How is the new weighted average computed?

Your existing average is weighted by your completed credits and the thesis grade is weighted by its credits. The two are summed and divided by the combined credit total, giving a credit-weighted mean.

Which classification bands does it use?

It uses the standard UK honours bands: 70 and above is First Class, 60 to 69 is Upper Second (2:1), 50 to 59 is Lower Second (2:2), 40 to 49 is Third Class, and below 40 is a fail.

Does the thesis really move my grade much?

It depends on its credit weight. A 40-credit dissertation in a 120-credit final year carries real influence, while a 15-credit project barely nudges a 360-credit degree average. The tool shows the exact shift for your numbers.

What if I am on a borderline?

Many universities have borderline rules that promote you if you are within a few marks of the next band and meet a credit threshold. This calculator shows the raw weighted average; check your institution's specific borderline policy.

Can I model different thesis outcomes?

Yes. Change the expected thesis grade to see the best and worst case classifications, which helps you judge how much the thesis is worth pushing for an extra mark.

Honours Thesis Grade Impact Calculator

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The final-year dissertation often carries an outsized share of credits, so the grade you score on it can tip your whole degree from one classification to the next. This calculator blends your expected thesis mark into your running average by credit weight and shows exactly where the result lands.

How it works

The new degree average is a credit-weighted mean of your existing modules and the thesis:

newAverage = (currentAvg × completedCredits + thesisGrade × thesisCredits)
             / (completedCredits + thesisCredits)

That figure is then placed into the UK honours bands:

>= 70        First Class (1st)
60 to 69.9   Upper Second (2:1)
50 to 59.9   Lower Second (2:2)
40 to 49.9   Third Class (3rd)
< 40         Fail

Example

A student with a 68% average over 320 credits who scores 76% on a 40-credit thesis ends on (68 × 320 + 76 × 40) / 360 ≈ 68.9% — still a 2:1, but close enough to a First that a couple of extra thesis marks would matter.

Notes

This shows the raw weighted average only. Your university may round, weight final years more heavily, or apply borderline-promotion rules, so confirm the exact algorithm in your programme handbook.