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Regulation 10 - Calculation of Awards

PURPOSE: this regulation explains how award classifications and grades of achievement are calculated.

This information explains for each award:

• how the overall average mark is calculated and
• the level of achievement required for the calculation of Merit and Distinction grades or honours classifications (as appropriate)
If you have been admitted to a course with credit gained elsewhere:
• that credit can be used towards your overall award but
• the marks for that credit will not be used to calculate classification or merit and distinction grades.

Assessment Boards, under the delegated authority of the Academic Board, will verify the awards to be conferred to students who meet the minimum credit requirements specified below and fulfil the specific requirements of the approved course. Exceptionally, the Assessment Board may withdraw an award that has previously been conferred.

Intermediate awards will not be made while the student is still accumulating credit towards a higher target award in the same course of study. However, where a student fails to meet the target award, a lower award may be conferred if sufficient credits have been achieved for that award. Credit values for intermediate awards will be provided below.

10.1 Aegrotat award

In exceptional circumstances, you may be offered an aegrotat award where there is sufficient evidence of your achievement to satisfy the Assessment Board that you would have met the requirement for the award, but where there is evidence that you cannot complete the course due to exceptionally severe illness or other exceptionally compelling reasons.

If an aegrotat award is offered to you, it will not be formally awarded until you have accepted in writing that you agree to accept it. Once you have accepted an aegrotat award, you will not be able to take any further assessment or reassessment and your actual marks received for any work submitted, will be recorded on your official university results transcript.

An aegrotat award is not classified and will not be awarded with merit or distinction. Where a course is accredited by a professional body, an aegrotat award will not entitle you to professional registration.

10.2 Posthumous Award

A student may be posthumously awarded the most appropriate award or intermediate award if there is sufficient evidence of the student’s achievement.

10.3 Sheffield Hallam University Academic Awards Framework

The Academic Awards Framework sets out the parameters which the University academic courses are designed and approved. This document also contains details on the credit requirements for undergraduate and postgraduate courses, and for small awards.

10.4 Honours Degrees (BA Hons, BSc Hons, LLB Hons, BEng Hons)

Minimum credit requirement is 360 credits with a minimum of 120 credits at Level 6, at least 120 at Level 5 and the remainder at Level 4.

The table below explains how honours degrees are calculated:

Degree Classification	Level of achievement required Final average marks
First Class Honours (1^st)	70% or more or Borderline (68.01% – 69.99%) and 70% or more in at least 60 credits at Level 6
Upper Second Class Honours (2:1)	60% – 69.99% or Borderline (58.01% – 59.99%) and 60% or more in at least 60 credits at Level 6.
Lower Second Class Honours (2:2)	50% – 59.99% or Borderline (48.01% – 49.99%) and 50% or more in at least 60 credits at Level 6
Third Class Honours	40% – 49.99%

The following methods will be used to calculate the final classification:

If you receive your confirmed results before 2 November 2026, the following calculations apply. The method used will be the one that gives the student the best outcome and will be automatically selected and verified by the Assessment Board:

Method 1
• 25% of the overall weighted average of the 100 highest marked credits at Level 5
• 75% of the overall weighted average of the 100 highest marked credits at Level 6

Method 2
• 100% of the overall weighted average of the 100 highest marked credits at Level 6
If you receive your confirmed results after 2 November 2026, the following calculations apply. The method used will be the one that gives the student the best outcome and will be automatically selected and verified by the Assessment Board:
Method 1
• 25% of the overall weighted average of Level 5 credits (120 credits)
• 75% of the overall weighted average of Level 6 credits (120 credits)
Method 2
• 100% of the overall weighted average of Level 6 credits (120 credits)
• If you transferred credit from another institution, a minimum of 120 credits must have been studied at the university for an honours degree to be awarded.

