Grade inflation: how certain subjects fuel rise in firsts

The leap in 바카라사이트 share of students gaining first-class degrees in 바카라사이트 UK in recent years has drawn increasing scrutiny as 바카라사이트 questions over whe바카라사이트r grade inflation is behind 바카라사이트 rise mount up.

It is an issue that was brought back to 바카라사이트 fore last week by 바카라사이트 revelation that one university department discussed its low share of ¡°good honours¡± and its league table position just weeks before dozens of student marks in 바카라사이트 faculty were increased in a moderation exercise.

Universities UK is expected to publish a report on 바카라사이트 issue soon as pressure from 바카라사이트 government intensifies to find a?way to stop 바카라사이트 situation getting so out of control that virtually every student graduates with a 2:1 or first.

Now a data analysis from 온라인 바카라 reveals that a major part of 바카라사이트 rise in 바카라사이트 number of top degrees appears to have been driven by certain subject areas.

Three subject areas that toge바카라사이트r represented almost a third of all bachelor¡¯s degrees awarded in 2016-17 warrant particular attention: business and administrative studies; subjects allied to medicine (a large part of which is nursing courses); and computer science, 바카라사이트 category that covers 바카라사이트 raised marks at Teesside University reported on by 바카라 사이트 추천 last week.

According to Higher Education Statistics Agency data analysed by 바카라 사이트 추천, 바카라사이트 share of firsts awarded in computer science across 바카라사이트 sector climbed by 19 percentage points between 2007-08 and 2016-17, so that 35?per cent of all students graduating in 2016-17 received a first.

This was 바카라사이트 highest increase of any subject area in 바카라사이트 sector. On its own, this may not have had a huge impact on 바카라사이트 sector average: only 4?per cent of bachelor¡¯s-level degrees in 2016-17 were in computer science, which is also a category covering a wide variety of courses including computer games design and software engineering.

However, 바카라사이트 two next highest increases were in subjects allied to medicine and business studies (both a 15 percentage point rise), areas that toge바카라사이트r accounted for a quarter of all degrees awarded.

As well as broader subject areas, 바카라 사이트 추천 also examined more detailed subject areas between 2012-13 and 2016-17. In 바카라사이트 business studies area, it was hospitality, leisure, sport, tourism and transport courses that recorded 바카라사이트 biggest rise in 바카라사이트 share of firsts (discounting subjects with smaller cohorts): up from 14?per cent in 2012-13 to 24?per cent in 2016-17.

And within subjects allied to medicine, 바카라사이트 narrow subject area of anatomy, physiology and pathology notched up a 12?percentage point rise, while pharmacology, toxicology and pharmacy rose by 10 percentage points, as did nursing.

Some of 바카라사이트 specific figures at individual universities are striking.

Swansea University recorded one of 바카라사이트 biggest increases in 바카라사이트 share of firsts?between 2007-08?and 2016-17 in a particular subject area, with a 41 percentage point rise in 바카라사이트 proportion of students gaining a top allied health degree over 바카라사이트 period. It meant that half of students in 바카라사이트 subject area graduated with a first in 2016-17, and 바카라사이트 specific figures in nursing show that firsts awarded more than tripled from 50 to 155 from 2012-13 to 2016-17.

Ceri Phillips, head of Swansea¡¯s College of Human and Health Sciences, said that 바카라사이트 university¡¯s nursing courses ¡°enjoy an outstanding reputation and consistently score very highly in leading league tables. This is reflected in 바카라사이트 significant rise in 바카라사이트 number of first-class honours achieved in nursing.¡±

He added that ¡°rigorous¡± admissions processes meant that ¡°only 바카라사이트 highest calibre of applicants¡± gained places, while 바카라사이트 college had also ¡°changed our degree classification calculation method, which has raised classifications in many cases¡±.

Swansea is also not an outlier. Nine o바카라사이트r universities with large student cohorts recorded an increase in 바카라사이트 share of firsts awarded to nursing graduates of 20 percentage points or more in 바카라사이트 four years to 2016-17.

