Honours Degree
Give yourself an edge by adding an Honours degree to your qualification. An Honours degree allows you to focus on developing your research skills in your chosen field and significantly enhances your employment prospects.
What is Honours?
Honours is generally a one-year qualification undertaken after a Bachelor’s degree, and involves focusing on an area of expertise through advanced coursework and extensive research.
Honours is a great way to investigate a subject of interest in greater detail. Honours is recognised as a prestigious qualification that develops further research, writing and organisational skills and demonstrates your ability to undertake high-level study.
In some areas, Honours is available as part of the final year of a four-year undergraduate degree. You can check this in Degree Finder. An Honours degree is also the prerequisite for entry to a Higher Degree by Research at the Masters and Doctorate levels.
To search for an Honours program, visit the relevant Faculty website below, or the Degree Finder.
Why study an Honours degree?
Completing an Honours degree provides you with the experience and skills to pursue a broad range of career opportunities, including a career in research. The deepened knowledge and transferable skills gained through an Honours degree at the University of Adelaide will set you up for success for rewarding, diverse career opportunities across industry, government, and business.
Honours is a great way to investigate a subject of interest in greater detail. Honours is recognised as a prestigious qualification that develops further research, writing and organisational skills and demonstrates your ability to undertake high-level study.
Ready to apply for an Honours Program?
To search for an Honours program, visit the Faculty website below or the Degree Finder.
Application rounds
Applications for Semester 2, 2024 entry:
Domestic applicants: Closed
International applicants: Closed
Applications for Semester 1, 2025 entry:
Domestic applicants: Open Monday 2nd September
International applicants: Open Monday 2nd September
*Applicants to the Bachelor of Psychological Science (Honours) should follow the application process and closing dates in Degree Finder.
*Applicants to the Bachelor of Laws (Honours) should follow the application process on the Law School Honours page, noting the application closing date is Monday 25th November.
Application information for 1-year honours programs
| Honours Program | Discipline | Semester 2 intake? | Proposed Project step required? | Proposed Project information needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor of Arts (Honours) SATAC code (if required): 3BH002 | Classics History Sociology |
No | Yes | Project title or state area of interest |
| Bachelor of Arts (Honours) SATAC code (if required): 3BH002 | Anthropology |
No | Yes | Project description (150 - 200 words) |
| Bachelor of Arts (Honours) SATAC code (if required): 3BH002 | Creative Writing | No | Yes | Project description (150 - 200 words); Creative writing portfolio (15 A4 pages, double spaced) |
| Bachelor of Arts (Honours) SATAC code (if required): 3BH002 | Chinese Studies Criminology English Film Studies French Studies Gender Studies Geography Environment & Population German Studies International Development Japanese Studies Linguistics Philosophy Politics and International Relations Spanish Studies |
No | No | N/A |
| Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) SATAC code (if required): 3BH003 | Accounting Applied Finance International Business Management Marketing |
No | Yes | Project supervisor |
| Bachelor of Criminology (Honours) SATAC code (if required): 3BH075 | No | No | N/A | |
| Bachelor of Economics (Honours) SATAC code (if required): 3BH007 | No | No | N/A | |
| Bachelor of Environmental Policy and Management (Honours) SATAC code (if required): 3BH008 | No | Yes | Project description (100 words) |
|
| Bachelor of Finance (Honours) SATAC code (if required): 3BH009 | No | Yes | Project supervisor | |
| Bachelor of International Development (Honours) SATAC code (if required): 3BH006 | No | No | N/A | |
| Bachelor of International Relations (Honours) SATAC code (if required): 3BH068 | No | No | N/A | |
| Bachelor of Languages (Honours) SATAC code (if required): 3BH071 | Chinese Studies French Studies German Studies Japanese Studies Linguistics Spanish Studies |
No | Yes | Project supervisor and Project description (400 words) |
