In the eyes of employers (or/ and academics)- is a Masters or PhD with distinction or merit or whatever deemed as any better than a Masters or PhD without a merit or distinction (or whatever)?

Thanks

Yes, a Masters with distinction is deemed better than one without. Although many countries do use a PhD with Distinction grade (eg Australia, Netherlands, Portugal) we're not aware of any UK universities awarding this grade.

Does it make alot of difference?

Thanks

It all depends on the amount of competition you are up against. Put yourself in the place of the employer, who will be looking for a number of qualities in the candidates they are interviewing. One of those characteristics will be how clever or hard working they are. The person with a distinction will naturally be presumed to be either more intelligent or hard working than the candidate without one. They will look at other factors, but the person with the distinction has the advantage. You may be entering a field with very little competition or where other candidates do not have a Masters degree, in that case a distinction will be less important.

Last question now... If I were
a PhD graduate of one of those Universities that grant distinction at PhD level and gained a distinction, and I came up against a PhD graduate without a distinction, either through being at an institution that doesnt offer distinction or by that student just failing to reach that level, would it really make much difference then?

If a PhD student with a distinction came up against one who was at a university that didn't offer distinctions then they would probably be treated equally. References for academic positions are taken quite seriously particularly when appointing newly qualified PhDs and it is these that would bear the most influence.

Have read the message below - could the team tell me if a PhD with distinction is really that much better than a PhD without (at such a high level does it really make a difference?) - as I am thinking of going to one of those countries to study. Thank you

Hello Team - could you answer my question below? thanks

There is no definitive answer, except to say that if you took a PhD in an institution that offered distinctions and didn't get it you would be at a disadvantage against somebody who did. It's really not worth worrying about.

If you are good and you're at an institution that doesn't offer distinctions you'll have produced a good thesis, produced some good results and have good references - you won't need a 'distinction' to confirm this. Likewise if you weren't so good during your PhD potential employers will be able to spot it.

The idea that a PhD is 'at such a high level' is not always true - there can be a very wide ability range between people with the title PhD - some scrape through and others excel.

So PhD with distinction versus PhD without is, in your opinion not something that is really worth worrying about?
Is this what you are saying?

Thanks for the info...

So does the team think that the difference between a PhD with distinction and one without is really not worth worrying about and also do any other countries' universities offer distinctions apart from those listed below?

Thank you.

Hi can the team verify that what i am saying below is correct - i could do with this info quite urgently. thanks

As we have already said there is no definitive answer. If you are choosing whether to take a PhD course which offers the possibility of obtaining a distinction against one that doesn't then it won't really matter which you choose.

Yes other countries do offer distinctions.

Do you know if universities in the Caribbean or USA award PhD with Distinction? What if you have done a PhD in England and want to pursue a Postdoctorate in USA, how would they consider you degree (eg. equivalent to theirs??) Thanks

Plenty of UK PhDs go over to do postdocs in the USA - a PhD is a PhD is a PhD - unless you bought it off the internet.