THE HIERARCHY OF DEGREES

THE HIERARCHY OF UNIVERSITY DEGREES

Many people of Society In Britain Today, the Educational Establishment and Recruitment Agencies seem committed  to The Hierarchy of Degrees rather than Non Degree Candidates. The more I think about this the more I realise how utterly wrong these red lines are.
I have been,  in my career an Examiner for University Postgraduate Degrees, First Degrees and Professional Diplomas and I have Recruited hundreds of Candidates in my Business Career.

Now, let me start with the PhD Degree. This gives entry for many to get a Professorship in most Universities. To many, a holder of a PhD is better than someone with a BA Degree.
My view is that this is rubbish.
A person who has achieved a PhD is someone who had studied in depth, one tiny segment of a specialist Subject.
No more or less. This does not by any stretch of the imagination prove  that he or she is more qualified than someone who has a BA or BSc Degree or in fact, does not have any Degree at all.

The same stupid views apply to the grading of First Degrees.
Many employers ask for a BA First or Upper Second Degree.
The poor Candidates with a mere BA Lower Second Are left out in the cold.
Do Employers realise that there may be only 5-10% different in Marks between the two ? Or, the BA Second Class Candidate only had poor marks in one question ?

This reliance on Degrees and Degree Grades is so short sighted. What about
“ Emotional Intelligence ?”
In case you do not know what EI is all about, let me enlighten you. EI is about the attitudes, thinking, character and motivational skills of a candidate. These personal characteristics are just as important as qualifications based on Knowledge Based characteristics.

This means that a Candidate with no Degree might be a better Manager than one with a PhD, BA or BSc. We ought to remember this.
This is why I am a great supporter of the Apprentice Schemes.
There is too much snobbery about University Education nowadays.

The exceptions to the above views are ....Medicine, Accountancy, Engineering, Law.

So, be careful Recruiters when you draw up Job Descriptions. Keep an Open mind.
Do not draw red lines giving preference to the Degree Hierarchy !

Try and be fairer. The Hierarchy of Degrees can often prove to be a wrong assessment and the loss of Candidates of great promise.