Click here for the University guide to the classification of degrees
The award of degrees is explained in the University guide above, and this must be taken as the definitive explanation. A summary is given here.
Each of the prizes shown below is awarded upon graduation, on the basis of work that may have been carried out in an earlier year or years. Each award is based upon a comparison of grades between students who have studied at same Level in the same calendar year.
William Ferdinand Memorial Medal. Final year students taking an MBiolSci degree in the Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology are eligible. Criterion for assessment is best overall weighted mean grade in Level 4.
Krebs Prize in Biochemistry. Final year students taking single honours Biochemistry as their programme of study are eligible. Criterion for assessment is the best overall weighted mean grade in Levels 2 and 3.
Boehringer Prize in Microbiology. Final year students taking single honours or dual honours Microbiology as their programme of study are eligible. Criterion for assessment is best overall weighted mean grade in Levels 2 and 3.
Alan Roper (Glaxo) Prize in Genetics. Final year students taking single honours or dual honours Genetics or Molecular Biology as their programme of study are eligible. Criterion for assessment is best overall weighted mean grade in Levels 2 and 3.
JMA Smith Memorial Medal. Final year students in the Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology are eligible. Criterion for assessment is outstanding performance in Level 3 project work.
GlaxoSmithKline Prize. Final year students in the Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology are eligible. Criterion for assessment is outstanding performance in Level 3 project work.
Alan Roper (Panlabs) Prize. Final year students in the Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology are eligible. Criterion for assessment is outstanding performance in Level 3 project work.
Harrison and Lilley Prize. Final year students taking programmes of study in two subjects involving Biochemistry or Chemistry with a biological subject are eligible. Criterion for assessment is the best overall performance by a student who is also awarded a first class Honours Degree.
The Microbiology Society Prize. Second year students in the Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology are eligible. Criterion for assessment is best mean grade in microbiology modules.
Paul Hancock Prize. Final year students in the Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology are eligible. The criterion for assessment is the highest overall mark attained in the Level 2 practical module.
Valerie Broomhead Prize. Final year students in the Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology are eligible. The criterion for assessment is the highest overall mark attained in the Level 1 practical module.
Sir Basil Blackwell Prize. Students taking Level 1 examinations in the Faculty of Science are eligible. The criterion for assessment is outstanding performance in Level 1 examinations.
Each of the following prizes is awarded to the eligible student who best fits the criteria for the assessments shown below.
Bailey Prize. Final year students in the Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology are eligible. The criterion for assessment is that the student has made a special contribution to the life of the Department or the University. All students and staff in the Department are eligible to nominate candidates, and the final decision is made by the Departmental Examination Board.
The Mike Fowler Medal for Creative Science. This prize is open to all students who are graduating with a BSc or MBiolSci degree, and is awarded to a student who has shown outstanding scientific creativity in any of the following modules: MBB380 Project, MBB361 Literature Review, MBB402 Advanced Literature Review, MBB403 Extended Laboratory Project, MBB404 Project in Industry.
In addition to the prizes listed above, the award of which is decided by the Departmental Examination Board, there is a Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology Teaching Prize, which is awarded to a member of the Department’s teaching staff on the basis of excellence and/or innovation in their teaching. All MBB students are eligible to nominate staff for this prize, and the final decision is made by student representatives from the Departmental Staff-Student Committee, with assistance from the Director of Studies and organised by the MBB society.