Honours

Honours at UWS

A Bachelor Honours degree may be taken as an additional year following a three year degree or can be awarded on the basis of meritorious achievement in degrees of four or more years.

The University may regard an applicant as eligible for Honours if they have:

• achievement of a threshold Admission Average Mark (AAM) equal to or above the minimum of 65
• a statement of intent or school equivalent
• an appointment of a principal supervisor by the Head of School
• demonstrated satisfactory academic writing skills appropriate to the discipline

The University may also prescribe other conditions for admission to specified Honours programs.

This information is for applicants looking to undertake an additional Honours year at the end of their degree. If you are a current UWS student enrolled in a degree with an embedded Honours program you should contact your School about eligibility and how to enrol in your Honours units.

If you are enrolled in your last session, or have no more than one full time session of study left in your degree you are eligible to apply for Honours courses at UWS.

Please note some Honours courses have only a limited number of places available. Applications for each intake must be submitted by the nominated closing date.

How to apply

You must apply using the Apply-by-Web online application system. Applications are accepted all year and candidates are offered places in the next available teaching session for the course.

You will need to submit some or all of the following information with your application:

• current academic transcript of all previous study not undertaken at UWS
• Statement of Intent as detailed in the School specific information below
• proof of change of name if your qualifications are in a name other than the name under which you are applying
• proof of English Language proficiency if your studies were taken in a language other than English
• a letter of support for your chosen area of research, if requested by the School (see below)

All documentation presented must be correctly certified.

Cost

Bachelor Honours courses are Commonwealth Supported, with fees based on a student contribution.
For more information on the student contribution, please see the Student Contribution information (opens in a new window) page.

Course Specific Requirements

What is the Statement of Intent?

The statement of intent indicates what research you would like to undertake in your Honours year. Each School has different requirements that you'll need to address, so make sure you check the requirements below for the School to which you are applying.

Closing Dates

The closing date for applications vary depending on the Honours course you wish to study and the School in which the research is undertaken. Some courses have strict closing dates, other courses will accept applications at anytime, but do have deadlines for each intake.

School of Business
    2577 Bachelor of Business and Commerce (Honours)
    2577 Bachelor of Business and Commerce (Honours) Student Information Guide [PDF 1806Kb] (opens in a new window)
    2683 Bachelor of Economics (Honours)

School of Computing, Engineering and Mathematics
    3614 Bachelor of Computer Science (Honours)
    3588 Bachelor of Computing (Honours)
    3613 Bachelor of Information Technology (Honours)
    2711 Bachelor of Science (Honours) Mathematics

School of Education
    1686 Bachelor of Education (Honours)
    1654 Master of Teaching (Honours)

School of Humanities and Communication Arts
    1600 Bachelor of Arts (Honours)
    1599 Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Languages and Linguistics
    1657 Bachelor of Communication (Honours)
    1660 Bachelor of Music (Honours)

School of Law
    200700 Law Honours Dissertation

School of Medicine
   3610 Bachelor of Medical Science (Honours)
   3611 Bachelor of Science (Honours)

School of Nursing and Midwifery
    4529 Bachelor of Nursing (Honours)

School of Science and Health 
    4657 Bachelor of Health Science (Honours)
    3610 Bachelor of Medical Science (Honours)
    3611 Bachelor of Science (Honours)
   
School of Social Sciences and Psychology
    1504 Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Psychology   
    4610 Bachelor of Social Sciences (Honours)   

School of Business

2577 Bachelor of Business and Commerce (Honours)
2683 Bachelor of Economics (Honours)

Statement of Intent
A statement of 500 to 1000 words, outlining the area of research you plan to pursue and the research method you plan to use.

Closing Dates
Spring commencement 2012
30 June 2012
Applications received by this date are guaranteed consideration for commencement in Spring 2012.

Due to demand for the places available you are encouraged to submit your application early.

Applications received after this date will be accepted without penalty, but may not be considered in time to commence in Spring 2012.

Autumn commencement 2013
23 December 2012
Applications received by this date are guaranteed consideration for commencement in Autumn 2013.

