Degree Classification
The following information is taken from the Student Services area of the University website.
Student Services intend to put onto their site an audio tutorial covering the mechanism
outlined here – it may be more digestible. Note that a few students who started their Level 2
before 2006-7 will have their degree classified on an older system – see Dr. M.Cambray-Deakin
if this applies to you.
A single, unified method of degree classification will apply to all University of Sheffield
students who commenced Level 2 of their programme of study in the Session 2006-2007, and
to all subsequent cohorts.
This example illustrates the new method as it applies to a standard, three-year Bachelor’s
degree, with no Year Abroad or equivalent, and where modules taken at Level 3 carry twice
the weight of those taken at Level 2.
Introduction
Under the method of degree classification applicable across the University to students who
commenced Level 2 of their programme of study in the Session 2006-07 or later, your degree
class will be determined by the outcome of two calculations:
(1)
your weighted average grade and
(2)
the distribution of your weighted grades,
in both cases based on the grades you obtained in the modules contributing to your degree
programme. You should note that:
•
your degree classification is based on modules taken at Levels 2 and 3; modules taken
at Level 1 of your programme of study are not used for classification purposes and are,
therefore, excluded from this process;
•
the grade obtained in individual modules is weighted according to both the credit value
of each module and the Level in which the module was studied.
The explanation below gives full details of how these two calculations are used to determine
your degree class, and covers the following stages:
(a)
Preparation of your grade profile:
(i)
weighting of modules by credit value, to take account of the fact that different
modules may carry different credit values;
(ii)
weighting by Level, to take account of the fact that Level 3 modules carry twice
the weight of those taken at Level 2.
(b)
Calculation 1: your weighted average grade.
(c)
Calculation 2: the distribution of your weighted grades.
(d)
Determination of your degree class.
Example
(a)
Preparation of your grade profile
(i)
Weighting of modules by credit value
1.
Suppose the module grades you obtain at Levels 2 and 3 of your Bachelor’s degree are
as follows:
Grades obtained at Level 2
Credit value
Grade obtained
10
62
10
63
10
64
10
85
20
73
10
62
10
58
20
64
20
65
60
68
20
62
20
59
20
60
Grades obtained at Level 3
Credit value
Grade obtained
2.
Your module grades are first weighted by credit value by converting all modules with a
value greater than 10 credits into elements of 10 credits each. In this way, for example,
a grade of 73 for a 20-credit module is expressed as:
Credit value
Grade
obtained
10
73
10
73
In this example, your resulting grade profile would be as follows.
Grades obtained at Level 2 (weighted by credit value)
Credit value
Grade
obtained
10 10 10 10 10
62 63 64 85 73
10
73
10 10 10 10 10 10
62 62 59 59 60 60
Grades obtained at Level 3 (weighted by credit value)
Credit value
Grade
obtained
10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10
62 58 64 64 65 65 68 68 68 68 68 68
(ii)
Weighting by Level
3.
Your module grades, once weighted by credit value, are subject to a further ‘levelweighting’. That is, your Level 3 grades are counted twice relative to those obtained at
Level 2, giving the following grade profile:
Grades obtained at Level 2 (weighted by credit value and level)
Credit value
Grade
obtained
10 10 10 10 10
62 63 64 85 73
10
73
10 10 10 10 10 10
62 62 59 59 60 60
Grades obtained at Level 3 (weighted by credit value and level)
Credit value
Grade
obtained
10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10
62 58 64 64 65 65 68 68 68 68 68 68
Credit value
Grade
obtained
10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10
62 58 64 64 65 65 68 68 68 68 68 68
4.
This is the grade profile which is used to generate two preliminary classifications based
on (1) your weighted average grade and (2) the distribution of your weighted grades.
(b)
Calculation 1: your weighted average grade
5.