| Bachelor of Laws (Honours) SATAC code (if required): 3BH068 | No | Yes | Project description (2 pages max) |
|
| Bachelor of Media (Honours) SATAC code (if required): 3BH015 | No | Yes | Project description (250 words) |
|
| Bachelor of Music (Honours) See discipline for individual SATAC code |
Subject to availability - please consult Honours Coordinator | Audition/portfolio/interview Find out more about the requirements |
||
| Bachelor of Sociology (Honours) SATAC code (if required): 3BH076 | No | Yes | Project title or state area of interest |
|
| Bachelor of Health and Medical Sciences (Honours) SATAC code (if required): 3BH066 | Biomedicine Medical Public Health Dental Nursing |
Subject to availability - please consult Honours Coordinator | Yes | Project title, Project supervisor and Project description (200 words) |
| Bachelor of Architectural Design (Honours) SATAC code (if required): 3BH078 | Subject to availability - please consult Honours Coordinator | Yes | Project description (1000 words) |
|
| Bachelor of Computer Science (Honours) SATAC code (if required): 3BH004 | Yes | No | N/A | |
| Bachelor of Food and Nutrition Science (Honours) SATAC code (if required): 3BH010 | Subject to availability - please consult Honours Coordinator | N/A | ||
| Bachelor of Mathematical Sciences (Honours) SATAC code (if required): 3BH014 | Yes | Yes | Preferred subject area | |
| Bachelor of Science (Honours) SATAC code (if required): 3BH021 | Agricultural Science Plant Science Soil Science Wine Science Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Chemistry Physics |
Subject to availability - please consult Honours Coordinator | No | N/A |
| Bachelor of Science (Honours) SATAC code (if required): 3BH021 | Animal Behaviour Animal Science Environmental Geoscience Geology Geophysics |
Subject to availability - please consult Honours Coordinator | Yes | Project title and Project supervisor |
| Bachelor of Science (Honours) SATAC code (if required): 3BH021 | Molecular and Biomedical Science | Subject to availability - please consult Honours Coordinator | Yes | Project supervisor |
| Bachelor of Viticulture and Oenology (Honours) SATAC applications N/A | No | No | N/A | |
International applicants
All international applicants, both existing students of the University and new students to the University should apply through the International Application System (IAS). International applicants do not need to lodge a separate Honours Nomination Form as the application in the IAS includes these questions.
Domestic applicants
- *Submit your application to one of the following:
- Internal Transfer Application (for domestic students currently studying at the University of Adelaide)
OR
- SATAC (for domestic students who are not currently studying at the University of Adelaide)
- Internal Transfer Application (for domestic students currently studying at the University of Adelaide)
- Complete the Honours Nomination Form.
You will need either your University of Adelaide ID number, or your SATAC ID to complete the Honours Nomination Form.
All 1 year honours program applicants, with the exception of the *Bachelor of Psychological Science (Honours), must submit a Honours Nomination Form. Please submit the form ensuring you complete all sections
Within the form, there is facility to propose a project and supervisor/s. This information is a requirement for some honours programs, and without this information, the application is incomplete. The Proposed Project requirements, or not, for each honours program are included in the table above. Should you be required to complete the Proposed Project requirements, you are strongly encouraged to discuss your honours project intentions with the relevant Honours Coordinator and/or Supervisor/s prior to lodging the Honours Nomination Form.
*Applicants to the Bachelor of Laws (Honours) program should lodge their Honours Nomination Form only in the first instance. Only upon invitation should they then lodge their Internal Transfer Application. For more information on the application process, please visit the Law School Honours page
Applicants should know that while the application period is open for an extended period over several months, application outcomes may be issued just prior to the commencement of the honours program. For some honours programs applications are assessed as a cohort to manage allocation of projects, supervisors, funding, laboratory spaces etc. Outcomes will be made available to applicants on a rolling basis as soon possible following an outcome decision.
