An invitation to Honours study BA, BSocSci or BTheo

Honours is a 4th year of additional study, available as a separate degree in the Bachelor of Arts (BA Hons), Bachelor of Social Science (BSocSci Hons) and Bachelor of Theology (BTheo). Honours can be undertaken either full-time (1 year) or part-time (2 years).

The BA, BSocSci and BTheo are 3 year degrees that prepare you for careers in a number of fields in the humanities and social sciences - with a large number of graduates competing for employment each year. Honours study enhances your competitive advantage by allowing you to specialise further in terms of your disciplinary knowledge and skills.

For students with a credit average (GPA 5) or above in their BA , BSocSci or BTheo degree, Honours is an opportunity to engage in a 4th year of research-oriented study that is viewed by future employers as signalling your capacity to conduct high quality writing and critical analysis. For those students who do well in Honours, the possibility also exists to proceed to doctoral (PhD) study.

The Honours year is regarded as the 4th year of an undergraduate degree relevant to HECS (Commonwealth Supported Place) and Centrelink study payments. Although your HECS debt increases, this may be offset by the value-added aspect of the Honours degree as far as starting salaries and employment prospects are concerned.

Resources available

  • Access to Resource Rooms: All honours students have access to the School Research Higher Degree Resource Rooms, with access to computers, Internet, phone, printing and photocopying facilities, and stationary supplies.
  • Seminars and Workshops: The School and Faculty run regular scholarly seminars and workshops  to which all honours students are warmly invited to attend.
  • Free thesis printing & binding

Thesis guidelines
The following Faculty policy applies for all students beginning honours from 2009 onwards:

  • Thesis word limit: 15000 words
  • Thesis weighting: 50%
  • The final honours grade is determined by the combined marks for course work (50%) and thesis (50%)
  • An oral presentation is a compulsory part of the Honours program.

Thesis submission due dates
Based upon the student's semester of program completion
Semester 1: 31 May; or
Semester 2: 31 October

Further information
If you are interested in doing Honours please make a time to chat with the Program Convenor or Honours Convenor in the Discipline in which you wish to study:

Application
Application for entry into Honours is via direct application to the University by completing the following two forms.

Enrolment assistance and advice can be obtained from the Student Hubs.