Getting a university degree is never meant to be easy. Three or more years aren’t spent working all night in the library or slogging through a dissertation because it’s fun – you do it because the prize waiting at the end is worth the hassle.
But what if it was possible to get a degree without working so hard? A recent Freedom of Information request has found that 11 UK universities awarded a degree to every single student last year.
With not a single person failing their course, the UK’s former education minister Lord Adonis has criticized institutions for going soft on their students. He’s quoted in The Times as saying: “It is not credible that none, or virtually none, will fail to make the grade. This yet again raises the issue of standards and universities’ obsession with milking revenue out of students without requiring enough in return.”
While some grumble, the news that so many students can leave university with a degree (even if it’s only a third-class honors) is fantastic for anyone more interested in gaining a qualification than actually working hard on their studies. Here are the 11 UK universities where every student was awarded a degree this year, and some suggestions about what you could study there.
University of Oxford
QS World University Rankings® 2018 Rank: 6th
One of the best universities in the world, the University of Oxford surprisingly didn’t fail a single student in 2017. Is it just because they’re all naturally geniuses anyway? Maybe. At rival institution the University of Cambridge, student performances were similarly impressive, with less than one percent failing.
What to study: The University of Oxford is ranked number one in the world for four subjects in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2017: anatomy & physiology, archaeology, English language and literature, and geography.
University of Edinburgh
QS World University Rankings® 2018 Rank: =23rd
The best university in Scotland also boasts a perfect pass rate, something which will be particularly good news for any of the Scottish students at the University of Edinburgh who also don’t have to pay tuition fees.
What to study: The University of Edinburgh is considered to be among the world’s best institutions for three different subjects: linguistics, veterinary science, and English language and literature.
Durham University
QS World University Rankings® 2018 Rank: =78th
Durham University likes to consider itself a third alternative to Oxford and Cambridge, so it’s perhaps no surprise that, like Oxford, all of its students received a degree last year.
What to study: Durham University is ranked in the world’s top five for two different subjects: theology, divinity & religious studies, and archaeology. It’s also in the world’s top 10 for geography.
University of Bath
QS World University Rankings® 2018 Rank: 160th
The University of Bath is the first institution on this list to fall outside of the world’s top 100, and subsequently it’s from here onwards that critics may suggest the explanation for the perfect pass rate can’t be purely put down to all the students being exceptionally bright.
What to study: It’s unsurprising that the University of Bath is ranked 22nd in the world for sports-related subjects, given the university’s reputation as an incubator for top UK sporting talent.
University of Liverpool
QS World University Rankings® 2018 Rank: =173rd
The University of Liverpool is another Russell Group institution to make this list, and is also the largest provider of 100 percent online postgraduate degrees in Europe.
What to study: The University of Liverpool is ranked fifth in the world for veterinary science, with its next best performance coming for mineral & mining engineering (ranked joint 47th).
University of Surrey
QS World University Rankings® 2018 Rank: =264th
Dropping out of the top 200, the University of Surrey is our next institution with a perfect pass rate for its students. Although this rank is perhaps less remarkable than other universities, Surrey is well-regarded for particular degree programs (see below).
What to study: You won’t find many places in the world which can offer a better hospitality & leisure management degree program. The University of Surrey’s is ranked fifth in the world.
University of East London
QS World University Rankings® 2018 Rank: 801-1000
Squeezing into the top 1000, the University of East London isn’t likely to be the first institution based in the capital city to come to mind when it’s time to apply to universities. The fact every student last year left with a degree might help change your mind though.
What to study: The university doesn’t feature in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2017. However, it’s particularly notable for its Royal Docks School of Business and Law.
Also on the list…
Four more universities passed all of their students last year, none of which are ranked in the most recent world university rankings. These institutions are: Abertay University, University of Sunderland, Arts University College at Bournemouth and University of Worcester.
Lead image: Ninara (Flickr)
