Got third class honour and what's next

After 6 years, with 3 years of suspension due to COVID, mental issues and my VISA, I finished my degree with a third-class honour in Physics at the University of Birmingham.
It is very unlikely that I will get a master's. Is there any way to somehow bring me back to the track?
I understand that my options are limited at this moment. What should I look for?

Reply 1

Old Skool Freak

Hey,

Sorry about that... but try and view the glass as 1/2 full (as opposed to 1/2 empty).

Fair enough, a 3rd class may not be exactly what you dreamt of when you first started university, but it's still an honours degree and better than a "pass" (this would've been without honours). Also, physics is a decent subject to study, and assuming it was actually University of Birmingham (as opposed to the others there), that's also a fairly respected institute.

I don't see the harm in you trying for a masters, if that's what you really want. Although most masters want at least a 2:2, there will be some courses that are undersubscribed (and there's normally some discretion), so they may be willing to take you on if you can argue a reasonable case. Realistically, you may have to look towards another uni, and may have to consider a "lesser" one. However, a masters will definitely mask the 3rd class, and you'd unlikely to ever be asked about it.

Alternatively, look for work (as I said, use the uni and the subject matter as your main selling points)… Once you've got 2 years work experience in the real world, no one will care what grade you got in your degree (in very much the same way no one cares now what you got in your GCSE's (or the equivalent qualifications from your own country)).

EDIT:- If you do want to try for a masters, call round the departments admin group and find out from them if they'd be likely to take you. You can also try pleading your case to the responsible academic, if you can get their name. However, if you want to do this, you need to get moving on this, as you'll only have a couple of weeks, at best to sort something out.