work load and so on. If an employer at a marketing firm had to choose between the aforementioned subject and, for example, English Literature, I think the 'soft' subject would be deemed favourable.

We all work hard to achieve our A Levels. It is bad enough that generations who have gained them before us are making claims that our qualifications are 'easier'. To start targeting our 'fellow' students on top of this is unfair, unkind and unnecessary!

Reply 50

FTC199

13

the A-level has been going down in people's opinions in years, for example some universities such as oxford give offers of AAA but will give offers of AAB to scottish students presenting with Advanced highers as they are generally considered to be better qualifications for university study and it is a lot harder to get an a in an advanced higher (8%) compared to a-level (25% in some cases)

Reply 51

happinessxo

9

I'm annoyed at Art being on the list...I'm finding it the hardest of the lot, simply because you can't memorise anything, you just have to work work work and then work some more on your portfolio. In my school as well we write an essay as part of it which is generally 2,000-5,000 words long, but can be longer if you want (hah). All the unis I've looked at say that it's acceptable as long as it involves a written component, KCL even says that they prefer students with subject combinations tilted more towards the arts. Also, what's more traditional and integral to our culture than art??? To put it on the same level as Leisure Studies or Media is a bit stupid, not to mention vaguely offensive.

Reply 52

musiic

I have often wondered why the prestige of Music is so high in comparison to subjects like Drama, Art, etc. It is on the Cambridge "suitable arts subjects" list, but Drama and Art seem to be blacklisted. :confused:

? I would have thought that they were in a similar category.

Reply 53

Echolife

OP

15

I see no one has answered the point of my thread. :frown:

'Would you still choose to study the subject you were most passionate about if it was included on a university blacklist?'

Reply 54

Hopping Mad Kangaroo

15

Echolife

I see no one has answered the point of my thread. :frown:

'Would you still choose to study the subject you were most passionate about if it was included on a university blacklist?'

Yes, I would. In addition to 3 a-levels that would get me where I want to go.

Reply 55

Ferchichi

You know sometimes unis give conditional offers, Like AAB and the B can be in any subject. Well, its not fair in the sense that two people can get the same offer, except one does a third ALevel in Maths, and the other does a third ALevel in Sociology, because getting that B grade in Maths, is probably much much harder than getting it in Sociology!
So, I suppose these blacklists are good, for those who do the harder subjects :biggrin:

Reply 56

Sephirona

18

Echolife

I see no one has answered the point of my thread. :frown:

'Would you still choose to study the subject you were most passionate about if it was included on a university blacklist?'

No.

Reply 57

Ferchichi

:dito:

Reply 58

Ghost Grey

2

Originally posted by Hopping Mad Kangaroo
Yes, I would. In addition to 3 a-levels that would get me where I want to go.

What he said. *Grey is hoping you are a he and doesn't offend any other females*

Reply 59

Hopping Mad Kangaroo

15

Ferchichi

You know sometimes unis give conditional offers, Like AAB and the B can be in any subject. Well, its not fair in the sense that two people can get the same offer, except one does a third ALevel in Maths, and the other does a third ALevel in Sociology, because getting that B grade in Maths, is probably much much harder than getting it in Sociology!
So, I suppose these blacklists are good, for those who do the harder subjects :biggrin:

Maths is a piss A-level, what you have to learn and understand for each module fits comfortably on 4 pages. Sociology is probably harder.

A Levels Blacklisted

Related discussions

Articles for you

How The Student Room is moderated