The British undergraduate degree classification system is a grading structure used for undergraduate degrees or bachelor's degrees and integrated master's degrees in the United Kingdom. The system has been applied, sometimes with significant variation, in other countries and regions.
133-532: A Tripos ( / ˈ t r aɪ p ɒ s / , plural 'Triposes') is an academic examination that originated at the University of Cambridge in Cambridge , England. They include any of several examinations required to qualify an undergraduate student for a bachelor's degree or the courses taken by a student to prepare for these. Undergraduate students studying mathematics, for instance, ultimately take
266-645: A legal deposit library and one of the world's largest academic libraries . Cambridge alumni, academics, and affiliates have won 124 Nobel Prizes. Among the university's notable alumni are 194 Olympic medal -winning athletes and several historically iconic and transformational individuals in their respective fields, including Francis Bacon , Lord Byron , Oliver Cromwell , Charles Darwin , Rajiv Gandhi , John Harvard , Stephen Hawking , John Maynard Keynes , John Milton , Vladimir Nabokov , Jawaharlal Nehru , Isaac Newton , Sylvia Plath , Bertrand Russell , Alan Turing , Ludwig Wittgenstein , and others. Prior to
399-794: A "third", is the lowest honours classification in most UK universities. Informally, it is referred to as a "gentleman's third" ( cf. the "gentleman's C" in U.S. parlance). Slang terms in the UK for a third include a "Richard" (after Richard III ), a "Douglas" (after Douglas Hurd , the 1980s Conservative MP who actually graduated with a First Class Honours degree in history), or a "Thora" (after Thora Hird , an English TV actress). Approximately 3-5% of UK students graduating between 2018 and 2022 were awarded thirds. While most university bachelor's degree courses lead to honours degrees, some universities offer courses leading to ordinary degrees. Some honours courses permit students who do not gain sufficient credits in
532-597: A 2:1, while the department of English Language and Literature at Oxford considers a GPA of "about 3.8" equivalent to a first class degree. Similarly, the UK NARIC gives equivalent GPAs for determining eligibility for teacher training bursaries. Durham University 's North American Undergraduate Guide gives a conversion table as a guide to understanding British classifications (rather than for admission to postgraduate study) of 1st = 3.8–4.0, 2:1 = 3.3–3.7, 2:2 = 2.8–3.2 and 3rd = 2.3–2.7. The GPA conversions are summarised in
665-611: A bachelor's course, or after completion of a bachelor's course requirements and attaining adequately competitive grades. Some graduate degrees have been or are classified; however, under the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF), no graduate-level degrees (i.e., master's by coursework, master's by research, or higher research degrees) may be classified. To comply with this standard, some institutions have commenced, or will commence, offering high-achieving graduates with "distinction". Notably, this
798-403: A bachelor's degree or equivalent from another university are generally permitted to skip Part I, and thus can complete a Cambridge bachelor's degree in two years or less. Students already holding a BA degree from Cambridge are not permitted to collect a second BA from the university. A student requesting to graduate (technically, 'admitted to a degree') is assessed mainly on two criteria: not only
931-448: A bachelor's honours degree, although some integrated master's degrees are classified like postgraduate taught master's degrees or foundation degrees into: At most institutions, the system allows a small amount of discretion. A candidate may be elevated to the next degree class if their average marks are close to (or the median of their weighted marks achieves) the higher class, and if they have submitted several pieces of work worthy of
1064-409: A brief period after the turn of the 20th century, this allowed the steamboat ladies to receive ad eundem degrees from the University of Dublin . In 1998, a special graduation ceremony was held in which the women who attended Cambridge before admission was allowed in 1948 were finally conferred their degrees. Beginning in 1921, women were awarded diplomas that conferred the title associated with
1197-422: A broad administrative grouping of related faculties and other units. Each has an elected supervisory body known as a Council, composed of representatives of the various constituent bodies. The University of Cambridge maintains six such schools: Teaching and research at the university is organised by faculties. The faculties have varying organisational substructures that partly reflect their respective histories and
1330-588: A common law corporation. Its corporate titles include the Chancellor , Masters, and Scholars of the University of Cambridge. The college faculties are responsible for giving lectures, arranging seminars, performing research, and determining the syllabi for teaching, all of which is overseen by the university's general board. Together with the central administration headed by the Vice-Chancellor ,
1463-432: A complete range of academic specialties and related courses. Some colleges maintain a relative strength and associated reputation for expertise in certain academic disciplines. Churchill , for example, has a reputation for its expertise and focus on the sciences and engineering, in part due to the requirement imposed by Winston Churchill upon the college's founding that 70% of its students studied mathematics, engineering, and
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#17327766006441596-482: A degree award from certain Scottish universities (c.f. Scottish MA ) and is at the same level as a bachelor's degree. The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) has published the number of degrees awarded with different classifications since 1994–1995. The relative proportions of different classes have changed over this period, with increasing numbers of students being awarded higher honours. The table below shows
1729-658: A degree, a student must have passed two honours examinations (i.e., two Tripos examinations) – this could include a Part I and a Part II, two Part I exams, or (in some cases) a Part I and a Part IA. From October 2011, students can only be awarded an honours degree if they have been awarded honours in a Part II or Part III examination; a combination of Part I examinations will allow a student to graduate with an Ordinary degree . All students must complete at least nine terms of residence (three years of study) – making it impossible for students to simply complete two one-year tripos parts. This makes it easy for an undergraduate to switch out of
1862-553: A doctoral programme is nearly always required to have a first or 2:1 at bachelor's level. In the United Kingdom, medicine is usually taught as an undergraduate course, with graduates being awarded a master's level qualification: normally the conjoined degrees of Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS, BM BCh, MB ChB, etc.) although at Queen's University Belfast (and universities in Ireland) Bachelor in
1995-458: A first has been awarded to nearly thirty percent of graduates of British universities. The increase is said by some commentators to be due to student-demanded grade inflation rather than students' academic ability. In the early 1990s, First Class Honours went to about 7% of graduates, or about one student in 15. The percentages of graduates achieving a First vary greatly by university and course studied. Students of law are least likely to gain