A preliminary classification based on the weighted average of your grades is obtained
by taking the average of the grades in the 36 x 10-credit elements detailed in 3 above. In
this example, your weighted average grade is thus:
the sum of the grades obtained
(62+63+64+85+73+73+62+62+59+59+60+60+62+58+64+64+65+65+68+68+68+68+68
+68+62+58+64+64+65+65+68+68+68+68+68+68 = 2354)
divided by the number of 10-credit elements
2354 ÷ 36 = 65.4 (i.e. rounded to one decimal point)
5.1
Your weighted average grade is converted to a preliminary degree classification
according to the following:
Weighted average grade
Degree class
≥ 69.5
First
≥ 67.0 and < 69.5
First/2.1 borderline range
≥ 59.5 and < 67.0
2.1
≥ 57.0 and < 59.5
2.1/2.2 borderline range
≥ 49.5 and < 57.0
2.2
≥ 47.0 and < 49.5
2.2/Third borderline range
≥ 44.5 and < 47.0
Third
≥ 43.5 and < 44.5
Third/Pass borderline range
≥ 39.5 and < 43.5
Pass
≥ 37.0 and < 39.5
Pass/Fail borderline range
In this example, therefore, your weighted average grade of 65.4, via Calculation 1,
indicates a preliminary classification of 2i.
(c)
Calculation 2: the distribution of your weighted grades
6.
A second preliminary classification based on the distribution of your weighted grades is
obtained by ranking the 36 10-credit elements and identifying the 18th ranked grade, as
follows:
Rank
1
2
3
4
5
Grade
85
73
73
68
68
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
68
68
68
68
68
68
68
68
Rank
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
Grade
65
64
64
64
64
64
63
62
62
62
62
62
60
th
18 ranked grade
6.1
14
15
16
17
18
68
68
65
65
65
32
33
34
35
36
60
59
59
58
58
In this example, your 18th ranked grade is 65. This grade is converted to a preliminary
degree classification according to the following:
Grade
Degree class
≥ 69.5
First
≥ 59.5 and <69.5
2.1
≥ 49.5 and <59.5
2.2
≥ 44.5 and <49.5
Third
≥ 39.5 and <44.5
Pass
In the above example, therefore, the distribution of your grades, via Calculation 2, is a
preliminary classification of 2.1.
6.2
To determine whether, for the purposes of Calculation 2, you should be placed in the
borderline range to a higher degree class, it is also necessary to establish whether the
15th ranked grade corresponds to a different class than that arrived at under 6.1. If so,
you are placed in the borderline range.
In the current example, although the 15th ranked grade is higher than the 18th, it is less
than 69.5 (the lowest grade in the first class band, as set out in 6.1 above), and the
preliminary classification indicated by Calculation 2 is therefore still 2.1.
Rank
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Grade
85
73
73
68
68
68
68
68
68
68
68
68
Rank
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
Grade
65
64
64
64
64
64
63
62
62
62
62
62
th
15 ranked grade
(d)
13
14
15
16
17
18
68
68
68
65
65
65
31
32
33
34
35
36
60
60
59
59
58
58
Determination of your degree class
7. The outcomes of Calculation 1 and Calculation 2 are combined to give a classification
according to the principles given below.
Where your weighted average grade and the distribution of your weighted grades both
indicate that you should be awarded the same class of degree, this is the class of
degree that you will receive. Where one of these calculations indicates that you should
be awarded a particular class of degree, but the other places you in the borderline
range to that class, you will still be awarded the higher class.
However, should one calculation indicate that you should be awarded a particular class
of degree but the other indicates that you should be awarded the class below, you will
become a borderline candidate to the higher class. Or if both calculations place you in
the borderline range to a higher class you will also become a borderline candidate to
the higher class. In both situations the class of degree you receive will be decided by
the Examination Board with reference to the average weighted grade of the modules
you studied during your final Level.
The full scheme by which Calculations 1 and 2 are combined to give a combined
classification is detailed below.
