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Applying for honours
Arts and social sciences
If you are currently enrolled in the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Economics or Bachelor of Visual Arts and commenced your studies in 2018 or later (or transferred to the new curriculum version of your degree in 2018), how you complete honours will depend on how much of your degree you have completed.
- If you’ve completed 96 credit points or less, we recommend you change to the combined Bachelor of Advanced Studies. You will then be able to undertake honours as an additional fourth year and graduate with two bachelor's degrees.
- If you’ve completed 97-120 credit points, and are on track to complete two majors, you have the choice to change to the combined Bachelor of Advanced Studies (you will need to apply before your penultimate semester) or to complete your Bachelor degree then apply for appended honours.
- If you’ve completed 121 credit points or more you will need to complete your Bachelor degree then apply for appended honours.
You may be able to complete your honours requirements part time over up to four consecutive semesters. You’ll need to discuss this with your supervisor first. If allowed, you can then change your mode of attendance.
Commonwealth supported students who commenced their studies before 1 January 2021
The Australian Government’s Job-ready Graduates program made changes to fees for CSP students who commence a new course of study from 1 January 2021. Under the package, some students are 'grandfathered students', meaning they continue to pay their original fee rate. If you transfer to a new course to do honours, you may not be grandfathered and may be charged the new fee rates for honours. Read our page on the Job-ready Graduates Package for more information about the changes.
Types of honours
The Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Advanced Studies is a combined degree that offers an embedded honours program in your final year of study.
You can find information about honours in the handbook from the year you commenced your degree. Refer to the subject areas in the handbook for:
- honours specialisations
- eligibility requirements.
If you are enrolled in one of the below degrees, you will only be able to complete honours within your stream. If you want to complete honours in your second major, a course transfer will be required and new fee rates for the new course will apply. For Commonwealth supported students a course transfer can impact your tuition fee liability. Find out more about fee rate changes. Check the handbook from the year you commenced your degree for eligibility requirements.
- Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Advanced Studies (International and Global Studies)
- Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Advanced Studies (Media and Communications)
- Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Advanced Studies (Politics and International Relations)
Embedded honours is not available in the Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Advanced Studies (Languages). If you want to undertake honours for one of your language majors, you can do so through the appended Bachelor of Arts (Honours) after completion of the combined degree.
When to apply
Commencing Semester 1:
Applications open 31 August to 31 January.
Commencing Semester 2:
Applications open 31 March to 30 June.*
*Only some departments allow you to commence honours in Semester 2.
How to apply
You can apply for honours through Sydney Student (go to ‘Course details’ then ‘Apply for Advanced Studies honours’).
As part of your application, you will need to select two honours preferences and a related major for each preference. You will then need to upload a written letter of approval from your coordinator with your application.
If you have already re-enrolled and selected advanced coursework units, you will need to remove these units before you can apply for honours.
What happens next
You can view the status of your application or cancel your request under ‘My requests’. We will email you with an outcome of your application once your semester results have been published.
If your application is successful, you will need to select honours units through Sydney Student. Contact your honours coordinator if you have any questions.
The Bachelor of Arts (Honours) is an appended honours requiring an additional year of study, after the completion of your pass degree. It is available to current, returning and external students who completed a Bachelor of Arts (or equivalent).
Information on the Bachelor of Arts (Honours) and how to apply can be found in Find a course.
The Bachelor of Economics/Bachelor of Advanced Studies is a combined degree that offers an embedded honours in your final year of study.
You can find information about honours, including eligibility, in the handbook from the year you commenced your degree.
When to apply
Commencing Semester 1:
Applications open 31 August to 31 January.
Commencing Semester 2:
Applications open 31 March to 30 June.*
*Only some departments allow you to commence honours in Semester 2.
How to apply
You can apply for honours through Sydney Student (go to ‘Course details’, then ‘Apply for Advanced Studies honours’).
As part of your application, you will need to select two honours preferences and a related major for each preference. You will then need to upload a written letter of approval from your coordinator with your application.
If you have already re-enrolled and selected advanced coursework units, you will need to remove these units before you can apply for honours.
What happens next
You can view the status of your application or cancel your request under ‘My requests’. We will email you with an outcome of your application once your semester results have been published.
If your application is successful, you will need to select honours units through Sydney Student. Contact your honours coordinator if you have any questions.
The Bachelor of Economics (Honours) is an appended honours requiring an additional year of study, after the completion of your pass degree. It is available to current, returning and external students who completed a Bachelor of Economics.
Information on the Bachelor of Economics (Honours) and how to apply can be found in Find a course.
The Bachelor of Visual Arts/Bachelor of Advanced Studies is a combined degree that offers embedded honours in your final year of study.
You can find the information about honours in the handbook from the year you commenced your degree.
When to apply
Commencing Semester 1:
Applications open 31 August to 31 January.
Commencing Semester 2:
Applications open 31 March to 30 June.*
*Only some departments allow you to commence honours in Semester 2.
How to apply
You can apply for Advanced Studies honours through Sydney Student (go to ‘Course details’, Apply for Advanced Studies honours’).
As part of your application, you will need to select two honours preferences and a related major for each preference. You will then need to upload a written letter of approval from your coordinator with your application.
If you have already re-enrolled and selected advanced coursework units, you will need to remove these units before you can apply for honours.
What happens next
You can view the status of your application or cancel your request under ‘My requests’. We will email you with an outcome of your application once your semester results have been published.
If your application is successful, you will need to select honours units through Sydney Student. Contact your honours coordinator if you have any questions.
The Bachelor of Visual Arts (Honours) is an appended honours requiring an additional year of study, after the completion of your pass degree. It is available to current, returning and external students who completed a Bachelor of Visual Arts.
Information on the Bachelor of Visual Arts (Honours) and how to apply can be found in Find a course.
Commencing honours in Semester 2
Only some departments allow you to commence honours in Semester 2. This includes:
- American Studies
- Ancient Greek
- Ancient History
- Arabic Language and Cultures
- Art History
- Asian Studies
- Biblical Studies
- Chinese Studies
- Classics
- Cultural Studies
- Economics
- Econometrics
- English
- European Studies
- Film Studies
- French Studies
- Gender Studies
- Germanic Studies
- Hebrew Classical and Modern
- Indonesian Studies
- Italian Studies
- International and Comparative Literary Studies (ICLS)
- Japanese Studies
- Jewish Civilisation, Thought and Culture
- Korean Studies
- Latin
- Modern Greek
- Philosophy
- Spanish and Latin American Studies
- Studies in Religion
Joint honours
If you'd like to apply for joint honours, you need to negotiate this with the relevant honours coordinator for each department. You'll then need to complete a plan of study form and have this signed by the two honours coordinators. This will also outline which seminars you will undertake and how your thesis will be supervised. You'll find a copy of the form in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences - Honours Provisions (pp 9-14).
Last updated: 23 March 2023