2128-417: A first or upper second, by itself, is no longer sufficient to secure a good job, and that they need to engage in extra-curricular activities to build their CV . A bachelor's degree can be an honours degree (bachelor's with honours) or an ordinary degree (bachelor's without honours). Honours degrees are classified, usually based on a weighted average (with higher weight given to marks in the later years of
2261-458: A first, while students of mathematical sciences are most likely to gain a first. A first class honours degree is sometimes colloquially referred to in rhyming slang as a Geoff Hurst after the English 1966 FIFA World Cup footballer, or as a Damien (after the contemporary artist Damien Hirst ). The upper division is commonly abbreviated to "2:1" or "II.i" (pronounced two-one ). The 2:1
2394-655: A global leader in the study of mathematics. The university's examination in mathematics, known as the Mathematical Tripos , was initially compulsory for all undergraduates studying for the Bachelor of Arts degree, the most common degree first offered at Cambridge. From the time of Isaac Newton in the late 17th century until the mid-19th century, the university maintained an especially strong emphasis on applied mathematics , and especially mathematical physics . Students awarded first class honours after completing
2527-511: A grade simply existed for every Part of the degree, not for the overall degree. For students beginning their course of study from October 2020, a final class is awarded across the course of study, according to an algorithm determined by the Tripos. Attaining First Class Honours in two Parts culminates in graduating with a "double first". It is possible in some Triposes to be awarded a "starred first", for examination scripts that "consistently exhibit
2660-435: A large number of traditions, myths, and legends. Some are true, some are not, and some were true but have been discontinued but have been propagated nonetheless by generations of students and tour guides. One such discontinued tradition is that of the wooden spoon , the prize awarded to the student with the lowest passing honours grade in the final examinations of the university's Mathematical Tripos . The last of these spoons
2793-490: A lower age demographic in the city. Most of the university's older colleges are located near the city centre, through which River Cam flows. Students and others traditionally punt on the River Cam, which provides views of the university's buildings that surround the river. A few of the notable University of Cambridge buildings are King's College Chapel ; the history faculty building designed by James Stirling ; and
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#17327766006442926-403: A place in a postgraduate course and to obtain funding, especially in medical and natural sciences. Some institutions specify a 2:1 minimum for certain types of master's program, such as for a Master of Research course. Candidates with a Third or an Ordinary degree are sometimes accepted, provided they have acquired satisfactory professional experience subsequent to graduation. A candidate for
3059-533: A research project of limited scope. This prepares students for the research degrees later in their academic career. The UK NARIC has derived equivalencies for the grades of the Spanish grado and licenciatura degrees for purposes of initial teacher training bursaries. The Netherlands organisation for international cooperation in higher education (NUFFIC) has compared UK degree classification to Dutch degree grades. Dutch equivalencies have also been calculated by
3192-401: A result, the university received its first systematic state support in 1919, and a Royal commission was appointed in 1920 to recommend that the university (but not its colleges) begin receiving an annual grant. Following World War II , the university experienced a rapid expansion in applications and enrollment, partly due to the success and popularity gained by many Cambridge scientists. This
3325-539: A student achieves a particularly good grade average, usually 70% or above. A common example of a Scottish ordinary degree is the Bachelor of Laws course taken by graduates of other subjects, as this is sufficient (without honours) for entry into the legal profession. Until the 1970s the University of Oxford awarded a Fourth Class degree as an equivalent of the ordinary degree. An aegrotat ( / ˈ iː ɡ r oʊ t æ t / ; from Latin aegrōtat 'he/she
3458-418: A student's overall performance and work quality. The honours degree system has been subject to scrutiny owing to significant shifts in the distribution of classifications, leading to calls for reform. Concerns over grade inflation have been observed. The Higher Education Statistics Agency has documented changes, noting an increase in the proportion of First Class and Upper Second Class honours degrees awarded;
3591-498: A subject. So a one-year Part I (or Part IA) must be followed by a two-year Part II, and usually vice versa. More exotic combinations are possible, with the permission of the student's college and prospective department, but some combinations create a four-year bachelor's degree. A few subjects – i.e. Management Studies, Manufacturing Engineering, and Linguistics (prior to October 2010) – exist only as Part II, and can be preceded by any manner of Part I subject. Students who already possess
3724-547: A three-year B.A. or a three-year BSc) by default. High-achieving students may be recognised with an honours classification without further coursework or research, as is often the case in engineering (which often contains a research and thesis component) or law. However, other courses (such as humanities, arts, social sciences, and sciences) and other universities may recognise high-achieving students with an honours classification with further coursework or research, undertaken either concurrently with, and as part of or in addition to,
3857-462: A three-year bachelor's degree onto a master's degree (normally requiring a 1st or a 2:1 – those with a 2:2 or a 3rd usually require appropriate professional experience), South Africa does not do so unless the student has proven research capabilities. South African Honours degrees prepare the students to undertake a research-specific degree (in terms of master's), by spending an in-depth year (up to five modules) creating research proposals and undertaking
3990-488: A university department. The colleges also decide which undergraduates to admit to the university, in accordance with university standards and regulations. Costs to students for room and board vary considerably from college to college. Similarly, the investment in student education by each college at the university varies widely between the colleges. Cambridge has 31 colleges, two of which, Murray Edwards and Newnham , admit women only. The other colleges are mixed . Darwin
4123-624: A variety of checks and balances. The council is obliged to advise Regent House on matters of general concern to the university, which it does by publishing notices to the Cambridge University Reporter , the university's official journal. In March 2008, Regent House voted to increase from two to four the number of external members on the council, and this was approved by Her Majesty the Queen in July 2008. The General Board of
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4256-428: A year by a small margin to transfer to a parallel ordinary degree course. Ordinary degrees may also sometimes be awarded to honours degree students who do not pass sufficient credits in their final year to gain an honours degree, but pass enough to earn an ordinary degree. Some Scottish universities offer three-year ordinary degrees as a qualification in their own right, as well as an honours degree over four years. This
