Bachelor of Science (Honours) program

The Bachelor of Science (Honours) program involves the completion of one or more advanced coursework subjects and a research project subject. The relative weighting of these subjects varies between departments.  Each advanced coursework subject may entail 400-level lectures and tutorials, journal clubs, literature reviews, oral presentations, and other departmental activities. In some departments students enroll in a number of advanced coursework subjects. The research project subject comprises a research project completed under the guidance of an academic who specialises in your area of interest.  Students' academic transcripts will record a separate result for each advanced coursework subject they undertake as part of the BSc (Hons) course, and the research project subject.  Refer to the departmental entries that follow for more information.

Course requirements

To qualify for the BSc (Hons) degree students must pass 100 points at the honours level (or a level deemed appropriate for an honours student) and achieve an overall weighted average of at least 65 per cent for their honours studies.  Some departments have hurdle requirements that must also be met. For further details, refer to the following departmental entries.  Students are not allowed to repeat an honours subject/component for which they have received a mark of less than 50 per cent.

Variations to honours candidature

The critical dates and penalties (e.g. HECS charges, withdrawn results etc.) that apply to enrolment changes are specified in the general introduction at the front of this Handbook.

Deferment

The Faculty of Science does not allow students who have been offered a place in honours to defer commencement of the course. Students will need to advise the relevant department in writing that they are unable to accept the course offer and reapply for a place in the honours program at a later stage.

Leave of absence

Leave from the honours program is possible in exceptional circumstances only. Students wishing to apply for leave from the honours program must complete a variation to enrolment form (available from the Faculty of Science office). The variation to enrolment form must provide a valid reason for requesting leave (e.g. illness) and supporting documentation where possible; be signed by the head of department in which the honours program is being undertaken. The department will need to ensure that it will be possible for the student to continue with their honours program at the agreed time, by checking that appropriate supervision and coursework subjects will be available at the time the student wishes to return from leave. The standard period of leave from honours is a minimum of one semester and a maximum of two semesters.

Extensions

Students are normally allowed only the equivalent to one year of full-time study to complete honours. In extenuating circumstances, such as documented illness, students can apply to the Associate Dean (Academic Programs) for an extension.

Application procedure

Application forms are available from departments. Please contact the relevant department/s for the application closing dates.  Departments will advise students if they have been offered a place in the honours program.  The Faculty of Science office will send an enrolment record and information about the enrolment procedure to students who accept a place in the honours program.

Further information about honours programs

Please contact the honours coordinator in the department/s of your choice for further information. The honours contacts for each department are specified in the honours entries that follow.

Note that departments generally hold an honours information session in September or October each year. Contact the honours coordinators for further details regarding the times and venues of these sessions

Duration and commencement of course

Subject to the availability of projects, both streams of the Honours program in the Department of Zoology can be undertaken of a full-time or part-time basis.

The course involves the equivalent of two semesters of full-time study and, subject to negotiation with the supervisor, may be commenced in semester 1 or semester 2. Students are required to be available for the first meeting of their semester group which is normally held in the week preceding the start of semester.

Assessment: Discovery stream

Hurdle assessment requirements - Students enrolled in Honours need to obtain a minimum of 65% in the Research Project subject and Advanced Coursework subject of their course.

Some Research Project subjects involve the use of animals in experiments. Students should ascertain which projects require such experimentation as exemption is not possible where it is essential to the project.

Components of assessment

The Discovery stream of Honours comprises a Research Project subject and an Advanced Coursework subject. These subjects with their relative weightings are as follows:

• 654-496 Research Project subject = 75%
• 654-497 Advanced Coursework subject = 25%

Advanced Coursework subject

The Advanced Coursework subject entails the following work. Hurdle requirements that must be completed satisfactorily but do not contribute directly to the assessment include:

• a literature review;
• attendance at designated lectures;
• participation in a series of Honours workshops
• development of and participation in a Discovery Day presentation in which the student's or research group's science is communicated to the public;
• participation in an experimental design and statistics workshop.

Requirements that contribute to assessment:

• a written assignment (10% of the total honours mark);
• a second written assignment (10% of the total honours mark); and
• a formal seminar presenting original results (5% of the total honours mark).

Research Project subject

The Research Project subject entails the work noted below.  Hurdle requirements that must be completed satisfactorily but do not contribute directly to the assessment include:

• preparation of a grant proposal justifying, costing and explaining the methodology for carrying out the honours research project;
• participation in review panels to evaluate and allocate limited resources to the grant proposals;
• a seminar presentation outlining the research proposal;
• participation in workshops on the preparation and presentation of scientific seminars and papers.

Requirements that contribute to assessment:

• a written thesis not exceeding 10,000 words submitted at the end of the program (75% of the total honours mark);
• students may be asked to discuss their report with an examining committee which may take the discussion into account in their assessment.

Assessment: Links stream

Hurdle assessment requirements - Students enrolled in Honours need to obtain a minimum of 65% in the Research Project subject and Advanced Coursework subject of their course. Some Research Project subjects involve the use of animals in experiments. Students should ascertain which projects require such experimentation as exemption is not possible where it is essential to the project.

Components of assessment

The Links stream of Honours comprises a Research Project subject and an Advanced Coursework subject. These subjects with their relative weightings are as follows:

• 654-486 Research Project subject = 50%
• 654-487 Advanced Coursework subject =50%

Advanced Coursework subject

The Advanced Coursework subject entails the following work.  Hurdle requirements that must be completed satisfactorily but do not contribute directly to assessment, include:

• attendance at designated lectures;
• participation in a series of Honours workshops
• participation in workshops on the analysis and reporting of complex data sets and an assignment;
• a final presentation to the Department of Zoology

Requirements that contribute to assessment:

• a review of a body of literature associated with the linked project and a report of its implications for the industry, government agency or other user of biological information (10% of the total honours mark);
• participation in an experimental design and statistics course and performance on a designated analytical problem (10% of the total honours mark);
• a written assignment called “Project Brief” to specify the project for the industry partner, and review the background (10% of the total honours mark);
• a written assignment analysing the options available to the industry partner as a result of the outcomes of the research project (15% of the total honours mark)
• a formal oral presentation (to the Industry partner) communicating the outcomes of the linked project (5% of the total honours mark).

Research Project subject

The Research Project subject entails the following work.  Hurdle requirements that must be completed satisfactorily but do not contribute directly to the assessment include:

• a written evaluation of part or all of the designated linked project;
• participation in an oral presentation justifying and explaining the methodology for carrying out the designated linked project.

Requirements that contribute to assessment:

• a written report or individual contribution to a group report not exceeding 7000 words, including an executive summary, submitted at the end of the program (50% of the total honours mark);
• students may be asked to discuss their report with an examining committee which may take the discussion into account in their assessment.

Further information

If you require further information about this honours program, please contact the Honours Coordinators:

Dr Graeme Coulson   Tel. +61 3 8344 4857

Dr Laura Parry           Tel. +61 3 8344 4379