Why study with us?
Ranked 23rd in the world for arts and humanities in the 2021 QS World University Rankings by Subject.
Our graduates are ranked 1st in Australia and 4th in the world for employability by the QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2022.
About this course
The Bachelor of Arts honours year is both a preparation for postgraduate study and a capstone to an undergraduate degree. Honours can be the culmination of your formal education, an experience that extends your intellectual range, hones your research abilities, as well as analytical and communication techniques, and helps you to develop the personal and professional skills needed to see a research project though to completion.
Honours can also be the first step on a path to a career as an academic or professional researcher. The honours year comprises seminar classes and work toward a short thesis on an independent research project under the supervision of an academic staff member who is an expert in the field of your research.
The following Honours subject areas are not available for mid-year entry: Ancient History, History.
Subject areas
For standalone honours degrees, apply directly to the University via the online application portal before the closing date. Before you apply, visit the How to Apply information for honours (and the faculty page for specific information). When you are ready to apply, select the `Apply' button on the right-hand side of this page.
Semester 1 - 15 January of the commencing year.
Semester 2 - 25 June of the commencing year.
We strongly encourage applicants to apply as early as possible, offers are made on a rolling basis and places are limited. Separate scholarship deadlines apply - check the scholarships website for details.
Semester 1 (February) and Semester 2 (August)
For standalone honours degrees, apply directly to the University via the online application portal before the closing date. Before you apply, visit the How to Apply information for honours (and the faculty page for specific information). When you are ready to apply, select the `Apply' button on the right-hand side of this page.
Semester 1 - 15 January of the commencing year.
Semester 2 - 25 June of the commencing year.
We strongly encourage international applicants to apply as early as possible to allow time for visa and travel arrangements. Separate scholarship deadlines apply - visit the scholarships webpage for details.
Semester 1 (February) and Semester 2 (August)
Each honours year involves a mix of seminars and a thesis. Some honours years require three seminars and a shorter thesis (12,000-15,000 words). Others involve two seminars and a longer thesis, up to 20,000 words. Seminar work is marked by the academic staff member leading the class. In some departments, a second academic staff member will mark work written for seminars. A thesis is read by at least two academics in the field other than the student's supervisor. Examiners write detailed reports on each thesis, which the student receives, and assign a tentative grade.
The final grades for each thesis are decided by the department or program staff collectively. Each department or program ranks all honours candidates based on their thesis and seminar results. These departmental results and nominations for the University Medals are then considered by the Faculty Honours Board, which includes the Honours Coordinators from every department in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.
The Bachelor of Arts (Honours) is awarded as either Pass or Honours. The honours degree is awarded in classes ranging from First Class to Third Class according to the rules specified in the Coursework Policy and the Resolutions of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.
It is possible to complete either double honours or joint honours in some Arts subjects. Double honours involves completing all the honours requirements in one subject area and then in another and thus normally takes an additional year. In joint honours the two units of study are more generally closely related and a special program of study is designed for the honours year. This will usually entail doing approximately half the final honours requirements for two subject areas.
All students who plan to undertake Honours in Arts must submit an application to the University. As soon as you decide you may want to do Honours in a subject area of your choice, you should read the relevant department information from the Honours page to understand exactly what the specific requirements will be for that subject area and plan your degree structure accordingly.
To qualify for admission to honours students need to have completed a major in the intended subject area with an average of 70% or above. Some departments and programs have additional criteria, including advanced senior units of study designed to prepare students for the challenges of fourth year study.
NOTE: This degree requires completion of a major cognate to the Honours area you want to apply for. If you are on track to complete a double major and have not yet completed your penultimate semester of study, you have the option to undertake an embedded Honours component through a combined Bachelor of Advanced Studies degree after transferring to the degree.
The academic requirements that are displayed are applicable to currently available courses only, and are updated annually in October and may be changed without notice. The Handbooks Online and the University of Sydney Calendar are the official legal source of information relating to study at the University of Sydney, and you are referred to those documents.
Our graduates can be found in a broad range of careers and roles, including:
