Honorary Degrees - WTF?!
Discussion
As if degrees aren't being dumbed-down enough by New Labour's policy of allowing any dip-sh
t that has the ability to sign up for a student loan the right to go to a re-branded polytechnic and leave with a degree 3 years later, it now seems that universities aren't letting the fact that people didn't even go to any university, let alone their own fking one, stop them from handing them out like a particularly diligent London Lite paper boy.
It wouldn't be so bad if the universities showed some sort of responsibility and only bestowed them on people who have truly revolutionised their particular sphere of activity, but I understand that the inane wastes of space that are Vernon Kaye and Sara Cox have been given them in what I can only conclude is a transparent marketing attempt for the "institutions" involved.
It seems to escape the people in charge at these places that they're further devaluing something that most people see as pretty close to soddng worthless in the first place.
Any thoughts from the PH crowd?
t that has the ability to sign up for a student loan the right to go to a re-branded polytechnic and leave with a degree 3 years later, it now seems that universities aren't letting the fact that people didn't even go to any university, let alone their own fking one, stop them from handing them out like a particularly diligent London Lite paper boy.It wouldn't be so bad if the universities showed some sort of responsibility and only bestowed them on people who have truly revolutionised their particular sphere of activity, but I understand that the inane wastes of space that are Vernon Kaye and Sara Cox have been given them in what I can only conclude is a transparent marketing attempt for the "institutions" involved.
It seems to escape the people in charge at these places that they're further devaluing something that most people see as pretty close to sodd
ng worthless in the first place.Any thoughts from the PH crowd?
Edited by youngsyr on Tuesday 7th July 12:33
Lex Luther said:
Quite agree with you in some respects BUT as I was at Uni with Vern back in the early/mid 90's he wasn't the best of examples to use - oh, and I went to one of those 'rebranded' Uni's (Crewe and Alsager) when I did my teacher training.
Are you saying Vernon Kaye has a degree that he actually earned through academic study, or that he started university and then flunked out. If the former, I'll get my coat whilst being astonished. Out of interest, which university was it?
Don't get me started on this. I wasted 4 years of my life getting a 2:2 in automotive engineering from the University of Hertfordshire. OK so I got really poor A level results and had to do a foundation year with that Uni to make up for it, so I did and finished top of the class with 5 A's and 2 B's - it seems stuff is easier to learn when its relevant. Then go to the uni properly, study hard etc, and I get a 2:2 at the end of it when I was expecting a good 2:1. Go and mention it to the head of engineering faculty only to be told it was because I did the foundation year that the best grade I could expect was a 2:2. Another lecturer who had been really helpful with my major project (worth a 1/4 of my degree) gave me a 2:2 on that and said it was because he believed that was the best grade I was ever capable of achieving. And he felt that he'd done enough to ensure I'd put together the best I could.
So basically they set out who's going to get what before you even start the exams. Apparently, school teachers do the same - according to my Aunt & Uncle - both teachers. Rather amusingly they don't see anything wrong with this.
So yes, the university system does suck, is seriously flawed and means we don't have enough trades people for the future when the Polish all leave. It does bother me with these honourary degrees too, a certain J Clarkson has about 3 doesn't he? I know one of them is for doing an impressive documentary on Isambard Kingdom Brunel. Well I did a major report on the SS Great Britain for my foundation year and got an A on it. Could have saved me a load of hassle had I got an honourary degree for that.
So basically they set out who's going to get what before you even start the exams. Apparently, school teachers do the same - according to my Aunt & Uncle - both teachers. Rather amusingly they don't see anything wrong with this.
So yes, the university system does suck, is seriously flawed and means we don't have enough trades people for the future when the Polish all leave. It does bother me with these honourary degrees too, a certain J Clarkson has about 3 doesn't he? I know one of them is for doing an impressive documentary on Isambard Kingdom Brunel. Well I did a major report on the SS Great Britain for my foundation year and got an A on it. Could have saved me a load of hassle had I got an honourary degree for that.
youngsyr said:
As if degrees aren't being dumbed-down enough by New Labour's policy of allowing any dip-sht that has the ability to sign up for a student loan the right to go to a re-branded polytechnic and leave with a degree 3 years later, it now seems that universities aren't letting the fact that people didn't even go to any university, let alone their own fking one, stop them from handing them out like a particularly diligent London Lite paper boy.
