Technical definition of a degree

[David H]

With the Dept of Education's ladder now in operation giving all qualifications an equivalence level we have A levels at level 3, with 4&5 going to 1st and 2nd years of a degree and 6 to a graduate, and 7 to postgraduate.

This means certificates and diplomas are now designated by level eg Dip., Grad Dip. and PG Dip. etc so you can tell the difference. However, Cambridge University are now advertising all their level 6 qualifications, degrees, diplomas and certificates as 'degrees'. Does this mean the official name for any level 6 qualification is a degree even if only a third of the actual work for a certificate (equivalent to completing the 3rd year of a bachelor's degree)?

[Buenchico]

A pedantic point (but possibly relevant here):
Officially a degree isn't a 'qualification' at all. The awarding of a degree is entry into a class of membership of a university. So, for example, the 'Members' of the University of Sheffield aren't either its staff or its undergraduates but its alumni. (Postgraduate students and staff are only Members of a university if they hold a degree from that university).

(Some religious sects insist that their members may not hold membership of any other organisation, which results in occasional requests from university graduates for their degrees to be withdrawn by their Alma Maters).

Each university retains the freedom to determine the criteria for entry into Membership of that university, which is why they're allowed to award honorary degrees to people who've never even studied there. It further explains why Oxford and Cambridge are allowed to permit holders of first degrees to move up from 'Bachelor' to 'Master' (which are simply different classes of membership) upon payment of a nominal fee.

So, if Cambridge chooses to offer 'Membership' to anyone who holds a 25 metre swimming certificate (awarded by them), that certificate automatically becomes a 'degree'!

Chris
(Member of the University of Sheffield, despite being unable to swim 25 metres!)

[plautus]

Can't argue with Chris. When I went up to Durham in 1972 the first thing I did was matriculate, which made me a member of the university in statu pupillarii, but with no voting rights. Three years later I was admitted to the degree of Bachelor of Arts, which theoretically gave me voting rights in Convocation.

[David H]

Fascinating stuff, and certainly new to me. I'll go and follow up the history now I've been directed, and seems the definition does appear to relate to the institution rather than the qualification itself.