Masters - entry criteria help

[Coldemort]

Looking for the advice of anyone working in postgraduate education.

I'm looking to do a full time MA. The entry requirements are 2.1 or above. I've a 2.2 but it was nearly 20 years ago. Is it worth pleading my case re experience Im not a partying 18 year old anymore , or is it a black and white entry criteria?

That's it in a nutshell! Thanks

They will take relevant work experience into account . So depends if MA relates to your work experience.

Definitely worth it!

They’ll be far more interested in your more recent experience/work/practice. If you’ve been engaged in something that demonstrates your fitness for the course, and your application shows intellectual capacity that should be enough. You won’t have to ‘plead your case’.

My friend's DD is doing a masters with a 2.2 that she achieved a couple of years ago.

Yes they will but you might have to talk to them directly before you apply. I got into a really competitive MSc with a crappy and ancient first degree. They were very clear they were making an exception for me.

Cant say for certain but one would imagine it depends, to a certain extent, on the status of the past and future institutions.

A very poor first degree from a bottom-of-every-league university would almost certainly render someone uncompetitive if applying for a highly sought after postgrad place at one of the leading universities.

Applying to most places with a twenty/thirty year old Oxbridge 2:2, with relevant intervening work - different matter.

It really does depend on how the institution works and how convincing your application is. (You don’t need to specifically mention your past degree in your personal statement - it will only be a line in the application form.)

Btw - if you don’t already have one, do be sure to acquire a transcript from your previous university well ahead of the closing date for the current application. This bit of admin can take an unexpectedly long time.

I didn't need a full transcript with decades old degree cert for MA . Just the certificate...which I had to pay £55 for certified copy ouch

Definitely contact them and explain any relevant work experience you have had - applicants with no degree & enough experience are considered. Unless it's highly competitive you should be fine. Even the Russel group lowered their tariffs this year due to demographic dip which is ongoing. HE sector is under a lot of recruitment pressure.

What’s it in and is it a MSc or MA?
I’m doing a MSc after a BA and it’s really hard.

Just seen you’d specified MA
Maybe I’m finding my Masters hard because I don’t read carefully 🤦🏻‍♀️

What are you finding hard, Etinox?

The actual content, or pressure of work, or ...?

Not the content, more the research and evidencing every bloody thing. Not complaining though, just surprised at what a slog it is. I’m not as clever as I thought!

Not the content, more the research and evidencing every bloody thing. Not complaining though, just surprised at what a slog it is

It is a PITA. DD had to do this for her geography NEA at A level, so it didn't come as a surprise to her when she did her first university assignment for her undergraduate degree.

it’s weird isn’t it- I managed to get to postgraduate level before doing a critical and evidenced assignment.

I think it is more important than ever these days due to universities being able to spot plagiarism. At least you can cover your back by attributing something you have written to someone else.

Yes the evidencing referencing...aaargh