NUS Law Grading and Class of Honours

Grading of Law Courses

The grading policy at NUS Law for a class of reasonable size (20 or more) is generally as follows:

A+, A, A-	B+, B	B-, C+, C	D+, D, F
20-25%	35-40%	35-40%	0-5%

However, this does not mean that 20-25% of students in a particular class are guaranteed “A+, A, A-” grades.

Grading is not based solely on individual performance, but also on relative performance (i.e. compared to other students in a particular class).

Note that this grading policy applies only to NUS Law and should not be interpreted as a statement of NUS grading policy generally.
 

Class of Honours Policy

(as at 26 March 2020)
 

Students who matriculated in or after Academic Year 2004-5

Calculation of Class of Honours

1. A student's Class of Honours in the Faculty of Law shall be determined by the Final Year Board of Examiners [BOE] by taking into account the results obtained in all courses that the student has passed at the National University of Singapore [NUS] for the degree of Bachelor of Laws [LLB]. This rule will be subject to the Faculty of Law Regulations relating to Supplementary Examinations and Special Examinations. The results in all such courses in all years shall be given equal weight, except that where the student has read more than 12 units outside the Faculty of Law toward the unit requirements for the LLB, the student’s non-law units will be aggregated and pro-rated so as to accord them a weightage of 12 units in calculating the Class of Honours.
 

Courses in other Universities

2. For the purpose of completing the number of units required for graduation, students will receive unit for courses taken in other institutions while on approved exchange programmes. However, neither the marks nor the grades obtained in such courses shall be taken into account in calculating the Class of Honours.
 

Degrees conferred before 30 June 2016	Degrees conferred from 30 June 2016 onwards
First Class Honours 3.    Except as provided in paragraph 7, First Class Honours shall be awarded to students who: a)   Finish in the top 5% of their class based on numerical average for all courses taken at NUS; and b)   Have obtained a grade of A- or better in at least 40% of the courses taken at NUS.	First Class Honours 3.    Except as provided in paragraph 7, First Class Honours shall be awarded to students who: a)   Have obtained a Cumulative Weighted Numerical Average for all courses taken at NUS that is equivalent to a grade of A- or better; or b)   Finish in the top 10% of their class based on the Cumulative Weighted Numerical Average for all courses taken at NUS.
Second Class (Upper Division) Honours 4.    Except as provided in paragraph 7, students shall receive Second Class (Upper Division) Honours if they: (a) Finish in the top 55% of their class based on numerical average for courses taken at NUS; and (b) Do not qualify for First Class Honours.	Second Class (Upper Division) Honours 4.    Except as provided in paragraph 7, students shall receive Second Class (Upper Division) Honours if their Cumulative Weighted Numerical Average for all courses taken at NUS is equivalent to a grade of B or better, and they do not qualify for First Class Honours.
Second Class (Lower Division) Honours 5.    Students shall receive Second Class (Lower Division) Honours if their weighted numerical average for courses taken at NUS is 50.00 marks or above, and they do not qualify for First Class Honours or Second Class (Upper Division) Honours.	Second Class (Lower Division) Honours 5.    Students shall receive Second Class (Lower Division) Honours if their Cumulative Weighted Numerical Average for all courses taken at NUS is equivalent to a grade of C or better, and they do not qualify for First Class Honours or Second Class (Upper Division) Honours.
Third Class Honours 6.    Students shall receive Third Class Honours if they complete the number of units required for a LLB (Honours) degree but do not qualify for First Class Honours or Second Class (Upper Division) or Second Class (Lower Division) Honours.	Third Class Honours 6.    Students shall receive Third Class Honours if they complete the number of units required for a LLB (Honours) degree but they do not qualify for First Class Honours or Second Class (Upper Division) or Second Class (Lower Division) Honours.
Exceptions 7.    No student will be eligible for First Class Honours or Second Class (Upper Division) Honours if: a)   they have failed more than 12 units of courses at NUS (or while on an approved exchange programme); or b)   they have taken more than 9 semesters to complete the 4-year LLB or 7 semesters to complete the 3-year LL.B. (excluding periods where the student has been granted a leave of absence).	Exceptions 7.    No student will be eligible for First Class Honours or Second Class (Upper Division) Honours if: a)   they have failed more than 12 units of courses at NUS (or while on an approved exchange programme); or b)   they have taken more than 9 semesters to complete the 4-year LLB or 7 semesters to complete the 3-year Graduate LL.B. (excluding periods where the student has been granted a leave of absence).
General Discretion 8.    The Board of Examiners may at its discretion depart from these regulations where there are exceptional circumstances.	General Discretion 8.    The Board of Examiners may at its discretion depart from these regulations where there are exceptional circumstances.
Effective Date 9.    These Regulations on the calculation of class of honours will apply to all Bachelor of Laws [LLB] students who commenced their studies in or after Academic Year 2004-5.	Effective Date 9.    These regulations on the calculation of Class of Honours will apply to all students who graduate at the end of AY2015-16 and are conferred their Bachelor of Laws [LLB] degrees from 30 June 2016 onwards.

