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Honours
Understanding honours
What is honours?
Honours is an additional qualification where you can build on your undergraduate studies by working on an independent but supervised research project. It is usually completed as one year full-time study (some disciplines offer part-time options).
Under the guidance of an academic supervisor, you will choose a thesis topic, create a reading list and identify your method of research.
Academics in your faculty or school will provide supervision as you write your thesis. This thesis will document your research from proposal through to conclusion.
You may be able to enrol in honours after you complete your undergraduate degree. Some professional or specialist degrees also have study options where you complete honours as part of your course. For more information, read about the different types of honours.
What’s involved?
Generally, honours will consist of two components:
- an independent research project under the supervision of an academic staff member
- additional honours coursework units which cover competencies such as research design, ethical skills, communication skills and technical training.
You will usually complete a dissertation or thesis and attend regular meetings with your supervisor to discuss your research.
Once you complete the requirements for your honours, you will graduate with a Bachelor (Honours) degree.
You can contact the faculty or school honours coordinator from your area of interest, for more information about honours. We also hold honours information sessions (usually in September) where you can discuss your options.
Why study honours?
Completing honours shows you have achieved high academic standards and gives you a Bachelor (Honours) qualification.
An honours degree can open the door for further research study, equipping you with the prerequisite research skills to undertake a research degree such as the PhD.
Alternatively, if you decide to complete an honours degree without pursuing further research, you will graduate with a robust set of transferrable skills including:
- time management and research skills
- project management and delivery
- showing future employers that you can investigate independently and achieve more complex goals.
Appended honours
Appended honours is an additional qualification that you complete after you have finished your undergraduate degree. Generally, appended honours is available to both current University of Sydney students and external applicants.
As a current student, you'll need to apply and meet eligibility criteria. You'll find more information about individual programs on the faculty and school programs page.
Bachelor of Advanced Studies
If you enrolled in a combined Bachelor of Advanced Studies program prior to Semester 2, 2024, and plan to apply for honours, read Information for Bachelor of Advanced Studies students.
Embedded honours
Some bachelor’s degrees have an honours program embedded within them. You will complete your honours study during your current undergraduate degree by completing specific units. Honours will not increase the overall time taken to complete your studies.
Integrated honours
Integrated honours is a course that leads to the award of honours where the honours component is based on achieving a specified weighted average mark. An example is the Bachelor of Engineering Honours where all students will complete and be awarded honours as part of completing the requirements of the degree, without needing to apply separately to do honours.
Joint honours
Joint honours is when you complete one honours thesis in two subject areas closely related to each other. A special program of study is designed that allows you to complete the course concurrently in one year.
To apply for joint honours, you need to meet the eligibility requirements for both honours.
Contact the honours coordinator in your faculty or school to discuss your options.
Double honours
Double honours involves completing all the honours requirements in one subject area and then in another and thus normally takes an additional year.
Honours awards and classes
Honours is awarded in classes ranging from First Class to Third Class based on your honours mark.
The specific process or calculation used to determine your honours mark will be outlined by your faculty or school. This can also be found in the resolutions in your handbook.
The University Medal
The University Medal is awarded to honours students based on outstanding academic performance over their complete student enrolment. This includes your honours award and your undergraduate studies. Your faculty determines the level of academic performance required for the award of a University Medal, using criteria approved by the Academic Board.
The University Medal is not necessarily awarded every year or from each discipline.
Fees for honours
The fees you pay for your honours study will depend on the degree you are enrolled in and the type of honours you undertake.
If you enrol in a degree with embedded or integrated honours, the honours fees are already included in the fee for your degree.
If you enrol in an appended honours degree, you can find out more about the fees payable in Find a course. If your application is accepted, your fees will be confirmed in your offer letter from the University.
Commonwealth supported students who commenced their studies before 1 January 2021
The Australian Government’s Job-ready Graduates program made changes to fees for CSP students who commence a new course of study from 1 January 2021. Under the package, some students are 'grandfathered students', meaning they continue to pay their original fee rate. If you transfer to a new course to do honours, you may not be grandfathered and may be charged the new fee rates for honours. Read our page on the Job-ready Graduates Package for more information about the changes.
Scholarships
Some scholarships are available for honours students. Information on honours scholarships can be found on our scholarships website.
Last updated: 12 March 2025
