Teaching and Assessment

How Teaching Works at Cambridge

Teaching for each NST subject is led by the relevant department, providing lectures, practicals and example classes for all students taking that subject. Every student is also a member of a Cambridge College, which offers guidance on study direction and collaborates with departments to supplement Departmental subject delivery with small-group teaching, known as supervisions.

View from behind students in a lecture theatre with lecturer pointing to screens at the front.

Weekly Teaching Schedule

Cambridge's terms are shorter than most other UK universities. There are three eight-week terms in which teaching and assessment take place. Typically, each subject has three lectures a week in the first two terms, with the third term split between teaching and assessment.

Additionally, you will typically have one supervision per week of lectures and some practical work for each subject, though this will vary between the subjects.

Lectures

These sessions lay the foundation for your studies, offering insights from experts who are often at the forefront of scientific research. From the third year you might even learn about recent research before it appears in textbooks!

Practicals

These are crucial in all Natural Sciences subjects, demonstrating the real-life applications of lecture material. Practicals will be central to your learning and will differ significantly from school experiments. You will engage in techniques ranging from microscopy to computer modelling, using complex electronic equipment.

Seminars

These are more informal than lectures and provide a platform to discuss specific topics with a smaller group of students, led by an academic.

Supervisions

These are small-group teaching sessions led by a subject specialist. This distinctive feature of Cambridge teaching helps you keep pace with the demanding Natural Sciences course. Supervisions offer a chance to clarify doubts, discuss advanced topics, engage in problem-solving, and explore areas of particular interest. They are both challenging and rewarding, enhancing your scientific knowledge and developing your written and oral communication skills. First-year students can expect around 80 supervisions per year, while second-year students have about 60. Part II and Part III supervision time will differ depending on subject.

Two students sitting writing, whilst a third person looks over their shoulder.

Assessment Techniques

Courses employ various assessment methods, including:

  • Unseen written examinations
  • Assessed coursework
  • Experiment write-ups
  • Literature and experimental reports
  • Marked essays
  • Oral examinations
  • Project reports and presentations

Original Work and Research Projects

Natural Sciences students also produce original work, such as research projects or dissertations. Many students undertake at least one research project in their third or fourth year, contributing to current scientific knowledge and exploring potential research careers.

Field Trips

Some subjects include mandatory or optional field trips. Popular trips include a first-year Earth Sciences trip to the Isle of Arran, a second-year Ecology and Conservation visit to Juniper Hall in Surrey, and a third-year Tropical Field Course in Borneo organized by Zoology and Plant Sciences.