HONOURS

This policy applies to undergraduate honours students and their supervisors. It refers to those honours courses that include a thesis or research project; it does not apply to merit honours to which Bachelor Degree Regulation 63(b) applies.

It should be read in conjunction with the relevant Bachelor Degree Regulations.
 

1.	OBJECTIVES OF HONOURS
	1.1	The distinctive feature of honours study is that it provides training in research and the development of higher-level skills. This includes the development of organisational, writing, oral, analytical and problem solving skills to an advanced level, and the ability to work independently. For this reason honours entails an individual program of study, unique to, and tailored to suit, each student's research project. The research training also forms a basis for determining the student's suitability for subsequent enrolment in a research degree, if that is the student's desired path. This objective is met by a research thesis, which must have a value of at least 8 points. For honours which does not require an additional period of study compared to the ordinary degree, this may be replaced by a thesis or research project of at least 6 points. An Honours thesis may take many forms and can include a production or performance component, as well as a dissertation. Where such productions/performances involve collaboration with others, care should be taken to ensure the student's role/responsibility can be clearly specified for the purposes of examination.
	1.2	Many honours courses also aim to provide some advanced theory and breadth of advanced level training in the discipline. This objective is met by honours level coursework. The amount of coursework varies considerably between honours courses, ranging from 16 points to none.
	1.3	Honours studies also have a role in developing generic skills for graduates which are useful to their subsequent employment. This includes skills such as critical thinking, self-reliance, initiative, ability to present one's arguments rationally, report writing, clear communication, and information technology proficiency.
	1.4	Each course will strike its own balance among these objectives. This should be reflected in the structure of the honours course, and in the assessment methods used.
2.	ADMISSION TO HONOURS
	2.1	To be admitted to honours, the student must have completed the requirements of the corresponding ordinary degree, at this or another university. A student is not permitted to commence honours while completing the last few points of the ordinary degree. The exception to the requirement of completion of the ordinary degree is those honours courses which do not require an additional period of study, for example, LLB or where honours is only an additional 12 points, for example BD/BTheol, or where an undergraduate course has a distinct honours version leading to Honours in the fourth year, for example, B.Psych(Hons).
	2.2	Admission to honours is based on three criteria: Academic merit. Each School is free to establish its own minimum requirements for admission to honours. Normally students who have obtained Distinctions or better in most Part II units taken in the area of the proposed honours course are admitted to honours. Availability of supervision. There needs to be a staff member with competence to supervise the intended thesis topic, who will not be fully loaded with other research or honours students, and who (if the student is enrolling full-time) will not be on Outside Studies Leave during the period of the student's thesis. The applicant therefore should consult the proposed supervisor before submitting an application. Availability of places, within the target for that course and/or School which has been approved by Academic Council.
	2.3	Applications for admission to honours must be submitted to the Admissions Office. Decisions on admission are made by the Dean of the School, on the advice of the Honours Sub-Committee Chair and subject to availability of places.
	2.4	Usually students may be admitted to honours in either semester. However, schools may elect to admit honours students only in first semester, due to the availability of required components of the honours course.
3.	INDUCTION OF HONOURS STUDENTS
	3.1	Each honours student shall, on admission, be provided with a written School or course handout on honours, plus a copy of this policy (unless it is included in that handout). The written advice should include any School policy on assessment of theses; the word limit for theses the scope and nature of the production or research work, the due date for submission of theses; guidelines on style; any guidelines for activities such as laboratory, field or production work; information on availability of maintenance funds and procedures for using such funds; information on availability of library and information technology resources; after-hours access to buildings; the name and contact details of the Chair of the Honours Sub-Committee; and advice to contact the Chair of the Honours Sub-Committee if they are having supervision problems.
	3.2	The Faculty is responsible for organising each semester an induction session for all new honours students. This may be delegated to Schools. The relevant School should also ensure that new honours students are introduced to staff and to other honours and research students in their course.
