Are you passionate about your area of study? Are you curious, creative and analytical? Honours programs provide an opportunity for you to develop your scholarly and research skills further. They are also a pathway to higher research degrees at masters and doctoral levels.
Honours programs
School of the Arts, English and Media
Students require a Bachelor degree from a recognised tertiary institution at the prescribed academic standard. Normally a Distinction average is required. This includes students who have fulfilled the requirements of a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of International Studies, Bachelor of Politics, Philosophy and Economics.
Entry into the Honours program is determined by a recommendation from the Honours Co-ordinator in consultation with the relevant Discipline Leaders and subject to the availability of a Supervisor. Applicants should normally have achieved at least a 75% across the major in which the Honours degree will be undertaken & / or a WAM of 75 across the degree as well as a minimum of a Distinction in two subjects at 300 level in the specific major.
1. Discuss your proposed Honours thesis topic.
Contact an appropriate member(s) of academic staff in the relevant discipline, the Discipline Leader & / or the Honours Co-ordinator.
Discussions with a potential supervisor do not constitute an offer into Honours or that they will be appointed the Supervisor, should the applicant’s application be successful. The final decision on the appointment of a Supervisor is made between the Honours Co-ordinator and the Discipline Leader.
2. Complete a 500-word proposal.
Your proposal/s should provide details of your research question, the content and process of your research, as well as a justification of the project.
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BCM - answer the questions in the Honours Thesis Proposal Guide.
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BCA - submit TWO 500-word proposals - one for your scholarly thesis and one for your creative project.
3. Apply online
- No need to provide your UOW academic record. If you have studied elsewhere - upload scans of certified copies of your transcripts.
- If you haven't studied at UOW before - proof of your Australian citizenship or permanent residence is required (eg scan and upload certified copies of Birth Certificate or passport photo page).
4. Submit your application and proposal on or before the deadline (31 October 2023).
The application process will take approximately 6 weeks and the outcome will be advised by Student Services via email.
Coordinators
BCA (Hons)
Associate Professor Shady Cosgrove
(02) 4221 4827
shady_cosgrove@uow.edu.au
BCM (Hons)
Dr Chris Comerford
(02) 4221 4579
christopher_comerford@uow.edu.au
Administration
ASSH School Services Assistant
assh-schoolops@uow.edu.au
School of Education
The Honours program is an alternative option for students wishing to undertake research during the 4th year of either the Bachelor of Education – The Early Years or the Bachelor of Primary Education degrees; or during the 3rd and 4th years of the Bachelor of Physical and Health Education degree.
Entry to the Honours year is based on application and merit. (All references to programs and degrees discussed on this website include the Dean’s Scholar program for each degree.)
Valuable qualities gained by UOW graduates are essential for gaining employment and making an important contribution to society and their chosen field.
In particular, Honours students are encouraged to:
- Make a contribution to theory, research and pedagogy of education;
- Conduct independent research in education and report its outcomes in a scholarly manner in the form of a thesis as well as other forums such as conference presentations and journal articles;
- Work co-operatively with individuals and groups, including students, supervisors, the Honours Coordinator and faculty research groups, as well as participants and informants in research sites;
- Conduct educational research in ways that are intellectually honest, with professional integrity and knowledge and enactment of appropriate ethical standards;
- Be aware of changing conditions and situations in research settings;
- Seek out opportunities and apply knowledge in educational research that will contribute beneficially to educational research and practice;
- Participate in the research culture within the School of Education and the Faculty of the Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities.
Admission into an Honours program requires students to have the following:
- WAM of 75 or greater for their undergraduate degree
Please use the WAM Calculator on the page to determine your WAM (Weighted Average Mark).
(* Health & Physical Education students note: EDPS101, EDUP234 & EDUP235 may not count towards your WAM) - Suitable study proposal
Early in your 3rd Year, you should plan to meet with an academic in the field in which you want to undertake your Honours research or the Subject Coordinator of EDTR301 so you can begin to formulate ideas and start planning for your proposed Honours research. - Suitable supervision team
We have a list of experts and areas they are associated with. Clicking on an academic’s name will bring up their UOW Scholars page. If they are available to supervise, they will have Available as Research Supervisor at the top of their Supervision tab. Use this to guide your decision making about selecting a supervisor. After meeting with an academic that you feel you would like to work with during the Honours year, ask if they are interested and eligible in being a supervisor for your Honours research. If they are agreeable, send them an email to confirm their acceptance and continue to liaise with them during 3rd Year to ensure you are able to complete a suitable proposal for your application. You and supervisor will also need to decide on a second supervisor who agrees to being a part of your supervision team and can also assist you in developing your proposal. - Completed all required subjects
All required subjects including EDAR302 must be completed prior to being accepted into the Honours program.
