C.N.A.A. degrees in the social sciences: A comparative analysis

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Abstract
The structure of C.N.A.A. honours degree classifications during the period 1971–75 is analysed by subject and systematic variations in the awards are identified. The proportion of ‘good˚s degrees awarded by Social Science subjects is consistently found to be below that of other subjects. Entry standards and wastage rates are analysed as possible sources of variation in the pattern of classifications. Finally, the extent of correspondence between C.N.A.A. and university degree awards is examined and possible hypotheses are considered. The establishment of the Council for National Academic Awards (C.N.A.A.) in 1964 is acknowledged as a significant milestone in the development of British higher education and the importance of the C.N.A.A. has increased with the formation and growth of the Polytechnics in the last decade. With more data becoming available on the performance of students on C.N.A.A. degree courses, it is now possible to subject these awards to analysis and this is the purpose of this paper. Attention is focused in particular on the performance of students of Social Sciences. In Section 1, we identify the pattern of first degree awards and the distribution of honours grades between subject areas. In Section 2, we consider the data on entry qualifications of students enrolling on C.N.A.A. degree courses to see if variations in entrance standards contribute to any revealed differences in degree awards. An important factor in analysing the performance of these students is the number who, for various reasons, fail to complete the degree course on which they initially enrol. The data on what is often referred to by the somewhat unfortunate term ‘wastage˚s are examined in Section 3. The C.N.A.A. Charter requires that the Council's degrees are comparable in standards to awards conferred by universities. In Section 4 we compare the degree results of the C.N.A.A. and the universities to see if there is prima facie evidence that the requirements of the Charter are being fulfilled.

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