I completed a Bachelor of Arts last year and I received a Joint Honours Degree.Subsequently I embarked on a M.A in French and at the moment I am likely to receive a Third Class Honours award(I had a problematic year and things didnt go well for me). I have yet to submit a thesis(even though an A1 in this will still mean a 2rd class honours degree overall)and I'm wondering if I should go ahead and complete the M.A or just quit and do another masters in a few years.Its my dream to do a phd and I'm afraid that I wont achieve this with my current situation. Any ideas/suggestions?

Check the entrance requirements on a university website? I know someone with a 2:2 who did a masters and is now a postdoc (science). Some people with 2:1 or 2:2 are better than people with a 1st.

Thanks.....my masters will be classified as a 3rd class honours even if I get an A1 in the thesis.....I checked the website of several universities and they just mention an honours primary degree(which I have) and a Masters. But I was told by one lecturer that I need an honours masters to do a phd while another told me that a 3rd class masters is sufficient....so I'm not sure what to do....

before you quit and then restart another masters, i would certainly get that dissertation done. even if it isn't a good degree, it still is a degree - and the experience of writing up that dissertation is invaluable.

if you find you can't get on a PhD program, you can always go and get another masters if you want. but there is no need to waste the work you've done for this one!

I think it really depends on the PhD supervisor. If you are applying to PhD funding, then it might be more difficult, but if you know of someone who is researching something that you are interested in, then let them know and ask them for help.

Come up with a proposal perhaps, or even ask if you can help them out with some part time work, or voluntary work to gain a bit of experience. From this they should be able to see that you are competent and will be more willing to take you on as a student.

My supervisor for example isn't that interested in what grades people got, but is more interested in their ability and also their perseverance to do what they want to do!

Good luck.

Thanks for the reply guys.....really appreciate it....my moral needs a boost to say the least!It will be hard for me to get back on the saddle and start the thesis again but I guess I have to try.Any other tips?