Students completing studies over Summer or Winter School, will likely receive their outcomes later than most other applicants, but be assured this does not impact on your eligibility to receive an offer – you won’t ‘miss out’ or be disadvantaged. Summer and Winter School course grades must be finalised in time for you to be completed from your bachelors and for the offer outcome to be made available to you prior to the Census Date of your commencing semester (domestic students), or the date in your offer (international students). Please check the start date of your honours program with your proposed Honours Coordinator as for some honours program structures, this may be too late to start.
Domestic applicants
Offers for domestic applicants are unconditional and as such, can only be made to applicants once they are academically eligible to receive an offer. Often this will include holding a completed bachelors qualification.
International applicants
Offers for international applicants may be unconditional OR conditional and as such, may be made to applicants at any time once all relevant information is available to determine an outcome.
Application information for 4-year undergraduate programs
| Honours Program | Discipline | Semester 2 intake? | Proposed Project step required? | Proposed Project information needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (Honours) | Industry Stream Research Stream |
|||
| Bachelor of Physiotherapy (Honours) | Industry Stream Research Stream |
|||
| Bachelor of Speech Pathology (Honours) | Industry Stream Research Stream |
|||
| Bachelor of Biotechnology (Honours) | Agricultural Science |
Subject to availability - please consult Honours Coordinator |
No | N/A |
| Bachelor of Biotechnology (Honours) | Animal Behaviour Animal Science Molecular and Biomedical Science Energy Geoscience Environmental Geoscience Geology Geophysics |
Subject to availability - please consult Honours Coordinator |
Yes | Project title and Project supervisor |
| Bachelor of Biotechnology (Honours) | Molecular and Biomedical Science | Subject to availability - please consult Honours Coordinator | Yes | Project supervisor |
| Bachelor of Construction Management (Honours) | ||||
| Bachelor of Food and Nutrition Science (Honours) | No | No | N/A | |
| Bachelor of Mathematical Sciences (Honours) | Yes | Yes | Preferred subject area | |
| Bachelor of Science (High Performance Computational Physics) (Honours) | Yes | No | N/A | |
| Bachelor of Science (Honours) | Agricultural Science |
Subject to availability - please consult Honours Coordinator |
No | N/A |
| Bachelor of Science (Honours) | Animal Behaviour |
Subject to availability - please consult Honours Coordinator | Yes | Project title and |
| Bachelor of Science (Honours) | Molecular and Biomedical Science |
Subject to availability - please consult Honours Coordinator | Yes | Project supervisor |
| Bachelor of Science (Advanced) (Honours) | Agricultural science |
Subject to availability - please consult Honours Coordinator |
No | N/A
|
| Bachelor of Science (Advanced) (Honours) | Animal Behaviour |
Subject to availability - please consult Honours Coordinator | Yes | Project title and Project supervisor |
| Bachelor of Science (Advanced) (Honours) | Molecular and Biomedical Science |
Subject to availability - please consult Honours Coordinator | Yes | Project supervisor |
Not already studying one of our 4 year undergraduate programs?
If you are not already a current student in one of our 4 year undergraduate programs, you will need to submit your application to one of the following:
- Internal Transfer Application (for domestic students currently studying at The University of Adelaide)
- SATAC (for domestic students who are not currently studying at The University of Adelaide)
- International Application System (for all international students)
If you are already a student studying one of our 4 year undergraduate programs, you do not need to apply as above.
Existing students already studying one of our 4 year undergraduate programs
Ahead of commencing the honours component of your program, you will need to lodge a Honours Nomination Form. Within the form, there is facility to propose a project and supervisor/s. This information is a requirement for some honours programs, and without this information, the application is incomplete. The Proposed Project requirements, or not, for each honours program are included in the table above. Should you be required to complete the Proposed Project requirements, you are strongly encouraged to discuss your honours project intentions with the relevant Honours Coordinator and/or Supervisor/s prior to lodging the Honours Nomination Form.
Applicants to the Bachelor of Viticulture and Oenology (Honours) should apply as for the 1 year honours degree programs as you are applying for a new program admission. The Honours Nomination form should be submitted for the application round you wish to commence the honours component of the program.
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