THE UNIVERSITY OF SHEFFIELD
Degree Classification
A single, unified method of degree classification applies to all University of
Sheffield students who commenced Level 2 of their programme of study in or
after the Session 2006-2007.
This example illustrates the 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:
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(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.
However, you should note that regardless of the outcome of the determination
of your degree class using the above methodology, you must have obtained a
sufficient number of credits at Level 2 and above for a degree to be awarded, as
detailed in the University's General Regulations for First Degrees.
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
10
10
10
10
20
20
20
20
Grade
62
63
64
85
73
62
59
60
obtained
Grades obtained at Level 3
Credit value
10
10
20
20
60
Grade
62
58
64
65
68
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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
10
10
Grade
73
73
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
62
63
64
85
73
73
62
62
59
59
60
60
obtained
Grades obtained at Level 3 (weighted by credit value)
Credit value
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
Grade
62
58
64
64
65
65
68
68
68
68
68
68
obtained
(ii)
Weighting by Level
3.
Your module grades, once weighted by credit value, are subject to a
further ‘level-weighting’.
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)
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Credit value
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
Grade
62
63
64
85
73
73
62
62
59
59
60
60
obtained
Grades obtained at Level 3 (weighted by credit value and level)
Credit value
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
Grade
62
58
64
64
65
65
68
68
68
68
68
68
Credit value
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
Grade
62
58
64
64
65
65
68
68
68
68
68
68
obtained
obtained
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 10credit 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:
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Weighted average grade
Degree class
≥ 69.5
First
≥ 68.0 and < 69.5
First/2.1 borderline range
≥ 59.5 and < 68.0
2.1
≥ 58.0 and < 59.5
2.1/2.2 borderline range
≥ 49.5 and < 58.0
2.2
≥ 48.0 and < 49.5
2.2/Third borderline range
≥ 44.5 and < 48.0
Third
≥ 43.5 and < 44.5
Third/Pass borderline range
≥ 39.5 and < 43.5
Pass
≥ 38.0 and < 39.5
Pass/Fail borderline range
< 38.0
Fail
In this example, therefore, your weighted average grade of 65.4, via
Calculation 1, indicates a preliminary classification of 2.1.
(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
Grade
Rank
1
85
19
65
2
73
20
64
3
73
21
64
4
68
22
64
5
68
23
64
6
68
24
64
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18th ranked grade
6.1
7
68
25
63
8
68
26
62
9
68
27
62
10
68
28
62
11
68
29
62
12
68
30
62
13
68
31
60
14
68
32
60
15
68
33
59
16
65
34
59
17
65
35
58
18
65
36
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
< 39.5
Fail
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.
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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.
15th ranked grade
(d)
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
13
68
31
60
14
68
32
60
15
68
33
59
16
65
34
59
17
65
35
58
18
65
36
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
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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.
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8.
The full scheme by which Calculations 1 and 2 are combined to give a
combined classification is detailed below.
Calculation 1:
Calculation 2:
Preliminary
Preliminary
Combined
classification
classification
classification
First
First
First
First
Borderline First
First
First
2.1
Borderline First
Borderline First
First
First
Borderline First
Borderline First
Borderline First
Borderline First
2.1
2.1
2.1
First
Borderline First
2.1
Borderline First
2.1
2.1
2.1
2.1
2.1
Borderline 2.1
2.1
2.1
2.2
Borderline 2.1
Borderline 2.1
2.1
2.1
Borderline 2.1
Borderline 2.1
Borderline 2.1
Borderline 2.1
2.2
2.2
2.2
2.1
Borderline 2.1
2.2
Borderline 2.1
2.2
2.2
2.2
2.2
2.2
Borderline 2.2
2.2
2.2
Third
Borderline 2.2
Borderline 2.2
2.2
2.2
Borderline 2.2
Borderline 2.2
Borderline 2.2
Borderline 2.2
Third
Third
Third
2.2
Borderline 2.2
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
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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.
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, according to the following:
Weighted average grade
Degree class
at final Level of study
10.
≥ 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
< 39.5
Fail
If the particular combination of preliminary classifications you obtained
for Calculation 1 and Calculation 2 is not shown in the table in section 8,
then the Examiners will recommend a degree classification which, having
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regard to all the evidence before them, best reflects your overall
performance.
Other Considerations
11.
It should be noted that regardless of the outcomes of the determination
of your degree class using the above methodology, you must have
obtained a sufficient number of credits at Level 2 and above for a degree
to be awarded, as detailed in the University General Regulations for
First Degrees, available at
(www.shef.ac.uk/calendar)
12.
If you have submitted evidence of mitigating circumstances (e.g. medical/
personal) to your department, these may be taken into account by the
Examination Board when recommending the class of degree to be
awarded.
Additional Information
13.
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.
14.
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.
15.
If your degree includes any 5-credit modules, then for the purposes of
determining your combined classification the following would apply:
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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
5
5
5
5
Grade
73
73
73
73
obtained
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 3year Bachelors degree in the example).
For Calculation 2 (see section (c) in the example above), rank the 72 5credit elements and identify the 36th and 30th ranked grades.
16.
If you commenced Level 3 or Level 4 of your degree in September 2010
then the borderline ranges for Calculation 1 are as stated below (rather
than those stated earlier in the table at point 5.1 of section d):
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
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< 37.0
Fail
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Updated 18 October 2011
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