PhD Discussion Forum

Hey everyone,

I posted a while back saying that I had received an offer of a PhD place at Strathclyde in environmental engineering. I have since declined the offer after much deliberation and nerve shredding. The plan was, and still is, to await the next round of funded places in environmental science. I received my MSc results today (after being delayed twice I might add!). They are not as good as I had hoped. I had an average weighted score of 63% (very consistent with a couple of outliers in either direction) in the taught component, and was awarded a 58% for my thesis. This has brought my average weighted score down to 60.77%. Given this, I thought I would still scrape a merit, but after reading the small print, because I did not get a merit in my thesis, then I have been downgraded to a pass. Angry does not begin to describe how I feel and because there was no academic impropriety, I can't launch an academic appeal. I should be happy given that I have passed, but the celebrations have been marred by this latest revelation.

What I want to know is how likely is this to impact any future chances of my getting a PhD offer? Anyone else in, or has been in a similar situation? I had three interviews at well respected universities prior to my being awarded an MSc, so I like to think my chances won't have been harmed, but you never know. Presumably, this was on the back of getting a 2:1 in my BSc and the promise of further study?

Thanks for taking a look, and for your advice.

Just have BSc in subject X, MSc in subject Y. Grades don't matter as much as demonstrating the level of research you are capable of. And you've shown that by getting the MSc. Don't worry so much.