Which university courses are easiest to get a first in?
First-class rates vary significantly by subject — and FOI data makes the variation visible for the first time. Here's what the numbers actually show.
The GradeHack Team
This question gets asked a lot — usually quietly, because it sounds like the wrong thing to be thinking about. But it's a legitimate question, and the data behind it is more interesting than the vague answers you'll usually find online.
The short version: first-class rates vary enormously by subject across UK universities, and the variation within a subject (between institutions) is often larger than the variation between subjects. The data is now available — via Freedom of Information requests — and it tells a more nuanced story than any ranking site will.
Why first-class rates vary at all
Before the subject breakdown, it's worth understanding what drives variation in the first place.
Assessment design matters more than most people expect. A subject where most assessment is coursework-based tends to produce different mark distributions than one dominated by unseen exams. Coursework allows students to revise and refine; exams have more variance and tend to produce tighter distributions around the mean.
Marking standards aren't uniform. UK universities all share the same grade boundaries — 70% for a First — but the experience of reaching that threshold is not the same across departments. External examiners are meant to harmonise standards, but institutional marking culture still varies. A 70% essay in one English department is not identical to a 70% essay in another.
Cohort characteristics affect outcomes. Highly selective courses with strong entry requirements tend to produce higher first-class rates, partly because the students are stronger and partly because the departments have historically set assessment at a level where that cohort performs well.
What FOI data shows about first rates by subject
GradeHack obtains module and degree outcome data from UK universities via Freedom of Information requests. The pattern that emerges — across the universities where we have data — is that subject-level first rates show consistent banding rather than a clean ranking.
Some broad patterns from publicly available HESA data and FOI-sourced university outcome reports:
Higher-than-average first rates are common in: certain humanities subjects (particularly philosophy and classical studies), creative arts, and some social science disciplines. These tend to be coursework-heavy and assessed in formats where students who engage deeply can distinguish themselves.
Lower-than-average first rates are more common in: some engineering disciplines, clinical sciences, and subjects with high proportions of numerically-marked, high-stakes terminal exams. The difficulty of the subject matter isn't the only explanation — assessment structure plays a significant role.
High variance subjects — where the first-class rate depends heavily on which university you attend — include computer science, economics, and law. The same subject at different institutions can differ by 20–30 percentage points in its proportion of Firsts. This is where FOI data is particularly useful: subject-level averages mask enormous institutional variation.
The variation within subjects is larger than the variation between them
This is the counterintuitive finding.
The difference in first-class rates between, say, economics and biology across UK universities is smaller than the difference between economics at University A and economics at University B. Institutional factors — marking culture, assessment design, cohort size, and the quality of teaching — explain more of the variation than the subject label does.
This has practical implications. If you're a prospective student choosing between institutions, the first-class rate for your specific subject at each institution is more informative than the overall first-class rate for the university, or the average for the subject nationally.
It also means the "easiest subject to get a first in" framing is a bit misleading. You'd be better off asking: "which institution, for this subject, has historically produced the most first-class graduates?"
What module choice adds to the picture
Even within a given subject at a given university, first-class rates vary significantly at the module level. A compulsory module in year 3 might have a consistently high first-class rate. The optional module you pick alongside it might have a very low one — or vice versa.
For students already at university, this module-level variation is where you have the most practical control. You can't retrospectively change which subject or institution you're at. You can change which optional modules you take.
How to choose university modules covers the full framework for using grade distribution data in your module decisions. Best modules to take at university covers the specific patterns in which types of modules tend to produce better outcomes.
The honest framing
Asking which subject is easiest to get a first in is a reasonable question. But the more productive version is: given where I am (institution, subject, year), which choices available to me are most likely to put me in the position to graduate with the classification I want?
That's a question with a data-driven answer — at the module level, using FOI-sourced grade distribution data. It's also a question GradeHack was built to answer.
FAQ
Do "easy" subjects produce more firsts?
Not consistently. Some subjects with a reputation for accessibility have moderate first-class rates. Some subjects with a reputation for difficulty have high first-class rates because the marking is designed around what strong students can actually achieve. Assessment format matters more than subject difficulty as a predictor.
Does choosing an "easier" subject hurt you in the job market?
In most careers, no. For finance, law, and consulting, your subject matters less than your classification and the institution you attended. Degree class matters more than subject in most graduate recruitment filters. Some specific technical roles (engineering, medicine, law) require subject-specific degrees — but those are the exception.
How do I find out the first-class rate for my specific subject at my university?
This data isn't typically published proactively by universities. You can submit an FOI request, or check WhatDoTheyKnow.com to see if someone has already requested it. GradeHack also holds this data for an expanding set of institutions.
Is it worth switching subject just to improve your chances of a first?
Almost certainly not. The costs (transferring credits, losing progress, potential confusion in your CV) outweigh any marginal gain. If you're already enrolled, the most effective lever is module selection within your subject, not switching degree programmes.
Curious what the grade distribution looks like for your specific modules? GradeHack holds FOI-sourced, module-level data across UK universities. Join the waitlist to access the numbers — including first-class rates and mean mark bands for modules at your institution.