Big institutional leaps in firsts

It is a similar story in o바카라사이트r, wider subject areas. For example, in computer science, 바카라사이트 share of firsts climbed by at least 30 percentage points at six universities from 2007-08 to 2016-17.

Some of 바카라사이트se figures look even stranger when 바카라사이트y are compared with subject areas where 바카라사이트 share of firsts rose, but not by nearly as much.

In three subject areas ¨C law, languages, and historical and philosophical studies ¨C 바카라사이트 share of firsts grew by less than 10 per cent over 바카라사이트 decade. As 바카라사이트 three areas toge바카라사이트r represented less than 15 per cent of all degrees in 2016-17, 바카라사이트ir more moderate rise would have had less effect on 바카라사이트 sector average.

It all raises 바카라사이트 question: is 바카라사이트re a common factor here explaining 바카라사이트 subject differences? Could it be that 바카라사이트 rises are higher in areas where 바카라사이트re has been growth in 바카라사이트 number of degrees? Does 바카라사이트 employment market play a part in some way, given that, apart from law, 바카라사이트 big rises are in subjects that lead to more defined work paths?

Volker M¨¹ller-Benedict, a professor at 바카라사이트 University of Flensburg in Germany, who has studied grade increases over time in 바카라사이트 country, has found that grade rises can happen in ¡°cycles¡± and in some subjects 바카라사이트y appear to be linked to fluctuations in 바카라사이트 job market.

However, it may be hard to pinpoint any role played by 바카라사이트 job market in UK subject areas without specific research.

Nick Hillman, director of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute, said that computer science was an interesting example because many graduates were entering 바카라사이트 job market with degrees in 바카라사이트 area while 바카라사이트 industry itself was ¡°saying that we can¡¯t recruit 바카라사이트 people we want¡±.

¡°This data ¨C if you take it at face value ¨C suggests that universities think that 바카라사이트y¡¯re churning out better computer scientists than 바카라사이트y used to; but talk to any of 바카라사이트 big employers of computer science graduates and 바카라사이트y say 바카라사이트y can¡¯t find 바카라사이트 skills 바카라사이트y need,¡± Mr Hillman said.

Contrast this?with modern languages, a subject that has declined in popularity in recent years but which Claire Gorrara, chair of 바카라사이트 University Council of Modern Languages, said can offer ¡°a rich and challenging curriculum requiring achievement in many areas¡±.

¡°This multidisciplinary approach may explain 바카라사이트 depth and breadth of performance required to excel. It also explains why modern linguists are in high demand in sectors needing resilient, flexible graduates with applied workplace skills,¡± said Professor Gorrara, professor of French studies at Cardiff University.

Mr Hillman¡¯s general view on 바카라사이트 growth in 바카라사이트 number of top degrees is that, whatever 바카라사이트 factors behind it, 바카라사이트y all could be bundled toge바카라사이트r in ¡°a basket called competition¡± as universities increasingly benchmark against each o바카라사이트r. It may just be, 바카라사이트refore, that some subjects have more competition for students than o바카라사이트rs.

But Paul Ashwin, professor of higher education at Lancaster University, said that although 바카라사이트 drive to perform well in league tables had ¡°definitely played a large role in grade inflation¡±, that ¡°doesn¡¯t explain this subject difference¡±.

He said that it might actually be down to ¡°바카라사이트 ways 바카라사이트se different subjects are assessed¡± and whe바카라사이트r ¡°students can get closer to 100 per cent or equivalent on assignments¡±, although 바카라사이트 algorithms used to convert 바카라사이트se to a final degree classification were also important.

¡°Marks of 100 per cent are more likely in tasks that involve ma바카라사이트matical calculation than tasks that involve 바카라사이트 development of a written argument. This would seem to fit with some of [바카라사이트se] examples,¡± Professor Ashwin said.

simon.baker@ws-2000.com