If you’re looking to improve your prospects or open the door to postgraduate research degrees such as a PhD, honours is your next step.
Honours is an additional qualification where you can build on your undergraduate studies by completing a supervised research project and disciplinary or research-focused coursework.
Honours is an optional, additional qualification that you apply for and usually takes one-year (full-time) to complete. Generally, your honours year consists of:
Under the guidance of an academic supervisor, you’ll select a thesis topic, create a reading list, and identify your method of research.
During the year, you’ll be mentored by scholars in your discipline as you write a thesis to document your research journey from proposal to conclusion.
Through honours, you’ll develop transferrable skills to complement your bachelor’s degree:
Independent research can be a life-changing opportunity to become a subject matter expert in a niche area. You’ll have the chance to develop significant insights and make your own meaningful contribution to a field of knowledge.
An honours pathway can open the door for further research study, equipping you with the prerequisite research skills to undertake a research degree such as the PhD.
Appended honours degrees are an additional degree that you apply to study after completing your bachelor’s degree.
If you enrol in an appended honours degree, you can find out more about the fees payable on the relevant course page below. If your application is accepted, your fees will be confirmed in your offer letter from the University.
External students, returning students or University of Sydney students who completed an eligible bachelor’s degree can apply to study honours via our appended honours degrees.
Some of the University of Sydney bachelor’s degrees have an embedded honours component. This means you will complete your honours study during your current undergraduate degree by completing specific units. Your honours component will not increase the overall time taken to complete your studies.
If you enrol in a degree with embedded honours, the honours fees are already included in the fee for your degree.
In some degrees, honours is integrated and runs alongside the pass degree. This means you won’t have to apply separately to do honours and won’t need to complete specific honours units. 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.
Some integrated honours degrees may additionally require students to maintain a certain minimum weighted average mark to be eligible for an honours award, or alternatively exit with a non-honours degree.
We offer a range of scholarships for domestic students taking an honours year – whether it's an appended degree or embedded in your degree.
If you are currently studying at the University of Sydney and wish to undertake honours, you will need to apply directly through Sydney Student and satisfy faculty-specific requirements.
You’ll need a minimum Weighted Average Mark (WAM) of 65 to 70 per cent. Your application should include an academic transcript.
You’ll need to choose a topic that your chosen faculty considers of academic importance to study for the entire year. Picking the right topic is crucial to success, so most faculties have an honours coordinator to help you through the process. They may even provide a list of available projects.
In some faculties, you may be required to put together a preliminary topic proposal which, once approved, will be followed by a more detailed research proposal that will form part of your thesis.
Helpful resources: How to write a research proposal
This person is your mentoring academic for the duration of your honours project. They’ll help you set goals and deadlines, and provide feedback and advice along the way.
Search for your course page. This will list any additional admissions criteria, as well as the required supporting documents. Where applicable, you will need to demonstrate that you meet the English language requirements.
The course page will provide you with a link to the online application form so that you can lodge your application.
For international students, a non-refundable application processing fee is charged if you are a newly commencing student. This fee is waived if you’re a sponsored student, or if you are granted an exemption by a University staff member during an office interview or recruitment event.