Due to demand for the places available you are encouraged to submit your application early.

Applications received after this date will be accepted without penalty, but may not be considered in time to commence in Autumn 2013.

School contact for enquiries 
Dr Gregory Teal (opens in a new window)

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School of Computing, Engineering and Mathematics

3614 Bachelor of Computer Science (Honours)
3588 Bachelor of Computing (Honours)
3613 Bachelor of Information Technology (Honours)
2711 Bachelor of Science (Honours) Mathematics

Statement of Intent
Together with the completed application, the applicant must submit a 500 to 1000 word research proposal that outlines the research questions, background, research methodology and expected outcomes of the Honours research project.

Closing Dates
Autumn commencement
31 January 2013
Applications received by this date are guaranteed consideration for commencement in Autumn 2013.

Applications received after this date will be accepted without penalty, but may not be considered in time to commence in Autumn 2013.

School contact for enquiries
Assoc. Prof. Miroslav Filipovic (opens in a new window)

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School of Education

1686 Bachelor of Education (Honours)
1654 Master of Teaching (Honours)

Statement of Intent
A statement of approximately 500 words which outlines your research proposal and includes a select bibliography (not included in the word limit).

Closing date
Autumn commencement 2013
31 October 2012

Applications received by this date are guaranteed consideration for commencement in Autumn 2013.

Applications received after this date will be accepted without penalty, but may not be considered in time to commence in Autumn 2013.

School contact for enquiries
Assoc. Professor Anne Power (opens in a new window)
Lizzy Pemble (opens in a new window)

School of Humanities and Communication Arts

1600 Bachelor of Arts (Honours)
1599 Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Languages and Linguistics

Statement of Intent
A statement of approximately 1000 words which outlines your research proposal and includes a select bibliography (not included in the word limit). The research proposal should include:

• a preliminary title for the research project
• a rationale for doing this research (why is it necessary/important? What need/gap does it seek to address?)
• a preliminary attempt to define the research problem, with reference to the inter/disciplinary areas in which the research will be conducted
  an outline of the conceptual/theoretical framework that will inform the research
• a preliminary description of proposed research methodologies, including whether the research will require ethics approval (for example, if field research such as interviews and questionnaires is proposed)

It is recommended that students write their proposal in consultation with an appropriate academic (i.e. a potential supervisor).

Closing Date
Autumn commencement 2013
31 October 2012
Applications received by this date are guaranteed consideration for commencement in Autumn 2013.

Applications received after this date will be accepted without penalty, but may not be considered in time to commence in Autumn 2013.

School contact for enquiries
Arts: Dr David Walton (opens in a new window)
Languages and Linguistics: Dr Satomi Kawaguchi (opens in a new window)

1657 Bachelor of Communication (Honours)
1660 Bachelor of Music (Honours)

Statement of Intent
A statement of approximately 500 words that describes a research proposal and includes a select bibliography.

Closing Date
Autumn commencment 2013
14 October 2012
Applications received by this date are guaranteed consideration for commencement in Autumn 2013.

Applications received after this date will be accepted without penalty, but may not be considered in time to commence in Autumn 2013.

School contact for enquiries
Dr Sally Macarthur (opens in a new window)

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School of Law

200700 Law Honours Dissertation

Statement of Intent
A statement of 500 to 1000 words which describes the proposed research in a scholarly manner. The statement should focus on the significance, aims, conceptual framework and/or methodology to be employed in the study. The statement should address any ethical issues involved in the proposed research, and include a relevant bibliography (up to 2 pages).
Supervisory Panel

Carolyn Sappideen should be consulted for advice on a suitable supervisor from the academic staff of the School of Law. A list of potential supervisors can be found on the Law School vUWS hubsite.

Other Supporting Documentation
An application form available on the Law School vUWS hubsite should be completed and submitted. The application must be submitted (including the Statement of Intent) to the Honours Co-ordinator, Carolyn Sappideen, by the due date via the School of Law office at either campus.
More information on the Law Honours Dissertation unit can be found on the Law School vUWS hubsite. There are two intakes into the program, Autumn and Spring.

