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 Creative Arts and Humanities
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 2025).
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
chris_comerford@uow.edu.au
Administration
ASSH School Services Assistant
assh-schoolops@uow.edu.au
School of Education
- Programs
- Overview and Handbook
- Eligibility
- Applying - School of Education
- Time frame
- Thesis length
- Contact
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 Law
- Programs
- Eligibility and enrolment
- Potential Honours Supervisors
- Guidelines for the allocation of Honours supervision (students)
The School of Law offers, among others, the following Honours courses:
A full list of offerings for the Bachelor of Laws (Honours) courses is available in the UOW course handbook. The School welcomes applications from students undertaking any other double combination. Please contact Dr Ryan Kernaghan, Honours Coordinator, for information if this is your case.
- Eligibility: Weighted average mark (WAM) of 70 or above based on all LLB 100 and 200 level core subjects assessed at the end of the second year of full-time enrolment or equivalent, plus 48 credit points on 100-level LLB subjects and 42 credit points on 200-level LLB subjects. If eligible, students must apply to be transferred to the Honours degree.
- Enrolment: LLB 4402 (12 credit points). This is an annual subject: students must therefore enroll at the beginning of the Autumn session and complete it by the end of the Spring session. Students must attend during the Autumn session a series of compulsory seminars on legal research methodologies, and a day-long moot academic conference in which they will present the advances in their research.
- Thesis requirement: 10,000-12,000 word thesis.
- Electives: Double degrees and LLB Graduate Entry students enrolled in the program must choose three (3) among the eligible elective subjects to complete their degree. LLB Direct Entry students enrolled in the program must choose nine (9) electives to complete their degree.
- Honours calculation: Based on WAM Method 4 (See Honours Policy*) – all LLB subjects included. NOTE: WAMs are not rounded up
- Class I: 75% to 100%
- Class II, Division 1: 72.5% to less than 75%
- Class II, Division 2: 70% to less than 72.5%
If you commenced your law degree either before 2015, or between 2015 and 2017, please contact the Honours Coordinator, Dr Ryan Kernaghan.
*All current UOW policies and guidelines are available in the UOW Policy Directory.
Revenue/Taxation Law, Business Law, Building and Construction Law, Family Law, Litigation, Sole Practice, Small Law Firms and The Legal Profession, Courts and Tribunals, Financial Markets.
Gender and law, feminist jurisprudence, legal history, law and humanities, contract law, torts
Law and Technology, ethics and Artificial Intelligence (ethical AI), neuroscience and criminal law (neurolaw), biosocial sciences and criminal law, electronic sports (eSports) and law.
International Law, Human Rights Law, Politics/History/Theory of Law, Employment/Industrial Law
Privacy, breach of confidence, law and psychology, tort law
Corporations Law, International Trade Law, Constitutional Law, Asian Business Law and Criminal Law
Equity and trusts, evidence, accountability, international criminal law
Consumer Law, EU Law, Comparative Law, Sustainable Development (focus on SDG 12), Law and Technology
Law and Development (rule of law and legal reforms in developing countries; and China and Japan development models); International Economic Law (international financial institutions and development aid); Banking Law and Corporations Law.
Jurisprudence (particularly, theories of justice and critical legal theory); Human Rights; New Approaches to International Law (NAIL); Third World Approaches to International Law (TWAIL); Latin American Law; Mexican Law; Law and Humanities (especially, Law and the Creative Arts); Legal History; Technology (including AI) and Justice.
Law of the sea; marine planning and environmental regulation, tort law
Jurisprudence, History of the rights of women, History of social rights, Health Law.
Legal Change, Globalisation and Legal Systems, Postcolonial Theory in Legal Contexts, Perceptions and Performance of Law, Interdisciplinary Studies
Constitutional law, Statutory interpretation, Jurisprudence, Law and history, Law and humanities, Law and music and the arts, Legal biography (especially the judiciary).
Administrative law, Constitutional law, Public law, Global governance, Global administrative law, international refugee law, law and technology.
Intellectual Property, Indigenous Peoples and Legal Systems
Family law and related areas (e.g. child support, domestic violence), De facto relationships, Lawyers and legal profession, Access to justice, Crime, Tort law, Courts/ legal system, Legal Ethics.
