Low Masters GPA. Worried.

[Mattalbie]

Hi

I'm a little worried now.

I'm doing an accredited MSc conversion course in psychology in the UK.

Conversion courses allow students with first degrees which are unrelated to psychology to transfer into the field as long as they pass a 60 credit course prior to enrolling. We graduate with a full MSc in Psychology.

However after looking forward to this for so long when I finally started it, even though I really enjoy each module, their fascinating, I've found it so difficult to study through a lack of motivation. Consequently my grades have suffered. I keep leaving things until the last minute and then panic, it's ridiculous because I'm paying to be here and I've wanted this for so long. I'm a mature student, 39 and found it difficult getting back into studying and my study skills leave something to be desired. I recently spent a month researching a biopsych essay thoroughly enjoyed it and then screwed it up because I totally misjudged the typing up time which really bugged me because it was a good essay but it was handed in late with stupid formatting mistakes, unacceptable at this level.

We don't really have a GPA system in the UK but I have used one of the GPA conversion calcuators, I have 3 grades so far: B,B and a C1 (missed a B- by 2 points!) Anway so far I'm averaging around 2.76 for the Masters.

Were constantly told by our lecturers that grades don't matter in masters, just a pass is ok. However I'm now looking at studying PsyD or other professional doctorate in clinical Psychology in Australia and wondering if they have a GPA system. I know the Australian uni's want to look at transcripts.

I also have a few years work experience in stress management and have assisted neuro patients on a volunteer basis



Any advice?

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[Thrak]

It's a bit hard for me to say as an American (and familiar only with American programs), but I would say that grades probably do matter at least a bit. If you're looking to go on for a PhD or PsyD, programs may consider your Masters grades as an indication of how well you can handle graduate-level material.

On the other hand, you'd have a pretty convincing reason for a bad first semester. You went back to school, it took a while to adjust. It happens. Do the best you can to finish strong, then work hard in the rest of your courses from here on out. Things should work out.

Good luck!

 

[paramour]

Grades don't matter at the master's level. IF you are already in a doctoral program or IF you do not plan on pursuing a doctorate afterwards. If you need to apply to a PhD program later on, then yeah, grades do matter and someone's going to look at them and wonder why they are low, particularly when there are many people who criticize these grades to begin with because they are beleived to be inflated at the graduate level.

If this is only your first semester, then you should work harder in order to better that GPA and your work/study habits. You can address your first semester due to whatever mitigating circumstances and hopefully have enough research (not volunteer) experience that the powers that be see your side of the situation. You can do it; you simply have to work for it--wanting it and being interested in it are not enough.

G'luck!

 

[Mattalbie]

Thanks appreciate it, good advice.

 

[psy86]

Probably also depends on how you're doing in relation to your peers. In a U.S. master's program, it would be problematic if you weren't getting A's because grade inflation is rampant and the average grade is A. If that's not the case in the U.K., you may be in better shape.

 

[Mattalbie]

Good point, most people on the course have B's very few have A's and they come from redbrick uni's one student is from Cambridge. The head of the dept said it's very rare to get A's at Masters level. It's a tough course. To enrol we had to complete 60 credits in 1 month (approx 18 days teaching) so we worked virtually 18 hours a day to get through. Then we were doing 6000 word projects every 2 weeks, didn't sleep came close to burn out at one point, we were exhausted come Christmas and a few dropped out.

 

[WaitingKills]

Hey Matt.

I hate when people are told that grades don't matter in graduate programs because if you are wanting to transfer or apply to a different program they definitely do.

I studied in Australia for my masters and I know for a fact there is no grade inflation there, at least at the university I studied at. The average grade was a credit, which is about the equivilant of a C+/B-. It's been really challenging for me when applying for Ph.D programs here explaining why my GPA is approx. A-/B+ and considered 'considerably' above average.

The Australian gpa system is based on a range of 1 to 7 rather than a 4.0 scale. There are close ties between Australia and the UK so they should understand that there isn't a lot of grade inflation at most of the universities so they most likely will take this into account when looking into your application.

With that being said, you probably won't get into a top tier school (eg. UQ, ANU, U of S) but you should have at least a shot at mid range schools, especially since you are international. They love international students and usually they have reserved spots for them. Unfortunately or fortunately (depending on how you look at it) international money talks for their educational system and the program will not be funded at all. It will be expensive though so be prepared for that if you get in.