The marks required for different classifications of degree vary between universities, but are typically as follows:
- 40% or above = 3rd
- 50% or above = 2:2
- 60% or above = 2:1
- 70% or above = 1st
Some universities require a mark as high as 85% for a first class degree. I have spoken to students who attended such establishments and get the impression they think that this makes their degree more valuable. This is simply not the case. I achieved the highest mark at my faculty in the year I graduated (83%), so, if the same standards were applied at a university requiring 85% for a first class degree, then no-one from that university would achieve a first class.
Another issue is consistency of standards between universities, particularly between old and new universities. Whilst research indicates there are variances, all marking is moderated / adjudicated by external bodies to ensure consistency.
Never the less, employers will favor certain universities when it comes to recruitment. An Oxford graduate will be viewed more favorably than a graduate from an ‘new university’ (ex-polytechnic). This is understandable as getting into Oxford or Cambridge is a feat in itself, regardless of whether you do any work when you get there!
The bottom line though, as I see it, is whichever university you attend, you need to make sure you get the best possible results for yourself at the end of the course.
Regardless of your mark, it will take the same number of years, and you will incur the same level of debt, so you may as well make sure it is all worth it.
Furthermore, employers ask for a 2:1 or a first, a mark below a 2:1 will disadvantage you in terms of gaining employment.
I have never seen an employer stipulate universities in their personal specification!
Hi,
I will be entering by final year in a month or two. I am studying for a BSc in Economics. I am hoping to graduate with at least a 2:1 degree.
However, i acheived an average mark of 57.4% for my second year. Although i have completed 1/3 of my degree up to this point, and still have 2/3 left – i wanted to know if its still realistically possible to achieve a 2:1.
If so, is there any advice you can give me on how to approach my final year, in order to ensure that i get a good degree?
Thanks
Hi Bhavik,
You say you are entering year 3 but have 2/3 of your course left? Are you saying that you have 2/3 of your higher level modules left???
You need to find out exactly what the marking criteria are for your course, whether they count all modules, or say the 10 highest level modules etc.
You need to find out what you need for a 2:1 also, is it +60%?
If you only need 60% for a 2:1 and have 2/3 of your modules left then you would only only need to average 62% in your remaining modules to achieve the grade you want…. but it is impossible for me to know how your University works on this.
In my final year I knew that I needed to average 70%. I knew what modules would be counted. As I got marks back for my modules I calculated what I needed to get as a percentage on my remaining modules. I then aimed to get at lot more than I needed to try and give myself a bit of a buffer…
If I were you I would work like a maniac for your final year, a lot of employers look for a 2:1 as a minimum, your life after University will be a lot easier with a 2:1 than a 2:2 and making sacrifices this year will definitely pay off in the years to follow!
thank you, I was about to ask the same question, mine is a 55% average though, you mentioned high levels modules, are these the modules with more credits, some of my modules carry 15 credits while the some have 30credits- are these the one you are referring to?
Yes the higher level modules are worth more.
On my course they were not weighted in the way you describe, but high level modules had to count towards your final mark.
The lower level modules did not necessarily count toward your final mark.
Hi
I am approaching the end of my third year with three exams outstanding. In my second year, I received 61% (60% classed as a 2:1 at my uni) overall covering four 30cred modules. This year my grades have improved a lot and I’ve been receiving 70-80% on thr majority of my assignments. I am pretty confident about the exams too. I really want to get a first class degree but not sure if this is possible as I achieved 61% in my second year. I’d appreciate your opinion. Many thanks in advance.
Sorry for not replying sooner, this site got hacked and I did not see any comments being posted. I guess you have finished now, but it would have been possible to do that if you were averaging high in your last year. Later modules are usually weighted more heavily. If things did not work out… a 2:1 is a decent grade
Hello,
I am in the same situation this year. I have just started my third year and also got 61% for my second year (2:1). I would very much like a first as well; however I am worried that I will not be able to considering how I performed in my second year. I was just wondering how you got on, if you don’t mind me asking.
It’s a worrying reflection of the state of UK education that you managed to secure a first class degree and yet still can’t spell definitely. Christ! The fact that you took time to bold it distresses me further!
‘making sacrifices this year will definately pay off in the years to follow!’
Thanks for the correction… I am always spelling that incorrectly, I don’t seem able to stop despite always being picked up on it.
I have completed my B.Com passing be 47.50% marks, but now it is very less to me do any higher courses and to get some jobs, so can I appear for degree exam again to increase marks of B.com Degree. Also let me know there is availability of way to give again exam for my b.com degree.
Hiya,
I got 68% for my second year (worth 30% of entire degree mark) and wondered how I work out what I need to get a 1:1 overall? My 3rd year is worth 70% of my entire degree mark as my first year was worth nuttin!
Regards
Is it ever too late to get a first?