It wouldn't be so bad if the universities showed some sort of responsibility and only bestowed them on people who have truly revolutionised their particular sphere of activity, but I understand that the inane wastes of space that are Vernon Kaye and Sara Cox have been given them in what I can only conclude is a transparent marketing attempt for the "institutions" involved.
It seems to escape the people in charge at these places that they're further devaluing something that most people see as pretty close to soddng worthless in the first place.
Any thoughts from the PH crowd?
Three years for a degree is a joke, when I went to design college in the 90s I had to do 4 years just to get a HND, and you could only do a degree course if you had a Diploma, and the degree course was 3 year with the 2 years for the Diploma, so 5 in total. t that has the ability to sign up for a student loan the right to go to a re-branded polytechnic and leave with a degree 3 years later, it now seems that universities aren't letting the fact that people didn't even go to any university, let alone their own fking one, stop them from handing them out like a particularly diligent London Lite paper boy.It wouldn't be so bad if the universities showed some sort of responsibility and only bestowed them on people who have truly revolutionised their particular sphere of activity, but I understand that the inane wastes of space that are Vernon Kaye and Sara Cox have been given them in what I can only conclude is a transparent marketing attempt for the "institutions" involved.
It seems to escape the people in charge at these places that they're further devaluing something that most people see as pretty close to sodd
ng worthless in the first place.Any thoughts from the PH crowd?
Edited by youngsyr on Tuesday 7th July 12:33
Edited by BBS-LM on Tuesday 7th July 13:02
Edited by BBS-LM on Tuesday 7th July 13:04
BBS-LM said:
youngsyr said:
As if degrees aren't being dumbed-down enough by New Labour's policy of allowing any dip-sht that has the ability to sign up for a student loan the right to go to a re-branded polytechnic and leave with a degree 3 years later, it now seems that universities aren't letting the fact that people didn't even go to any university, let alone their own fking one, stop them from handing them out like a particularly diligent London Lite paper boy.
It wouldn't be so bad if the universities showed some sort of responsibility and only bestowed them on people who have truly revolutionised their particular sphere of activity, but I understand that the inane wastes of space that are Vernon Kaye and Sara Cox have been given them in what I can only conclude is a transparent marketing attempt for the "institutions" involved.
It seems to escape the people in charge at these places that they're further devaluing something that most people see as pretty close to soddng worthless in the first place.
Any thoughts from the PH crowd?
Three years for a degree is a joke, when I went to design college in the 90s I had to do 4 years just to get a HND, and you could only do a degree course if you had a Diploma, and the degree course was 5 year in total with the 2 years for the Diploma. t that has the ability to sign up for a student loan the right to go to a re-branded polytechnic and leave with a degree 3 years later, it now seems that universities aren't letting the fact that people didn't even go to any university, let alone their own fking one, stop them from handing them out like a particularly diligent London Lite paper boy.It wouldn't be so bad if the universities showed some sort of responsibility and only bestowed them on people who have truly revolutionised their particular sphere of activity, but I understand that the inane wastes of space that are Vernon Kaye and Sara Cox have been given them in what I can only conclude is a transparent marketing attempt for the "institutions" involved.
It seems to escape the people in charge at these places that they're further devaluing something that most people see as pretty close to sodd
ng worthless in the first place.Any thoughts from the PH crowd?
Edited by youngsyr on Tuesday 7th July 12:33
Edited by BBS-LM on Tuesday 7th July 13:02
So most people do 2 years of A levels then 3 years of a degree which isn't all that different?
Personally I think they could easily have cut at least a year off of my degree and I could still easily have done the same amount of work and learned just as much, but there you go.
