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The ANU consistently rates, in international and national surveys, as Australia's leading research university. Our teaching is also consistently highly rated. Students are supported with excellent computer and library resources.
See our Yearbook
and Handbooks for more information.
The Fenner School has Arts and Sciences Honours Programs in Forestry, Geography, Human Ecology, Resource & Environmental Management, and Sustainability. Each is offered as an additional year of full-time study. BSc(Forestry) Honours is also offered concurrently in the final year of the undergraduate degree.
An ANU Honours candidate will usually pursue Honours in the same Program in which they completed their undergraduate degree. However, students also enter Honours from other degrees, as well as from other universities, or after gaining professional experience.
MAXIMISE THE VALUE OF YOUR DEGREE
If you’re a second or third year undergraduate student doing well in your studies at The Fenner School or elsewhere, now is the time for you to consider where you might take your degree. One excellent option is Honours.
For most degrees, Honours involves taking an extra year of study to complete an individual research project. Honours students are assessed on the basis of their thesis (usually 10,000 words) and a final seminar presentation. They also complete some relevant coursework.
Honours is a very full year requiring real commitment and a lot of hard work. While it is not easy, most Honours graduates will tell you it is far and away the most satisfying and fulfilling year of their undergraduate degree. You will be undertaking original research, sharing intense study with a small group of like-minded people, mixing with other researchers as equals and obtaining unique insights on what life in research can be like.
It will also give you a strong competitive edge in employment, and a good Honours grade allows you direct admission to most Masters or PhD programs.
It is not for everyone and not everyone is eligible to enrol, but for those who are, Honours is an excellent way to maximise the value of your undergraduate degree.
ENTRY TO HONOURS
A first step in gaining entry to Honours study in The Fenner School is to meet the entry requirements. The minimum requirements are:
- completion of an undergraduate degree to the standards identified below (or, in the case of BSc(For) concurrent Honours, completion of three years of the BSc(Forestry) degree to the same standard);
- an overall Credit average in 2000 and 3000 level courses overall;
- Distinctions or better in courses relevant to your proposed topic. Unless you have achieved Distinction-level marks in at least two relevant later year undergraduate units, you will need to make a very strong case to be admitted to Honours;
- generally, completion of the undergraduate course SRES3010
Independent Research Topic (or, in exceptional cases, an equivalent third
year course) in your undergraduate degree. Students who have not completed
this course will need to demonstrate that they have acquired the necessary
research skills by other means;
- agreement of a prospective supervisor and approval of the Head of School and the relevant Program convenor or Honours Coordinator.
WHEN DO YOU ELECT TO TAKE HONOURS?
The Fenner School encourages eligible students to pursue Honours, and assists prospective students structure their degree to facilitate entry to Honours. Students contemplating Honours should contact the relevant convenor as early as possible in their degree, and at least a semester prior to their intended Honours commencement date. The Honours year starts either in the first week of February or, for mid-year entry, the first week of July.
For more background on the Honours and other undergraduate programs offered through The Fenner School, see the The Fenner School Undergraduate /Honours Handbooks.
THE HONOURS THESIS
The thesis is the formal outcome of the Honours year. It is a record of your research and presents your work to examiners and the university. Looking at previous theses gives you an idea of what a thesis involves and the rich heritage you might join and forms the basis of knowledge in your research area.
PREPARATION IN THE YEARS BEFORE
Thoughtful long-term preparation for Honours research is extremely helpful. It is important to seek a field of study which deeply interests you. Few could complete a thesis of high standard if the topic did not interest them; indeed, it is essential to make the study ‘yours’.
You should aim to develop vital knowledge and expertise that you can carry into your Honours year and beyond, ie:
- Literacy and fluency in the skills necessary for particular research; it is impossible to ‘pick this up’ in your Honours year.
- A broad and intensively developed IT literacy is vital. A lack of knowledge and skills will limit your year and the outcomes.
The independent research course is an excellent way of developing generic skills. You should also undertake courses, particularly in the last year of your pass degree, which provide research training and experience in the field you think you will study. Even if you do not go on to Honours you will develop valuable skills in independent research and communication.
CHOOSING A PROJECT
Whenever possible take the opportunity to discuss your thoughts about studying for Honours with staff, present Honours and post graduate students. People are always willing to encourage your interests and discuss the paths to follow. Attend seminars to see how students studying for Honours and post-graduate work are managing the task. The more experience you can bring to your decision, the better the likely outcome.
There is a wide and diverse range of research interests of staff and research students in the School. Some projects involve field based research or the integration and analysis of data sets, some make and evaluate simulation models, some are based on library research, whilst others are predominantly experimental and include glasshouse or field data collection. Think about the form of research that most interests you, and discuss with prospective supervisors.
Two sources might help you decide on a topic: first, reviewing the list of past topics, and second, exploring the list of potential Honours projects. Completed and current research topics are listed in the School’s yearbook. As well, staff discuss future directions and potential topics in an Honours Fair in September each year. Staff research interests are listed on the School’s web site and are also in the The Fenner School Yearbook.
DIRECT OR DELAYED ENTRY?
Many students proceed directly to Honours on completion of their pass degree; others take time to build on their experience before undertaking the Honours year.
Either option is fine. Taking a break from study can be a good idea and can give you wider experience, perhaps exploring possible topics while, for example, working with a research team or in a environmental management job.
ANY QUESTIONS?
For other information or details regarding specific Programs, contact the relevant Program convenor or the The Fenner School Honours Coordinator.
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