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Natural Sciences Tripos

 

Marking and Classing

The following marking scheme has been approved by the Committee of Management for the Natural Sciences Tripos.

Examiners are nominated by the various Faculties and Departments who contribute to teaching on the Tripos and are formally appointed by the General Board. In each subject, there is a Senior Examiner and other appointed Examiners and Assessors who are responsible for setting the papers and marking the scripts. There is also a Chairman of Examiners who delegates responsibility to the Senior Examiners in each Part II or Part III examination to assign classes to candidates and produce the official class lists and College markbooks.

Each subject in Part II and Part III of the Tripos produces its own marking scheme and classing criteria. Students are asked to refer to the individual Faculty or Departmental documents outlining marking schemes and classing criteria. The Committee of Management for the Natural Sciences Tripos has determined, however, that the following class boundaries be used for all Tripos examinations:

  • candidates who achieve a percentage mark of 70.0-100.0 are awarded a 1st class
  • candidates who achieve a percentage mark of 60.0-69.9 are awarded a II.1 class
  • candidates who achieve a percentage mark of 50.0-59.9 are awarded a II.2 class
  • candidates who achieve a percentage mark of 40.0-49.9 are awarded a 3rd class

The information required for University transcripts includes an indication of both the class boundaries and the cohort percentages in each class. Examiners are strongly encouraged to adhere to the above boundaries, but it is accepted that small deviations from them may occur.

Degree Classification

The Natural Sciences Tripos has adopted a system whereby 100% of the marks for the overall degree classification are from Part II.  I.e. if you are awarded a 2:1 for your Part II, this will be your final B.A. Degree classification.  Parts IA and IB are not used, in part due to the norm referencing approach employed in those years.

The award of MSci for Part III is a separate degree and classed differently from Bachelor of Arts degrees.