OXBRIDGE MA DEGREES

Early day motion 806, tabled 6 June 2000 by Jackie Lawrence (Labour). Signed by 58 members.

That this House expresses concern at the process whereby, unlike at other universities in the UK, Bachelor of Arts graduates from Oxford and Cambridge can apply for the automatic granting of an MA degree; notes that this practice enables graduates from Oxford and Cambridge to claim an apparent advantage in the jobs market over graduates attaining a Bachelor of Arts degree from other universities and devalues and undermines the efforts and achievements of those students earning an MA after a period of further study and assessment by examination or dissertation; and calls for either the phasing out of the 'free of effort' MA Oxbridge degree or alternatively the provision of automatic MA degrees for all graduates in a spirit of equality and fairness regardless of their universities.

Signatures by party: Labour 48, Labour/Co-operative 7, Liberal Democrat 2, Unknown 1.