Degree Regulations
The degree regulations for students can be found on the University website.
If you commenced your studies before September 2012 you should consult the degree regulations for students registered on an undergraduate programme on or after 1 September 2010 (but prior to 1 September 2012) which can be found on the University website here.
| Bachelors Degree classification weighted to 120 credits |
Classification thresholds: weighted average (0 to 100 mark range) |
Boundary zone weighted average |
| First class | 70.0 | 68.0 to 69.9 |
| Upper Second class | 60.0 | 58.0 to 59.9 |
| Lower Second class | 50.0 | 48.0 to 49.9 |
| Third class | 40.0 | 37.0 to 39.9 |
Note, unlike the BSc degrees, it is not possible to attain a 3rd class for an MSci degree. Consequently, MSci students who obtain a final mark of less than 50% will fail the MSci degree. However, you will be able to graduate with BSc(Hons) degree based on your performance during your first three year.
MNeuro degrees (for students registered prior to September 2015)
Degree classification in fourth year will be based on marks from the four years weighted as follows: Yr1 = 6%; Yr2 = 19%; Yr3 = 37.5%; Yr4 = 37.5% and is determined at a meeting of the Board of Examiners.
MSci degrees
The award of a MSci Degree in the School of Biological Sciences involves assessment of first year units (6%) second year units (19% of total), third year units (37.5%) and fourth-year project (37.5%). For examination purposes, your third year work is divided into 12 units, each contributing 3.125% (total 37.5%) to the final degree marks. The total allocation of marks is as follows:
| First year | 6% |
| Second year: | 19% |
| Third year: | |
| Special Programme Problem/Essay papers | 6.25% (2 units = 20 credits) |
| Lecture units | 15.625% (5 units = 50 credits) |
| BIOL33000, BIOL33011, BIOL33012 & BIOL33012 | 15.625% (4 units = 50 credits) |
| Fourth Year | 37.5% |
Pass marks and degree classification
Degree classification is based on the marks from the six components weighted as outlined in section Assessments and examinations (MSciL4) and is determined at a meeting of the Board of Examiners for a particular Degree Programme, with the External Examiner present to act as advisor and arbiter. The following numerical boundaries will be used as guidelines by the Board of Examiners in deciding your degree category:
- First class 70% and above
- Upper Second class 60% and above
- Lower Second class 50% and above
Please note, that there are additional criteria to be met in order to obtain a degree class commensurate with the final weighted average mark. In addition to obtaining a final mark within boundaries set out above, in order to obtain a lower second degree or above, 80 final year credits must have marks of at least 40%.
N.B. The Board of Examiners will take into account the following points when deciding degree classification:
- Where there are factors that may have adversely affected a student's performance OR where a student is within 2% below a boundary, cases will be considered individually to determine whether the higher degree classification should be awarded. In deciding these cases the examiners will take into account such relevant evidence as exists to the student’s advantage and may be influenced by factors such as: the spread of the marks; the performance in core components of the programme; advisors' reports; performance in earlier years; performance in elements of assessment that have either particularly low or particularly high class averages; medical or personal circumstances. External examiners will participate in this process and may include in the discussion their judgement of the academic aspects having reviewed examination papers and looked at students' assessed work. External examiners may seek additional information derived, for example, from a viva voce examination (see paragraph vii below).
- The External Examiner plays an important role. He/she moderates examination question papers and reads student examination scripts and placement/project reports. Prior to the meeting of the Board of Examiners, the External Examiner may hold an Oral Examination (viva voce) for some or all candidates in a particular Degree Programme.
- To decide degree classifications for candidates whose average overall mark falls within 2% below the borders between degree classifications and who have accrued the necessary credits, and those who have an overall mark within a degree class but have failed to obtain the correct number of credits, mark review will be carried out. This is a two stage process. If you have marks in the next higher degree class over 80 final year credits then you will automatically be awarded the next higher classification. If you do not fall into this category, then mark review by viva voce will occur, as set out in “Regulations for Undergraduate Awards”Appendix A. You will be invited to attend a viva voce Some External Examiners also request to viva benchmark candidates for each degree classification and some other students (e.g. those with mitigating circumstances) may also be invited to attend a viva. It is your responsibility to find out if you are required to attend an oral examination and to be available on the appropriate dates, normally during the 2 weeks AFTER the end of the May/June examination period, i.e. mid to late June. Performance in all examinations will be included in the deliberations of the Board of Examiners. A document explaining the viva voce can be found on the intranet.
