Honours vs Ordinary Degree
The distinction between Honours and Ordinary degrees lies in the achievements of the undergraduate. The British system of differentiating between students based on marks obtained or other qualifications earned at the undergraduate level is used in many parts of the world with some variations. The process of awarding Honours degrees is credited to the UK. This article aims to clarify the confusion often surrounding an Honours degree versus an ordinary degree.
Sometimes people mention their degree on their name cards along with the word “Honours.” Most universities make this distinction between students, offering degrees with or without Honours. All candidates sit for honours; some pass it while the majority fail to pass it. Those who pass this exam get a degree with honours, while those who fail to qualify receive an ordinary Pass degree. A candidate who fails badly at honours gets another attempt to pass but is not given honours; instead, they just get a pass. Most universities in Britain award honours degrees based on the average marks secured by the candidate. Students securing 70% or more marks are given First Class honours; 60-70% classifies a student for Upper Second Class Honours; 50-60% gets one Lower Second Class Honours, and 40-50% qualifies a student for Third Class Honours. Below this are, of course, ordinary Pass and lastly, Fail.
Key Takeaways
- An ordinary degree is awarded to undergraduates who have obtained below 40% of the total marks but above fail marks, and do not have a class. This is better than failing but will not look good on a resume.
- An Honours degree is awarded to an undergraduate who passes the degree with good results, obtaining a score between 100-40% of the marks. First, Second, or Third Class Honours are offered based on the score, which is determined by the marks the undergraduate obtains for examinations and assignments.
- The system of awarding honours degrees at the undergraduate level is common in Britain and many other countries worldwide. All candidates get a chance to pass with honours, depending on their average marks obtained. There is First Class with Honours, Second Class with Honours, and so on, and lastly, there is an ordinary Pass.
What is an Ordinary Degree?
An ordinary degree is awarded when one passes the degree exam, completing all the expected work but not achieving an excellent performance. This is better than being failed. However, if you have studied for three years and have only received an ordinary degree, this may not be good for your resume.
What is an Honours Degree?
An Honours degree is awarded when an undergraduate passes the degree with good results, obtaining a score between 100-40% of the marks. This score is decided by the marks the undergraduate obtains for examinations and assignments. There is also a degree called First Class Honours with Distinction, which is the highest honours that can be achieved. Nationally (in the UK), about 10% of students qualify for this achievement, while the majority of students pass through with Second Class Honours. It is very hard for a student to secure a First Class Honours with Distinction. Even getting a First Class Honours is very difficult in some subject areas, as some Universities prefer not to give too many First Class Honours degrees.
However, the system of awarding honours degrees based on average marks obtained is not followed everywhere. In some universities, an honours degree often means an extra year or extra course completed at the end of the regular degree course. A separate honours year means either a very specialized subject or a thesis and a large project. For example, in a country such as Scotland, to get an Honours degree, you have to study for four years. In Australia, you have to study for five or four years to get an Honours degree. Otherwise, you will get a degree without Honours. You will have a class, but no Honours title attached to it.
There is no system of honours degrees at the master’s level or the level of doctoral degrees. This is why one does not hear about master’s with honours or doctorate with honours. Those degrees are special anyway, and people know that.
What is the difference between Honours and Ordinary Degree?
• The system of awarding honours degrees at the undergraduate level is common in Britain and many other countries worldwide.
• All candidates get a chance to pass with honours, depending on their average marks obtained.
• Thus, there is First Class with Honours, Second Class with Honours, and so on, and lastly, there is an ordinary Pass.
• In some countries, it is not average marks obtained, but an extra year with specialized subjects put in, that classify one to get an honours degree. Examples of such countries are Scotland and Australia.