4389-411: Is Cambridge University Press & Assessment , which has £1 billion of annual revenue and reaches 100 million learners. All of the colleges are self-governing institutions within the university, managing their own personnel and policies, and all students are required to have a college affiliation within the university. Undergraduate teaching at Cambridge is centred on weekly small-group supervisions in
4522-644: Is Deborah Prentice , who began her role in July 2023. While the Chancellor's office is ceremonial, the Vice-Chancellor serves as the university's de facto principal administrative officer. The university's internal governance is carried out almost entirely by Regent House augmented by some external representation from the Audit Committee and four external members of the University's Council . The university Senate consists of all holders of
4655-407: Is a collegiate university , which means that its colleges are self-governing and independent, each with its own property, endowments, and income. Most colleges bring together academics and students from a broad range of disciplines. Each faculty, school, or department at the university includes academics affiliated with differing colleges. The university is legally structured as an exempt charity and
4788-564: Is a minimum requirement for entry to many postgraduate courses in the UK. It is also required for the award of a research council postgraduate studentship in the UK, although a combination of qualifications and experience equal to a 2:1 is also acceptable. This is often interpreted as possession of a master's degree (sometimes at merit level or above) in addition to a 2:2 undergraduate degree. The percentage of candidates who achieve Upper Second Class Honours can vary widely by degree subject, as well as by university. A 2:1 degree ("two-one")
4921-440: Is also an optional Part III offered in some subjects, such as the Mathematical Tripos ; these are not required to complete a bachelor's degree. Some Part III courses allow the student to graduate with both a master's degree and a bachelor's degree: for example, scientific Part III courses allow the student to graduate with an M.Sci. degree in addition to the B.A. degree which all Cambridge graduates receive. The Engineering Tripos
5054-470: Is based in Addenbrooke's Hospital , where medical students undergo their three-year clinical placement period after obtaining their BA degree. The West Cambridge site is undergoing a major expansion and will host new buildings and fields for university sports. Since 1990, Cambridge Judge Business School , on Trumpington Street , provides management education courses and is consistently ranked among
5187-423: Is claimed that academics are under increasing pressure from administrators to award students good marks and grades with little regard for those students' actual abilities, in order to maintain their league table rankings. The percentage of graduates who receive a first (First Class Honours) grew from 7% in 1997 to 26% in 2017, with the rate of growth sharply accelerating toward the end of this period. A 2018 study by
5320-428: Is consistent with British graduate degree classification. Regulations governing the progression of undergraduate degree graduates to postgraduate programmes vary among universities, and are often flexible. A candidate for a postgraduate master's degree is usually required to have at least a 2:1 (or 2:2 in some cases) bachelor honours degree, although candidates with firsts are in a considerably stronger position to gain
5453-448: Is divided into four Parts (IA, IB, IIA, IIB), each corresponding to one academic year, and leads to the simultaneous awarding of the B.A. and M.Eng. degrees. Students are examined formally at the end of each part and are awarded a degree classification for each part. The Part II classification is usually, but incorrectly, considered to be the classification for the overall degree. Most subjects are examined in all three years; for example,
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5586-505: Is held currently by David Sainsbury, Baron Sainsbury of Turville , who succeeded the Duke of Edinburgh following his retirement on his 90th birthday in June 2011. Lord Sainsbury was nominated by the nomination board. The election took place on 14 and 15 October 2011 with Sainsbury taking 2,893 of the 5,888 votes cast, and winning on the election's first count. The current vice-chancellor
5719-606: Is ill') degree is an honours or ordinary degree without classification, awarded to a candidate who was unable to undertake their exams due to illness or even death, under the presumption that, had they completed those exams, they would have satisfied the standard required for that degree. Aegrotat degrees are often qualified with an appended "( aegrotat )". Following the introduction of new regulations regarding mitigating circumstances, aegrotat degrees are less commonly awarded. Degrees may be granted which incorporate prior learning, such as by means of CATS points transfer. Where
5852-457: Is in contrast to English universities that have honours degrees with three years of study. An ordinary degree in Scotland is not a failed honours degree, as in certain English universities. Students can decide, usually at the end of their second or third year, whether or not they wish to complete a fourth honours year. Scottish universities may also award their ordinary degrees with distinction if
5985-587: Is no longer sufficient for securing desirable employment, pushing students towards extracurricular activities to enhance their resumes. The system affects progression to postgraduate education , with most courses requiring at least a 2:1, although work experience and additional qualifications can sometimes compensate for lower classifications. In comparison to international grading systems, the UK's classifications have equivalents in various countries, adapting to different academic cultures and grading scales. The ongoing debate over grade inflation and its implications for
6118-514: Is sometimes referred to as an "Attila" (after Attila the Hun , " Trevor Nunn " in rhyming slang in the UK. Until 1986 the University of Oxford did not distinguish between upper and lower second-class degrees. This is the lower division of Second Class degrees and is abbreviated as "2:2" or '"II.ii" (pronounced two-two ). It is informally referred to, in rhyming slang, as a "Desmond", after Desmond Tutu . Third Class Honours, commonly referred to as
6251-695: The Mathematical Tripos , and students of English literature take the English Tripos . In most traditional English universities, a student registers to study one field exclusively, rather than having " majors " or " minors " as in American , Australian , Canadian , or Scottish universities . In practice, however, most degrees may be fairly interdisciplinary in nature, depending on the subject. The multi-part tripos system at Cambridge also allows substantial changes in field between parts;
6384-491: The Cambridge Theological Federation and associated in partnership with the university. The University of Cambridge's 31 colleges are: In addition to the 31 colleges, the university maintains over 150 departments, faculties, schools, syndicates, and other academic institutions. Members of these are usually members of one of the colleges, and responsibility for the entire academic programme of
6517-760: The Dearing Report , consider British honours degrees equivalent to a US master's degree and US bachelor's degrees as equivalent to British pass degrees in terms of the standard reached in the major subject, due to the higher degree of specialisation in the UK. However, British institutions generally accept US bachelor's degrees for admission to postgraduate study (see below). In comparing US bachelor's degrees to British honours degrees, equivalencies can be expressed in terms of either US grade point averages (GPAs) or letter grades. British institutions normally state equivalence in terms of GPAs. Approximate mappings between British classifications and GPAs can be inferred from