10.5 Integrated Master’s Degrees

The table below explains how honours degrees are calculated for Integrated Masters Degrees:

Degree Classification	Level of achievement required Final average marks
First Class Honours (1^st)	70% or more or Borderline (68.01% – 69.99%) and 70% or more in at least 60 credits at Level 7
Upper Second Class Honours (2:1)	60% – 69.99% or Borderline (58.01% – 59.99%) and 60% or more in at least 60 credits at Level 7
Lower Second Class Honours (2:2)	50% – 59.99% or Borderline (48.01% – 49.99%) and 50% or more in at least 60 credits at Level 7
Third Class Honours	40% – 49.99%

Integrated Master’s Degrees will be awarded with Honours degree classification. The following methods will be used to calculate the final classification:

Method 1
• 25% of the overall weighted average of the 100 highest marked credits at Level 6
• 75% of the overall weighted average of the 100 highest marked credits at Level 7
Method 2
• 20% of the overall weighted average of the 100 highest marked credits at Level 5
• 30% of the overall weighted average of the 100 highest marked credits at Level 6
• 50% of the overall weighted average of the 100 highest marked credits at Level 7

If you receive your confirmed results after 2 November 2026, the following calculations apply. The method used will be the one that gives the student the best outcome and will be automatically selected and verified by the Assessment Board:

Method 1
• 25% of the overall weighted average of Level 6 credits (120 credits)
• 75% of the overall weighted average of Level 7 credits (120 credits)

Method 2
• 20% of the overall weighted average of Level 5 credits (120 credits)
• 30% of the overall weighted average of Level 6 credits (120 credits)
• 50% of the overall weighted average of Level 7 credits (120 credits)

If you transferred credit from another institution, only credit which has been studied at the university will be used in the calculation of the overall classification.

10.6 Postgraduate Awards

Postgraduate Certificate
Minimum 60 credits at Level 7 with final overall average marks as follows:
Pass	50% – 59.99%
Merit	60% – 69.99% or Overall average of 58.01% – 59.99% and at least 30 credits at Level 7 with a mark of 56% or more.
Distinction	70% – 100% or Overall average of 68.01% – 69.99% and at least 30 credits at Level 7 with a mark of 70% or more.

Postgraduate Diploma
Minimum 120 credits at Level 7 with final overall average marks as follows:
Pass	50% – 59.99%
Merit	60% – 69.99% or Overall average of 58.01% – 59.99% and at least 60 credits at Level 7 with a mark of 56% or more.
Distinction	70% – 100% or Overall average of 68.01% – 69.99% and at least 60 credits at Level 7 with a mark of 70% or more.

Master’s Degrees excluding Integrated Masters (MA, MSc)
Minimum 180 credits at Level 7 with final overall average marks as follows:
Pass	50% – 59.99%
Merit	60% – 69.99% or Overall average of 58.01% – 59.99% and at least 90 credits at Level 7 with a mark of 56% or more.
Distinction	70% – 100% or Overall average of 68.01% – 69.99% and at least 90 credits at Level 7 with a mark of 70% or more.

Professional Graduate Certificate in Education (PCE)
Minimum 60 credits at Level 6. You must also meet the requirements for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).
Pass	40% or higher
Merit	Not available for this award
Distinction	Not available for this award

Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE)
Minimum 60 credits at Level 7 with final overall average marks as follows. You must also meet the requirements for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) or equivalent.
Pass	50% – 59.99%
Merit	60% – 69.99% or Overall average of 58.01% – 59.99% and at least 30 credits at Level 7 with a mark of 56% or more.
Distinction	70% – 100% or Overall average of 68.01% – 69.99% and at least 30 credits at Level 7 with a mark of 70% or more.

Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDE)
Minimum 120 credits at Level 7 with final overall average marks as follows. You must also meet the requirements for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) or equivalent.
Pass	50% – 59.99%
Merit	60% – 69.99% or Overall average of 58.01% – 59.99% and at least 60 credits at Level 7 with a mark of 56% or more.
Distinction	70% – 100% or Overall average of 68.01% – 69.99% and at least 60 credits at Level 7 with a mark of 70% or more.

10.7 Ordinary Degree

Ordinary Degree
Minimum 300 credits, with a minimum of 60 credits at Level 6, 120 credits at Level 5 and the remaining credits at Level 4 with final overall average marks as follows:
Pass	40% – 55.99%
Merit	56% – 69.99% or Overall average of 54.01% – 55.99% and at least 30 credits at Level 5 with a mark of 56% or more.
Distinction	70% – 100% or Overall average of 68.01% – 69.99% and at least 30 credits at Level 5 with a mark of 70% or more.

