Honours

The Discipline of Work and Organisational Studies honours coordinator is Leanne Cutcher.

Reasons for Undertaking Honours in Work and Organisational Studies

An honours degree in Work and Organisational Studies is not only a prestigious achievement, but it can also be immensely enjoyable and rewarding. The honours year will involve dedicated work, and will often be personally demanding. However the rewards include the opportunity to focus academic attention on one particular topic of interest and to work closely with your supervisor to explore that topic. You will also study with a select group of students who have chosen to undertake Honours study. The program also develops skills by building on an existing body of knowledge; develops the ability to critically analyse issues, develops creative solutions to emerging problems; and helps to develop research and writing skills.

Preparation for Final Honours Year

Entry Requirements

If you wish to undertake the Final Honours Year in Work and Organisational Studies you must first complete:

• Two dedicated honours preparation or 'pre-honours year' units of study: one on theories of work and organisation; the other on research methods. The units should ideally be taken in the two semesters immediately prior to your planned Final Honours Year. Entry to these units is by invitation and limited to those who have completed the junior unit WORK1003 and achieved 75% or better in this or another WORK unit;
• A major in Industrial Relations and Human Resource Management and/or Management. Both of the pre-honours year can count towards a major or extended major in these areas.

In addition, to undertake the Final Honours Year itself you must achieve a minimum weighted average mark (WAM) of 65% across all senior units taken within your undergraduate degree, and a minimum of 70% in all units within your major in Industrial Relations and Human Resource Management and/or Management.

Prerequisite Units of Study for Eligibility for Final Honours Year

The WOS Honours program can commence any time after your first year. However you require prerequisite units of study for eligibility for Final Honours Year which include:

• A Major in Industrial Relations and Human Resource Management or Management (36 credit points in upper level WOS subjects which must include the two subjects listed below)
• Two pre-honours units including Theories of Work and Organisations (WORK3921: Semester 1; Researching Work and Organisations (WORK3922: Semester 2)

How to Apply for Entry into Prerequisite Honours Units of Study

If you have received 75% or above in any WOS (WORK) subject you should receive a letter from the discipline inviting you to consider the Honours program.If you decide to accept the invitation, you should take the letter to the Business School Student Information Office and ask to be enrolled in in the two pre-honours units listed above. Note that you cannot self-enrol in these units on-line. You must do so in person at SIO.

Before you enter the Final Honours Year students require 48 credit points in total to enter the honours program. This should include 1 junior unit (6 credit points) as well as 7 senior units (42 credit points in total). You should also have completed 36 credit points in WOS (WORK) subjects inclusive of these two compulsory subjects (Theories of Work and Organisational Studies WORK3921; Researching Work and Organisational Studies (WORK3922). You must also have achieved a WAM of 65% or better across all senior units of study and a Discipline-specific (i.e. WORK unit) WAM of 70% or better.

Under certain circumstances, a student who has not obtained the necessary prerequisites may be allowed into the honours program by special permission of the Discipline honours coordinator.

How Prerequisite Units of Study Fit into Majors

Honours preparation units (Theories of Work and Organisational Studies WORK3921; Researching Work and Organisational Studies WORK3922) may be counted in the 36 senior credit units required to complete a major in IR/HRM or Management.

Continuation in the Program

Generally students are expected to maintain a minimum credit average throughout the honours program (both in prerequisite units of study and in final year coursework units of study). However this may also be at the discretion of the Discipline honours coordinator.

Eligiblity for Final Honours Year Without Having Taken the Prerequisite Units of Study at Sydney University

Students interested in completing final year WOS Honours, will need to demonstrate they have completed similar units of study to the prerequisite units of study offered within WOS at Sydney University. Without these equivalent prerequisite units of study, students should be prepared to undertake the units of study before entry into final year. To determine equivalence, contact the Discipline honours coordinator.

Applications for Final Honours Year

Applications for the Work and Organisational Studies Final Honours Year are open until February, however we strongly advise that you inform the Discipline about your intention to proceed to the Final Honours Year in the November prior.

• Final Honours Year Application Form

Final Honours Year in Work and Organisational Studies

Objectives of Final Honours Year in Work and Organisational Studies

The objective of the Honours Year is to produce high quality graduates who are capable of securing challenging and rewarding professional employment, or undertaking advanced research degrees (Masters or PhD) at leading universities. During the year students will enhance their research and analytical skills and develop strong problem solving skills. Students will also improve their ability to work independently and to manage projects.

Structure

The Final Honours Year program is a full time year of study commencing in semester one. The Final Year program has two components: course work and a thesis.