6650-703: The MA or higher degrees and is responsible for electing the Chancellor and the High Steward. Until 1950 when the Cambridge University constituency was abolished, it was also responsible for electing two members of the House of Commons . Prior to 1926, the university Senate was the university's governing body, fulfilling the functions that Regent House has provided since. Regent House is the university's governing body, comprising all resident senior members of
6783-492: The Natural Sciences Tripos has examinations for Part IA, Part IB, Part II, and in some subjects, Part III. The English, History and ASNaC Triposes have preliminary rather than full examinations at the end of the first year, though History and English have recently scrapped Preliminary exams in the first year and moved to an IA, IB, II structure with classed examinations in all years. The student who achieves
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#17327766006446916-402: The Natural Sciences Tripos is especially designed to allow a highly flexible curriculum across the sciences. The word has an obscure etymology , but can be traced to the three-legged stool candidates once used to sit on when taking oral examinations, known as tripods . An apocryphal legend says that students used to receive one leg of a stool in each of their three years of exams, receiving
7049-688: The Qualifications Framework of the European Higher Education Area . The table below depicts the Greek Grading system while illustrates approximately how the Grades are compared with ECTS and UK grades: from all years, are passed successfully. Years are extended. The University of St Andrews gives equivalencies between French and British grades for its study-abroad programme. Equivalencies for
7182-480: The University of Cambridge's Chancellor was given special powers allowing him to prosecute criminals and reestablish order in the city. Attempts at reconciliation between the city's residents and students followed; in the 16th century, agreements were signed to improve the quality of streets and student accommodation around the city. However, this was followed by new confrontations when the plague reached Cambridge in 1630 and colleges refused to assist those affected by
7315-432: The souls of the founders. University of Cambridge colleges were often associated with chapels or abbeys . The colleges' focus began to shift in 1536, however, with the dissolution of the monasteries and Henry VIII 's order that the university disband the canon law that governed the university's faculty and stop teaching scholastic philosophy . In response, colleges changed their curricula from canon law to classics ,
7448-499: The Art of Obstetrics (BAO) is added, and at some universities only the Bachelor of Medicine is awarded – all of these have equal standing. Unlike most undergraduate degrees, the MBBS is not normally considered an honours degree, and thus is not classified into first class honours, etc. Students may be awarded "Merits" and "Distinctions" for parts of the course or the whole course (depending on
7581-470: The Bachelor of Arts degree. But since women were not yet admitted to the Bachelor of Arts degree program, they were excluded from the university's governance structure. Since University of Cambridge students must belong to a college, and since established colleges remained closed to women, women found admissions restricted to the few university colleges that had been established only for them. Darwin College ,
7714-645: The Bible, and mathematics. Nearly a century later, the university found itself at the centre of a Protestant schism. Many nobles, intellectuals, and also commoners saw the Church of England as too similar to the Catholic Church and felt that it was being used by The Crown to usurp the counties' rightful powers. East Anglia emerged as the centre of what ultimately became the Puritan movement . In Cambridge,
7847-571: The Cambridge Teaching College for Women, Murray Edwards College , founded in 1954 by Rosemary Murray as New Hall , and Lucy Cavendish College , founded in 1965. Prior to ultimately being permitted admission to the university in 1948, female students were granted the right to take University of Cambridge exams beginning in the late 19th century. Women were also allowed to study courses, take examinations, and have prior exam results recorded retroactively, dating back to 1881; for
7980-709: The Cambridge Tripos can be found in William Clark's Academic Charisma and the Origin of the Research University . A tripos is divided into two parts: Part I , which is broadly based, and Part II , which allows specialization within the student's chosen field. Since a bachelor's degree usually takes three years to complete, either Part I or Part II is two years, and the other one year. The details of this can vary from subject to subject. There
8113-458: The Faculties is responsible for the university's academic and educational policies and is accountable to the council for its management of these affairs. Faculty boards are accountable to the general board; other boards and syndicates are accountable either to the general board or to the council. Under this organizational structure, the university's various arms are kept under supervision of both
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#17327766006448246-537: The Final Honours School, or in both the bachelor's and master's components of an integrated master's degree. At University College London , candidates who perform well beyond the requirements of a standard First Class Honours may be nominated to the Dean's List . This is generated once per year and recognises outstanding academic achievement in final examinations. There are no set criteria for nomination to
8379-562: The New Court and Cripps Buildings at St John's College . The brickwork of several colleges is notable: Queens' College has some of the earliest patterned brickwork in England and the brick walls of St John's College are examples of English bond , Flemish bond , and Running bond . The university is divided into several sites, which house the university's various departments, including: The university's School of Clinical Medicine
8512-640: The Puritan movement was particularly strong at Emmanuel , St Catharine Hall , Sidney Sussex , and Christ's . These colleges produced many nonconformist graduates who greatly influenced, by social position or preaching, some 20,000 Puritans who ultimately left England for New England and especially Massachusetts Bay Colony during the Great Migration decade of the 1630s, settling in the colonial-era Colony of Virginia and other fledgling American colonies. The university quickly established itself as
8645-713: The Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF). Bachelor's degrees (including the Scottish MA , but not including medical degrees , dentistry degrees or degrees in veterinary science) attained in the UK are at FHEQ level 6/FQHEIS level 9 (ordinary) or 10 (honours); master's degrees (including integrated master's degrees and first degrees in medicine, dentistry and veterinary science) are at FHEQ level 7/FQHEIS level 11, and doctoral degrees are at FHEQ level 8/FQHEIS level 12. Bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees map to first, second and third cycle qualifications in
8778-457: The Tripos system, feeling that students were becoming too focused on accumulating high exam marks at the expense of the subject itself. Pure mathematics at the University of Cambridge in the 19th century achieved great things, though it largely missed out on substantial developments in French and German mathematics. By the early 20th century, however, pure mathematical research at Cambridge reached
