Regulations for examinations

Natural Sciences Tripos

(Statutes and Ordinances, 2024, p. 406 and Reporter, 6811, 2025–26, p. 231)

With effect from 1 October 2026

The General Board, on the recommendation of the Committee of Management for the Natural Sciences Tripos, has approved the amendment of the regulations to exclude the combination of Biodiversity, Evolution and Ecology and Materials Science in Part Ia.

Regulation 16.

By including a sentence to exclude the combination and amending the text to read as follows:

16. Each candidate shall offer three subjects from Group A and one subject from Group B. A candidate will not be permitted to take Biodiversity, Evolution and Ecology alongside Materials Science. A candidate will not be permitted to take Introduction to Experimental Psychology: From Brain to Cognition alongside Chemistry. A candidate taking the examination under the provisions of Regulation 2(b) shall not offer Biodiversity, Evolution and Ecology, Biomedical Sciences or Biomolecules and Cells if they have previously obtained honours in the Medical and Veterinary Sciences Tripos.

Certificate of Higher Education in the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences

(Statutes and Ordinances, 2024, p. 572)

With effect from 1 October 2027

The General Board, on the recommendation of the Foundation Year Management Committee, has approved amendments to the course assessment by amending Regulation 2 to reduce the volume of written assessment and to include an oral examination as Regulation 2(d).

Regulation 2.

By amending Regulation 2(a)–(c) and including a new Regulation 2(d) to read as follows:

2. The qualification examination for the Certificate shall consist of:

(a)two written examinations, Paper 1 being of two hours’ duration and Paper 2 being of two and a half hours’ duration;

(b)written work, consisting of two essays of not less than 1,500 words and not more than 2,000 words in length; and one essay of not less than 2,000 words and not more than 3,000 words in length;

(c)a project, of no less than 4,500 words and no more than 5,000 words in length on a subject area of interest to the student, which has been approved by the General Board1, and which shall be submitted in typewritten form;

(d)an oral examination which shall consist of a five-minute presentation and ten-minute conversation between the candidate and the Examiners: the subject of the presentation and discussion shall be the candidate’s Extended Project.

Basic and Translational Neuroscience for the M.Phil. Degree

(Statutes and Ordinances, 2024, p. 505)

With effect from 1 October 2026

The General Board, on the recommendation of the Degree Committee for the Faculty of Biology, has approved the suspension of admission to be followed by the withdrawal of Basic and Translational Neuroscience from 2027 as a subject for examination for the degree of Master of Philosophy by advanced study.

Biological Sciences for the M.Phil. Degree

(Statutes and Ordinances, 2024, p. 506)

With effect from 1 October 2027

The General Board, on the recommendation of the Degree Committee for the Faculty of Biology, has approved the addition of a new pathway to the course of study in Biological Sciences for the degree of Master of Philosophy by advanced study by adding ‘Basic and Translational Neuroscience’ to the list of pathways.