4.	PROGRAM OF STUDY
	4.1	Each honours student has an individual and distinctive honours project and program of study approved by the Dean of School following recommendation by the appropriate Honours Sub-Committee by the end of week 3 of the first semester of the student's honours enrolment. The honours program of study details the thesis topic area, length, production component, submission date and supervisor(s); details of any coursework, including points value, enrolment option, method(s) of assessment, and supervisor(s); and when each such honours component will be taken. The student shall be involved in drafting the honours program of sutdy and shall be given a copy of the approved program of study no later than seven days after its approval. The Dean of School should also arrange to send a copy of the study program to the supervisor(s) of the thesis and to the supervisor(s) of any individualised components.
	4.2	Where an honours course requires an additional period of study, this must be at 400 level, but may include up to 4 points at 200/300 level and up to 8 points at 500/600 level. This can include units offered by other courses or universities. (Honours students whose first degree is from another university cannot include units at other universities, as at least 24 Murdoch points are needed to take out a Murdoch degree.) Coursework may include individualised honours components, but the terminology 'Independent Study Contract' is not applicable at honours level.
	4.3	Any change to the approved honours program of study requires the approval of the student, supervisor(s), Honours sub-committee chair and the Dean of School.
	4.4	Provision exists for enrolment in a joint honours course.
5.	RESOURCES FOR HONOURS STUDENTS
	5.1	All Schools are required to provide students with high quality supervision.
	5.2	Some Schools provide maintenance funds to support the honours thesis project. This may include access to inter-library loans, essential computing charges and internet searches. (Normally, travel funds and photocopying are not available to honours students). It is recognised that different projects even within the same discipline will have different funding requirements. Schools must have documented guidelines for the provision of any such funds.
	5.3	If a thesis is based on a laboratory project, students will have access to laboratory space and essential laboratory infrastructure.
	5.4	If a thesis involves a production, students will have access to relevant studio space, technical and equipment requirements.
	5.5	Schools will provide funding for the printing and binding of the thesis.
	5.6	Honours students are not usually provided with desk space. However they may have access to carrels in the Library during the thesis drafting period (subject to availability), where an equity case can be made.
	5.7	The University will provide access to shared use of computing facilities for word processing. Students should be encouraged to do their own word processing and are encouraged to acquire keyboard skills.
	5.8	The University will provide access to, and training in, email and the internet. The extent of the access will be limited by financial considerations.
6.	RESPONSIBILITIES OF HONOURS SUPERVISORS
	6.1	Honours students must be supervised by at least one member of the University’s academic staff who should be employed on a contract longer than the anticipated period of candidature. Associate supervisors may be appointed if it is advantageous to the student. A co-supervisor should be appointed if the supervisor is expected to be away at any one time for more than 4 weeks during the period of supervision, or where the supervisor has had no previous experience in supervising honours students.
	6.2	Staff should not normally be responsible for the sole supervision of more than five full-time honours students at one time, and account should also be taken of the number of research students supervised by the staff member. Staff should not be appointed as principal supervisor(s) of full-time honours students if the staff member will be on OSP during the period of the student's thesis.
	6.3	Supervisors have the following responsibilities: To hold a meeting with the student soon after commencing honours, in order to formulate the project (including refining its scope), assess what resources are needed for it, and advise the student of any periods during the student's program of study when the supervisor will be away. If the honours course consists of a 24 point thesis, this meeting shall be held within a week of the student commencing honours. If the thesis enrolment does not commence until a subsequent semester, the meeting should normally be within the first half of the student's first semester of enrolment. To ensure that appropriate resources are available, by making the necessary arrangements within the School. To ensure that the students obtain any approvals needed for their research, e.g. clearance from the Human Research Ethics Committee or the Animal Ethics Committee or approval for collaboration in a production/performance. To maintain regular contact with the student for the duration of the thesis work and, where appropriate, at other times. To review carefully a substantive draft of the student's work prior to submission. To provide comments on these drafts and production components. This should be within two weeks, unless by prior agreement between both parties. To make arrangements for continuing supervision during any period(s) when the supervisor is away. This may involve use of a co-supervisor or temporary supervisor, or arrangements for continuing contact via email or other means. If the results of the research warrant publication, to suggest this to the student, assist the student in choosing an appropriate publication outlet, and advise on the preparation of the work for publication. To advise students of Health and Safety Issues, Fieldwork Policies and Training and Biosafety issues.
		A student may at any time approach the Chair of the Honours Sub Committee, or the School Dean or if necessary the Faculty Dean, to discuss any problem with supervisor. Supervision arrangements may be changed after discussion with the student.
7.	RESPONSIBILITIES OF HONOURS STUDENTS
	7.1	Students have the following responsibilities: To read the Bachelor Degree Regulations governing honours courses. To arrange meetings with their supervisor(s), and attend those scheduled. To plan their work on the thesis, and devote the time needed for the research, writing and production components. To obtain a good honours degree normally requires much more than 40 hours per week of study. To inform their supervisor(s) of any change in their circumstances which will affect their ability to meet any deadlines that have been set for the various components of their honours program of study. To prepare a substantive draft of their work, and to submit this to the supervisor(s) early enough for the supervisor(s) to provide detailed feedback. To revise their work if necessary, by taking account of supervisors' comments. To submit the final thesis (including production components) by the due date. Any delay in submission requires approval (see s. 10.2), and lessens the prospect of the examiners' reports being available in time for decisions on the award of postgraduate scholarships. For their own wordprocessing or making arrangements for someone else to type the thesis. To make periodic checks of their enrolment status especially where changes have been made to their initial program (see also section 10). To comply with the Assessment policy.
8.	RESPONSIBILITIES OF HONOURS SUBCOMMITTEE
	8.1	For any year in which there are students taking honours in that School, the School Committee shall appoint a School Honours Sub-Committee, or an Honours Sub-Committee for each course with one or more honours students. Two or more Schools may choose to appoint a joint Honours Sub-Committee. The Sub-Committee shall consist of at least three persons, but not a student.
	8.2	The Sub-Committee, or its Chair on its behalf, is responsible for: Recommendations on admission to an honours course. Recommendations on components of study programs and appointment of supervisors. Appointment of thesis examiners. Recommendations on the class of honours to be awarded.
	8.3	The Chair of the Honours Sub-Committee is responsible for: Acting on behalf of the Committee, where some of its functions have been delegated to the Chair. Preparing the handout for honours students. Coordinating the appointment of supervisors. Reviewing student progress and supervisory arrangements 1 - 2 months after commencement of the thesis. Ensuring that University policies and regulations on honours study are met. Coordinating appointment of thesis examiners. Convening meetings of the Honours Sub-Committee promptly once all results and examiners' reports have been received, so that the class of honours awarded can be known in time for decisions on the award of postgraduate scholarships.
9.	ASSESSMENT
	9.1	Coursework components (including individualised components) must meet the requirements of the Assessment policy, including those concerning methods of assessment and written notification of assessment methods to students.
	9.2	Each honours student must submit three copies of the thesis and any accompanying production component for examination, using the format approved by Academic Council. The thesis is to be marked by at least two examiners, to be appointed by the Honours Sub-Committee. If the thesis supervisor(s) is to be an examiner of the thesis then the honours sub-committee shall appoint at least two other persons to examine the thesis. When appointing examiners, the School should make clear its expectation of when the thesis will be provided to the examiner and the number of weeks within which the examiner should provide a written report (see Thesis Format Requirements clause of this policy).
	9.3	Each examiner is to provide a detailed written report to the Honours Sub-Committee. The written report contains a grade, a mark and a detailed report. Where the examiners provide conflicting recommendations, the Sub-Committee may appoint an additional examiner.
	9.4	Each School should provide students with written advice on the factors to be used in examining theses. Where appropriate students should also be advised of qualities xpected of an honours thesis, and on what weighting is attached to each factor. The thesis examiners should also be provided with this information, along with information on the proportion of the honours year given to the thesis (i.e. the proportion of 24 points).
	9.5	At the end of each semester, honours students are able to access results in each honours component completed that semester on the student information system.
	9.6	In recommending an overall class of honours, the Honours Sub-Committee takes into account the examiners' reports on the thesis and the grades obtained in any coursework included in the approved Honours program of study. However, the class of honours is not simply the sum of marks obtained for each piece of work; it also represents the Sub-Committee's overall judgement of the quality of the student's assessed work during honours. The Sub-Committee is responsible for maintaining the equivalence of standards in assessment across students, and years for that discipline.