Closing Dates
Autumn Session 2012: 17 February 2012
Spring Session 2012: 23 July 2012
Applications received by the due date for the relevant session are guaranteed consideration for commencement in the relevant.

Applications received after this date will be accepted without penalty, but may not be considered in time to commence in the selected session.

School contact for enquiries
Professor Carolyn Sappideen (opens in a new window)

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School of Medicine

3610 Bachelor of Medical Science (Honours)
3611 Bachelor of Science (Honours)

Statement of Intent
Students wishing to undertake their Honours year in the School of Medicine should approach a potential supervisor within the School and discuss projects on offer. All projects must have been granted approval to commence by the Human Research Ethics Committee or the Animal Research Ethics Committee. The supervisor will assist in the provision of an outline for the proposed research program. As the School of Medicine does not administer its own Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Medical Science degrees students must enrol through the School of Biomedical and Health Sciences after gaining conditional acceptance by a supervisor within the School of Medicine. Please note that normal academic acceptance criteria apply.

Closing Date
Autumn commencement 2013
31 January 2013
Applications received by this date are guaranteed consideration for commencement in Autumn 2013.

Applications received after this date will be accepted without penalty, but may not be considered in time to commence in Autumn 2013.

School contact for enquiries
Dr Graham Jones (opens in a new window)

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School of Nursing and Midwifery

4529 Bachelor of Nursing (Honours)

Statement of Intent
A statement of approximately 500 words which describes your research proposal and outlines the area of nursing in which you are interested e.g. aged care nursing or medical nursing.

Closing Date
Autumn commencement 2013
31 October 2012

Applications received after this date will be accepted without penalty, but may not be considered in time to commence in Autumn 2013.

School contact for enquiries
Prof Esther Chang (opens in a new window)

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School of Science and Health

4657 Bachelor of Health Science (Honours)

Statement of Intent
Applicants must provide a statement of approximately 500 words (one to two pages, including any references) that describes succinctly the nature of the research project that is to be undertaken. It is appropriate that this statement be developed in consultation with the supervisory panel.

Supervisory Panel
The primary supervisor must be a member of the UWS Research Supervisory Panel. A second supervisory panel member should also be nominated.

Other Supporting Documentation
Applicants must also include in their application a letter, signed by all members of the supervisory panel, stating:

• the research project is suitable for the Honours research program
• they are willing to supervise the research
• that all necessary equipment and facilities needed for the research project are available and functional (facilities outside the University may need to be identified)
• that appropriate ethics clearances, if required, have been obtained or are being processed or that it has been indicated to the student that development and submission of an ethics application will be part of the students research training

Closing Date
Autumn commencement 2013
31 January 2012
Applications received by this date are guaranteed consideration for commencement in Autumn 2013.

Applications received after this date will be accepted without penalty, but may not be considered in time to commence in Autumn 2013.

School contact for enquiries
Dr Chris Lonsdale (opens in a new window)
Dr Graham Jones (opens in a new window)

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3610 Bachelor of Medical Science (Honours)
3611 Bachelor of Science (Honours)

Statement of Intent
Applicants must provide a statement of approximately 500 words (one to two pages, including any references) that describes succinctly the nature of the research project that is to be undertaken. It is appropriate that this statement be developed in consultation with the supervisory panel.

Supervisory Panel
The primary supervisor must be a member of the UWS Research Supervisory Panel. A second supervisory panel member may be nominated and may belong to an institution other than UWS.

Other Supporting Documentation
Applicants must also include in their application a letter, signed by all members of the supervisory panel, stating:

• the research project is suitable for the Honours research program
• they are willing to supervise the research
• that all necessary equipment and facilities needed for the research project are available and functional (facilities outside the University may need to be identified)
• that appropriate ethics clearances, if required, have been obtained or are being processed or that it has been indicated to the student that development and submission of an ethics application will be part of the students research training\

Closing Date
Autumn commencement 2013
31 January 2013
Applications received by this date are guaranteed consideration for commencement in Autumn 2013.

