Does the difference between a low 2.1, high 2.1 , 1st class mean anything?

[eggsbenedict23]

That's all really. It's in relation to careers and earnings after uni.

I used to lecture on a course where one year 72% graduated with a first 👀

To do a PhD straight from undergrad you need a 1st in most cases, if you have a 2:1 you’d probably have to get a Masters to do a PhD

So?

@burnoutbabe is correct, the OU just mark on a different scale to many other institutions. 70-84% is a pass 2 which will equate to a 2.1 degree. 85% and above is a pass 1 which will be a first class degree. University degrees are externally moderated so they should be equivalent to other universities. The OU has a different emphasis because they teach through books and online resources rather than sitting in a lecture. There is more of an emphasis on student led learning which is one factor that makes OU graduates attractive to employers.

I think it depends how competitive the intended career is. Generally a 2.1 should be enough to progress to postgraduate studies with a 2.2 often enough, some careers just want a degree with any level.

Well it’s hardly good that 72% of people were getting a first, really devalues the attainment.

I wouldn't have been offered a place on a particular PhD programme without my first, and then possibly also on a subsequent training programme.

I think it matters more if you want to do something particularly competitive.

As someone who managed a 2:1 missing a first by 2 marks in their first undergrad degree... then went back and originally missed by 1 mark second time around but there were some marking discrepancies which meant one particular placement got re-marked and uplifted by a good 10% and I did get the first...

It really didn't matter in the short term - my second degree was an allied healthcare one, and once the uni had released the list of people eligible to register with the HCPC, that was all my future employer cared about. I challenged the marking because there were gaping inaccuracies, issues with disability discrimination and because I knew it was wrong and I needed to know I'd tried to challenge it for the mark to sit with me. Was definitely not a sour grapes sulking challenge, there were definite factual inaccuracies that meant I hadn't been credited for stuff I'd done and done well and since it was SO borderline - that was the difference between the two bandings.

The first didn't directly matter (apart from to me where it bloody mattered massively), but I do want to go on to do further study in the future and I know how much it counts in terms of proving I can hold my own academically in that regard. As for career progression - again, no one at work really cares what grade I got - I got my post based on interview and also being known as I'd been a good placement student with the area I'm in (to the point I had two NHS trusts trying to get me into a post)

No. The certificate just says 2;1 that's all employers look at and see

It only matters if you want to do postgrad study and they have specified grade requirements. If its a 2:1 and you got a 2:2 but got 59 (the transcript sheet will show this and they will ask for it) then they might let you on. For careers there's no such thing as a low or high classification, you either got a 1st, 2:1, 2:2 etc as that is what it says on your certificate. Mind you every single person I know of late that got a 2:1 is very quick to say they were one or two marks off a first!