I’m now 91 days from the start of exam month (May) for my cambridge medical degree, and I kinda just realised that although I’ve been working really hard, attended /prepared/reviewed all lectures/practicals/supervisions, and constantly been getting my questions resolved by supervisors and lecturers, I probably haven’t been working in the best way – I’d probably given too much emphasis on extra textbook reading, I struggle to keep up with the hectic terms, and when it comes to mocks I realised I have trouble writing essays despite knowing an extensive amounts, which points to a lack of practice as well as a dodgy understanding. I’d gotten much more organised than last year, I could now work faster and more efficiently, I am generally more focused but I’m still not sure. I’d never give up on a first, part of me absolutely believes that I’m going to get it, but another part of me doubts whether I’m always keeping on track, whether I’m always doing the right things. I’ve always felt like I get marks that aren’t proportionate to the amount of time I spend on my subject, like I’m not working efficiently enough. I have trouble finishing essays on time, and I also noticed I used highlighters a bit too much, which obviously points to unselective reading. Sometimes I realise I make really stupid mistakes, and I’ve somehow always found myself procrastinating towards deadlines, despite best intentions. Till today, after one and a half years of cambridge essays, I still don’t know whether the best strategy is to start and finish in one go, or to let it sit in the mind for one or two days after researching, to get the best results (the second one gets me better assignment marks but that’s obviously not an adequate simulation of exam conditions so there’s a kind of trade-off between exam practice and actually learning the stuff better).
And most of all, I have trouble understanding what I’m supposed to do with the long holidays – we have 6 months of formal term time, the rest is self-study, which can be a blessing or a disaster. I have generally been high performing during term time but after the holidays it’s almost like I’ve done negative work. I now have 5 weeks until the end of this term, then I have 5 weeks till my second mock and then another 5 weeks till the exams actually start, with only revision sessions and few but important lectures. I’m really scared that I’ll realise suddenly somewhere close to the exam that there’s something crucial that I really should have done, or should have understood or should have realised, but haven’t. But generally I’m an advocate of optimism.
By the way, I really appreciated the comment you made about writing professionally instead of using journalistic styles. Sometimes I focus so much on the content and structure that I forget the need to write as an academic besides trying to get the point across in a clear and interesting way. I’ve found this to be one of the best websites that really addresses study issues in a relevant way to students and actually make suggestions that are well-considered and helpful for reflection.
Hi there,
I’m doing quite well on my course so far. I’ve achieved 73% in my first module, and 84% in my second (the exam recieved 94%!). However my next module is biology and I am struggling so much with this. I am putting a lot of time and effort into it but I am still struggling and worried I may only just scrape a pass. How will this affect my overall grade? I am only in my first year but determined to do well.
p.s I don’t suppose you did biology or any medical degree did you?!
Hi Rebecca, i’m not too sure how your course works, but for mine the first year results had no value to my final degree. It was either a combination of second year and third year, or third year depending on the best average mark.
Bobby
Hiya, im currently in my last year of uni and working really hard. But, however i only achieved a 2:3 in my sencond year. What are my chances of leaving uni with a decent degree? (not a third)
I love it when people who create no content themselves feel the need to put other people down. The author of this post has only posted this to help others and still micro minded cretins can find nothing in the post except a spelling fault. It’s really sad.
Exactly!!
Hi,
I was just wondering whether you need 60% in EVERY module for a 2:1, or an average of 60% (I’m doing 6 modules per year, could I get 80% in 3, and 40% in the other 3 and still get a 2:1). Just pretend year 2 and 3 are equally weighted for now.
I am hoping this year to scrape a 2:1, I need 64% on average to obtain this (trying to be realistic with what I am going to achieve). My second year is 25% For my third year what will I have to obtain on average to get a 1st?
You don’t necessarily need to average 60% to get a 2.1. Most universities (Swansea, Cardiff and Aberystwyth I know for sure) award a 2.1 providing that you average 58.5% and at least half of your modules are above 60%. Wish I’d known this before the day my degree was awarded as I averaged 59.4%, and knowing would have saved a lot of worry, but luckily half of modules were over 60%. I’ve also heard that they can discard your lowest 20 credits ( I had a migraine during a 3 hour exam that was worth the full 20 credits of a module – failed and had to resit, which was capped at 40%) so this method may have been brought into play making the 58% thing irrelevant as I would have averaged 61%.
Sorry if that was long winded, but my point is – don’t worry too much about fractions of a percent because odds are you’ll get bumped up to the next grade anyway.
Hi, i feel embarrased to say but i got 53% in my second year (2:2) which is 25% of my degree. I was just wondering if it was possible to get a good 2:1 still (2.1 being 70%)?
Thanks.
im currently at a third and am due to enter my last and final year at university, il admit i skipped alot of lectures and seminars however im now so worried about entering third year is sep, what should i aim for in my third year that would b realistic enough to get considerin im currently at the third class classification of student