8911-471: The Triposes they have completed (requirements laid by the statutes and ordinances of Cambridge), as recorded in the Cambridge University Reporter (Cambridge's gazette newspaper), but also the number of terms kept (at least nine required for a BA; 10 for an undergraduate master's degree). A student's requests to graduate should also be approved by their college, and be unopposed by the regent house, one of
9044-464: The UK NARIC. NUFFIC also noted that the grading culture is different in the Netherlands, so that it is very rare for even the best students in the Netherlands to be awarded a 9 or a 10, which represent near perfection and absolute perfection. US comparison services treat English three-year bachelor's degrees and American four-year bachelor's degrees as equivalent. Some British sources, such as
9177-564: The UK Standing Committee for Quality Assessment concluded that improvements in faculty skill and student motivation are only two of many factors driving average grades upward, that grade inflation is real, that the British undergraduate degree classifications will become less useful to students and employers, and that inflation will undermine public confidence in the overall value of higher education. Students already believe that
9310-423: The UK can either be honours or ordinary degrees, with honours degrees classified into First Class, Upper Second Class (2:1), Lower Second Class (2:2), and Third Class based on weighted averages of marks. The specific thresholds for these classifications can vary by institution. Integrated master's degrees follow a similar classification, and there is some room for discretion in awarding final classifications based on
9443-477: The UK's higher education landscape reflect broader concerns about maintaining academic standards and the value of university degrees in an increasingly competitive job market. The classification system as used in the United Kingdom was developed in 1918. Honours were then a means to recognise individuals who demonstrated depth of knowledge or originality, as opposed to relative achievement in examination conditions. Concern exists about possible grade inflation . It
9576-470: The UK, endowment reserve stood at £2.469 billion. The 31 colleges reported collective endowment reserve of £4.582 billion . In the fiscal year ending 31 July 2023, the central university, excluding colleges, reported total consolidated income of £2.518 billion, of which £569.5 million was from research grants and contracts. In July 2022, the Dear World, Yours Cambridge Campaign for
9709-519: The United Kingdom to pursue full-time postgraduate study at Cambridge. In October 2021, the university suspended its £400m collaboration with the United Arab Emirates , citing allegations that UAE was involved in illegal hacking of the university's computer and storage systems using NSO Group 's Pegasus software. UAE also was behind the leak of over 50,000 phone numbers, including hundreds belonging to British citizens. Stephen Toope ,
9842-523: The WES grades given using the letter grade to GPA conversion of Duke University . Canadian academic grades may be given as letters, percentages, 12-point GPAs or 4-point GPAs. The 4-point GPAs are sometimes seen to differ from the US but other sources treat them as equivalent. The Durham conversion specifies GPAs for the US and letter grades/percentages for Canada while the UK NARIC has separate GPA conversions for
9975-597: The arrival of scholars who left the University of Oxford for Cambridge after a dispute with local townspeople. The two ancient English universities, although sometimes described as rivals, share many common features and are often jointly referred to as Oxbridge . In 1231, 22 years after its founding, the university was recognised with a royal charter , granted by King Henry III . The University of Cambridge includes 31 semi-autonomous constituent colleges and over 150 academic departments, faculties, and other institutions organised into six schools . The largest department
10108-545: The arts, architecture, and archaeology were donated by Viscount Fitzwilliam of Trinity College , who also founded Fitzwilliam Museum in 1816. In 1847, Prince Albert was elected the university's chancellor in a close contest with the Earl of Powis . As chancellor, Albert reformed university curricula beyond its initial focus on mathematics and classics, adding modern era history and the natural sciences . Between 1896 and 1902, Downing College sold part of its land to permit
10241-516: The central administration and Regent House. The Cambridge University Endowment Fund is the main vehicle of investment for the University. In the fiscal year ending 31 July 2023, the university group, excluding colleges, reported a total endowment of £3.736 billion. The figure includes both restricted and unrestricted funds. When reported strictly using Statements of Recommended Practice (SORPs) guidelines, which accounted for only donations that meet certain criteria among non-profit organizations in
10374-517: The centuries. During the Peasants' Revolt of 1381, strong clashes led to attacks and looting of university properties as locals contested the privileges granted by the British government to the University of Cambridge's academic staff. Residents burned university property in Market Square to the famed rallying cry " Away with the learning of clerks, away with it! ". Following these events,
10507-546: The chancellor and the guild of scholars granted the new university ius non trahi extra , or the right not to be drawn out, for three years, meaning its members could not be summoned to a court outside of the diocese of Ely. After Cambridge was described as a studium generale in a letter from Pope Nicholas IV in 1290, and confirmed as such by Pope John XXII 's 1318 papal bull , it became common for researchers from other European medieval universities to visit Cambridge to study or give lecture courses. The 31 colleges of
10640-516: The college faculties make up the University of Cambridge. Facilities such as libraries are provided on all these levels by the university. The Cambridge University Library is the university's largest and primary library. Squire Law Library is the primary library for the university's students of law . Individual colleges each maintain a multi-discipline library designed for each college's respective undergraduates. College libraries tend to operate 24/7 and their usage in generally restricted to members of
10773-514: The college. Conversely, libraries operated by departments are generally open to all students of the university, regardless of subject. The colleges are self-governing institutions with their own endowments and property, each founded as components of the university. All students and most academics are attached to a college. The colleges' importance lies in the housing, welfare, social functions, and undergraduate teaching they provide. All faculties, departments, research centres, and laboratories belong to
10906-602: The colleges with lectures, seminars, laboratory work, and occasionally further supervision provided by the central university faculties and departments. The university operates eight cultural and scientific museums, including the Fitzwilliam Museum and Cambridge University Botanic Garden . Cambridge's 116 libraries hold a total of approximately 16 million books, around nine million of which are in Cambridge University Library ,
