Science (Honours)

What you'll study

For further details about honours and who to contact for more information, please visit the Science honours page.

Typical workload and assessment

Generally, the honours year after the Bachelor of Science consists of the following three components, however there may be variations to this, depending on the school or discipline area in which you complete honours: a supervised but independent research program, additional courses in experimental design/technical training, and some coursework units of study (classes).

Honours awards and classes

(1) The Bachelor of Science is awarded as either Pass or Honours. The honours degree is awarded in classes ranging from First Class to Third Class according to the rules specified in the Coursework Policy and the Resolutions of the Faculty of Science.

(2) Candidates for the award of the Honours degree who do not meet the requirements, and who have not already graduated, will be awarded the pass degree merited.

Ethics and honours research

As a general principle, any research involving human or animal subjects requires Ethics Committee approval, including, but not limited to, projects involving the following kinds of methodologies: 

1. questionnaires
2. surveys or interviews (including oral history)
3. telephone interviewing
4. recording by audio or video tape
5. observations of behaviour (including ethnographic fieldwork)
6. experiments involving animals or animal tissue

Please note that a key part of the approval process involves ensuring that the University complies with its duty of care to students. Safety protocols must be prepared for all students conducting any research off-campus, whether in Australia or overseas.

Applying for ethics clearance

Please consult the Faculty of Science for advice about ethics clearance applications.

Closing dates for ethics applications

Please consult the Faculty of Science, or the school/department through which you are undertaking honours, for advice about closing dates for ethics clearance applications.

Postgraduate research at the University

The Faculty of Science has an outstanding reputation for the quality of its postgraduate research programs across a wide range of science disciplines. With significant levels of funding from various research councils and bodies, and the provision of major research facilities, the faculty is committed to providing leading education and research training to its students.

There are a range of research programs available, depending on which stage you are at in your academic career. Whether at the doctoral or masters level, you undertake self-directed, supervised research in your specialised area of science, and produce a thesis considered to be a substantially original contribution to the subject concerned.

The honours year in science provides a research training pathway to our higher research degrees, the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) and Master of Science (MSc). The postgraduate research programs offered by the faculty attract a large number of domestic and international students each year. 

Joint and double honours

Joint and double honours programs are possible across science disciplines, at the discretion of each discipline. 

Joint honours is normally completed over the course of one year (worth 48 credit points) and involves the completion of one research project involving two disciplines. Your project is guided by two supervisors, one from each discipline involved. Discussion between disciplines should determine arrangements for your completion of joint honours.

Double honours involves completing all the honours work in two disciplines and thus normally lasts for two consecutive years (96 credit points). Students will be expected to inform both disciplines of their enrolment in two programs for double honours.