Please follow the procedure to apply for admission into the Education Honours program:
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Complete EDAR302 (for Early Years and Primary students only. Health and Physical Education students go to Step 2):
EDAR302 - Advanced Research Methods (Spring) must be completed as a pre-requisite to entering into the Early Years and Primary Honours Program. This subject may replace an elective option in your degree program. -
Application Form:
Download the Honours Application Form (DOCX). Make sure to complete the Research Proposal Form. -
WAM Check:
Complete a draft check of your WAM by downloading the WAM Calculator (XLS) -
Subject Completion:
Confirm you have completed the required subjects for your program by checking your degree in the Course Handbook.You will then need to:
- Print your Course Handbook and mark-off the subjects you have completed with a visible, coloured tick
- Highlight the subjects you still have to complete (up to the end of Autumn 3rd Year)
- Send this along with your application
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Submit:
Submit the following documents to educ-hdr-students@uow.edu.au:- Honours Application Form (inc. your Research Proposal Form)
- Draft WAM Calculation
- Course Handbook Progression (marked-up)
- Supervisor and Co-Supervisor’s approval AND signatures of both supervisors, all by the submission date
Bachelor of Education – The Early Years (Honours)
Bachelor of Primary Education (Honours)
- Research and thesis completion occurs between February & October in the 4th Year of the degree.
Bachelor of Physical And Health Education (Honours)
- Research and thesis completion occurs between July & May in the 3rd & 4th years of the degree.
Bachelor of Education – The Early Years (Honours)
Bachelor of Primary Education (Honours)
- The expected length of the Honours thesis is 15,000–18,000 words.
Bachelor of Physical And Health Education (Honours)
- The expected length of the Honours thesis is 12,000–15,000 words.
Coordinator
School support contact for Honours students
Email: educ-hdr-students@uow.edu.au
Location: 67.335
School of Geography and Sustainable Communities
To be considered for entry students will:
- Have qualified for, or be a graduate with a relevant pass degree from the University of Wollongong, or hold an equivalent qualification from another institution;
- Normally have completed at least 24 credit points of 300-level subjects relating to the Honours discipline;
- Normally have a Weighted Average Mark (WAM) of at least 70% for the 24 credit points of 300-level subjects relating to the Honours discipline;
- Be aware that admission is also subject to an appropriate project being available, and acceptance by an academic supervisor;
- Complete a separate application form for entry to Honours (see application process);
- If you are not sure about meeting these requirements, please make an appointment with the Honours coordinator
To apply students must:
- Submit an application to Future Students by the last week in November for Autumn session enrolment, and by the last working day in June for Spring session enrolment.
- Identify an area of research and consult with staff to identify a supervisor/s and determine a suitable Honours project.
- Honours applications should include a brief project outline (no more than 1 page), and the name and signature of the supervisor/s, indicating their agreement to supervise the student. Supervisors agreement can be confirmed via email.
Course Learning Outcomes
CLO1 -Demonstrate knowledge of scientific and social science concepts and theories to understand the world, its people and places.
CLO2 -Demonstrate knowledge of key geographical approaches and conceptual frameworks, including the importance of space and place as dimensions of human activity across geographical scales from the body to the global.
CLO3 -Apply insights from science and social science to identify, in collaboration with others, solve diverse, unpredictable and often complex social problems, with a depth of application of geographical thinking.
CLO4 -Collect, review, manage and interpret qualitative and quantitative data relating to human activity, with a depth of knowledge regarding spatial data.
CLO5 -Present a clear, coherent and independent exposition of knowledge, ideas and research findings.
CLO6 -Appreciate the importance of ethical behaviour in scholarship and professional practice when applying critical thinking and judgment.
CLO7 -Recognise the importance of diversity in understanding and responding to social challenges when applying critical thinking and judgment.
CLO8 -Construct an evidence based approach to identifying and developing your leadership potential as a geographer in a changing world.
CLO9 -Conceptualise, plan, undertake and report on an independent geographical research project.
Honours Coordinator
School of Health and Society
An Honours year is more than just research. It is a way to expand your career possibilities, building on the foundations of your undergraduate degree. You will acquire additional skills in critical thinking, problem solving, communication, and independence, which are all highly valued by employers. For Social Science and Public Health students, Honours is an additional year of full-time study at the end of your undergraduate degree. For Social Work students, Honours is embedded in your final year. The Honours program is based on a research project, there are no formal subjects, with enrolment intakes in both Autumn and Spring sessions. Your Honours year can be a pathway to further study or a PhD – but it can also create new career opportunities.
School of Humanities and Social Inquiry
Students require a Bachelor degree from a recognised tertiary institution at the prescribed academic standard. Normally a Distinction average is required. This includes students who have fulfilled the requirements of a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of International Studies, Bachelor of Politics, Philosophy and Economics.
Entry into the Honours program is determined by a recommendation from the Honours Co-ordinator in consultation with the relevant Discipline Leaders and subject to the availability of a Supervisor. Applicants should normally have achieved at least a 75% across the major in which the Honours degree will be undertaken & / or a WAM of 75 across the degree as well as a minimum of a Distinction in two subjects at 300 level in the specific major.
1. Discuss your proposed Honours thesis topic.
Contact an appropriate member(s) of academic staff in the relevant discipline, the Discipline Leader & / or the Honours Co-ordinator.
