Most students consider their honours grade to be crucial for furthering careers and/or postgraduate study. To some extent this is true, but students often put unwarranted emphasis on the outcomes of their honours year.

 

This document is aimed at providing a guide to expectations for outcomes from your honours year.

 

1. The grades awarded in Honours are: Hons. Class I (85 or higher); Hons. Class II division 1, (75-84); Hons. Class II division 2 (65-74); Hons. Class III (50-64).

 

2. What is a reasonable grade to expect?
As a guide consider your overall WAM and your third year average for science subjects. If your third year average for science subjects is at a credit level and you have maintained this level of performance throughout your three years of study it would be reasonable to expect to achieve a distinction level in honours (75 - 84). Provided that you work hard and maintain a high standard in all aspects of your honours year.

 

The expectation for this level of achievement is derived from the nature of our program and the type of student that attempts the honours year. The program is meant to provide a forum in which keen students can receive individual hands on training in scientific research. Most students are motivated to perform at a higher level than previous years of study.

 

There is absolutely no guarantee that this will occur. Achievement requires hard work and dedicated study on the part of the student. Some students may excel to higher levels than expected, and others may not.

 

3. What distinguishes First Class Honours from Honours 2.1?
Students that complete all aspects of the course on time, write a thesis that is acceptable, and can successfully defend their thesis in the final oral interview may expect to attain an Honours level 2.1. If the thesis is flawless, and there is evidence of critical analysis/creative thinking in the thesis, and the student demonstrates a broad understanding of the field of research then the student may attain an Honours First Class.

 

4. Is my life over if I do not get a first?
Honours level 2.1 is recognised as a great achievement. All supervisors have students that have been awarded this level in previous years. Many have careers in science and some have gone on to postgraduate degrees.

 

Please remember that someone will get the highest grade and someone will get the lowest grade. All students that try hard are valued highly by their supervisor and the School, and this fact will be communicated to potential employers if requested.