As part of a 'clarification' of the qualifications system for higher education, the Quality Assurance Agency wants to create a separate general degree which would be tailored to the needs of students unable to achieve an 'honours' degree.

This would be introduced to universities in England, Wales and Northern Ireland - as Scotland already has an equivalent 'ordinary' degree.

Cambridge and Oxford could be stopped from selling MAs to graduates without any further study

The general degree would be particularly aimed at vocational and work-based courses and students who were taking a "step-by-step" approach to higher education.

The reform would see the end of the 'pass' degree, which is currently given to students who fail to make the lowest level of honours degree.

The QAA wants to end the awarding of 'consolation prize' degrees - where people receive a degree while failing to achieve the qualification for which they had been studying.

This would mean that students taking honours degree courses who failed would not get a degree, rather than the pass level awarded at present.

This would also mean that students studying for doctorates would not be given an MPhil if they failed to complete their PhD.

The reforms, which are at present only proposals for consultation, are aimed at clarifying the entire qualifications structure for higher education throughout the United Kingdom.

The QAA wants qualifications such as BA, MA and MPhil to represent the same level of study throughout the United Kingdom.

This will mean the ending of Oxford and Cambridge's custom of selling MAs to graduates without any further study - a proposal that the universities say they will resist.