The course work component comprises 2 units of study, one of which is undertaken in semester one and the other in semester two.

Students work on their thesis over the whole year (February-October). The thesis is a 20,000 word research-based dissertation on a work-related or organisational studies topic in which the student has a strong intellectual interest. As well as a formal introduction, conclusion and bibliography of sources used, the thesis should include an extensive review of the relevant academic literature, a chapter explaining and justifying the research methodology applied, and a number of empirical chapters reporting the study's evidence and findings. E-copies of high-quality theses completed in recent years are available for review. For access details, contact the Discipline honours coordinator.

Students are encouraged to make contact with academic staff shortly after accepting their offer into the Final Honours Year should to begin the process of finding a suitable thesis topic and supervisor. Guidance in identifying a suitable research topic is also provided in the two pre-honours year units.

Students wishing to undertake thesis research involving human subjects (e.g. via interviews, focus groups, surveys, etc) must also lodge an application to the Business School Honours Ethics Committee for approval to undertake such research. Applications should be prepared in consultation with the thesis supervisor (who must also be named as the 'chief investigator' for the project) and should generally be lodged in the early to mid-weeks of semester one of the Final Honours Year.

Double or Joint Honours

Double or joint honours is possible, but very uncommon due to the number of pre-requisite units of study required by the two different disciplines for entry into their honours programmes. Students wishing to do joint or double honours with another discipline must consult the honours coordinator from the other discipline before submitting their application.

Examination/Assessment of Theses

Final Honours grades comprise a 60% weighting on the 4th year thesis and 40% weighting on the two 4th year course subjects (20% each).

Theses are independently marked by two examiners and the final thesis grade reflects an average of these two marks. Where a difference of more than 5% exists between these two examiners a third examiner will review the thesis.

The final grade of honours will be determined on the following University scale:

The Business School may award a university medal to suitably qualified candidates. This takes into account the whole academic career as well as the Final Honours Year. The criteria are very strict. Students should note that being the top student in the Final Year cohort does not guarantee nomination for a medal.

Thesis Submission

Theses are due at 4pm on the final Friday of semester (Week 13). Two soft-bound copies of the thesis must be submitted - one for each examiner.

Student/Supervisor Protocols

The Business School has developed student/supervisor protocols which outline the expectations that a student and supervisor can reasonably have of each other, during the honours year. Please refer to the Honours and Honours Preparation - Administrative Procedures page for details on this.

Administrative Procedures

Students need to ensure that administrative procedures are taken up with the Student Information Office for the Business School including notification of ill-health or misadventure. For other queries not covered in the information here, contact the honours coordinator.

Scholarships

In addition to the University of Sydney honours scholarships and other Business School scholarships, the Qantas Honours Scholarship in Industrial Relations is awarded to a student in the third year honours program proceeding to the Final Honours Year who has achieved excellence in their undergraduate Industrial Relations and Human Resource Management Studies. Several other prizes ranging in value from $2000 to $225 also exist. The recipient is nominated by the Discipline of Work and Organisational Studies between January and March the following year, and there is no application process.

Other Financial Assistance

Discipline funding may be available to Final Honours Year students to assist with research-related expenses and thesis binding, and for the most outstanding students there is also a special grant to assist converting their theses into papers for submission to peer-reviewed academic journals. Contact the Discipline Honours Coordinator for further details.

Careers Information

All notices concerning WOS Final Honours Year, information about employment opportunities, scholarships etc. will be posted on the WOS notice board.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to pay HECS for an honours year?

Yes.

Can I defer my honours year after my pass degree is completed?

Yes, but only for up to two years and subject to supervisor availability.

Can I work while I am undertaking my honours year?

Yes, however you do need to think carefully about how you manage your time throughout the year. There are peak times during the year when your study may be more demanding than at other times.

The Discipline is also willing to consider applications from students who wish to undertake the Final Honours Year on a part-time basis. However, permission to do so is solely on a case-by-case basis and at the discretion of the Discipline.

Why would I choose honours rather than a Masters?

An honours year is quite different to a Masters Degree because honours study mostly consists of undertaking your own research. You need to think carefully, therefore, about what both paths offer. As distinct from a Masters (which is by coursework now), an honours year offers a unique opportunity to develop your own research and writing skills in an area of your choosing. Whilst you need to undertake two coursework units in your 4th year, 60% of your mark in this year involves doing a thesis in an area that interests you. You choose the topic and, in consultation with your supervisor, you choose the research method you use. More than any other course, this year develops and deepens your research skills and enhances the quality of an undergraduate qualification to potential employers. And of course there is no reason why you can?t add a masters degree later in working life as your career needs change.