Uncle Mort said:Oxford give every honours graduate a master's for a small fee a few years after graduating as BAs
Whilst that is true (and of Cambridge and Dublin too), it's not quite fair to infer anything lesser by it. These universities are maintaining a tradition of awarding the MA title on standing rather than qualification.
The full course was historically much longer (up to 7 years) and the BA status was a kind of intermediate status on the way to full MA qualification. In those days, students started their studies younger than today's students and the studies were more broadly based. With the reduction of length of the course of study, the assumption is that much of that early learning is now covered by the student's school and so the student, by virtue of 3 or 4 years additional university education and passing their BA qualification, has also reached (after a qualifying period, that period differing dependant on the university and degree course) a rank or standard equal to the former MA.
Oh, and talk to an Oxford/Cambridge/Dublin MA student and they'll tell you it's harder too!
Edit: Apparently, for an Oxford degree, you can't cite both BA and MA - if you've been 'upgraded' to MA then you are no longer BA... a moot point perhaps!