Honours in Sociology
Honours Year Coordinator
Dr Andrew Singleton
Room
1123
Phone 9905 5836
Email: andrew.singleton@arts.monash.edu.au
Objectives of the Honours Year in Sociology
The BA(Hons) course equips students with research skills not acquired in studies for the pass degree. An honours degree is a prerequisite for entry to postgraduate research degrees. It is also highly valued in the employment market as evidence of an applicant's ability to undertake independent work and produce clearly written reports.
The BA (Hons) course provides you with the opportunity to carry out independent research on a sociological issue. You will work closely with your supervisor , similar to being an apprentice but also an academic colleague. At the end you will have learnt how to formulate a topic for research; how to collect and critically assess relevant information on the research topic; and how to write a report on the results of your research. In doing the honours thesis, you will be producing your first research report, an experience most people never forget. Later in life you may not remember the essays you wrote as a Monash student but you will always remember the topic of your honours thesis, and remember it as an intellectual challenge and achievement.
Eligibility
As a Monash student you qualify for admission to the sociology honours program provided that:
- you have completed a major in sociology;
- you have completed at least one theory unit and one research methods unit;
- you have obtained a grade of 70% (D) or better in four of the six units taken at second and third year levels;
- and you have obtained a grade of 70% (D) or better in at least three units taken at third year level.
Students from other tertiary institutions may be admitted to the honours course provided their previous studies are equivalent to the undergraduate work of Monash students.
Application Process
Entry forms for fourth-year honours are available from the Faculty of Arts Undergraduate Office, and completed forms must be returned to the Faculty Office, not to sociology.
Current Monash students or Monash students who completed their BA degree not more than five years ago apply as internal students. Internal students must obtain a signature/approval from the Head of Sociology. Currently enrolled internal students do not need to pay Student Records for an academic record to attach to the application; simply use the blue copy that comes with your pre-enrolment package; second semester grades will be added by the Faculty.
Monash students who completed their BA degree more than five years ago, Monash students completing their degrees in other Faculties, and students from other universities or overseas apply as external students.
Faculty Advisor
The Faculty advisor to honours students is Peter Hurley (9905 9342), who is located in the Faculty Coursework Office. Students are advised to obtain the current issue of the Faculty of Arts "Guide to Honours" booklet from the Coursework Office or access the information at the Faculty Honours Information page.
Structure of the Sociology Honours
The honours year consists of a thesis and two seminar units, one of which is compulsory, the second optional unit being chosen from a list of SYM units which becomes designated as SCY4500 (or SCY4520 if you are a part-time or mid-year entrant).
- SCY4580 Thesis in Sociology (worth 24 points), AND
- SCY4540 Theory and Practice of Sociology (compulsory, worth 12 points), AND
- SCY4500 Sociology Honours Seminar A (1st Semester, worth 12 points), OR
- SCY4520 Sociology Honours Seminar B (2nd Semester, worth 12 points)
Units offered in Honours in Sociology
Honours seminars are on the Clayton Campus. For information about honours on the Gippsland Campus, contact the School of Humanities and Social Sciences.
Full-time students normally complete their two seminar units in first semester and work on their thesis throughout the year under the supervision of an academic staff member. Part-time students take one seminar in each semester of the first year and work on their thesis in the second year (but other arrangements can be made).
The Thesis
The thesis is worth 24 points and should be approximately 15,000 to 18,000 words in length. It is important to select a topic which can be completed in the available time and with available resources. It may be wise to look for topics in areas where you already have some knowledge, such as areas covered in units taken in previous years. There are two broad categories of honours theses:
- A theoretical analysis: this might consist of a discussion of one or more concepts, or of an issue in social theory, or of the work of one or more social theorists. This approach might include some discussion of the implications for research, elaborated into a research design.
- An empirical study: the topic should be such that meaningful results can be obtained from small samples or limited sets of data. Studies entailing representative samples or extensive data-gathering should not be attempted. Various types of empirical data can be considered, including both primary and secondary data. Particularly suitable are case studies, in-depth interviews, small surveys, and secondary statistical data.
We have included the titles of some recent successful sociology theses to give you some idea of the kind of work you might do with us.
Assessment
Your overall mark will be:
- HI (First Class Honours, 80% and above),
- HIIA (Second Class Honours, first division, 70-79%),
- HIIB (Second Class Honours, second division, 60-69%), or
- HIII (Third Class Honours, 50-59%)
The thesis will count for 50% of the final grade and each seminar unit for 25%. Your student record will not show the three parts separately, and there will be no percentage grade attached to your final mark. You may request a letter from the honours coordinator which states the titles and grades of the units you completed, and the overall grade.
Prizes, Scholarships and Further Study
The Anne Edwards Sociology Honours Dissertation Award was established in 1995 by the then head of sociology, Professor Anne Edwards, and is a prize of $750 which is awarded each year to the student whose sociology thesis receives the highest praise by the year's examiners.
A limited number of scholarships are available to students pursuing Honours. These scholarships provide financial aid to a maximum of $2,500. Please contact the Faculty office for more information.
Students who are considering pursuing postgraduate studies should keep in mind that applications for scholarships close late in October every year. More information on scholarships and how to apply to undertake further study are available on our Postgraduate pages.