White Collar Crime Detection; Cartel Immunity; Whistle-blower Protections; Criminal Law, specifically drug law and policy and domestic violence.
Family law (with particular emphasis in care and protection), legal issues concerning families (in relation for example, to prison policy, mental health or domestic violence), and intersections between law and social work
Gender justice, equality before the law, legal ethics and professional responsibility; rural and regional legal practice, access to law and justice
Business Law, Contract Law, Consumer Protection, Educational Law, Legal Education, Law and Humanities, Legal Institutions
Public/General International Law, International Adjudication, (International) Reparations and Remedies, International Human Rights Law, International Indigenous Peoples' Rights, Critical Approaches to International Law
Melissa Porter
Criminal Law (particularly sentencing and sexual violence)
Criminal law and criminal justice issues including alcohol-related offending, public order, fines and sexual violence
Commercial law, Corporations law, Litigation
Financial system regulation (including internationally comparative perspectives); consumer protection of products and services in the financial industry; compelling good conduct in the financial industry; Banking Royal Commission; the Treating Customers Fairly (TCF) framework in financial service; principles-based regulation in financial services, conduct versus prudential regulation.
Cultural Legal Studies, Social media and Law, Law and Humanities, Jurisprudence, Law and Literature, Legal Discourse analysis
Contracts, artificial Intelligence and Copyright
Law and Social Media, Cultural Legal Studies, Statutory Interpretation
International Law, International Economic Law, International Trade Law, International Investment Law, Autonomous Weapon Systems, Comparative Public Law, German Law
Environmental law, pollution law, environmental crime, regulatory theory (e.g. smart regulation, responsive regulation, risk-based regulation), administrative law, property law
* On Long Service Leave either in Autumn or Spring 2025.
** Unavailable for supervision in 2025.
If you are unsure about where to begin in nominating a supervisor, or have an inquiry about the availability of our academics, please contact the Honours Coordinator, Dr Ryan Kernaghan, for assistance and advice (email ryan_kernaghan@uow.edu.au).
Students undertaking the Honours program at the School of Law are required to develop a supervised research project. These guidelines aim to inform the best practice for both students and supervisors, considering the availability of resources at the School of Law, in relation to the process of selecting a supervisor and topic for the Honours program, or, where appropriate, other undergraduate courses requiring research supervision.
An effective working relationship between the Honours coordinator, the supervisor and the student is essential to the development and completion of a sound Honours thesis (see Honours Policy). The role of the Honours coordinator is to teach legal research methodologies and facilitate both the students’ research and their relationship with supervisors throughout the duration of the research project. Supervisors are expected to guide the students’ research and provide constructive written academic feedback on it, as well as to encourage, support and mentor the students throughout the development of their research project. Students should maintain the progress of their work in accordance with the Coursework Rules, the LLB Honours subjects’ requirements and the research schedule agreed with the supervisor.
All current UOW policies and guidelines are available in the UOW Policy Directory.
1. Selection of research topic
1.1 The selection of a research topic is the responsibility of the student undertaking the Honours program.
1.2 No more than three months, and at least three weeks before the beginning of the Honours course, students enrolled in the program should submit an email to the Honours coordinator identifying possible areas of interest or potential research topics.
1.3 Students should identify their areas of interest and some potential topics according to the following criteria (the feasibility of which will be subject to review by the Honours coordinator upon receipt of the above email from the student):
i) The area or topic is likely to maintain the student’s interest and enthusiasm for a year-long project.
ii) The topic is one in which the student can identify questions to be answered or gaps in the current knowledge.
iii) The project can be realistically completed within the time allocated and resources available.
iv) The area or topic preferably relate to the areas of expertise of potential available supervisors.
1.4 Before selecting a proposed topic, it is advisable for students to discuss the above criteria and other possible constraints on topic choice with the Honours coordinator. Among others, additional constraints may include the availability of staff (for supervision), resources (e. g., funding or ethical approval), and viability (e.g., is the topic too broad, too technical, or requires levels of expertise beyond the student’s experiences and abilities).
1.5 If the study of a proposed topic is not feasible, the Honours coordinator may direct the student to select another topic.
