I'm sure none of you care but...

[jj]

For the last time; the posting under 'aliases; is forbidden.

Check the addy, and if you're still not convinced, ask the Mods-
my ISP is logged every time I post. If you like, I'll ring Maggsy later
and get him to do a 'simulpost'.
I came in pissed this even, and decided to have some [possibly not very
funny] fun- and at no time have I pretended to be M.

[jj]

...I had hoped you would have noticed that the grammar and spelling
were of a slightly higher standard.... [img]http://bgafd.co.uk/forum/smileys/tears.gif[/img]

[jj]

Hers.
Um...them's.

They's?

[intrigued]

Well that's not something I can even start to deny. I work in faculty now, and work with about 10-12 PhD students at various stages of their doctoral studies. 10 of them I could say now I wouldn't pass, because they show absolutely no sign of independent thought. They meet with their supervisor, get a course of action, go and do it and then go back for more spoon feeding. They don't even know WHY they're doing some of the things they are doing. Id someone was to make the argument that the degree is being devalued, I'd struggle to argue against them.

[jj]

Absolutely- and my experience was some 10 years ago; after we had
had to teach them 'A'-level mathematics and physics in their first
undergrad. year.

[Lizard]

right.

[intrigued]

To some degree, you can see it from the university's point of view- they don't have the support to continue their activities from government so they need to fill their coffers by taking more students and farming them out. To give you some idea, I work in one of the biggest universities in the UK, with over 100 departments spread over six faculties, as well as a medical school. Last year, we were one of three departments to operate at financial gain over the year- mainly due to the fact that every project is industrially supported.