11039-536: The construction of Downing Site , the university's grouping of scientific laboratories for the study of anatomy , genetics , and Earth sciences . During this period, the New Museums Site was erected, including the Cavendish Laboratory , which has since moved to West Cambridge , and other departments for chemistry and medicine. The University of Cambridge began to award PhD degrees in
11172-499: The course, and often zero weight to those in the first year) of the marks gained in exams and other assessments. While grade boundaries are defined by institutions, there are well-defined conventional values that are generally followed: Students who do not achieve honours may be awarded an ordinary degree, sometimes known as a "pass". Ordinary degrees, and other exit awards such as the Diploma of Higher Education (DipHE; for completing
11305-416: The date of their matriculation . Lucy Cavendish , which was previously a women-only mature college, began admitting both men and women in 2021. All other colleges admit both undergraduate and postgraduate students without any age restrictions. Colleges are not required to admit students in all subjects; some colleges choose not to offer subjects such as architecture, art history, or theology, but most offer
11438-582: The death of a local Oxford -area woman, were hanged by town authorities without first consulting ecclesiastical authorities, who traditionally would be inclined to pardon scholars in such cases. But during this time, Oxford's town authorities were in conflict with King John . Fearing more violence from Oxford townsfolk, University of Oxford scholars began leaving Oxford for more hospitable cities, including Paris, Reading , and Cambridge . Enough scholars ultimately took residence in Cambridge to form, along with
11571-492: The disease by locking their sites. Such conflicts between Cambridge's residents and university students have largely disappeared since the 16th century, and the university has grown as a source of enormous employment and expanded wealth in Cambridge and the region. The university also has proven a source of extraordinary growth in high tech and biotech start-ups and established companies and associated providers of services to these companies. The economic growth associated with
11704-459: The examining professors ask no questions about the candidate's written work but simply stand and applaud" and Martin Amis described as "the sort where you are called in for a viva and the examiners tell you how much they enjoyed reading your papers". A "double first" at Oxford informally refers to First Class Honours in both components of an undergraduate degree, i.e., Moderations or Prelims, and
11837-461: The festival has existed since 1918 and the celebration itself originated even earlier at Truro Cathedral in Cornwall in 1880. The first television broadcast of the festival was in 1954. The university occupies a central location within the city of Cambridge . University of Cambridge students represent approximately 20 percent of the town's population, which was 145,674 as of 2021, resulting in
11970-419: The first graduate college of the university, matriculated both male and female students from its inception in 1964 and elected a mixed fellowship. Undergraduate colleges, starting with Churchill , Clare , and King 's colleges, began admitting women between 1972 and 1988. Among women's colleges at the university, Girton began admitting male students in 1979, and Lucy Cavendish began admitting men in 2021. But
12103-532: The first or second year, but their results do not typically affect the final degree classification. Until the 1970s, the four honours divisions in Oxford's moderations and final examinations were named first, second, third and fourth class, but from the 1970s onwards, Oxford began to adopt the classification system used by other British universities. Oxford sometimes grants a congratulatory first, which The New York Times described as "a highly unusual honor in which
12236-509: The first third of the 20th century; the first Cambridge PhD in mathematics was awarded in 1924. The university contributed significantly to the Allies' forces in World War I with 13,878 members of the university serving and 2,470 being killed in action during the war. Teaching, and the fees it earned, nearly came to a halt during World War I, and severe financial difficulties followed. As
12369-404: The first two years of a degree course) and Certificate of Higher Education (CertHE; for completing the first year of a degree course), may be unclassified (pass/fail) or, particularly in Scotland where the ordinary degree is offered as a qualification in its own right, classified into pass, merit and distinction. Integrated master's degrees are usually classified with honours in the same way as
12502-507: The following table: Letter grade equivalents are more commonly used by American institutions. World Education Services (WES), a nonprofit organisation which provides qualification conversion services to many universities and employers, gives 1st = A, 2:1 = A−/B+, 2:2 = B, 3rd = B−, Pass = C. The Fulbright Commission has also created "an unofficial chart with approximate grade conversions between UK results and US GPA". The table below summarises these conversions, including GPA equivalents for
12635-453: The founding of Sidney Sussex in 1596 and that of Downing in 1800. The most recent college to be established is Robinson , which was built in the late 1970s. Most recently, in March 2010, Homerton College achieved full university college status, making it technically the university's newest full college. In medieval times, many colleges were founded so that their members could pray for
12768-517: The founding of the University of Cambridge in 1209, Cambridge and the area surrounding it already had developed a scholarly and ecclesiastical reputation due largely to the intellectual reputation and academic contributions of monks from the nearby bishopric church in Ely . The founding of the University of Cambridge, however, was inspired largely by an incident at the University of Oxford during which three Oxford scholars, as an administration of justice in
12901-531: The four-year bachelor's honours, baccalauréat and professional bachelor's degrees (which differ from their US GPA equivalents by at most 0.1) and the three-year bachelor's degree (which is seen as a lower standard). The British Graduate Admissions Fact Sheet from McGill University uses the conversion 1st = 4.0; 2:1 = 3.0; 2:2 = 2.7; 3rd = 2.0; Pass = 1.0; Fail = 0.0. Some universities, such as those in Australia, offer ordinary or pass degrees (for instance, as
13034-473: The graduate admissions criteria used by British universities, which often give international equivalents. For example, University College London (UCL) equates the minimum classification for entrance to GPAs using 2:1 = 3.3 and 2:2 = 3.0. Different universities convert grades differently: the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) considers a GPA of 3.5 or better as equivalent to gaining
13167-514: The higher class. However, even students with a high average mark may be unable to take honours if they have failed part of the course and so have insufficient credits. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, a bachelor's degree with honours normally takes three years of full-time study and usually requires 360 credits , of which at least 90 are at level 6 (final year of a bachelor's degree) level, while an ordinary bachelor's degree normally requires 300 credits, of which 60 are at level 6. In Scotland,
13300-467: The highest international standard, thanks largely to G. H. Hardy and his collaborators, J. E. Littlewood and Srinivasa Ramanujan . W. V. D. Hodge and others helped establish Cambridge as a global leader in geometry in the 1930s. The Cambridge University Act 1856 formalised the university's organisational structure and introduced the study of many new subjects, including theology, history, and Modern languages . Resources necessary for new courses in
