The Natural Sciences Tripos (NST)
Structure of the NST
The Natural Sciences Tripos is the framework within which most of the sciences are taught and examined in Cambridge. It is taught primarily by fifteen Departments and includes a wide range of physical and biological sciences, and the history and philosophy of science. Departments provide the structure for the Tripos, teaching in lectures, and practical and examples classes; all students are members of a Cambridge College, which provides advice on the direction of studies and, in collaboration with the Departments, small-group teaching (supervisions).
The programme is only offered as a full-time course and normally lasts for three or four years, depending on the specialist subjects chosen. Students have a wide choice of subjects from their matriculation and therefore each student has an individual programme of courses leading to their degree. For further information on the Tripos and the individual courses, click the button below.
What subjects are offered in each year of the Tripos?
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Students may enter Part IA of the Tripos if they have satisfied the criteria for admission specified for the Tripos and have been admitted to a Cambridge College.
Students take four subjects: three experimental subjects and mathematics taken from the lists below. Computer Science and Biology of Cells are timetabled at the same time and therefore cannot be taken together. Director of Studies will offer firm advice on the most appropriate mathematical subject, depending on the student’s aspirations and previous knowledge.
| Experimental Subjects: | Mathematics: |
| Biology of Cells (BoC) | Mathematics |
| Chemistry | Mathematical Biology (MB) |
| Earth Sciences | |
| Evolution and Behaviour E&B) | |
| Materials Science | |
| Physics | |
| Physiology of Organisms (PoO) |
Students are expected to attend, for each of the four subjects taken, three lectures, one supervision and an average of two to four hours of practical work during each week of the eight-week terms. College Directors of Studies give further advice on appropriate levels of extracurricular study.
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Students may enter Part IB of the Tripos if they have successfully completed Part IA of the Tripos. Students may transfer from another Tripos, providing they have satisfied the criteria for admission specified for the Natural Sciences Tripos and have approval from their College Director of Studies. Many of the subjects offered at Part IB assume specific knowledge of particular Part IA courses.
Students take three subjects from the list given below. There are some restrictions on subject combinations, although there are well over 100 different combinations taken each year.
| Chemistry A | Biochemistry & Molecular Biology (BMB) |
| Chemistry B | Biology of Disease (BoD) |
| Earth Sciences A | Cell & Developmental Biology (CDB) |
| Earth Sciences B | Ecology, Evolution & Conservation (EEC) |
| Materials Science | Evolution & Animal Diversity (EAD) |
| Mathematics | Experimental Psychology |
| Physics A | Neurobiology |
| Physics B | Pharmacology |
| History and Philosophy of Science (HPS) | Physiology |
| Plant and Microbial Sciences (PMS) |
Students are expected to attend, for each of the three subjects taken, three lectures, one supervision and up to six hours of practical work during each week of the eight-week terms. College Directors of Studies give further advice on appropriate levels of extracurricular study.
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Students may enter Part II of the Tripos if they have successfully completed Part IB of the Tripos. Students may transfer from another Tripos, providing they have satisfied the criteria for admission specified for the Natural Sciences Tripos and have approval from their College Director of Studies. Many of the subjects offered at Part II require specific knowledge of particular Part IB courses; in some cases, there may be a specific requirement to have studied these courses at Part IB. In addition, there are a restricted number of places on some Part II courses and students compete for a place based on agreed Departmental selection criteria and collaborative procedures.
Students usually choose to specialise in their third year from the subjects outlined below and therefore study one subject in depth (* denotes subjects in which you can continue into a fourth year).
| Astrophysics* | Physics* | Pharmacology |
| Chemistry* | Biochemistry* | Physiology, Development, & Neuroscience (PDN) |
| Earth Sciences* | Genetics | Plant Sciences |
| Materials Science* | Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour (PNB) | Psychology |
| History & Philosophy of Science (HPS)* | Pathology | Zoology |
Alternatively, students may opt to take one of two more general courses, choosing two subjects from a wider range of topics. These courses allow students to take a course without a practical element.
| Physical Sciences | Biological and Biomedical Sciences (BBS) |
Successful completion of the third year leads to the award of a B.A. degree.
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Students may enter Part III of the Tripos only if they have successfully completed the corresponding Part II course of the Tripos (other than Systems Biology which does not have a Part II ‘feeder’ course). Fourth year courses are offered in the following subjects:
| Astrophysics | Earth Sciences | Physics |
| Biochemistry | History & Philosophy of Science (HPS) | Systems Biology |
| Chemistry | Materials Science |
There are specific entry requirements for each Part III subject.
Successful completion of the fourth year leads to the additional award of an M.Sci. degree.