As strange as it seems he did get his degree - I was doing the BEd(hons) Business Studies and if memory serves me right he did the HND Business Admin and topped it up with the BA (hons) business Admin.
- this has certainly brought back some (bad) memories of Crewe, I knew I should have just bought a degree off the internet but we'll save that for another thread!!!!! -
- this has certainly brought back some (bad) memories of Crewe, I knew I should have just bought a degree off the internet but we'll save that for another thread!!!!! -
It's hardly new. I graduated from my first degree in 1994, and at my degree ceremony Colin Jackson was there to receive an honorary degree for his intellectual achievements in the field of running very quickly. Seems an odd practice to me, like pausing the Olympic medal ceremony to give a gold to Stephen Hawking for his outstanding sporting success in physics.
youngsyr said:
BBS-LM said:
youngsyr said:
As if degrees aren't being dumbed-down enough by New Labour's policy of allowing any dip-sht that has the ability to sign up for a student loan the right to go to a re-branded polytechnic and leave with a degree 3 years later, it now seems that universities aren't letting the fact that people didn't even go to any university, let alone their own fking one, stop them from handing them out like a particularly diligent London Lite paper boy.
It wouldn't be so bad if the universities showed some sort of responsibility and only bestowed them on people who have truly revolutionised their particular sphere of activity, but I understand that the inane wastes of space that are Vernon Kaye and Sara Cox have been given them in what I can only conclude is a transparent marketing attempt for the "institutions" involved.
It seems to escape the people in charge at these places that they're further devaluing something that most people see as pretty close to soddng worthless in the first place.
Any thoughts from the PH crowd?
Three years for a degree is a joke, when I went to design college in the 90s I had to do 4 years just to get a HND, and you could only do a degree course if you had a Diploma, and the degree course was 5 year in total with the 2 years for the Diploma. t that has the ability to sign up for a student loan the right to go to a re-branded polytechnic and leave with a degree 3 years later, it now seems that universities aren't letting the fact that people didn't even go to any university, let alone their own fking one, stop them from handing them out like a particularly diligent London Lite paper boy.It wouldn't be so bad if the universities showed some sort of responsibility and only bestowed them on people who have truly revolutionised their particular sphere of activity, but I understand that the inane wastes of space that are Vernon Kaye and Sara Cox have been given them in what I can only conclude is a transparent marketing attempt for the "institutions" involved.
It seems to escape the people in charge at these places that they're further devaluing something that most people see as pretty close to sodd
ng worthless in the first place.Any thoughts from the PH crowd?
Edited by youngsyr on Tuesday 7th July 12:33
Edited by BBS-LM on Tuesday 7th July 13:02
So most people do 2 years of A levels then 3 years of a degree which isn't all that different?
Personally I think they could easily have cut at least a year off of my degree and I could still easily have done the same amount of work and learned just as much, but there you go.
Edited by BBS-LM on Tuesday 7th July 13:26
Edited by BBS-LM on Tuesday 7th July 13:32
swerni said:
BBS-LM said:
youngsyr said:
BBS-LM said:
youngsyr said:
As if degrees aren't being dumbed-down enough by New Labour's policy of allowing any dip-sht that has the ability to sign up for a student loan the right to go to a re-branded polytechnic and leave with a degree 3 years later, it now seems that universities aren't letting the fact that people didn't even go to any university, let alone their own fking one, stop them from handing them out like a particularly diligent London Lite paper boy.
It wouldn't be so bad if the universities showed some sort of responsibility and only bestowed them on people who have truly revolutionised their particular sphere of activity, but I understand that the inane wastes of space that are Vernon Kaye and Sara Cox have been given them in what I can only conclude is a transparent marketing attempt for the "institutions" involved.
It seems to escape the people in charge at these places that they're further devaluing something that most people see as pretty close to soddng worthless in the first place.
Any thoughts from the PH crowd?