- In reaching their decision on academic results, Examination Boards may take account of certain circumstances brought to their attention (for the University’s policy on mitigating circumstances please see Section Mitigating Circumstances).
Absence from any final-level examination will normally result in a zero mark being returned for that examination. There are no referrals. A candidate who is ill must follow the procedures indicated under 'Guidelines on Ill Heath' Section. However, students should make every effort to take the paper.
Publication of examination results and degree classifications
Following the Board of Examiners meetings all degree classifications will be published by the date advertised in the front cover of this handbook and will be communicated through the My Manchester Student Portal; details on how to access them can be found at http://www.studentnet.manchester.ac.uk/crucial-guide/academic-life/exams/results/.
Results for individual examinations will be published on the date advertised in the front cover of this handbook (for semester 1 examinations). Practical assessment and other coursework marks may be published on an ongoing basis.
Precise publication dates and times for certain groups of degree programmes may occur before this and full details will be published nearer to the examination boards.
Academic Transcripts
The University has implemented a secure online document service called e-Docs. This system allows graduates to access their documents online and allows employers to verify the authenticity of these electronic documents via a secure website hosted at The University of Manchester. This allows you to manage the release of your documents to a third party, e.g. a prospective employer, electronically, effectively allowing them to verify the information via the University's secure website. This removes the need to entrust your original documents to the post and speeds up the communication process considerably. See the Crucial Guide Live at https://my.manchester.ac.uk/d/crucial-guide/academic-life/award-confirmation/transcripts/ for further information.
External Examiners
External Examiners are individuals from another institution or organisation who monitor the assessment processes of the University to ensure fairness and academic standards. They ensure that assessment and examination procedures have been fairly and properly implemented and that decisions have been made after appropriate deliberation. They also ensure that standards of awards and levels of student performance are at least comparable with those in equivalent higher education institutions.
External Examiners’ reports relating to programmes within the School of Biological Sciences will be shared with student representatives at the Student/Staff Liaison Committee (SSLC), where details of any actions carried out by the School in response to the External Examiners’ comments will be discussed. You should contact your student representatives if you require any further information about External Examiners’ reports or the process for considering them. External Examiners’ reports and the School’s responses to them can be found here.
The External Examiners for each programme are as follows:
| Programme | External Examiner | Institution |
| Anatomical Sciences | Dr Tomasz Cecot | University of Southampton |
| Biochemistry | TBC | TBC |
| Biology | Dr Richard Bevan | University of Newcastle |
| Biology with Science & Society | Dr Richard Bevan | University of Newcastle |
| Biomedical Sciences | Dr Christopher Torrens | University of Southampton |
| Biomedical Sciences | Dr Steve Christmas | University of Liverpool |
| Biotechnology | Prof. Jeff Green | University of Sheffield |
| Cell Biology | Dr Kristin Braun | Barts and London School of Medicine & Dentistry |
| Cognitive Neuroscience & Psychology | Dr Allison Fulford | University of Bristol |
| Developmental Biology | Dr Sinead Drea | University of Leicester |
| Genetics | Dr Eran Tauber | University of Leicester |
| Immunology | Dr Martin Stacey | University of Leeds |
| Medical Biochemistry | TBC | TBC |
| Microbiology | Prof. Jeff Green | University of Sheffield |
| MNeuro | Dr Allison Fulford | University of Bristol |
| Molecular Biology | Dr Eran Tauber | University of Leicester |
| Neuroscience | Dr Allison Fulford | University of Bristol |
| Pharmacology | Dr Lesley MacVinish | University of Cambridge |
| Pharmacology & Physiology | Dr Lesley MacVinish | University of Cambridge |
| Physiology | Dr Lesley MacVinish | University of Cambridge |
| Plant Sciences | Dr Sinead Drea | University of Leicester |
| Zoology | TBC | TBC |