Calculation 1:
Preliminary
classification
First
First
First
Borderline First
Borderline First
Borderline First
2.1
2.1
2.1
2.1
Calculation 2:
Preliminary
classification
First
Borderline First
2.1
First
Borderline First
2.1
First
Borderline First
2.1
Borderline 2.1
Combined
classification
First
First
Borderline First
First
Borderline First
2.1
Borderline First
2.1
2.1
2.1
2.1
Borderline 2.1
Borderline 2.1
Borderline 2.1
2.2
2.2
2.2
2.2
2.2
Borderline 2.2
Borderline 2.2
Borderline 2.2
Third
Third
Third
Third
Third
Borderline Third
Borderline Third
Borderline Third
Pass
Pass
Pass
Pass
Pass
Borderline Pass
Borderline Pass
Borderline Pass
Fail
Fail
Fail
2.2
2.1
Borderline 2.1
2.2
2.1
Borderline 2.1
2.2
Borderline 2.2
Third
2.2
Borderline 2.2
Third
2.2
Borderline 2.2
Third
Borderline Third
Pass
Third
Borderline Third
Pass
Third
Borderline Third
Pass
Borderline Pass
Fail
Pass
Borderline Pass
Fail
Pass
Borderline Pass
Fail
Borderline 2.1
2.1
Borderline 2.1
2.2
Borderline 2.1
2.2
2.2
2.2
Borderline 2.2
2.2
Borderline 2.2
Third
Borderline 2.2
Third
Third
Third
Borderline Third
Third
Borderline Third
Pass
Borderline Third
Pass
Pass
Pass
Borderline Pass
Pass
Borderline Pass
Fail
Borderline Pass
Fail
Fail
8.
In the current example, the outcomes of both Calculations 1 and 2 indicate a
preliminary degree classification of 2.1. This results in a combined classification of 2.1.
9.
In considering candidates whose combined classification is borderline, the class of
degree to be recommended by the Examiners will normally correspond to the class
indicated by the average of the grades you obtained at your final Level of study (Level 3
in this example) weighted by credit value.
Other Considerations
10.
It should be noted that regardless of the outcomes of Calculation 1 and 2 above, you
must have obtained a sufficient number of credits at Level 2 and above for a degree to
be awarded, as detailed in the General Regulations for First Degrees.
11.
If you have submitted evidence of mitigating circumstances (eg medical/personal) to
your department, these may be taken into account by the Examination Board when
recommending the class of degree to be awarded.
Other types of degree
12.
Integrated Masters degrees, such as the MEng, MChem and MPhys, are classified in an
analogous fashion. The Level-weighting for Levels 2, 3 and 4 of such programmes
where a year in industry or abroad is not involved is 1:2:2. In this way, modules taken at
Levels 3 and 4 carry twice the weight of those taken at Level 2. For Integrated Masters
degrees, Calculation 2 uses the 30th ranked grade and 25th ranked grade (rather than
the 18th and 15th) when determining the preliminary classification and whether it is in a
borderline range or not.
13.
If your programme of study involves a credit-bearing year in industry or abroad, you
should confirm with your department the level-weighting that will apply in classifying
your degree.
14.
If your degree includes any 5-credit modules, then for the purposes of determining
your combined classification the following would apply:
Prepare your grade profile (see section (a) in the example above) by converting all your
modules with a value greater than 5 credits into elements of 5 credits each (instead of
converting all modules with a value greater than 10 credits into elements of 10 credits
each). So, for example, a grade of 73 for a 20-credit module would be expressed as:
Credit value
Grade obtained
5
73
5
73
5
73
5
73
For Calculation 1 (see section (b) in the example above), in order to calculate your
weighted average grade, sum all the grades obtained in the profile and divide by the
number of 5-credit elements (72 for the 3-year Bachelors degree in the example).
For Calculation 2 (see section (c) in the example above), rank the 72 5-credit elements
and identify the 36th and 30th ranked grades.