1.6 Students will work with their supervisors on refining and specifying their topics across the first weeks of the Honours course. Students are not allowed to change the field of law they initially expressed interest in for their project once the deadline for identifying areas of interest or potential topics has passed.
1.7 Students are not permitted to change their research topic at any time after their supervisor has provided guidance and evaluated their process of refining and specifying the topic.
2. Selection of supervisor
2.1 No more than three months, and at least three weeks before the beginning of the Honours course, students enrolled in the program should send the Honours coordinator an email nominating a supervisor with whom they feel they can work comfortably.
2.2 Students are advised to have backup supervisors in mind, given their first choice may not be available for them.
2.3 Before nominating a potential supervisor, students are advised to:
i) Familiarise themselves with the areas of expertise of academic staff available for supervision at the School of Law.
ii) Discuss with prospective supervisors about the supervisor’s: availability to supervise; research interests; recommended possible research topics; styles of supervision and expectations of students.
3. Allocation of Honours supervisions
3.1 Honours supervisors must hold a continuing or fixed term academic position with the School of Law.
3.2 The final decision as to whether an academic can supervise a particular student rests with the School of Law, as it is subject to workloads and other staffing issues. The Dean of Law, advised by the Honours coordinator, will allocate the supervision of Honours students among the available academic staff at the School of Law.
3.3 The Dean of Law will allocate Honours supervision considering:
i) Supervisor nominations presented by students enrolled in the program.
ii) The areas of expertise of academics at the School of Law.
iii) The workloads of academics at the School of Law.
3.4 If the Dean of Law believes that the supervisor nominated by a student is not able to supervise the research, the School may nominate another supervisor or the student may be required to select another topic or identify another supervisor.
4. Appointment of co-supervisors
4.1 In exceptional circumstances, the Dean of Law, advised by the Honours coordinator, may grant authorisation for an Honours project to have a main supervisor, supported by a co-supervisor.
4.2 In projects with a co-supervisor, the main supervisor must meet the requirements stated in section 3.1. The role of the co-supervisor may be held by an academic staff member, visiting or honorary academic.
4.3 Main supervisors are responsible for maintaining regular contact with the students to monitor their progress; providing timely and helpful feedback on any submissions; and submitting marks and grades for Honours projects in a timely manner.
School of Liberal Arts
Study
Bachelor of Arts in Western Civilisation (Honours)
The Bachelor of Arts in Western Civilisation Honours Workshops
Date: Wednesday 24 September 2025
Time: 12.00 pm – 13.00 pm
Location: ASSH Research Hub Seminar Room (19.2072B)
Open To:
This session is only open to students who are considering studying BWCIV (Honours) in 2026.
It is focused on workshopping and fine-tuning Honours project ideas for 2026 BWCIV (Honours) applicants.
Honours applications are due by 30 October.
Please register your details if you would like to attend.
The Bachelor of Arts in Western Civilisation Honours Information Session
Date: This date has passed
Open to:
This session is predominantly for students considering Honours in 2026 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).
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.
Students must have completed their undergraduate degree before enrolling for Honours.
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).
The application process will take approximately 6 weeks and the outcome will be advised by Student Services via email.
BAWCIV
- 2025 Honours Guide (380kb PDF)
- 2026 Honours Guide (411kb PDF)
School Office
School of Social Sciences
1. How do I know if I’m eligible?
You will be eligible to apply if you have obtained a Distinction+ average (Weighted Average Mark (WAM) of 75 or more) across your 200 & 300 level courses.
2. What do I do next?
Have a look at the list of projects currently being offered in your discipline. If you have identified a project you're interested in, contact the academic supervisors to discuss the potential of working with them. Look for projects that really jump out at your interests, because passion for a topic really sustains and embellishes a research project. You may also choose a project where the research methods are aligned with the skills or expertise you are keen to develop for a particular career pathway, or because you know your supervisors well from a previous course or project, and you know you will make a good team. Once you've discussed the project with your supervisors and you both agree to go ahead with the project, contact the Honours Coordinators to confirm the project. Once you have an Honours project and supervisor confirmed, you will need to wait for the marks of your final year Bachelors' subjects to be finalised, as your final WAM cannot be calculated till this point. Once the marks are released and it is confirmed that your WAM meets the enrolment eligibility, you can officially apply for entry into the Honours program.
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.