	9.7	Any student who is permitted to resubmit a thesis shall not be awarded a class of honours higher than Second Class (Division B), and shall not be permitted to submit the thesis for a third time.
	9.8	Upon completion of the examination process, the student and supervisor are provided with the examiners' reports in full, except for any confidential attachment (if such an attachment has been provided by any examiner). The School also lodges one copy of the thesis with the University Library (unless honours are not awarded), provides one copy to the supervisor and returns the third copy to the student. The supervisor(s) and School Dean may stipulate that an embargo be placed on a thesis lodged in the Library, for a period of up to one year. An embargo means that no person may read or borrow the thesis lodged in the library. It is usually imposed where the material in the thesis is sensitive or confidential. The one year period may be varied in accordance with the terms of corporate sponsorship and in other appropriate cases.
10.	ENROLMENT AND ENROLMENT CHANGES
	10.1	For those degrees where honours constitutes 24 points distinct from the requirements for an ordinary degree, the honours course shall be completed within no more than two years, not including periods of suspension. In exceptional circumstances an extension to the period of an individual student’s honours program of study may be approved by the Dean of the School on the recommendation of the Honours Sub-Committee Chair.
	10.2	It is not permissible to take two full-time semesters plus one part-time semester.
	10.3	Any extension of an individual student's honours program of study can be granted only in exceptional circumstances; approval is by the Dean of School on the recommendation of the Honours Sub Committee Chair. The supervisor(s) does not have authority to grant an extension. Where an extension has been granted and the work is not submitted by the start of the following semester, the student will be enrolled for administrative purposes for the period of the extension. This does not attract additional credit towards the degree, and does not incur any extra fee liability.
	10.4	Students wishing to withdraw from a component of an honours course (or to postpone a component to another semester) should do so before the census date, as any changes after then will be recorded on their academic transcript, will increase their fee liability and will not entitle them to extra time to complete their honours. Withdrawals and failures in honours components are taken into account when arriving at the final class of honours, but neither necessarily disqualifies the student from graduating with honours.
	10.5	Where a student withdraws from the entire honours course before the commencement of the second semester of enrolment (or third semester, in the case of a part-time student), this is not treated as an attempt. Withdrawals after then are regarded as an attempt. A student is permitted only one attempt at an honours course within a disciplinary area or group of closely related disciplines. Students who withdraw from honours do not receive any academic credit towards Honours for any coursework already completed; there is only a total 24 points credited when honours is awarded.
	10.6	If a student needs to suspend honours enrolment, an application should be submitted to Faculty Student Administration. A suspension may be granted for a maximum period of two consecutive semesters. Students who suspend honours for one or two semesters, will need to change their study program. In some cases this may require changes to the components of the honours course, or of supervisor.
11.	GRIEVANCES AND APPEALS
	11.1	Any difficulties the student faces with honours should be discussed initially with the supervisor(s). If the student is dissatisfied with their response, he or she should discuss the matter with the Chair of the Honours Sub-Committee or, if the Chair is the supervisor, with the Dean of School. Difficulties with supervision (in particular, concerning clear formulation of the project in time for the student to realistically complete the work, or concerning adequate feedback on work or production components should be taken immediately to the Chair of the Honours Sub-Committee, or in the case that the Chair is the supervisor, to the Dean of School. It is far preferable for all concerned if any problems with supervision are identified early, so that improvements can be made or an alternative supervisor found. If necessary, an extension of time to complete the honours course may be granted in such cases.
	11.2	In recognition of the uniqueness of Honours, the Student Appeals Committee has developed particular processes for appeals by Honours students. Details of the grounds for appeal and the procedures are contained in the relevant sections of the Student Appeals Policy.
12.	THESIS FORMAT REQUIREMENTS
	12.1	Honours theses must be typed in minimum 1.5 spacing on good quality acid free white bond paper, and submitted in hard copy. The paper should be of international standard A4 size (30 cm x 21 cm). A margin of 4.5 cm must be provided on the bound side of the sheet. Other margins should be not less than 2 cm. The restriction on the size of paper is lifted on maps, drawings, musical scores or computer tabulations where it is impractical, inappropriate or undesirable for other reasons. Photographs or other illustrations or inserts on non-standard paper must be securely mounted so that they conform with the above page size and marginal requirements.