13433-679: The highest marks in their Tripos subject, commonly referred to as the 'Tripos topper', is awarded with the Winifred Georgina Holgate Pollard Memorial Prize. The prize is widely regarded as the most prestigious academic accolade awarded to students by the University of Cambridge. Each year, the University recognises these top students by publishing their names in the Reporter , the University of Cambridge's official journal, celebrating their academic excellence. Degree regulations state that, to be awarded
13566-413: The honours bachelor's degree takes four years and requires 480 credits with a minimum of 90 at level 10 of the Scottish framework (last year of the honours degree) and 90 at level 9 (penultimate year), while the ordinary degree takes three years and requires 360 credits with a minimum of 60 at level 9 (last year of the ordinary degree). In Scotland, it is possible to start university a year younger than in
13699-610: The list, but typically only a small number of students from each faculty are nominated per year. Comparable recognition in other anglophone countries is the award of a University Medal . Degrees in the UK are mapped to levels of the Frameworks for Higher Education Qualifications of UK Degree-Awarding Bodies (FHEQ), which includes the Framework for Qualifications of Higher Education Institutes in Scotland (FQHEIS), which has an alternative numbering of levels corresponding to those of
13832-446: The many scholars already there, the nucleus for the new university's formation. By 1225, a chancellor of the university was appointed, and writs issued by King Henry III in 1231 established that rents in Cambridge were to be set secundum consuetudinem universitatis , according to the custom of the university, and established a panel of two masters and two townsmen to determine these. A letter from Pope Gregory IX two years later to
13965-602: The mathematics Tripos exam are called wranglers , and the top student among them is known as the Senior Wrangler , a position that has been described as "the greatest intellectual achievement attainable in Britain." The Cambridge Mathematical Tripos is highly competitive and has helped produce some of the most famous names in British science, including James Clerk Maxwell , Lord Kelvin , and Lord Rayleigh . However, some famous students, such as G. H. Hardy , disliked
14098-451: The naming of Garret Hostel Lane and Garret Hostel Bridge , a street and bridge in Cambridge. The University of Cambridge's first college, Peterhouse , was founded in 1284 by Hugh de Balsham , the Bishop of Ely . Multiple additional colleges were founded during the 14th and 15th centuries, and colleges continued to be established during modern times, though there was a 204-year gap between
14231-449: The other female-only colleges have remained female-only colleges as of 2023. As a result of St Hilda's College, Oxford , ending its ban on male students in 2008, Cambridge is now the only remaining university in the United Kingdom with female-only colleges; the two female-only colleges at the university are Newnham and Murray Edwards . As of the 2019–2020 academic year, the university's male to female enrollment, including post-graduates,
14364-421: The percentage of First Class Honours increased from 7% in 1997 to 26% in 2017. Critics argue this trend, driven partly by institutional pressures to maintain high league table rankings, dilutes the value of higher education and undermines public confidence. Despite improvements in teaching and student motivation contributing to higher grades, there is a sentiment that achieving a First or Upper Second Class Honours
14497-438: The percentage of classified degrees (i.e., not including fails or unclassified degrees such as MBBS ) in each class at five-year intervals; note that HESA stopped giving statistics separately for third class honours and pass degree after 2003. First Class Honours, referred to as a "first", is the highest honours classification and indicates high academic achievement. Historically, First Class Honours were uncommon, but since 2019
14630-434: The present-day University of Cambridge were originally an incidental feature of the university; no college within the University of Cambridge is as old as the university itself. The colleges within the university were initially endowed fellowships of scholars. There were also institutions without endowments, called hostels, which were gradually absorbed by the colleges over the centuries, and they have left some traces, including
14763-490: The purposes of initial teacher training have also been derived by the UK NARIC for 1st, 2:1 and 2:2 degrees, which do not align with St Andrews' table. The South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) compares international degrees with local degrees before any international student continues their studies in that country. While the British degree accreditation and classification system allows students to go straight from
14896-404: The qualities of first class answers to an exceptional degree." Some Cambridge alumni who achieved Firsts in three Parts of the Tripos are described by their colleges and others as having achieved a "triple first". At the University of Oxford , a formal degree class is awarded, typically based on the final examinations. Examinations for Prelims or Honour Moderations are also undertaken in
15029-602: The rest of the United Kingdom, as the Scottish Higher exams are often taken at age 16 or 17 (as opposed to 18), so Scottish students often end a four-year course at the same age as a student from elsewhere in the UK taking a three-year course , assuming no gap years or students skipping the first year (direct entry to 2nd year). When a candidate is awarded a degree with honours, "(Hons)" may be suffixed to their designatory letters – e.g. BA (Hons), BSc (Hons), BMus (Hons), MA (Hons). An MA (Hons) would generally indicate
15162-445: The sciences. Other colleges have more informal academic focus and even demonstrate ideological focus, such as King's , which is known for its left-wing political orientation, and Robinson and Churchill , both of which have a reputation for academic focus on sustainability and environmentalism. Three theological colleges at the university, Westcott House , Westminster College , and Ridley Hall Theological College , are members of
15295-498: The student with the lowest passing grade deserving of the spoon, leading to discontinuation of the tradition. Each Christmas Eve, The Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols , sung by the Choir of King's College , are broadcast globally on BBC World Service television and radio and syndicated to hundreds of additional radio stations in the U.S. and elsewhere. The radio broadcast has been a national Christmas Eve tradition since 1928, though
15428-478: The substance of incorporated credit exceeds a given threshold, the granting institution may be unable to grade sufficient work to award a degree classification. Any degree granted may then be unclassified. At the University of Cambridge , undergraduate Tripos examinations are split into one or more Parts, which span either one or two years. Each student receives a formal classification for each Part (i.e. Class I, II.i, II.ii, or III). Until October 2020, officially
15561-617: The top 20 business schools in the world by Financial Times . Many of the sites are quite close together, and the area around Cambridge is reasonably flat. Furthermore, students are not permitted to hold car park permits except under special circumstances. For these reasons, of the favourite modes of transport for students is the bicycle; an estimated one-fifth of journeys in the city are made by bike. The University of Cambridge and its constituent colleges include many notable locations, some of which are iconic or of historical, academic, religious, and cultural significance, including: Cambridge
