Are University of London bachelors/masters hard?

It seems that people make them out to be rather tough, and no one seems to get anything higher than a 2:2. Am I correct - What's the story?

 

I have completed year 1 of the University of London LLB external.

Maybe I'm not smart (entirely possible) but it was tough. My results were at 2:2 and I figured that I was 2:1, and my tutors figured that I could manage that as well. But the other problem is that (for the LLB at least) it's all exam based, so one bad day and a 2:1 is a 2:2, or lower even.

The majority of students who pass (and the LLB has a significant rate of failure, about 45% for the first year) get a 2:2.

In the LLB I believe that about 3% graduate with a 2:1 and the number who pull a first is miniscule (so small that it isn't represented on their nifty bar graph).

I can't speak for any other subjects, but overall the external programme has a reputation for being demanding.

 

Results from 2003 can be found in the 2004 Student Handbook available here:

http://www.londonexternal.ac.uk/studentarea/handbooks/llb_handbook_04/llb_ac_guid.pdf

See page 25

These pass rates are defined as students who passed the entire year, ie all subjects. They divide it between home and overseas students and also by the 4 different routes and by year, so there is a lot of different information. I will reproduce some of the figures here just as examples:

Scheme B year 1 combined overseas/home students pass rate 34%.
Scheme B year 2: 42% pass rate (combine overseas/home)
Scheme B year 3: 51% pass rate
Scheme B year 4: 84% pass rate.


Graduate entry route B, overseas students only:

Year 1: 50%
Year 2: 59%
Year 3: 88%

(Edit: Clarification: The "B" route/scheme are 3 courses per year. Scheme B is for non university graduates who take 12 courses to complete the degree, graduate entry route B is for degree holders who complete the LLB in 9 courses over 3 years).

Bearing in mind the graduate entry route is limited to candidates who already hold a degree.

The low pass rate the first year is not that surprising considering that as long as you meet the minimum entry qualifications you're in. What surprises me is that there is little upswing in the second year. That and the low pass rate on the graduate entry route, all those people already had degrees!

 

I think a lot depends on the specific degree program. The LLB is likely amongst the toughest.

The Birkbeck MSc in Structural Biology was quite easy. We had about 10% who failed, and about 10% who passed "with Distinction." We also had a number of people who decided not to write the exams. I may have the exact numbers at home.

 

It depends on the subject and students too....

the MBA programme I am taking is rather tough (maybe I am not smart enough)....

there are variations in how well students do in different subjects. Some subjects got 100% pass but some can have almost half of the class (it's my guess only from the statistics) failed .....

The School stands firm even when students were asking about the surprisingly poor result in a particular subject, insisting that the academic quality must be met.

given the 'distance' nature and the academic standard set by IC/UoL..... I would say it's tough

as for distinction....though we don't have any graduate for this programme yet.... from what I see...I don't think we could have 10% of classmates getting distinction.

 

My experience has been that the grading and course requirements are pretty tough (MSc Finance, SOAS). MY own experience, and those secondhand through a discussion group, is that there is NO grade inflation.

I've had a couple of tutors that gave me the feeling they would rather sell their own children than give a 70 on an assignment.

Like Professor Kennedy has said about HW MBA, you can control the intake, or you can control the outtake (I'm paraphrasing slightly). My impression is that UoL External makes the path pretty difficult so that no one will question the path after all is said and done.

That's my impression anyway.

 

I have completed all courses, passed the "additional paper" (=comprehensive exam), and just submitted the final project for the M.Sc. in Epidemiology with the University of London External Programme- am waiting to hear whether the final project is accepted.

Have found the degree challenging, with real work required to complete the assignments and pass the exams. We don't receive detailed information on the spread of grades, but from what my fellow students share, grade inflation is NOT apparent.

That said, I don't think they will admit you to the program if you can't do the work. Be glad the degrees are challgenging- that is what makes them generally well respected and accepted.

Alex