Geography Honours
- Possible Honours topics 2008
- Entrance requirements
- How to apply
- Course structure
- Combined BSc Honours Co-supervision
- Scheduling of 121-503 Research Methods and Design
Entrance requirements:
The basic requirement is that, as well as meeting the faculty requirements below, students have attained the written agreement of a member of academic staff regarding supervision on a named project. It should be noted that the average grades required for entry may be higher than the faculty requirement if more students apply than we have places.
Faculty entrance requirements:
Different conditions and requirements apply to Arts and Science students in terms of eligibility for entry, formal enrolment requirements, and the subject codes in which students should enrol for their Honours year. Students who have completed a specialisation in Environmental Science may also be eligible for entry to the Geography Honours program.
BA Honours (Geography)
The prerequisites for entry to fourth year honours in Geography are:
- completion of all the requirements for the BA;
- completion of a major in Geography;
- an average grade of H2A or higher over the second/third-year subjects within the major.
BSc Honours (Geography)
There are two Faculty of Science entry requirements which must be satisfied:
- Applicants must hold a Bachelor of Science (BSc) or equivalent qualification recognised by the Faculty of Science. The only exception to the above is for those applicants currently enrolled in a BSc combined course at the University of Melbourne. These applicants need to have completed at least 300 points, within which the requirements of the Science component of the combined course needs to have been satisfied.
- Graduates of the University of Melbourne BSc single degree must have a Faculty Honours Score of at least 65%. The Faculty Honours Score is a weighted average based on a student's performance in their best 87.5 points of science study at the 300-level. A Faculty Honours Score is not calculated for University of Melbourne BSc combined-course students. For combined-course students, the Faculty calculates a weighted average mark required for entry into Honours. Applicants who have completed their degree at other institutions must demonstrate that they have achieved an average of 65% for the third-year science subjects they have studied.
In addition to satisfying the Faculty of Science entry requirements, students interested in entering the Geography Honours program need to:
- have specialised in Geography including a minimum of 25 points of Geography subjects at first-year level and 50 points of Geography at third-year level;
- have achieved a minimum grade of 65% in five Geography subjects.
It is not possible to complete honours in geography on a part-time basis. Students must complete the honours year full-time over two consecutive semesters of study.
How to apply:
BSc Honours: Faculty of Science application forms are available from the following website: http://www.science.unimelb.edu.au/honours/application.html. You must also submit directly to the SAGES, a research proposal on SAGES Honours Research Proposal form.
BA Honours: The Faculty of Arts has advised that applications for honours entry are made via the University of Melbourne on-line application system available at https://sis.unimelb.edu.au/cgi-bin/course-application. After submitting application details via the web, your application must be printed and lodged, with any necessary attachments, at the Faculty of Arts Office no later than 31 October (for semester one entry) or 31 May (for semester two entry). For further details go to: http://www.arts.unimelb.edu.au/futurestudents/applying.html. You will need to include a 300-word research proosal with the application that you submit to the Arts Faculty. This proposal must be approved and signed by the Honours Coordinator for the program you are applying to enter, and by your proposed supervisor, BEFORE you attach it to your application. Use the SSEE Honours Research Proposal form for this.
You must also contact the Honours coordinators in SAGES regarding the specific requirements within our School - Assoc Prof Barbara Downes (Geography and Environmental Studies).
BA Honours Course requirements:
Students undertaking pure honours in geography must complete:
- 121-518 Geography Thesis (50 points); and
- 121-403 Geography Coursework (50 points)
The coursework subject includes three research modules from the subject 121-503 Research Methods and Design.
BSc Honours Course requirements:Students undertaking pure honours in geography must complete:
- 121-496 Research Project (50 points); and
- 121-497 Advanced Coursework subject (50 points)
Combined BSc Honours Co-supervision
Students wishing to undertake an interdisciplinary research project are permitted to do so if arrangements can be made for co-supervision.
Scheduling of 121-503 Research Methods and Design
Students should note that the research modules are run in February prior to the commencement of first semester.