Honour Moderations (or Mods) are a set of examinations at the University of Oxford at the end of the first part of some degree courses (e.g., Greats or Literae Humaniores).[1][2]
Honour Moderations candidates have a class awarded (hence the 'honours'). However, this does not count towards the final degree. In other courses, Prelims (i.e., preliminary examinations) are the first set of examinations but have no class awarded for them. These first examinations are termed 'First Public Examinations'. Having passed the First Public Examinations, students take a course leading to the 'Second Public Examinations', more commonly known as Finals. Finals are held at the end of all first degree courses at Oxford for arts subjects and may be split into examinations after the second, third and, if applicable, fourth year for some science subjects.
Honour Moderations in Classics has been called one of the hardest examinations in the world.[3] However, in recent years, the subject matter has been changed so that proficiency in both Latin and Greek languages is no longer required and the number of papers in the exam has been reduced, along with an extension in the time allowed to finish.[4]