Historically, students at Cambridge have received a classification for each Part (year) of their Tripos. Students who matriculated from 2020 onwards will also receive an overall degree classification, which will appear on their degree transcript.
How will the overall degree classification be calculated?
Once each Part of a student’s award has been classified, Part II Examiners will use these to calculate an overall degree classification. Each Tripos has an agreed scheme of weighting that will be used to calculate the overall degree classification and this should be listed on course web pages. Exam Boards are responsible for setting the final class boundaries that will be used to determine the overall degree classification.
The majority of Triposes will follow either the 0:30:70 or the 0:0:100 scheme of weighting outlined below.
| 0:30:70 | 0:0:100 |
|---|---|
| In this scheme of weighting, 30% of the final classification will be based on work completed in the second year of study and 70% will be based on work completed in the third and final year of study. | In this scheme of weighting, 100% of the final degree classification will be based on work completed in the third and final year of study. |
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Triposes following this scheme:
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Triposes following this scheme:
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In addition, Faculty Boards can request permission from the General Board’s Education Committee to follow a different scheme of weighting, and awards with permission to do so are:
- Law, which will class awards following a 0:50:50 scheme of weighting
- Theology, Religion, and Philosophy of Religion, for students who matriculated in 2021 only; the University agreed a policy of no-detriment and students may therefore be classed by either 0:30:70 or 0:0:100 scheme of weighting
An exception has also been made for the Management Studies Tripos, which students can take in either their third or fourth year of study at the University. Students taking Management Studies in their third year will be classed following 0:30:70 and students taking Management Studies in their fourth year will be classed following 0:0:100 and receive a class for the Management Studies Tripos on their transcript.
There are also exceptions for students changing Tripos, and for those who have received an allowance or Ordinary degree, outlined in more detail below.
How will the overall degree classification be reported to the University?
In addition to producing class lists for individual Tripos examinations, Exam Boards will produce an overall degree classification list for final year students that must be signed by all members of the Board at its final meeting. Faculties and Departments will upload the overall degree classification awarded to students to CamSIS.
Students who transfer Tripos or subject in their final year
Examiners may need to determine the overall degree classification for students who have changed Tripos or subject in their final year of study before qualifying for the BA (for example Medical and Veterinary students). These students will be classed using the same scheme of weighting as the rest of their cohort. Information about prior performance (for those following a 0:30:70 scheme) will be made available to Examiners to help inform their decision about the student’s overall degree class.
Students who have been awarded an allowance
Students who have been allowed to progress from the second year to the third year of their award by the Examination Access and Mitigation Committee (EAMC) will be classed using the 0:0:100 weighting, regardless of Tripos.
Students who have been awarded an Ordinary BA by the EAMC or who are declared to have received honours will not receive an overall degree classification.
Appeals
As is the case with any examination result, students have the opportunity to challenge a degree classification using the Examination Review Procedure. Further information can be found on the student complaints website.
Further information
Further details about the schemes can be found in the Joint Report of the Council and General Board on the Introduction of an Overall Degree Classification, published in the Reporter in January 2020.