honours in chemistry
Who will be your Honours supervisor in 2012?
Please join us here in the School of Chemistry for an Honours meet and greet the team session on Wednesday 19 October 2011, 4.00 - 6.00 pm in the foyer of Chemistry Lecture Theatres 1 and 2. For further information regarding Honours in Chemistry, download the 2012 Hounours Book (1.83 MB).
General Information
The School of Chemistry is recognised as one of the top Chemistry Schools in Australia and is acknowledged internationally for the high calibre of its staff and research programs. The Honours program in the School of Chemistry provides the opportunity to be involved in a research program and provides training in research techniques and experience with modern research instrumentation. The Honours program adds a new dimension to the skills that you have acquired during your undergraduate years and enhances your immediate employment prospects and, more significantly, your future career potential.
In the Honours year, each student undertakes a research project under the supervision of a member of staff, writes a thesis which explains the problem, outlines the research undertaken and the results obtained, and also attends advanced lecture courses and seminars. The introduction to research is a particularly valuable experience and an Honours degree is highly regarded by prospective employers. An Honours degree widens the range of employment possibilities and it may lead to the opportunity to proceed to a postgraduate degree (MSc or PhD), with financial support from an Australian Postgraduate Award (APA) or other postgraduate scholarship.
The School of Chemistry offers a wide range of projects for Honours students covering all areas of contemporary chemistry. A copy of a booklet outlining the projects available in 2011 is available at the Front Office, School of Chemistry; can be sent to you by contacting the Front Office (9351 4504, enquiries@chem.usyd.edu.au); or download here (1.83 MB).
Why should you enrol in Honours in the School of Chemistry?
You will join a group of approximately 40 Honours students in Chemistry and work alongside 120 postgraduates currently enrolled in MSc and PhD research programs.
You will have access to a diverse range of research projects offered by 34 members of staff covering all areas of contemporary chemistry including :
You will have access to state-of the art instrumentation and work in newly renovated laboratories and offices throughout the School of Chemistry.
You will have the opportunity to work on research for 90% of the year.
Scholarships are available for students from outside the Sydney area to assist with relocation expenses.
Eligibility
To be eligible for entry into the School of Chemistry Honours program, students must have qualified for the award of a relevant pass degree and be considered by the School and their Faculty to have the requisite knowledge and aptitude for an Honours course.
GRADUATES FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY
Graduates from the University of Sydney require a SCIWAM (Science Weighted Average Mark) of 65+ or an average of 65 (or greater) in at least 48 credit points of relevant intermediate or senior science units of study. In addition, applicants must have previously passed at least 12 credit points of 3rd year chemistry and an appropriate major.
GRADUATES FROM OTHER AUSTRALIAN UNIVERSITIES
Graduates from other Australian Universities require, as a minimum, a SCIWAM of 65+. The Faculty of Science automatically calculates each applicant’s SCIWAM when the application for Honours is received. In addition, applicants must have completed substantial 3rd year Chemistry (equivalent to a University of Sydney “major”) at the University in which they completed their pass degree.
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
International applicants require an equivalent level of performance in their pass degree to that required from Local applicants, and must have completed substantial 3rd year Chemistry (equivalent to a University of Sydney “major”) at the University in which they completed their pass degree. The University of Sydney International Office assesses each International applicant’s academic qualifications and determines whether they satisfy the conditions for entry into the program. International students are subject to payment of fees.
The Graduate Diploma in Science
The Graduate Diploma serves as an entry qualification for the degrees of Master of Science or Doctor of Philosophy and consists of equivalent work to that carried out by candidates enrolled in the Honours course. The Graduate Diploma of Science is a full fee paying course in the Faculty of Science and is available to those students who have satisfied the requirements for the BSc degree or equivalent but who are not eligible to enrol in the Honours course.
HOW TO APPLY
There are two steps to applying for the School of Chemistry honours program. Both steps must be completed by the same deadline.
STEP 1
ALL applicants (including those currently enrolled in the final year of a degree at the this University) must apply to the University of Sydney. The exact procedure varies depending on the citizenship of the applicant.
Local students (citizens or permanent residents of Australia and citizens of New Zealand) must apply through the Faculty of Science. More information on how to apply is available from the Faculty of Science website.
The only exceptions to this are students who have completed undergraduate degrees at the University of Sydney via faculties other than science (eg. students who have completed liberal studies, or combined degrees). Such students should consult their faculty regarding correct application procedures.
Applicants should note that faculty application forms must be signed by the Chemistry Honours and Graduate Diploma Coordinator, Dr Mat Todd or Dr Meredith Jordan, prior to submission.
The application deadline for Semester 2, 2012 commencement for local students is Friday 29 June 2012.
The application deadline for Semester 1, 2013 commencement for local students will be posted once known.
International students who are currently enrolled at the University of Sydney must complete the same steps above as the local students but, in addition, must complete an “International Undergraduate Student Application” form and lodge it at the International Offi ce, (Jane Foss Russell Building).
External International students must apply through the International Office. More information on how to apply is available from the International Office website.
The application deadline for Semester 2, 2012 commencement for International students is Monday 30th April 2012.
The application deadline for Semester 1, 2013 commencement for International students will be posted once known.
STEP 2
All applicants must apply directly to the School of Chemistry by submitting the School of Chemistry Honours Application Form.