Applications received after this date will be accepted without penalty, but may not be considered in time to commence in Autumn 2013.

School contact for enquiries
Dr Graham Jones (opens in a new window)

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School of Social Sciences and Psychology

1504 Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Psychology

Statement of Intent
Applicants are offered places based on their Psychology units AAM and a Statement of Intent. The complete Statement of Intent should be no more than 1000 words long and include three main components, an overview of your commitment to the discipline of psychology, a synopsis of your areas of research interest, and an indication of your further training intentions.

The overview of your commitment to the discipline of psychology should include examples of your commitment to the discipline from either a professional and/or research perspective. Examples can include related work experience, membership of professional bodies, attendance at seminars and colloquia or anything else that you believe demonstrates your commitment to the discipline.

The synopsis of your areas of research interest should list your three main areas of research interest in order of preference and include a research proposal based on a topic from one of those areas. The research proposal (recommended length approximately 500 words) should discuss key research and theories related to the proposed topic area. It should also identify and justify a specific hypothesis or research question to be investigated based on the literature reviewed and describe a proposed method to investigate that hypothesis/research question.

You should conclude with a brief description of your future training intentions (PhD, Masters etc), including a short discussion of why you are targeting those particular pathways.

The 1000 word limit will be strictly enforced (excluding references) and factors such as formatting and clarity of expression will also be considered.

Closing Date
Autumn commencement 2013
31 October 2012
No applications will be accepted after the closing date.

School contact for enquiries
Dr David Brennan (opens in a new window)
Mrs Vicki Fox (opens in a new window)

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 4610 Bachelor of Social Sciences (Honours)

Statement of Intent
The Research Proposal/Statement of Intent is expected to be a maximum of 1000 words. It is important to develop your proposal if possible in collaboration with your intended supervisor/s. The following 6 areas need to be included in the development of your research proposal / Statement of Intent and it is advisable to construct your proposal under these headings.

1. Research Title
2. Research Question: a research question and an overview of the research topic including the interest in the area of study
3. Readings: identify 6-10 readings relevant to the topic area, demonstrating some engagement with this existing scholarship
4. Method: a brief statement on how the research will be conducted – that is, will you be doing interviews, a focus group, a document analysis, a survey, or another method, or a combination of these approaches? Consultation with intended supervisor/s to may help to decide on the most appropriate approach to your question in the time frame available to complete your research.
5. Theoretical Framework: consideration of a theoretical framework that is linked to your research method and data analysis. This should also relate to your set of readings.
6. Ethics Requirement: identify whether ethics approval will be required.

It is critical that consideration is given in your Proposal/Statement of Intent as to whether an application for ethics approval to undertake the research is required. If research with human subjects will be conducted, e.g. interviews, focus groups, surveys etc, an ethics application must be completed. For the development of an ethics application advice may need to be sought from your intended supervisor. Once admitted to Honours an ethics application will be completed early in your Honours Degree as it can be a time consuming process.

Guidelines for Developing an Honours Proposal or Statement of Intent
The Honours Proposal is a requirement for entry into the School of Social Science Honours Program. The Research Proposal/Statement of Intent is also an important component of the learning process in the Honours Degree. It provides a brief overview of the research you are planning to undertake and is important in developing your thoughts around critical research issues that need to be addressed prior to your degree.

As this may be the first time that you have done a Research Proposal/ Statement of Intent and undertaken research, the document is also a reflection of a 'work in progress' that will continue to be developed and refined throughout the early stages of your degree. It will be read by other people, including your nominated supervisor. Your proposal/ Statement of Intent needs to be written clearly and concisely so that others can understand what you are interested in researching and how it will be undertaken.

Closing Date
Autumn commencement 2013
31 October 2012
Applications received by this date are guaranteed consideration for commencement in Autumn 2013.

Applications received after this date will be accepted without penalty, but may not be considered in time to commence in Autumn 2013.

School contact for enquiries
Dr Russell Staiff (opens in a new window)
Diana Curuenavuli (opens in a new window)

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