To be eligible for an ordinary degree, you must have met the learning outcomes for the Certificate and Diploma stages of the approved Honours Degree and have achieved a minimum of 60 credits at Level 6.
Any award of an ordinary degree is subject to any professional, statutory, or regulatory bodies’ (PSRB) requirements which may specify certain specific modules must be passed to be eligible for PSRB accreditation.
The title of an Ordinary Degree will normally be the same as the validated title for the Diploma stage of the approved Honours Degree programme unless PSRB requirements do not allow this. In such cases, an alternative title will be approved.
If you are eligible for the award of Ordinary Degree, you may be offered the opportunity of taking further assessment to achieve the full Honours Degree unless PSRB requirements do not allow this.
Some Honours Degrees such as Top Up awards do not permit the award of Ordinary Degree.

10.8 Other awards

University Certificate of Higher Education (Cert HE)
Minimum 120 credits at Level 4 with final overall average marks as follows:
Pass	40% – 55.99%
Merit	56% – 69.99% or Overall average of 54.01% – 55.99% and at least 60 credits with a mark of 56% or more.
Distinction	70% – 100% or Overall average of 68.01% – 69.99% and at least 60 credits with a mark of 70% or more.

University Certificate in Education (Cert Ed)
Minimum 120 credits, with a minimum of 60 credits at Level 5 with final overall average marks as follows:
Pass	40% – 55.99%
Merit	56% – 69.99% or Overall average of 54.01% – 55.99% and at least 30 credits with a mark of 56% or more.
Distinction	70% – 100% or Overall average of 68.01% – 69.99% and at least 30 credits at Level 5 with a mark of 70% or more.

Advanced Diploma of Higher Education
Minimum 300 credits, with a minimum of 60 credits at Level 6, 120 credits at Level 5 and the remaining credits at Level 4 with final overall average marks as follows:
Pass	40% – 55.99%
Merit	56% – 69.99% or Overall average of 54.01% – 55.99% and at least 30 credits at Level 5 with a mark of 56% or more.
Distinction	70% – 100% or Overall average of 68.01% – 69.99% and at least 30 credits at Level 5 with a mark of 70% or more.

The following award uses two methods to calculate the overall award. The method used will be the one that gives the student the best outcome and will be automatically selected and verified by the Assessment Board:

Method 1
• 25% of the overall weighted average of all Level 4 modules and
• 75% of the overall weighted average of all Level 5 modules
Method 2
• All credit passed at Level 5

University Diploma of Higher Education (Dip HE)
Minimum 240 credits, with a minimum of 120 credits at Level 5 with final overall average marks as follows:
Pass	40% – 55.99%
Merit	56% – 69.99% or Overall average of 54.01% – 55.99% and at least 30 credits at Level 5 with a mark of 56% or more.
Distinction	70% – 100% or Overall average of 68.01% – 69.99% and at least 30 credits at Level 5 with a mark of 70% or more.

Foundation Degree
Minimum 240 credits, with a minimum of 120 credits at Level 5 and at least 100 credits at Level 4 with final overall average marks as follows:
Pass	40% – 55.99%
Merit	56% – 69.99% or Overall average of 54.01% – 55.99% and at least 30 credits at Level 5 with a mark of 56% or more.
Distinction	70% – 100% or Overall average of 68.01% – 69.99% and at least 30 credits at Level 5 with a mark of 70% or more.

Graduate Certificate
Minimum 60 credits at level 6 final overall average marks as follows:
Pass	40% – 55.99%
Merit	56% – 69.99% or Overall average of 54.01% – 55.99% and at least 30 credits at Level 6 with a mark of 56% or more.
Distinction	70% – 100% or Overall average of 68.01% – 69.99% and at least 30 credits at Level 6 with a mark of 70% or more

Graduate Diploma
Minimum 120 credits at level 6 final overall average marks as follows:
Pass	40% – 55.99%
Merit	56% – 69.99% or Overall average of 54.01% – 55.99% and at least 60 credits at Level 6 with a mark of 56% or more.
Distinction	70% – 100% or Overall average of 68.01% – 69.99% and at least 60 credits at Level 6 with a mark of 70% or more.

Rules and Regulations