Three years for a degree is a joke, when I went to design college in the 90s I had to do 4 years just to get a HND, and you could only do a degree course if you had a Diploma, and the degree course was 5 year in total with the 2 years for the Diploma. t that has the ability to sign up for a student loan the right to go to a re-branded polytechnic and leave with a degree 3 years later, it now seems that universities aren't letting the fact that people didn't even go to any university, let alone their own fking one, stop them from handing them out like a particularly diligent London Lite paper boy.It wouldn't be so bad if the universities showed some sort of responsibility and only bestowed them on people who have truly revolutionised their particular sphere of activity, but I understand that the inane wastes of space that are Vernon Kaye and Sara Cox have been given them in what I can only conclude is a transparent marketing attempt for the "institutions" involved.
It seems to escape the people in charge at these places that they're further devaluing something that most people see as pretty close to sodd
ng worthless in the first place.Any thoughts from the PH crowd?
Edited by youngsyr on Tuesday 7th July 12:33
Edited by BBS-LM on Tuesday 7th July 13:02
So most people do 2 years of A levels then 3 years of a degree which isn't all that different?
Personally I think they could easily have cut at least a year off of my degree and I could still easily have done the same amount of work and learned just as much, but there you go.
Edited by BBS-LM on Tuesday 7th July 13:26
HND
Have
NO
Degree
k Offswerni said:
My HND only took me 2 years 
I thought HNDs were roughly equivalent to A levels, and usually taken over 2 years too.youngsyr said:
I understand that the inane wastes of space that are Vernon Kaye and Sara Cox have been given them in what I can only conclude is a transparent marketing attempt for the "institutions" involved.
Any thoughts from the PH crowd?
What was it for?Any thoughts from the PH crowd?
If Sara Cox was given an honorary degree in 'Broadcast Media' then I would not see that as irrelevant.
You could argue she might have more knowledge of it than perhaps new graduates of the subject?
Edited by parakitaMol. on Tuesday 7th July 13:48
BBS-LM said:
I think not mate, you do not spend 4 year in collage to get A levels do you, National Diploma is equivalent to A levels, and you need a Diploma or A levels to do a HND or Degree course, HND is one down from a degree.
4 year in collage? Is that 4 years sticking bits of paper together making nice pictures and shapes? They gave you an HND for that?parakitaMol. said:
swerni said:
My HND only took me 2 years
I thought HNDs were roughly equivalent to A levels, and usually taken over 2 years too.Honourary degrees, just marketing.
Otoliths post is the perfect way to describe them though
Ewan S said:
Don't get me started on this. I wasted 4 years of my life getting a 2:2 in automotive engineering from the University of Hertfordshire. OK so I got really poor A level results and had to do a foundation year with that Uni to make up for it, so I did and finished top of the class with 5 A's and 2 B's - it seems stuff is easier to learn when its relevant. Then go to the uni properly, study hard etc, and I get a 2:2 at the end of it when I was expecting a good 2:1. Go and mention it to the head of engineering faculty only to be told it was because I did the foundation year that the best grade I could expect was a 2:2. Another lecturer who had been really helpful with my major project (worth a 1/4 of my degree) gave me a 2:2 on that and said it was because he believed that was the best grade I was ever capable of achieving. And he felt that he'd done enough to ensure I'd put together the best I couldt.
Fellow BEng Herts uni graduate here, I knew a few guys on the Foundation programme and they were all well aware of this, I hate to say it but did you not read the small print? parakitaMol. said:
swerni said:
My HND only took me 2 years
I thought HNDs were roughly equivalent to A levels, and usually taken over 2 years too.youngsyr said:
I understand that the inane wastes of space that are Vernon Kaye and Sara Cox have been given them in what I can only conclude is a transparent marketing attempt for the "institutions" involved.
Any thoughts from the PH crowd?
What was it for?Any thoughts from the PH crowd?
If Sara Cox was given an honorary degree in 'Broadcast Media' then I would not see that as irrelevant.
You could argue she might have more knowledge of it than perhaps new graduates of the subject?
Edited by parakitaMol. on Tuesday 7th July 13:48
I somehow doubt that she would know more about broadcasting than an academic who had studied it "full-time" for a three-year first degree and then a further year or so for their doctorate.
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