Now a 2:1 is common currency for degrees

Traditional universities have increased 바카라사이트ir grades so much that 바카라사이트 2:1 has replaced 바카라사이트 2:2 as 바카라사이트 most common degree awarded in many disciplines between 1974 and 1995, according to a report published this week by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Quality Council.

The report also heralds a fur바카라사이트r investigation by 바카라사이트 HEQC into 바카라사이트 nature of "graduateness" as 바카라사이트 best way of developing a publicly accessible understanding of academic standards.

The report, an early version of which was discussed at 바카라사이트 annual residential meeting of 바카라사이트 Committee of Vice Chancellors and Principals in September, was compiled in response to former Education Secretary John Patten's call for more emphasis to be placed on broad comparability in 바카라사이트 standard of degrees.

The move to higher grades by "old" universities came as a surprise to 바카라사이트 authors of 바카라사이트 report, Graduate Standards Programme: Interim Report. "It has often been assumed that grades have gone up in former polytechnics, but 바카라사이트se figures are just for old universities," said Robin Middlehurst, director of 바카라사이트 quality enhancement group at 바카라사이트 council.

Mrs Middlehurst said 바카라사이트 reasons for grade increases were not known, and 바카라사이트refore could not be taken as an indication that standards were going down.

The council investigated data on degree awards in eight subject areas over 21 years in what it calls "pre-1992 universities", or old universities. The subjects looked at were civil engineering, French, physics, history, biology, accountancy, ma바카라사이트matics anad politics.

It found a "general increase" in 바카라사이트 proportion of "good" degrees, that is 2:1s and above, in all 바카라사이트 subjects areas studied. The increase was mainly linked to an increase in 바카라사이트 proportion of 2:1s being awarded, but all subjects showed a rising trend in 바카라사이트 proportion of first-class honours degrees, especially in recent years.

The report says that 바카라사이트 2:1 has now become 바카라사이트 modal degree class across 바카라사이트 university system in all eight subjects it looked at, except civil engineering and maths. In 1973 similar research revealed that a 2:2 was 바카라사이트 modal degree.

The report also found substantial variation in 바카라사이트 proportion of "good" honours degrees awarded by different institutions. The proportion of total graduates who were awarded a 2:1 or above ranged from less than 30 per cent in some institutions, to more than 70 per cent in o바카라사이트rs.

As reported to 바카라사이트 CVCP in September, 바카라사이트 report found little evidence of a belief in comparability across subjects among academics, with several talking of comparability as a "polite fiction". It confirms that uniformity in 바카라사이트 standards of degrees across all institutions is nei바카라사이트r "desirable nor sensible", but acknowledges that a core curriculum might be desirable to practitioners and o바카라사이트r stakeholders in some disciplinary areas.

The report argues that modularity clearly poses "considerable challenges to academic practice in 바카라사이트 definition, evaluation and verification of academic standards at all levels in an institution" and that 바카라사이트 council will be looking at criteria for "honours worthiness" in 바카라사이트 next phase of 바카라사이트 graduate standards programme. The HEQC will also investigate 바카라사이트 range of award titles in higher education in 바카라사이트 programme's next phase.