 

Students who are conferred Degrees from 30 June 2020 onwards

Calculation of Class of Honours

1. A student's Class of Honours in the Faculty of Law shall be determined by the Final Year Board of Examiners [BOE] by taking into account the results obtained in all courses that the student has passed at the National University of Singapore [NUS] for the degree of Bachelor of Laws [LLB]. This rule will be subject to the Faculty of Law Regulations relating to Supplementary Examinations and Special Examinations.

 

2. Subject to upholding a minimum of 100 units of graded courses, up to 12 units of Law courses with the lowest grades may be excluded in calculating the Class of Honours.

 

3. The results in the courses included in calculating the Class of Honours shall be given equal weight, except that where the student has read more than 12 units outside the Faculty of Law toward the unit requirements for the LLB, the student’s non-law units will be aggregated and pro-rated so as to accord them a weightage of 12 units in calculating the Class of Honours.

 

Courses in other Universities

4. For the purpose of completing the number of units required for graduation, students will receive unit for courses taken in other institutions while on approved exchange programmes. However, neither the marks nor the grades obtained in such courses shall be taken into account in calculating the Class of Honours.

 

First Class Honours

5.    Except as provided in paragraph 9, First Class Honours shall be awarded to students who:

a)   Have obtained a Cumulative Weighted Numerical Average for all courses taken at NUS that is equivalent to a grade of A- or better; or

b)   Finish in the top 10% of their class based on the Cumulative Weighted Numerical Average for all courses taken at NUS.

 

Second Class (Upper Division) Honours

6.    Except as provided in paragraph 9, students shall receive Second Class (Upper Division) Honours if their Cumulative Weighted Numerical Average for all courses taken at NUS is equivalent to a grade of B or better, and they do not qualify for First Class Honours.

 

Second Class (Lower Division) Honours

7.    Students shall receive Second Class (Lower Division) Honours if their Cumulative Weighted Numerical Average for all courses taken at NUS is equivalent to a grade of C or better, and they do not qualify for First Class Honours or Second Class (Upper Division) Honours.

 

Third Class Honours

8.    Students shall receive Third Class Honours if they complete the number of units required for a LLB (Honours) degree but they do not qualify for First Class Honours or Second Class (Upper Division) or Second Class (Lower Division) Honours.

 

Exceptions

9.    No student will be eligible for First Class Honours or Second Class (Upper Division) Honours if:

a)   they have failed more than 12 units of courses at NUS (or while on an approved exchange programme); or

b)   they have taken more than 9 semesters to complete the 4-year LLB or 7 semesters to complete the 3-year Graduate LLB (excluding periods where the student has been granted a leave of absence).

 

General Discretion

10.    The Board of Examiners may at its discretion depart from these regulations where there are exceptional circumstances.

 

Effective Date

11.    These regulations on the calculation of Class of Honours will apply to all students who are conferred their Bachelor of Laws [LLB] degrees from 30 June 2020 onwards.

 

 

 

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