Low GPA in Bachelor's Degree
I'm from the USA and have a 4-year Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology that I earned in 2000, at the age of 29. I graduated with a cumulative grade point average of 2.3 on a 4.0 scale. In UK terms, I believe that gives my degree the standing of "ordinary". However, there were extenuating circumstances - I had a (then) undiagnosed autoimmune disease, and because I had no diagnosis I was not being treated and my health was very unstable. Specifically, I have systemic lupus erythematosus. So, I don't have the "good honours degree" (2.1 or 2.2) that all the postgraduate programs want.
However, I have 28.5 graduate credits (semester) completed with a cumulative grade point average of 3.4 on a 4.0 scale. I was pursuing a MA degree but left due to back-to-back health issues that required hospitalizations and extended recovery time. But, note that in the USA there are master's programs that are only 30 credits, so I pretty much have the "equivalent" of one of those.
What I would like to know is:
1. What are my chances of being accepted into a British MA/MSc, MRes, or MPhil program on the strength of my 30 graduate credits at 3.4 GPA *if I'm "self-funding" the degree* through US government graduate student loans?
2. What are my chances of being accepted into a British PhD program on the strength of my 30 graduate credits at 3.4 GPA *if I'm "self-funding" the degree* through US government graduate student loans?
3. Would it matter that the graduate courses I have are in a different field/subject than the one I want to pursue now? The point I would be trying to make is that despite my BS degree's GPA, I'm capable of doing graduate level work successfully even while living with and managing a serious disease like lupus.
4. I'm 43 years old and a veteran. Will that help me?
Hi Rochelle,
As Eds says, you probably have a good chance of being accepted onto a taught masters programme. It might be a good idea, if you can afford it, to do a masters before progressing to a PhD. It would help you adjust to the UK system and get a good grounding in whatever field you want to pursue a PhD.
Having said that, you might get accepted straight onto a PhD programme if you write a good research proposal and application, possibly not at a top university though. It's a good idea to identify potential supervisors and contact them with a brief outline of your ideas for a research project to see if they would be willing to take you before you apply formally. As long as the area you are applying for is vaguely related to your previous studies, you should be fine. I mean you probably wouldn't get a place to study microbiology but if it's in the social sciences and you show in your proposal that you are familiar with relevant literature there shouldn't be a problem.
If by veteran you mean ex-military, it won't get you any advantages in the UK.
Hi Rochelle,
As Eds says, you probably have a good chance of being accepted onto a taught masters programme. It might be a good idea, if you can afford it, to do a masters before progressing to a PhD. It would help you adjust to the UK system and get a good grounding in whatever field you want to pursue a PhD.
Having said that, you might get accepted straight onto a PhD programme if you write a good research proposal and application, possibly not at a top university though. It's a good idea to identify potential supervisors and contact them with a brief outline of your ideas for a research project to see if they would be willing to take you before you apply formally. As long as the area you are applying for is vaguely related to your previous studies, you should be fine. I mean you probably wouldn't get a place to study microbiology but if it's in the social sciences and you show in your proposal that you are familiar with relevant literature there shouldn't be a problem.
If by veteran you mean ex-military, it won't get you any advantages in the UK.
Thank you, Aisling. I think getting a UK masters first and then proceeding on to the PhD is the way for me to go. I've not done any serious academic writing since my undergraduate degree, which as I mentioned I finished in 2000. I'm veery rusty, LOL. The graduate courses that I have are in digital cinema and digital journalism but my bachelors degree is in sociology. I want the masters and PhD in sociology, so I guess I can apply for a MRes in sociology of media (I already have a topic idea) or try to find a taught masters program in sociology of media. That way, for the PhD I can segue into "pure" sociology. Thanks, again.
Why isn't a 70% in the US the same as a 70% in the UK, etc? What scale is being used in the UK? Most universities in the US use a 4.0 grading scale where 90-100% = A; 80-90% = B; 70-80% = C. The midpoints between the percentages are the "plus" grades (B+, C+; there is no A+). You can't graduate with lower than a C average. My 2.3 GPA puts me at a C+, in the lower mid-70% range. Barely, but still. However, this isn't anywhere near good enough for unconditional admission to postgraduate study without me also submitting my 28 hours of completed postgraduate work with a 3.45 GPA to make up for my bad bachelors GPA.
I looked at the requirements for other countries and a lot of them only needed a bachelors degree. No specific grades were mentioned, applicants just needed a bachelors degree. What gives?
It is also the equivalent of about 63% in Taiwan and Macau FE systems! ;)
That's still a lot better than the UK system where I come in at a 40% if I recall correctly. Should I mention the undiagnosed lupus in my personal statement? It took me 12 years to get diagnosed. o_O
Why isn't a 70% in the US the same as a 70% in the UK, etc? What scale is being used in the UK? Most universities in the US use a 4.0 grading scale where 90-100% = A; 80-90% = B; 70-80% = C. The midpoints between the percentages are the "plus" grades (B+, C+; there is no A+). You can't graduate with lower than a C average. My 2.3 GPA puts me at a C+, in the lower mid-70% range. Barely, but still. However, this isn't anywhere near good enough for unconditional admission to postgraduate study without me also submitting my 28 hours of completed postgraduate work with a 3.45 GPA to make up for my bad bachelors GPA.
I looked at the requirements for other countries and a lot of them only needed a bachelors degree. No specific grades were mentioned, applicants just needed a bachelors degree. What gives?
70% is a first class degree in the UK and only about 20% of students obtain this. It's very rare to get above 80%. We have this sort of scale A=1st=70%, B=2.1=60-69%, C=2.2=50-59%, D=3=40-49%. Below that is a fail.
Basically, you need a 2.1 or a 1st, or a 2.2 and an MSc, to be accepted for a PhD.
Why isn't a 70% in the US the same as a 70% in the UK, etc? What scale is being used in the UK? Most universities in the US use a 4.0 grading scale where 90-100% = A; 80-90% = B; 70-80% = C. The midpoints between the percentages are the "plus" grades (B+, C+; there is no A+). You can't graduate with lower than a C average. My 2.3 GPA puts me at a C+, in the lower mid-70% range. Barely, but still. However, this isn't anywhere near good enough for unconditional admission to postgraduate study without me also submitting my 28 hours of completed postgraduate work with a 3.45 GPA to make up for my bad bachelors GPA.
I looked at the requirements for other countries and a lot of them only needed a bachelors degree. No specific grades were mentioned, applicants just needed a bachelors degree. What gives?
70% is a first class degree in the UK and only about 20% of students obtain this. It's very rare to get above 80%. We have this sort of scale A=1st=70%, B=2.1=60-69%, C=2.2=50-59%, D=3=40-49%. Below that is a fail.
Basically, you need a 2.1 or a 1st, or a 2.2 and an MSc, to be accepted for a PhD.
What do people with "ordinary" degrees do if later they decide they want to pursue a masters and/or PhD? Do they do a second bachelors? A postgraduate diploma? Here in the US we have undergrad/graduate certificates, but RARELY can they be paid for using federal financial aid, including student loans. The gov't requires each certificate to be approved individually, and it's a hassle that most colleges have decided they don't want to deal with, so most of the certificates have to be paid for out-of-pocket by the student. :(
If by 'ordinary' degrees you mean less than a 2.2, they try to get accepted to a masters if they can. There's a few people on here that have done that.
Other than that, I guess they would have to do another BSc, but I doubt there are that many people that get a 2.2 and want to do PhD anyway. There are a few people that might do a certificate, but they would probably only help get a MSc, not a PhD.
