Doing a masters with a 2:2 or 3rd. Bad idea?

[deletingsugar]

I'm graduating this year with a psychology degree. I've had a rough ride with a difficult bereavement, pregnancy and taking time out due to depression.

When i started I was very keen and did really well in statistics and research methods, getting a 1stin my first year. I got pregnant and took a year out to take care of my DD. As I started 2and year, my brother took his own life and it messed me up for a bit. I decided to carry on with my second year but failed. I restarted second year, still struggling mentally and only passed a few modules- got 45% in research methods. I had to take the year out and complete a few failed modules from home. I did this over 2 years as I had to take care of DD with little childcare and alongside work. I'd finally passed all year 2 modules with an average mark of 54%. Year 3 now and although I'm better mentally, I do believe I will end up with a passing degree or just scraping a 2:2. I missed one exam 2 weeks ago due to childcare issues and having DD at home but I'm going to try to keep on top of things this term- already putting my introduction for my research project together.

I love psychology, it's a fascinating subject. I want to learn more about the subject and I already have a few favourite areas of the discipline. I was thinking of taking on my university's msc research methods course for September. They require a 2:2, but I'm not sure if I'll keep it at masters level.

Should I even consider doing a masters with my academic history?

Have you used your university careers department yet op? They might be able to help you make a decision and will definitely help with the Civil Service recruitment process which is not always that straight forward

I say go for it! You are clearly intelligent and motivated.

I barely passed my degree and then worked my arse off to get a distinction in masters. It worked. No one has ever queried my qualifications whereas I think it might have been an issue otherwise.

However, I completely agree with the suggestion to speak to your uni first and see if the circumstances of the last few years could be taken into account to raise your results up.

I dunno - an MSc is pretty tough (and I got a 1st in my UG degree).

My 'full-time taught' course only equated to three days a week in uni, but because I had to have three PT jobs on top of that, I basically didn't sleep for a year: the level of intellectual rigour and evidence of independent thought expected is considerably above that of a UG degree.

(I've also just started a two-year MBA alongside my FT job, which is making my MSc look like a walk in the park on a sunny day.)

Could you perhaps look at some kind of PgDip/Cert to get you into good habits, before committing to the time and expense of an MSc?

MSc isn't that bloody hard. You've already got the skills from undergrad.

The issue here is being accepted because most postgrad want 2:1 as a minimum.

I genuinely found undergrad harder. It's more rigid. At level 7 you are given more leeway in terms of how you interpret the questions you answer in assessments.

Any Sc will involve statistics and research methods at an advanced level. But it's no more difficult than the 'advanced' stats and RM on undergrad.

I did an MSc part time on top of working full time a few years after my undergrad. I got a 2:2 in my degree but sailed through with a distinction and faculty award for my MSc. By that point I’d gained some professional experience and it made it much much easier.

I found doing a Masters in Russian Literature, after only getting a 2:2 in my Russian, extremely hard. But I too had extenuating circumstances, because I had been very ill Diabetically. It was my Russian Literature Lecturer who recommended I did the MA and he contacted Bristol and made all the arrangements.

I would think carefully about why you want to a MSc. It's a big investment both in terms of time and money. Be careful you are not doing it to make up for a lower pass at degree level.

Have you spoken to your personal tutor or department head about your extenuating circumstances? Did you get any support while your studies were disrupted? If you give them the chance, most unis want to help students (especially mature students which you sound like you are) to balance the pressures of work and life and study to get the grades they deserve.

I did a masters and PhD with a 2:2. No problems whatsoever

Yes the MSc is for those who want to go into post doc, but I still think it might be useful in the workplace.

Have you looked into how your degree classification is awarded/weighted? In mine, your marks from 1st year didn't count towards your overall degree mark at all. 2nd year only held a third of the weighting, 3rd year obviously two thirds. I'm wondering if it would be possible to work your arse off and bring up your average mark to hit a 2.1

I would each o what others have said. I got a first in a social science and went onto take a Masters. Oh my, it was nothing like I had anticipated. The challenge was phenomenal, and lots of people who had done well as undergrads really struggled. I did end up with a Distinction, but it was the hardest thing I had ever done, and my Distinction was the result of an outstanding thesis, not cumulative grade - I had some shockers along the way (even though 65% had been my lowest undergrad mark!).

Interesting that some PPs are saying how hard a Masters is whilst others are saying undergrad was way harder. such mixed opinions.

