Dear Lyonese,
The UK system is not similar to the US system, but then again, most
other systems in the world are not...
The UK system hasn't changed tremendously in the past 200 years, and
the following information is also correct for the years 1974-1976
(with the exception of Oxford University).
There are four basic levels:
- First Class Honours = "Excellent" (about 10% of the students
nationally achieve a 1st)
- Upper Second Class Honours = "Very Good"
- Lower Second Class Honours = "Good"
- Third Class Honours = "Satisfactory" (*and in fact, very bad...)
Until the 1970s, Oxford had no division in the "Second Degree", and
had instead "Fourth Class Honours".
Except for that, there are two classifications for those who haven't
managed to reach that:
- "Pass" - for people who haven't sat the honours exams
- "Fail"
(SOURCE: Wikipedia, British undergraduate degree classification
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_undergraduate_degree_classification>).
This is the classification of degrees. However, since this depends on
universities, there are variations, and some have more difficult
courses and modules (or more competetive ones) than others. The final
grade mentioned above depends on one's grades in exams, which are
graded in percentage system (from 0-100).
"Assessment methods vary by institution in the UK. They tend to
reflect the UK teaching method and style. Written examinations (at the
end of a year or, in some cases, in the final undergraduate year only)
are the most common form of study assessment. Continuous assessment,
which is a combination of written work, performance and sometimes oral
examination, is also used frequently. Individual institutions can
provide you with more information on their assessment methods.
Keep in mind, there is no official method of equating British and
American educational qualifications. The educational systems are very
different and attempts to compare them must be done on a strictly
provisional basis. Many US institutions have already developed systems
of assessing their study abroad students and/or equating British
grades to US grades.
When credit is being transferred, many US institutions will include
both the course taken overseas and the grade received on the student's
official transcript. Due to the different grading systems overseas,
translating a foreign grade into the American system can prove
challenging. The US grading system is letter-based (A, B, C, D, or F),
whereas some overseas institutions have number-based systems or other
grading scales. Foreign grades will either be translated into the
American grading system or simply indicated as "pass" or "fail."
American students often have the choice between these two options.
Some overseas institutions grade more severely, causing some American
students to chose the pass/fail option in order to avoid lowering
their grade point average. Again, there is not an official grade
conversion chart for UK to US grades." (SOURCE: British Council,
"Study Abroad Advisors FAQs on UK Higher Education",
<http://www.britishcouncil.org/usa-education-advisors-us-study-abroad-faqs.htm>).
In addition, "Professors at UK institutions grade more strictly than
their counterparts in the United States. As a result, American
students studying in the UK often perceive that they have performed
poorly in their classes, when they have not. Grades are given as
percentages rather than letter grades. Forty percent is the minimum
passing grade and high percentages are rarely awarded. A grade of
seventy percent or higher is considered "with distinction." In
general, percentages increase from forty rather than decrease from 100
percent, as they do in the United States." (SOURCE: The Educational
System, ISEP Handbook,
<http://www.isep.org/handbooks/uk/education.html>).
At the end, the average is translated into the Honours System. This is
a proposed converter:
Grade Conversion
<http://www.studyinbritain.com/info/grade_conversion.asp>
As I said before, this is the system today and this was the system in
the years you've refered to. However, because of the variations
between institutions, you might want to write to the institution
granting the degree, and ask about the equivalent of a particular
degree.
I hope this answers your question. Please contact me if you need any
clarification on this answer before you rate it. |