The School of Chemistry Honours Application Form requires applicants to nominate preferences for supervision. When deciding on their preferences, applicants should not only refer to the information in the Honours booklet, but make an effort to talk to a number of staff members about possible honours projects. Each member of the chemistry staff has selected a number of projects for inclusion in this booklet.
These projects are intended to be examples of current research work. Most members of staff have other interesting projects available and in many cases it is possible to design a project which caters for a student’s particular interests. We encourage intending honours applicants to contact potential supervisors in October. Intending applicants should phone or email the staff members in whom they’re interested to arrange an appointment to discuss possible projects.
While every eff ort will be made to accommodate your first preference of supervisor, please note that allocation of honours and postgraduate students to individual research groups depends on space, resources and supervisor availability. Hence it is essential that you include FOUR preferences on your application form. In mid- December, you will be informed of the outcome of your application and, if successful, will be notified of your supervisor’s name and contact details.
Enrolment
The course codes to enrol in Honours are :
February Admission:
| UNIT CODE | UNIT NAME | SEMESTER OFFERED |
| CHEM4011 | Chemistry Honours A | Semester 1 2012 |
| CHEM4012 | Chemistry Honours B | Semester 1 2012 |
| CHEM4013 | Chemistry Honours C | Semester 2 2012 |
| CHEM4014 | Chemistry Honours D | Semester 2 2012 |
July Admission:
| UNIT CODE | UNIT NAME | SEMESTER OFFERED |
| CHEM4011 | Chemistry Honours A | Semester 2 2012 |
| CHEM4012 | Chemistry Honours B | Semester 2 2012 |
| CHEM4013 | Chemistry Honours C | Semester 1 2013 |
| CHEM4014 | Chemistry Honours D | Semester 2 2013 |
Formal Requirements & Assessment
Honours and Graduate Diploma students in Chemistry :
Undertake a major research exercise under the supervision of a member of staff.
Write a thesis based on the research.
Present a seminar at the end of the year on the research work carried out.
Attend a series of coursework lectures as follows:
Semester 1 - Scientific Literature (12 weeks)
The students are provided with training on using online scientific literature databases including Web of Science and SciFinder. They are trained in the accepted manner of scientific citation and in the use of bibliographic software. There is a short assessment to establish competency in searching scientific literature early in the semester. The students will then be instructed in the art of scientific communication in a series of interactive seminars where they build up to writing a fully referenced digest on a topic of chemical interest. The final reports are assessed by three staff members.
Semester 2 - Scientific Communication (12 weeks)
The students will be issued with a research paper to summarize. The student will investigate citing as well as cited papers, and write a short report on which they are assessed on their understanding of the content and context of the paper. The students will be instructed on the use of electronic visual presentations, and software such as Microsoft PowerPoint. The students will present a short seminar of 10 minutes of a complimentary nature to their written report.
Honours students attend weekly research seminars and lectures and meetings of the Sydney University Chemical Society, and Graduate Diploma students are strongly encouraged to also attend.
As the Honours year is a research based course, the major contribution to the Honours mark (~90 %) is the research carried out during the year (assessed by research work, written thesis and research seminar) with a minor component (~10%) assessed by coursework.
Start and Finish Dates
There are two start dates for Honours in 2012 :
Semester 1 : 31 January 2012; Thesis Submission : 3:00pm, 5 November 2012
Semester 2 : July 2012; Thesis Submission: date to be advised
Honours Orientation Sessions for all Honours students will be held in the first week (dates will be included in the Honours letter of offer). Attendance at these sessions is compulsory for all Honours students.
The orientation session will include instruction on laboratory safety, including the use of materials safety data sheets and procedures required to undertake research in the School. Requirements relating to the use of computing facilities within the School, email accounts and keys will also be covered.
Demonstrating Employment
Honours students have the opportunity to be paid for demonstrating to Chemistry classes each week. The duties and responsibilities relating to laboratory teaching and supervision will be explained in the orientation session. The session will include a workshop in the preparation and delivery of an introductory laboratory talk to undergraduates and the participation in a typical First Year laboratory experiment under staff supervision.
Prizes and Scholarships
The University offers Honours Scholarships to local students. These are awarded on the basis of academic merit and personal attributes such as leadership and creativity and are valued at $6,000 for one year only. Applications are open once a year only. You must apply in the year before you commence Honours, irrespective of whether you intend to commence in the first or second semester of the next academic year. To be eligible for an Honours scholarship you must have applied for and be commencing in an Honours program at the University of Sydney . Further information can be found here.
Please also see our prizes and scholarships pages:
Thinking of following Honours with a PhD or MSc?
For those students thinking of continuing, after Honours, with a higher degree like an MSc or a PhD you should keep in mind that there is a limit on the number of higher degree students that a staff member can supervise based on the level of experience of the current students in a group and what other support is available. This limit is to ensure that there is sufficient supervision for all Chemistry graduate students. While students are strongly encouraged to undertake an Honours year in the project that they find most engaging, we mention this limit at this point just in case it is of interest for individuals. If this is the case, we encourage you to discuss this issue with the staff members with whom you are considering doing Honours or with the Honours Coordinator.
We look forward to welcoming you to the program in 2012.
For any other information, please contact:
Dr Mat Todd
Honours and Graduate Diploma Coordinator
School of Chemistry,
University of Sydney NSW 2006
email: todd_m@chem.usyd.edu.au
Phone: (02) 9351 1280