Study science at Sydney
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About this course
The honours in science year is a widely recognised and highly regarded additional year of undergraduate study available to you after you complete your undergraduate course.
This course may be suitable for undergraduate students with one major.
It's a unique opportunity for you to explore your research potential and put the theory from your undergraduate studies into practice.
An honours year in science is not only well regarded in academia, but also in industry where laboratory experience and a command of scientific thought processes are highly sought after.
Honours can be undertaken in any area of science, and involves designing a research program in your chosen area of interest in consultation with one or more supervisors.
Your research program may include components in more than one area of science (eg. physiology and biology) and depending on the nature of your project you may also have to undertake some courses in experimental design or complete technical training to use a particular piece of equipment.
Visit here for a list of honours in science coordinators and contacts.
Whether at the doctoral or masters level, you undertake self-directed, supervised research in your specialised area of science, and produce a thesis considered to be a substantially original contribution to the subject concerned. The honours year in science provides a research training pathway to our higher research degrees, the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) and Master of Science (MSc).
Depends on your qualification, citizenship status
To apply for honours, you will need to:
All applications require the following to be uploaded:
External applicants also need to upload:
Standard closing dates:
Semester 1 – 15 January of the commencing year
Semester 2 – 25 June of the commencing year
Students apply directly to the University via the Online Application portal. If you require assistance with your application visit University of Sydney Agents for information. To apply for honours, you will need to:
Standard closing dates:
Semester 1 – 15 January of the commencing year
Semester 2 – 25 June of the commencing year
For further details about honours and who to contact for more information, please visit the Science honours page.
Generally, the honours year after the Bachelor of Science consists of the following three components, however there may be variations to this, depending on the school or discipline area in which you complete honours: a supervised but independent research program, additional courses in experimental design/technical training, and some coursework units of study (classes).
(1) The Bachelor of Science 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 Science.
(2) Candidates for the award of the Honours degree who do not meet the requirements, and who have not already graduated, will be awarded the pass degree merited.
As a general principle, any research involving human or animal subjects requires Ethics Committee approval, including, but not limited to, projects involving the following kinds of methodologies:
1. questionnaires
2. surveys or interviews (including oral history)
3. telephone interviewing
4. recording by audio or video tape
5. observations of behaviour (including ethnographic fieldwork)
6. experiments involving animals or animal tissue
Please note that a key part of the approval process involves ensuring that the University complies with its duty of care to students. Safety protocols must be prepared for all students conducting any research off-campus, whether in Australia or overseas.
Please consult the Faculty of Science for advice about ethics clearance applications.
Please consult the Faculty of Science, or the school/department through which you are undertaking honours, for advice about closing dates for ethics clearance applications.
The Faculty of Science has an outstanding reputation for the quality of its postgraduate research programs across a wide range of science disciplines. With significant levels of funding from various research councils and bodies, and the provision of major research facilities, the faculty is committed to providing leading education and research training to its students.
There are a range of research programs available, depending on which stage you are at in your academic career. Whether at the doctoral or masters level, you undertake self-directed, supervised research in your specialised area of science, and produce a thesis considered to be a substantially original contribution to the subject concerned.
The honours year in science provides a research training pathway to our higher research degrees, the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) and Master of Science (MSc). The postgraduate research programs offered by the faculty attract a large number of domestic and international students each year.
Joint and double honours programs are possible across science disciplines, at the discretion of each discipline.
Joint honours is normally completed over the course of one year (worth 48 credit points) and involves the completion of one research project involving two disciplines. Your project is guided by two supervisors, one from each discipline involved. Discussion between disciplines should determine arrangements for your completion of joint honours.
Double honours involves completing all the honours work in two disciplines and thus normally lasts for two consecutive years (96 credit points). Students will be expected to inform both disciplines of their enrolment in two programs for double honours.
To qualify for admission to the Bachelor of Science (Honours), you must:
NOTE: This degree requires completion of a major cognate to the Honours area you want to apply for.
The University's Coursework Rule requires Bachelor of Science (Honours) students to complete their Honours program within 10 years of the commencement of their original qualifying Bachelor of Science degree (or equivalent). As such, if your original Bachelor of Science degree (or equivalent) was commenced more than 10 years ago or close to 10 years ago, you may be ineligible for admission.
Applicants whose original Bachelor of Science degree (or equivalent) was commenced more than 10 years ago or close to 10 years ago are strongly recommended to seek advice from the Admissions Office prior to submitting an application for Bachelor of Science (Honours). The Admissions Office will consult and confer with the relevant contacts in the Faculty of Science and the relevant School as appropriate.
Please note that, in some Schools and Disciplines, the minimum WAM requirement is higher than 65.00, particularly where entry is very competitive. For example, a minimum WAM of 75.00 is generally required for entry into Honours in Psychology.
* Relevant units of study must be nominated by the School or Discipline and must be accompanied by strong written support from the School or Discipline.
Willingness of a member of academic staff to act as your supervisor does not guarantee entry into Honours. However, admission into Honours is subject to an appropriate supervisor and project being available.
Students who are not admitted to the Science Honours program may alternatively consider the Graduate Diploma in Science. The Graduate Diploma in Science is offered as either a one-year full-time or a two-year part-time course with similar content, structure and assessment as the Science Honours year. The Graduate Diploma in Science is a full fee-paying postgraduate coursework program.
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