• Site Map
• Campus Map
• A-Z Index
• Staff Intranet
• Contacts

EES HONOURS INFORMATION 2010

Interested in Honours in 2010?  Click here for more information..

1. BSc (Honours) in the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences

The BSc (Honours) course provides an opportunity for students to engage in a 35.5 week program of dedicated research in one of the research areas of the School. In contrast to the previous undergraduate years, Honours involves no formal subjects. An information session for students interested in beginning Honours in 2009 will be given on Wednesday 15 October in 41.153 at 12.30 pm.  There are two start dates for Honours in 2009:  Monday 9 February 2009 or Monday 20 July 2009.

2. Requirement for Admission to Honours Program

The requirement is that students achieve an average of at least credit grade for 24 credit points in 300-level subjects of an Earth and Environmental Sciences major. They must also qualify for the degree of Bachelor of Science. Graduates from other Universities may also apply to undertake Honours at the University of Wollongong providing they meet equivalent requirements to those at the University of Wollongong.

Candidates in the BSc (Honours) Advanced Program proceed directly to Honours without being required to lodge an application.

3. Mechanisms for Applying for Admission

Students who are near to completing their degree and a major study in Earth and Environmental Sciences (i.e. 24 credit points in Earth and Environmental 300-level subjects that constitute a coherent specialisation) may apply for entry into an Honours degree. An application form (available from UniAdvice or the Web) needs to completed and lodged with UniAdvice by the Friday of the second week in December for Autumn session enrolment and by the last working day in June for Spring session enrolment.

Students should identify their areas of research interest and consult with the relevant academic staff in order to determine a suitable Honours project.

4. Honours Program Objectives

The objectives of the Honours program are listed below.

1. Formulation, implementation and presentation of a research project in the Earth and Environmental Sciences.
2. Develop skills in undertaking research including the use of initiative, self-discipline and self-motivation.
3. Development of communication skills both written and oral.
4. Time management – develop the ability to work to a drawn out yet constrained time schedule.

5. Role of Supervisors and Students

Role of Supervisors

Depending on the project(s) selected, Honours students will be assigned to one or more academic supervisors. The role of the academic supervisor(s) is to provide guidance on the best methods to use to complete the course, to discuss and develop the concepts and conclusions derived during the course and to provide critical evaluation of the research work. Students take responsibility for the quality of their work that is presented for examination by the Assessment Committee. The thesis must reflect the work of the student.

The overriding responsibility of a supervisor is to provide continuing support to students in researching and producing an Honours thesis and/or creative presentation to the best of the student's ability. The supervisor/s must be familiar with the information in this Guide.

In accordance with Section 3 of the Code of Practice – Honours, specific other responsibilities of the supervisor include:

to advise the head of the academic unit of any situation which might lead to a conflict of interest which could unduly advantage or disadvantage a student, e.g. if there is or has been a close personal relationship between a supervisor and an actual or potential student;

• to advise students about their procedural and substantive rights and responsibilities contained in the Code of Practice – Honours;
• to advise and assist students to comply with occupational health and safety and ethics requirements where relevant;
• to support students in developing a proposal for their Honours project within a negotiated time frame;
• to assist students to develop a plan for completing the Honours requirements within an appropriate time frame;
• to maintain regular contact with students in order to monitor their progress;
• to inform students about any planned absences during the candidature and arrangements for supervision during those absences;
• to provide timely and helpful written feedback to students on any submissions and to assist them to develop solutions as problems are identified;
• to advise students of inadequate progress or work below the standard generally required and to suggest appropriate action;
• to attend meetings of the Faculty Assessment Committees (Honours) where students' grades are determined.

It is essential that the student’s thesis is within the supervisor's field of expertise and that the subject pursued be of interest to the supervisor. Adequate resources for the satisfactory completion of both the research and the thesis must be available.

Supervisors should make themselves familiar with the general rules pertaining to the degree of BSc (Hons) and the Code of Practice – Honours, and bring these to the attention of the student wherever necessary.

Code of Practice – Honours:
 Policy

Supervisors should meet with students on a regular basis – preferably weekly, but not less than fortnightly – to discuss work in progress and to advise on the direction of the work. They should comment critically on any drafts of the thesis (including aspects of referencing, bibliographic work and proofreading). They should provide regular advice and timely feedback necessary to the production of a thesis of merit.

Supervisors must alert the student and the Honours Coordinator(s) of any situation, which indicates that the student might not meet the given deadlines for the thesis or any other assessment task, or appears incapable of attaining appropriate standards.

Role of Students

Honours students have the primary responsibility for the timely completion of their Honours submissions and other assessment tasks. They should be familiar with the information in this Guide.

In accordance with Section 4 of the Code of Practice – Honours, specific responsibilities include:

• to develop an Honours project proposal and plan for completing the project within a timeframe agreed to by the supervisor/s;
• to maintain regular contact with the supervisor/s;
• to discuss any proposed variation of enrolment or leave of absence with their supervisor/s and the Honours Coordinator(s) or head of academic unit;
• to establish with the supervisor/s the level of support required for successful completion of the degree;
• to present required written material to the supervisor/s in sufficient time to allow for comments and discussions before scheduled meetings;
• to undertake additional work towards their project identified as necessary by the supervisor/s;
• to accept responsibility for the quality and originality of all submitted work.

Students also have a responsibility to:

1. comply with the requirements of assessment;
2. comply with the University of Wollongong's policy on plagiarism;
3. submit for assessment their own individual and unassisted work, except as otherwise permitted;
4. respect the rights of staff and other students engaged in the teaching process and to conform to the "Code of Practice – Students"; and,
5. comply with all OH&S requirements at the university and while working on their projects outside the university (e.g. in the field, at conferences).

6. Further information

For further information on Honours contact:

Chris Fergusson, Honours Coordinator (02 42213860)
cferguss@uow.edu.au

Marina McGlinn, Honours Student Liaison
(02 4221 4396)
mmcglinn@uow.edu.au

See also:

 the School Research Page
 the Faculty of Science Honours Page
 the UOW Honours Website
 individual Academic Staff Page