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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
- 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 10 10 10 10 20 20 20 20 Grade obtained 62 63 64 85 73 62 59 60
Grades obtained at Level 3
Credit value 10 10 20 20 60 Grade obtained 62 58 64 65 68
- 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 10 10 Grade obtained
In this example, your resulting grade profile would be as follows.
Grades obtained at Level 2 (weighted by credit value)
Credit value 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 Grade obtained
Grades obtained at Level 3 (weighted by credit value)
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. ≥ 57.0 and < 59.5 2.1/2.2 borderline range ≥ 49.5 and < 57.0 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
- 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 Grade Rank Grade
6.1 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. ≥ 49.5 and <59.5 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 15 th^ 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 Grade Rank Grade 1 85 19 65 2 73 20 64 3 73 21 64 4 68 22 64 5 68 23 64 6 68 24 64 7 68 25 63 8 68 26 62 9 68 27 62 10 68 28 62 11 68 29 62 12 68 30 62
18 th^ ranked grade
2.1 2.2 Borderline 2. Borderline 2.1 2.1 2. Borderline 2.1 Borderline 2.1 Borderline 2. Borderline 2.1 2.2 2. 2.2 2.1 Borderline 2. 2.2 Borderline 2.1 2. 2.2 2.2 2. 2.2 Borderline 2.2 2. 2.2 Third Borderline 2. Borderline 2.2 2.2 2. Borderline 2.2 Borderline 2.2 Borderline 2. Borderline 2.2 Third Third Third 2.2 Borderline 2. Third Borderline 2.2 Third Third Third Third Third Borderline Third Third Third Pass Borderline Third Borderline Third Third Third Borderline Third Borderline Third Borderline Third Borderline Third Pass Pass Pass Third Borderline Third Pass Borderline Third Pass Pass Pass Pass Pass Borderline Pass Pass Pass Fail Borderline Pass Borderline Pass Pass Pass Borderline Pass Borderline Pass Borderline Pass Borderline Pass Fail Fail Fail Pass Borderline Pass Fail Borderline Pass Fail Fail Fail Fail
- 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.
- 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
- 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.
- 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.
