The Natural Sciences Tripos (NST)
Natural Sciences Tripos – an overview
Programme Aims of the Natural Sciences Tripos
The programme aims to:
- provide an education of the highest calibre across all sciences in order to produce graduates of the quality sought by industry, the professions, and the public service, and to provide academic teachers and researchers for the future
- provide a broad introduction to a range of sciences and scientific skills at University level, through having studied at least three experimental science subjects and mathematics to some extent
- allow students to develop specialised knowledge in one or more subjects, by studying these in depth if they so choose
- provide an intellectually stimulating environment in which students have the opportunity to develop their skills and enthusiasms to the best of their potential
- attract outstanding students from all backgrounds
Programme Outcomes for the Natural Sciences Tripos
Students who qualify with a B.A. degree, having taken Parts IA, IB and II of the Natural Sciences Tripos, should have:
- had experience of a number of broad areas of science from a choice of options, taken to an advanced level, at which current research can be appreciated in some depth
- completed courses designed to increase their understanding of the broad applicability of their chosen subject in the wider context of scientific study
- had experience of independent work, including an introduction to aspects of scientific research
- substantially developed intellectual and professional skills in key areas of science
- substantially developed experimental and data analysis skills through a wide range of experiments in the practical laboratories to illustrate major themes of the lecture courses
- substantially developed communication and management skills through individual and group activities.
Students who qualify with an M.Sci. degree, having also taken Part III of the Natural Sciences Tripos, should have:
- carried out a substantial independent research project in their chosen field and become well-prepared for a career in academic or industrial research.
Further information:
Assessment
The individual courses employ a range of assessment techniques, including unseen written examinations, assessed coursework, experiment write-ups, literature and experimental reports, marked essays, oral examinations and project reports and presentations.
Examiners are appointed separately for each course. In the first and second years of the Tripos (Parts IA and IB) the marks for each course are moderated to ensure a fair and comparable distribution of marks is achieved across each subject.
In Part IA, students are awarded a class based on the candidates’ percentile ranking in their individual subjects, rather than their marks. For each subject, candidates are placed in rank order based on the total mark out of 100 and thereby assigned a percentile rank. The four percentile ranks for each candidate are then used to produce a mean percentile rank for the Tripos (out of 100). All candidates are then ranked according to this mean percentile rank and that ranking is used to assign a class for the Tripos.
In Part IB students are given a class and rank for each subject taken and their overall Class is based on their subject results.
In the third and, where applicable, fourth years of the course (Part II and Part III), examiners award marks and classes based on marking criteria approved by the relevant course organisers and Faculty Board.
Aims, Outcomes and Assessment of Courses
Each major course of the Tripos has identified its aims, learning outcomes, teaching and learning methods, assessment, and any prerequisite courses.
Support for Students and their Learning
- Individual course handbooks, online learning resources and websites (accessible from the NST website http://www.natsci.tripos.cam.ac.uk)
- University, Departmental and College libraries and computing facilities
- Students are assigned a Director of Studies and a personal Tutor by their College
- Small group tutorials (supervisions) provided by Colleges, often with collaboration of Departments for the smaller and/or more specialised subjects
- Extensive staff contact in practical classes and, where applicable, field courses.
Criteria for Admission
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It is essential for students to have obtained at least two science/maths A Levels (or the equivalent). Some subjects require or recommend particular A-Level prerequisites.
Typical offers from Colleges would be three A Levels at grade A*A*A.
Mechanisms for evaluating and improving the quality of student learning support
Students have termly meetings with their College Tutor and Director of Studies to monitor and review their progress in the Tripos. This is facilitated by reports submitted to the Colleges by the student’s supervisors on each course. Supervisors normally meet students on a weekly basis.
Each course in the Natural Sciences Tripos has a course management (or teaching) committee, which regularly reviews the content of that course, student feedback and comments from examiners. Students have representation on these committees, either directly or through dedicated staff-student committees.
All Part II and Part III courses and some Part IB courses have external examiners, who are required to submit a report to the University. This is normally responded to by the appropriate Head of Department, or an appointed deputy. The report and response are scrutinised by the General Board’s Education Committee.
The Committee of Management for the Natural Sciences Tripos meets twice termly and has student representation. It is responsible for the strategic direction along with routine matters of administration and assessment for the Tripos. The structure and philosophy of the Tripos, in the light of developments in the scientific world and other external changes that may affect the teaching of scientific subjects, is kept under review by the Committee of Management for the Natural Sciences Tripos. The Committee is informed by, and in turn informs, the Faculty Boards and comparable bodies who contribute to the teaching of Natural Sciences.
All Departments who teach in the Tripos are reviewed regularly by Academic Standards and Enhancement Committee (ASEC).
Employment and Careers
Preparation for employment in general is provided in the opportunities for acquisition of relevant transferable skills which are outlined at Natscitripos: Transferable skills.
The Careers Service maintains links with relevant employers and takes into account employer needs and opinions in the services which is provided for students. Details of its services can be found HERE. The Careers Service also allocates a Careers Adviser to each College, Faculty and Department to act as a point of contact.