I’m currently doing my MA and I would say (for me) the workload is far less than undergrad, I was at a very good uni doing joint honours and was constantly swamped with work. And the difficulty isn’t necessarily harder to be honest. The main difference in my experience is the marking; marking is so much harsher as you’re meant to be at a much higher level. I got a first in my undergraduate and if I wrote an essay for my Masters at the same level as I did my final exams at undergraduate, it’d probably be considered crap. So if you’re finding it hard to score well at the moment I’d keep that in mind.

Would also keep in mind that even if you do find it okay academically, the issues you’ve had that have stunted your success at undergraduate unfortunately won’t disappear. The things going on in your personal life will continue to be there. Made that mistake myself!

@Equimum saying ‘I had some shockers along the way’ pretty much sums it up for me! Came into my MA year having really aced my undergraduate thinking it’d all be great, did my first assignment and got a grade way lower than I’d ever had in my life

I work in exams at an elite UK uni. You need to forget about the MSc for a while and sort out what's happening with your UG degree. You say you missed an exam - have you submitted mitigating circumstances for this? At my uni (and most others that I'm aware of), you wouldn't just be able to miss an exam and still graduate with a degree. Exams and assessments aren't optional. You'd have to resit it, likely as a first attempt, assuming your MCs were accepted. If you didn't submit anything then it'd be a capped attempt then your chances of getting anything higher than a 2.2 would be next to none existent. If you didn't turn up for the resit then you'd just not get a degree and the programme team would be in contact before withdrawing you from the programme as a worst case scenario.

Please just speak to whoever it is that looks after your programme as otherwise I fear you're going to be very disappointed in the summer, both from a personal perspective as you won't have fulfilled your potential but also from a practical perspective if you don't actually have a degree anyway.

Have you considered doing your Masters at the OU? It might be more conducive to your current life situation.

@Cardboard33

I work in exams at an elite UK uni. You need to forget about the MSc for a while and sort out what's happening with your UG degree. You say you missed an exam - have you submitted mitigating circumstances for this? At my uni (and most others that I'm aware of), you wouldn't just be able to miss an exam and still graduate with a degree. Exams and assessments aren't optional. You'd have to resit it, likely as a first attempt, assuming your MCs were accepted. If you didn't submit anything then it'd be a capped attempt then your chances of getting anything higher than a 2.2 would be next to none existent. If you didn't turn up for the resit then you'd just not get a degree and the programme team would be in contact before withdrawing you from the programme as a worst case scenario.

Please just speak to whoever it is that looks after your programme as otherwise I fear you're going to be very disappointed in the summer, both from a personal perspective as you won't have fulfilled your potential but also from a practical perspective if you don't actually have a degree anyway.

This!

Total waste of time and money and also suggests perpetual student to any employer which isnt a good thing.

It would reduce job prospects not enhance them

I have just started a Psychology masters now. I wouldn't worry about your grade, I would focus on if you know you have the knowledge and skills needed (but perhaps didn't show them due to terrible circumstances).

I will say it is a huge step up from Undergraduate, it is assumed you already know a lot. There is not as much support either and so much emphasis on independent study. Also, it does depend on why you want to do a masters. Is there an area of Psychology you want to go into?

It's a hard industry to go into so you have to be really committed and it helps if you can get some relevant work experience too.

Doing an MA after a few years work alongside a job probably would be helpful, depending on the role

Also, I would always advocate OU - I got my undergraduate with them. However, the Psychology masters are not BPS registered, so just watch out for that.

As you haven't actually completed your undergraduate degree yet I would look into whatever it takes to bump up your grade to a 2.i first. It sounds as if you are resigned to getting a 2.ii. If it is possible to resit this year too that might be money well spent to come out with a 2.ii. Most undergraduate degrees have a greater emphasis on the third year so I would talk to your university first and explore your options. It is apparent that covid will have an ongoing influence on your daughter's schooling for the rest of this term, so it isn't going to improve in a week or two. Although you might want to just finish it if you can possibly manage to defer then I would.

Echoing everyone who says please sort out your current degree first!

You said you don't know about special circumstances? You need to contact your main supervisor/tutor as a matter of urgency. TBH, it's surprising they have not already been in touch, IMO. You also need to find your course regulations which will talk about what the rules are on your degree course - there ought to be some indication of what accommodations are made when students run into unforeseen problems.

I would expect that, with covid, with your daughter at home, with you bereavement, you have strong grounds for some kind of accommodation.

And it's only January! I've had students who looked on course to crash and burn in January and who came out just fine by the end of the course. You really need to be proactive about this rather than assuming everything's already set in stone.

I wont get anything above a 2:2. Just going by how I performed in term one, as well as missing the exam for a very difficult module. I know it will be a low to mid 2:2.