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What's changing for September 2025 and what you need to know.

Master’s courses

Updating the marking scale (but don’t worry, you won’t need to do extra work)

The University frequently conducts reviews of regulations to ensure we are operating in ways that are consistent with other universities. A recent review of Assessment Regulations showed that the marking scale we use for Masters Courses was not in line with practices used elsewhere. We have, therefore, approved a change in the marking scale. The chief difference you will see is that, on the new scale, the pass mark will be 50% rather than 40%.

Please don’t be worried – your course has not become harder to pass and you won’t need to do extra work. The level of work to achieve the 50% pass mark from 1 September 2025 will be the same as it is currently to achieve 40%.

When will the new marking scale take effect?

The updated marking scale will start from 1 September 2025. After this date, the adjusted pass mark will apply to any assessments and modules completed.

Impact on current courses and assessments

If you are currently enrolled in a Master's course and have modules or assessments that conclude after 1 September 2025, the marking scale will apply to your assessments. However, this change will not affect the structure, design, or delivery of your course. Your course remains unchanged - only the marking scale will be updated. We will also adjust any previous marks at 49% and below on your course to align with the new marking scale from 1 September. If you are continuing on your course after 1 September and you have a previous assessment mark of 40% after 1 September 2025, this will automatically be adjusted to 50%.

What this means for you if you are currently studying

This change will not affect the overall standard of your course or the final award you receive. The adjustment to the marking scale is simply a change in the threshold for passing assessments that occur after 1 September 2025.

Graduating before 1 September 2025

If you complete your Master's course and graduate before 1 September 2025, this change will not impact you. You will have completed all assessments under the previous marking scale, so no adjustments will be made to your results.

For courses with an existing 50% pass mark

If your Master's course already has a marking scale which sets the pass mark threshold at  50%, this change will not affect you. The pass mark will remain the same and will not be adjusted.

Partnering with you on these changes

Your Students’ Union works closely with the University on such changes, and Students’ Union Elected Officers and staff members were involved in the review and update of the Assessment Regulations and this change to the marking scale. We also held a student consultation workshop, which included student representatives. The University agrees to these changes through its Academic Committee Structure, with the final decision made by the Academic Council. Student Union Officers are members of these committees.

If you would like to talk to someone about these changes and how they affect you, please don’t hesitate to reach out at myport@port.ac.uk.

Update to degree classification methods

From September 2025 we have streamlined the degree classification methods to bring them more in line with other universities. Importantly, the remaining classification methods haven’t changed, there is just one less method in use. You will be awarded the highest classification based on the following rules.  

Undergraduate courses:

  • the classification of the weighted mean of all relevant credits at Level 5 and all relevant credits at Level 6 in the ratio of 40:60, respectively, after first discounting the marks in the worst 20 credits both at Level 5 and at Level 6
  • the classification of the weighted mean of all relevant credits at Level 6 after first discounting the marks in the worst 20 credits at Level 6

Postgraduate courses, top-up final-year courses, and other non-honours courses:

  • the classification calculated from the weighted mean of all relevant credits

The method we are no longer including from 1 September 2025 is below: 

Undergraduate courses:

  • the minimum classification in which more than 50% of the combined relevant credits at Level 5 and Level 6 were obtained after first discounting the marks in the worst 20 credits both at Level 5 and at Level 6.

Postgraduate courses, top-up final-year courses, and other non-honours courses: 

  • the minimum classification in which more than 50% of the relevant credits were attained.