Blurred Lines… in University pass system

University system means failing is better than just scraping a pass.

Don’t worry, this isn’t another piece about the whole Blurred Lines debacle that has flooded the uni over the past couple of weeks. This is a piece about the blurred lines in moving through university years.

As you might know, or might not, to get onto Honours in third-year, you need to pass second-year with an average mark of 50 (and all courses passed). However, to pass second-year you only need to achieve an average score of 40. So what happens in between?

Which exit should you take?

One student, a friend of mine, fell into this bracket and was left wondering what his uni life was going to hold for him. The university has since informed him that although he won’t be welcomed on to the Honours course (MA) that he can complete a BA.

Just to be clear, the BA in Scotland is NOT the same as the BA in England. A BA degree in Scotland, also known as a ‘designated degree’, is completed in three, not four years and may not be accepted by employers as willingly as the MA.

Another student, also a friend of mine, failed second-year. He on the other hand, gets the chance to retake the subjects that he failed, and continue on course for an Honours degree.

The friend who passed, was not offered the chance to retake. He said: “Looks like I’ll have to do a BA, which is their way of gently telling me to fuck off after this year.”

The Uni clearly doesn’t feel this way

The other student however, simply has to re-sit the exams he failed this year. He doesn’t even have to attend lectures or tutorials, simply wait out the year, probably by becoming a raging alcoholic, and sit one exam in December and two in May.

So who has the better deal? Probably the student who failed. Surely this system is wrong? The University is promoting failure. If you’re one of those students who sits on the wire between passing and failing, don’t bother trying, it won’t be worth it.

DISCLAIMER: Don’t read this piece and stop trying to do well. Just get a 50.