Discussions with a potential supervisor do not constitute an offer into Honours or that they will be appointed the Supervisor, should the applicant’s application be successful. The final decision on the appointment of a Supervisor is made between the Honours Co-ordinator and the Discipline Leader.
2. Complete a 500-word proposal.
Your proposal/s should provide details of your research question, the content and process of your research, as well as a justification of the project.
- BA, BInSt and BPPE - answer the questions in the Honours Thesis Proposal Guide.
- BCA - submit TWO 500-word proposals - one for your scholarly thesis and one for your creative project.
3. Apply online
- No need to provide your UOW academic record. If you have studied elsewhere - upload scans of certified copies of your transcripts.
- If you haven't studied at UOW before - proof of your Australian citizenship or permanent residence is required (eg scan and upload certified copies of Birth Certificate or passport photo page).
4. Submit your application and proposal on or before the deadline (31 October 2023).
The application process will take approximately 6 weeks and the outcome will be advised by Student Services via email.
Coordinator
School of Liberal Arts
Study
Bachelor of Arts in Western Civilisation (Honours)
The Bachelor of Arts in Western Civilisation Honours Information Session
Date: Friday 4 August 2023
Time: 4.30 pm- 5.30 pm
Location: TBC
Open to: This session is predominantly for students considering Honours in 2024 but is open to all years for students considering BWCIV (Honours) for future years. The session advises students of Honours course composition and things to consider when determining an Honours project for BWCIV (Honours).
The Bachelor of Arts in Western Civilisation Honours Workshops
Date: Friday 11 August 2023
Time: 4.30 - 5.30pm
Location: ASSH Research Hub Seminar Room (19.2072B)
Open To: This session is only open to students who are considering studying BWCIV (Honours) in 2024. It is focused on workshopping and fine-tuning Honours project ideas for 2024 BWCIV (Honours) applicants. Honours applications are due by 30 October 2023.
Please register your details if you would like to attend.
Students must qualify at this University for the award of Bachelor of Arts in Western Civilisation or other relevant bachelor degree.
Entry into the honours program is determined by a recommendation from the Honours Coordinator in consultation with the Head of School and subject to the availability of a supervisor. Applicants should normally have achieved an average of at least 80% across the major in which the honours degree will be undertaken and/or a WAM of 80 across the degree as well as a minimum of a distinction in two subjects at 300-level in a relevant major.
1. Discuss your proposed Honours thesis topic.
Contact an appropriate member(s) of academic staff in the relevant discipline or the Honours Coordinator.
Discussions with a potential supervisor do not constitute an offer into honours or that they will be appointed the supervisor, should the applicant’s application be successful. The final decision on the appointment of a supervisor is made between the Honours Coordinator and the Head of School.
2. Complete a 500-word proposal.
Your proposal/s should use the pro-forma to provide details of your research question, the content and process of your research, as well as a justification of the project.
3. Apply online
No need to provide your UOW academic record.
- If you have studied elsewhere upload scans of certified copies of your transcripts.
- If you haven't studied at UOW before - proof of your Australian citizenship or permanent residence is required (e.g. scan and upload certified copies of birth certificate or passport photo page).
4. Submit your application and proposal on or before the deadline (30 October 2023).
The application process will take approximately 6 weeks and the outcome will be advised by Student Services via email.
BAWCIV
- 2021 Honours Guide (408kb PDF)
- 2022 Honours Guide (368kb PDF)
- 2023 Honours Guide (298kb PDF)
- 2024 Honours Guide (2.2MB PDF)
School Office
School of Psychology
Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) [BPsyc (Hons)]: This is the final year in the four-year Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) degree for students who are currently undertaking Course 354, Course 1701, Course 866 or Course 867.
Bachelor of Psychological Science (Honours) [BPsycSc (Hons) – Course 353]: This is a one-year Honours program for candidates who have completed an APAC-accredited three-year undergraduate psychology degree (or equivalent). Eligible candidates include UOW students who have completed a three-year Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Psychological Science with a major in psychology, as well as external applicants from other APAC-accredited institutions.
The School of Psychology has one round of applications for entry into the Honours program each year. Applications for mid-year intake are not accepted.
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Date |
Description |
|
7 June 2023 |
Honours 2024 information session | Download the presentation slides (PPT 4MB) |
|
3 October 2023 |
Second Information session for 2024 Honours: 5.30 pm via zoom. Please check SOLSmail for the zoom link or contact sreis@uow.edu.au |
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31 October 2023 |
Applications close. Expressions of interest due. |
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4 December 2023 |
|
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7-9 December 2023 |
Successful applicants notified of their acceptance into the Honours program via email |
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20 December 2023 |
Honours supervision allocations finalised and distributed |
Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) students who intend to commence their honours year in the upcoming year:
Complete an Online Expression of Interest Form
Bachelor of Psychological Science (Honours):
Complete a UOW Undergraduate Application Form.
Make sure the appropriate course code (ie., Course 353) is selected.
UOW internal applicants (i.e., UOW psychology graduates or current students) must additionally complete:
Online Expression of Interest Form.