Course Planning Guide 2012 - Faculty of Business and Economics

Honours
What is Honours?
The Honours year is an additional (fourth) year of specialised study in one or two of the following disciplines: accounting, finance,
actuarial studies, economics, management and marketing. It is an integrated program with small classes and an emphasis on
research and achieving advanced understanding of a discipline and its specialised subject areas.
Honours will provide you with a wonderful opportunity to complement, expand and draw together the theory and practical skills
gained in your previous undergraduate studies. The additional year will enable you to develop new research and professional skills
and gain in-depth knowledge in a particular discipline.
How will an Honours year help me?
Honours gives you an opportunity to draw together your early years of study and add considerable value to your resume. Being
selected into Honours demonstrates that you are part of an elite group of students who have excelled in their studies. The Honours
year also indicates to employers that you have achieved a depth of knowledge and expertise in a discipline unobtainable in a
three-year degree. The Honours year differs from your earlier undergraduate years in that it allows and requires a greater degree of
independence and flexibility from you. The year will help you to develop the maturity and skills required for transition to employment
in a range of occupations and industries or a research higher degree.
The Honours year is your first chance to engage in significant research, but the process itself will develop a variety of transferable
skills that go beyond those learned earlier in your university career. By managing a research project you will develop time and
project-management skills as well as negotiation and communication skills.
Accounting
Actuarial studies
Economics
Finance
Management
Marketing
ÆÆA grade of at least H2B (70%) in each of the level-3 subjects required for
the major and successful completion of Basic Econometrics or Econometrics
or equivalent quantitative studies such as advanced studies in multivariate
statistics or similar;
ÆÆSubject to the approval of the Head of Department, part time honours may
be offered to suitable candidates who meet the criteria for appointment to
Senior Tutor within the Department of Accounting
ÆÆA grade of H2B (70%) or better in any four level-3 actuarial studies subjects
(note: a subject worth 25 points is treated as the equivalent of two 12.5 point
subjects in the assessment of applications for honours).
ÆÆAn average grade of at least H2B (70%) across the third year subjects that
constitute the major.
ÆÆA grade of at least H2B (70%) in each of the level-3 subjects required for
the major, and successful completion of either of the level-3 subjects Basic
Econometrics or Econometrics.
ÆÆA grade of at least H2B (70%) in the best three level-3 management or
marketing subjects.
ÆÆA grade of at least H2B (70%) in the best three level-3 management or
marketing subjects.
ÆÆCompletion of a major (or equivalent) in both disciplines;
The Honours year allows the development of more specialist professional skills and exposes you to cutting edge research literature,
with application of those skills to a research project.
The Honours degree is an entry qualification for some Masters degrees and a PhD within Australia or overseas. A student with a
good Honours degree can often proceed directly to a PhD. Possession of a good Honours degree also assists students in obtaining
scholarships or other forms of financial support to undertake higher degrees. Career advancement has also tended to be more rapid
for Honours graduates.
Quotas may be imposed for some programs.
Entry requirements
Joint honours program in any pair of the
disciplines (1) Accounting (2) Economics
and (3) Finance
ÆÆA grade of at least H2B (70%) in each of the level-3 subjects for each major;
Æ Æ Any additional prerequisite subjects or other requirements as specified
above for each program
Full details of the Honours program including prerequisites for entry, how to apply and the structure and grading of the Honours
year are available in the 2012 Handbook and www.bcom.unimelb.edu.au/pathways/honours/degrees. Please be aware that level-3
Honours prerequisite subjects often also have prerequisites at level-2. We recommend that you familiarise yourself with these when
choosing your second year subjects.
ÆÆ
A completed Bachelor of Commerce or double degree (from the University of Melbourne) or cognate degree from another
institution within the last two years; and
ÆÆ
Completion of a major (or equivalent) in the particular discipline/s with the appropriate standard across the major/s; and
ÆÆ
Any additional prerequisite subjects or other requirements as specified on the next page for each program.
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