Honours in the Bachelor of Arts is available in the following disciplines:

Ancient Greek, Anthropology ,Applied Linguistics, Archaeology, Art History, Art History and Curatorship, Australian Studies, Biological Anthropology, Classics, Contemporary Europe,Development Studies, Drama, English, Film Studies, French Studies, Gender, Sexuality and Culture, Geography, German, Human Ecology, History, International Relations, Italian, Latin, Linguistics, Musicology, Philosophy, Political Science, Population Health, Population Studies, Russian, Sociology, Spanish.

Why enrol for the degree with Honours?
The purpose of an Honours degree is to encourage students of high calibre to deepen their involvement in a chosen field of study for an additional year of full-time study or part-time equivalent.

The structure of the Bachelor of Arts pass degree avoids both extreme variety and extreme specialisation, although it still allows students to concentrate on a specific area of their choice. The degree with Honours differs in that it declares its specialisation and provides an extra year (the Honours year) of more advanced work in the chosen discipline.

The Honours degree provides students with the opportunity to refine their analytical skills and research techniques while significantly expanding job and study options. A bachelor degree with Honours is both a prestigious qualification in its own right and also the most effective means of qualifying for higher degree work at Masters and PhD level.

Honours - a brief description
The Honours program is an advanced level of study designed to allow students to specialise their knowledge in one of three options:
(1) Single honours - study in one area of specialisation
(2) Combined honours - study in two areas of specialisation; or
(3) Double honours - two single honours programs

All Honours programs involve one further year of full-time study or part-time equivalent after completion of the pass degree.

Students accepted into an Honours program undertake fourth year level coursework and a research thesis.

Eligibility
In order to be eligible for admission to Honours, in the College of Arts & Social Sciences students are required to fulfil the following minimum criteria:
(a) Completion of the requirements for the Bachelor of Arts pass degree; and
(b) Completion of 10 courses (at least 60 units) with the appropriate level of grades and prerequisite courses (if applicable) that has been prescribed by the specific Honours program for single Honours.
(c) Completion of 8 courses (at least 48 units) with the appropriate level of grades and prerequisite courses (if applicable) that has been prescribed by two Honours programs for combined Honours i.e. 16 courses (96 units).

The honours admission requirements differ from discipline to discipline. Full details of honours eligibility requirements are set out in the individual entries for those disciplines or programs that offer an Honours year.  

How do I become an honours candidate?
There are currently 30 Honours programs available within the College of Arts & Social Sciences and intending honours students should make themselves known to the relevant Honours Convenor in their second year of study. In their undergraduate program, potential Honours candidates will take a normal first year, but should discuss the choice of later-year courses with the Honours Convenor concerned.

All of these Honours programs involve one further year of full-time study or part-time equivalent after completion of the pass degree, and enrolment in a program of study prescribed by the honours program. Part-time students take two years to complete the fourth year honours program.

There must be no gap between the completion of the pass degree and the commencement of the Honours year, except with the approval of the Assistant Dean (Honours). A request for deferment of the commencement of the Honours program must be submitted to the CASS Student Office.

All Honours candidates must commence their Honours program within two years of the completion of the Bachelor of Arts pass degree.

If you have any queries regarding your eligibility, please contact the Honours Convenor from the relevant discipline or from the College Student Office enquiries.arts@anu.edu.au

Combined Arts degree students wishing to pursue Honours
If you are currently enrolled in a combined degree at ANU (eg BA/LLB, BA/BScience etc) you should remember that only 16 courses (96 units) exist in the structure of your degree within which to complete your BA Honours admission requirements.

The honours admission requirements and nomination procedures for the Bachelor of Arts degree within a combined program are the same as for the single Bachelor of Arts degree. Students undertaking combined degrees may undertake a single Honours year or combined Honours.

Before you can be admitted to any Arts Honours program, you must complete sufficient units (48 units/8 courses) towards your other degree which would, if you were to discontinue the other degree, give you sufficient units to complete the requirements for the single Bachelor of Arts pass degree. ie 144 units.

A student may normally pursue honours in either or both degree components of a combined program.

If you have any queries regarding your eligibility, please contact enquiries.arts@anu.edu.au

Admission procedures

Internal Applicants:
Continuing ANU students should submit the Application for Admission to Honours form which has been signed by a Supervisor and the relevant Honours Convenor to the CASS Student Office by 30 June, (for Semester 2 entry) or 31 October (for Semester 1 entry). This form is also available at each School Administration Office and the CASS Student Office.

External Applicants:
Must complete an Application for Undergraduate Admission Form and an Application for Admission to Honours Form that must be submitted to the ANU Admissions Office by June 30 for mid-2008 entry or October 31 for semester 1 entry.

An offer for admission to Honours is conditional on the ability of the applicant to secure confirmation of a thesis supervisor before the commencement of the semester.

Bachelor of Arts undergraduates seeking admission from other universities

If you are currently enrolled in (and expect to complete) a Bachelor of Arts pass degree at another university and are encouraged to apply for Honours at ANU, you should first contact the Honours Convenor for your discipline prior to submitting your application for advice on procedures and scholarships.  Applications will be assessed on a case-by-case basis; however external applicants should still have completed courses (at the apprropriate grade level) equivalent to the 10 required by internal ANU applicants. Applicants should be aware that supervisory resources are finite and so interested students should contact the Honours Convenor midway through the year preceding their anticipated Honours commencement.

External applicants must complete an Application for Undergraduate Admission Form and an Application for Admission to Honours Form that must be submitted to the ANU Admissions Office by June 30 for mid-2008 entry or October 31 for semester 1 entry in 2009.

Honours Scholarships
ANU students and external applicants for full-time Honours should apply for an Honours Scholarship if eligible. The deadline for submission is 31 October.

Mid-Year entry to Honours
Not all Honours programs allow for mid-year entry so if you wish to commence Honours mid-year, from the commencement of second semester, you must contact the relevant Honours Convener for advice.

Workload
An Honours program is usually taken as one year of full-time study although in special circumstances  with the approval of the Assistant Director (Honours), students may be permitted to undertake the Honours program part-time over two years. Full-time students are usually not permitted to transfer to part-time study after commencing the Honours program.

Full details on Honours policies and procedures can be found on the College Honours webpage.

The information published on the Study at ANU 2009 website applies to the 2009 academic year only. All information provided on this website replaces the information contained in the Study at ANU 2008 website.