I got a 2:2 on my first degree and have now done a masters. I have been applying for phds and i have an interview, but what's the best answer to give to an interviewer who asks why I only got a 2:2 at undergraduate level?

Whatever you think the reason for your 2(ii) is you should avoid sounding like you're making excuses and take some of the responsibility yourself. Once you have been selected for interview you shouldn't really worry about the 2(ii). If the supervisor's worried that you might not be clever enough they will judge based on your general knowledge and understanding of your subject together with your overall performance in the interview.

I found the best reply to that was that you had personal problems during your course that made you lose sight of what you came to university for. i found that if i gave this answer the supervisors did not press me for any details.
I did actually have some personal problems, but i did also slightly embellish this fact as i was lazy in my first degree, had to do a masters and have now got myself a good CASE studentship at a good university for an area of reseacrh that i am really interested in.

I think you should come clean - this would be the grown-up thing to do. Using the "I had a few personal problems" card is one that I imagine many people use, and interviewers would normally be able to see through this kind of statement for what it is. Besides, you wouldn't be doing any favours to the people who genuinely did suffer difficult personal problems during their first degree.

I only just scraped 2:1 and my BSc tutor gave me bad references, saying that I wasn’t of the standard to start a PhD. I didn't know this until I was asked at a PhD interview why my BSc tutor gave me a poor reference. I gave the honest answer, which was that when I was taking my BSc I hadn't really appreciated what the whole study thing was about. I only really learnt during the final semester, and then really appreciated it during my MSc year. As such I came across quite well.

I am in the same boat as you and it is such an awkward question to answer! I do agree with Waiting to pounce's reply! Are your Bachelors and Masters in the same area as your PhD as mine aren't which further complicates matters and I feel puts me at a disadvantage as I'm trying to get into the area of my masters. Good Luck.

You could also point out that your 2.2 reflects who were then (ie. ungrad - didn't appreciate the study thing) and what you've done since to remedy that(i.e. Masters)which has lead you to current PhD. I also got asked where I was in the 2.2 range to which I replied I didn't know as I don't really want to find out!

Hey Anon.
My MSc and BSc were is very different fields (Forensic Anthropology and Biomed Science respectively). My PhD is in evolutionary developmental biology, so I shouldn't worry too much about the masters and BSc being to different, so long as you are the right sort of student for a phd.

I am a foreign student and our degrees give marks for the different subjects we had to do and for a research project.

I was so stupid to take some forestry classes were I went into fights with the macho profs resulting in abysmal marks on that part. However, since I performed very well in my ecology, zoology classes and my research project, I kinda made that my emphasis during my PhD interview. :-) And it worked, I got my PhD place.

Thanks Waiting to Pounce. That's good to know. So what exactly is the right sort of student? I'm afraid I don't come off well at all in interviews - pretty dismal indeed! Is it ok to ask feedback twice as I got some feedback and I would like the person to further explain what he meant but without sounding pushy. I was told I should have given more insight/ideas into my MSc project and potential PhD and I want some clarification as to what I should have said. Is that unreasonable and a stupid thing to ask?

Hey Anon.

Phone up the academic who interiviewed you. Ask for feed back that way. I found its the best way to speak to people. It won't seem too pushy. (Without wanting to seem too smug, check out this thread about phoning people from this forum)

Thanks to everyone who ventured an opinion here. I've now had my interview, and I did indeed get asked about the 2:2. I did take responsibility for it and said I didn't like my 1st degree very much, but that I really enjoyed the research part of my masters. Seemed to work as I got offered the PhD on the spot!

I am in my last year at University doing a politics degree and am heading for a 2:2 because I argue with everyone because I am right-wing. My love is in military history and I really want to do an MA then a PhD in military history hopefully. That is my dream. However, I am really worried that firstly, I wont be accepted and secondly that if I complete a Phd and want to perhaps teach I will not be taken seriously because of my 2:2 first degree? Any help or advice would be great.

I'm afraid that the best advice is to start heading for a 2(i) rather than a 2(ii). Funding for postgraduate courses in the humanities is extremely hard to come by and competition is intense.