The Cambridge (Survival) Guide - Cambridge University Students ...

18The Tripos SystemAll Undergraduate degrees at Cambridge operate on the Tripos system– legend has it that the system is called “Tripos” because it’s named afterthe type of stool that students who were being examined had to sit on.In reality today, your Tripos is usually the name of the course you’re studying, not the chairyou sit on for your exams! So, an English student is registered for the English Tripos, and a“NatSci” is registered for the Natural Sciences Tripos.Most Tripos consists of three “Parts” each of which is completed over the course of anacademic year. Most 3 year degrees consist of three parts, either Parts IA (first year), IB (secondyear) and II (third year), or Parts I (first year), IIA (second year) and IIB (third year).Some courses, predominantly Maths and Natural Sciences, allow you to study for a fourth yearand study a Part III (for which you gain a Master’s course). Other courses also let you stay fora fourth year studying another Part II, most notably the Management course (which you cantake as an extra undergraduate year at the end of your degree).The Tripos system means that as a student at Cambridge you have great flexibility in choosingwhat you want to study, and, if you’re not enjoying your course or would just prefer to studysomething different, it’s often not that hard to switch Tripos if you feel it would benefit you(although, it’s often easier to make the switch early on in the year, and so you should consultwith your DoS early on if you’re thinking about it).If you’d like to find out anything more about how the system works, or would like advice onswitching Tripos (or are even just thinking about it), get in touch with Sam the EducationOfficer using education@cusu.cam.ac.uk.