Courses
The first thing you should know is that, at Cambridge, courses are sometimes known as Triposes. They’re so-named after the three-legged stools candidates and tutors used to sit on during exams!
At Pembroke, you can study all the Honours degree courses available at Cambridge.
How do the courses work?
Our courses are known for their breadth and flexibility. Most courses cover their subject very broadly in the first year or two, before specialising in the second or third year and in some cases fourth year as well.
This lets you choose from an exceptionally wide variety of options, and ultimately design your own programme of study. To get a Cambridge BA Honours degree, you need to pass two parts, lasting at least three years in total.
The Triposes are divided into blocks lasting one or two years, either:
- A two-year Part 1 (sometimes split into 1A and 1B) + a one-year Part 2
- A one-year Part 1 + a two-year Part 2
- Engineering and some science subjects have a fourth-year course (Part 2B or 3) which leads to an MEng or MSci degree
Can I change subject?
Most students take successive parts of the same Tripos. You can change subject after Part 1, although not all changes are possible or practical.
Not sure what to choose?
Please contact our Admissions Team to discuss your choices before you apply, or take a look at the Choosing a Course page on the central University website.