15694-511: The university and colleges concluded, raising a total of £2.217 billion in commitments. The university maintains multiple scholarship programs. The Stormzy Scholarship for Black UK Students covers tuition costs for two students and maintenance grants for up to four years. In 2000, Bill Gates of Microsoft donated US$ 210 million through the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to endow Gates Cambridge Scholarships for students from outside
15827-741: The university and the colleges, the Chancellor, the High Steward , the Deputy High Steward, and the Commissary. Public representatives of Regent House are the two Proctors , elected to serve for one year terms upon their nominations by the colleges. Although the University Council is the university's principal executive and policy-making body, the Council reports to, and is held accountable by, Regent House through
15960-582: The university is divided among them. The university has a department dedicated to providing continuing education , the Institute of Continuing Education , which is based primarily in Madingley Hall , a 16th-century manor house in Cambridgeshire . Its award-bearing programmes include both undergraduate certificates and part-time master's degrees. A school in the University of Cambridge is
16093-509: The university's governing bodies with vetoing powers. Below is the list of Triposes offered by the university (Latin numerals in brackets indicate the Parts available): University of Cambridge The University of Cambridge is a public collegiate research university in Cambridge , England. Founded in 1209, the University of Cambridge is the world's third-oldest university in continuous operation . The university's founding followed
16226-498: The university's high tech and biotech growth has been labeled the Cambridge Phenomenon, and has included the addition of 1,500 new companies and as many as 40,000 new jobs added between 1960 and 2010, mostly at Silicon Fen , a business cluster launched by the university in the late 20th century. Partly because of the University of Cambridge's extensive history, which now exceeds 800 years, the university has developed
16359-547: The university's operational needs, which may include a number of departments and other institutions. A small number of bodies called syndicates hold responsibility for teaching and research, including for the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate , the University Press , and the University Library . The Chancellor of the university is limitless term position that is mainly ceremonial and
16492-404: The university's outgoing Vice-Chancellor, said the decision to suspend its collaboration with UAE also was a result of additional revelations about UAE's Pegasus software hacking. British undergraduate degree classification The UK's university degree classification system, established in 1918, serves to recognize academic achievement beyond examination performance. Bachelor's degrees in
16625-480: The university, which arranges lectures and awards degrees, but undergraduates receive their overall academic supervision within the colleges through small group teaching sessions, which often include just one student; though in many cases students go to other colleges for supervision if the teaching fellows at their college do not specialise in a student's particular area of academic focus. Each college appoints its own teaching staff and fellows, both of whom are members of
16758-567: The whole stool at graduation. Another tradition holds that the name derives from the three brackets printed on the back of the voucher. Initially, the only way to obtain an honours degree at Cambridge was the Mathematical Tripos examination. John Jebb proposed reforms in 1772, but implementation was blocked by various matters such as lack of expertise in the smaller colleges in a wider range of subjects. Classed examinations in law were introduced in 1816 by James William Geldart , who
16891-782: Was abolished by the Representation of the People Act 1948 . The constituency was not a geographical area; rather, its electorate consisted of university graduates. Before 1918, the franchise was restricted to male graduates with a doctorate or MA degree. For the first several centuries of its existence, as was the case broadly in England and the world, the University of Cambridge was only open to male students. The first colleges established for women were Girton College , founded by Emily Davies in 1869, Newnham College , founded by Anne Clough and Henry Sidgwick in 1872, Hughes Hall , founded in 1885 by Elizabeth Phillips Hughes as
17024-569: Was awarded in 1909 to Cuthbert Lempriere Holthouse, an oarsman of the Lady Margaret Boat Club at St John's College . It was over one metre in length and had an oar blade for a handle. It can now be seen outside the Senior Combination Room of St John's College. Since 1908, examination results have been published alphabetically within class rather than in strict order of merit, which made it difficult to ascertain
17157-425: Was nearly balanced with its total student population being 53% male and 47% female. In 2018 and later years, the university has come under some criticism and faced legal challenges over alleged sexual harassment at the university. In 2019, for example, former student Danielle Bradford, represented by sexual harassment lawyer Ann Olivarius , sued the university for its handling of her sexual misconduct complaint. "I
17290-518: Was not without controversies, however. For example, Cambridge researchers were accused in 2023 of helping to develop weapon systems for Iran. The University of Cambridge was one of only two universities to hold parliamentary seats in the Parliament of England and was later one of 19 represented in the Parliament of the United Kingdom . The constituency was created by a Royal charter of 1603 and returned two members of parliament until 1950 when it
17423-423: Was the first college to admit both men and women. In 1972, Churchill , Clare , and King's were the first previously all-male colleges to admit female undergraduates. In 1988, Magdalene became the last all-male college to accept women. Clare Hall and Darwin admit only postgraduates, and Hughes Hall , St Edmund's , and Wolfson admit only mature undergraduate and graduate students who are 21 years or older on
17556-500: Was then Regius Professor of Civil Law . Although a classical tripos was created in 1822, it was only open to those who already had high honours in mathematics or those who were the sons of peers . This restriction ended around 1850, and triposes in the moral sciences and natural sciences were introduced in the 1860s. From Easter 2023, "overall degree classifications" were introduced to the Tripos system bringing Cambridge in line with other British universities. The origin and evolution of
17689-693: Was told that I should think about it very carefully because making a complaint could affect my place in my department", Bradford alleged in 2019. In 2020, hundreds of current and former students accused the university in a letter, citing "a complete failure" to deal with sexual misconduct complaints. The relationship between the university and the city of Cambridge has sometimes been uneasy. The phrase town and gown continues to be employed to distinguish between Cambridge residents (town) and University of Cambridge students (gown), who historically wore academical dress . Ferocious rivalry between Cambridge's residents and university students have periodically erupted over
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