UK Masters Grade Calculator
Calculate your postgraduate Weighted Average Mark (WAM) and find out if you're on track for a Distinction, Merit, or Pass.
Taught Modules
Dissertation / Final Project
Leave mark blank to predict what you need
How is a UK Masters Degree Classified?
Unlike undergraduate degrees (which use First, 2:1, 2:2), postgraduate Master's degrees (MA, MSc, LLM) in the UK use a simpler three-tier system:
- Distinction: 70% and above. This is the highest level of achievement, equivalent to a First-Class Honours at undergrad.
- Merit: 60% to 69%. A strong performance, equivalent to an Upper Second-Class (2:1).
- Pass: 50% to 59%. The minimum required to earn the Master's degree.
- Fail: Below 50%. You must average 50% to pass a Master's degree (unlike the 40% threshold for undergraduate degrees).
The "Dissertation Rule"
A standard 1-year Taught Master's is worth 180 credits. Typically, 120 credits are taught modules, and the final 60 credits are reserved for your dissertation or final project.
Crucial Warning: At many UK universities, you must achieve a minimum score on your dissertation to qualify for a certain classification. For example, even if your overall average is 72%, if your dissertation scores 65%, the university may cap your final degree at a Merit instead of a Distinction. Check your specific university handbook for these "profiling" rules!