	12.2	It is suggested that a thesis include in the following order: A title page: giving the title of the thesis in full, student's name and degrees. A statement of presentation in the form "This thesis is presented for the Honours degree of ... of Murdoch University" and the year of submission, together with a declaration that it is the student's own account of his/her research. Copyright Acknowledgement Form. An abstract of approximately 300 words. A table of contents. General acknowledgements of any help given or work carried out by another person or organization. Main text. Appendices, if any. Bibliography.
	12.3	Theses must be bound prior to submission in a format and at a minimal cost determined by the University Librarian. The Librarian has approved use of thermo-binding, for which there is a minor charge paid by the student. At the time of thesis submission, each honours student is given the Copyright Acknowledgement Form which should be signed and included, at the least, in the copy of the thesis to be lodged with the library.
	12.4	Where a production or performance component is submitted for examination, the specific role and responsibility of the student under examination must be clearly specified.  A copy of the production/performance component must also be lodged in the library.
13.	INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
	13.1	Intellectual property can be created by a student in the course of honours studies or research. Intellectual property is often defined as any product of thought, insight, experiment, creative effort or discovery. It is property as it can be owned, sold or otherwise disposed of and is protected by law (either by some formal registration process, or by the protection available under law generally). Intellectual property includes many results of intellectual output such as copyright and associates moral rights, confidential information, trade secrets, trademarks, designs, circuit layouts, new plant varieties and patentable processes. Note that what can be defined as "intellectual property" has broad coverage.
	13.2	The general position is that students own intellectual property in their original work produced by them as part of their research or studies. However, the extent to which this ownership extends will be influenced by a number of factors such as the degree of investment of University time and/or resources in the development of that intellectual property, and the existence of any overriding contractual arrangements (such as under a research grant).
	13.3	Student ownership of intellectual property covers copyright, which protects the version or sequence of words or images ("the material form"), but does not protect the ideas contained therein. In general, students may deal with and exploit this copyright freely without requiring University approval.
	13.4	As alluded to above, the University may have a proprietary interest in any intellectual property developed by an honours student in the course of her or his studies or research, as University resources are committed to the supervision and support of the research project. It also is likely that any intellectual property created during honours will not be solely attributable to the student, as the supervisor and/or the University may share its ownership.
	13.5	Honours students are free to publish journal articles based on their honours research, and to circulate or sell copies of their thesis. The exceptions to this are those rare cases where the supervisor advises that publication may need to be withheld for a period of time given the particular commercial value of the intellectual property (which may be patentable or open to commercial exploitation), or where there is a confidentiality clause in a contract with an external sponsor.
	13.6	If any aspects of the honours research are likely to generate intellectual property, and/or are funded by an outside contract, the supervisor will inform the student in writing at the outset. This will include advice of any restrictions on disclosure or communication with colleagues. If the student agrees to take part in the project, a written agreement on the conditions of disclosure etc. should be concluded and signed by the student, supervisor and the Faculty Dean or his/her delegate. Where protectable intellectual property is generated unexpectedly during the candidature and there is no initial agreement on intellectual property, the student, the supervisor, the Faculty Dean or his/her delegate and the Division of Research & Development should meet immediately and produce a written understanding on the matter.
	13.7	Where intellectual property with the potential for commercial exploitation has been created, all reasonable care must be exercised by the student not to disclose or use the property in any way which would prejudice its protection. Before any commercial exploitation, a written report must be made to the Vice-Chancellor. If the intellectual property is assessed as belonging to the University, any income from its exploitation is shared between the student and the University. Details are set out in the Intellectual Property Statute, which is printed in the University Handbook.
	13.8	Sometimes honours research may lead to the publication of the results in a journal article. Any publications arising from the results of the student's honours work should list the student as an author. The supervisor may assist with the preparation of the article (e.g. by advising which part of the research should be submitted for publication, advising on the structure or content of the article, or providing comments on a draft), but there is no obligation to do so. Please refer to the University’s Guidelines on Joint Authorship for Academic Staff and Postgraduate Research Students.