What is an honours degree?

An honours degree strengthens your research skills and prepares you for further study, including a PhD.

Students relaxing and studying in the common lounge at UNSW Kensington accommodation.

Honours can be studied as embedded in a program or as an additional year of study. An honours degree helps you deepen your knowledge, gain research experience and grow your analytical thinking. Keep reading to learn more about why you should consider studying an honours degree, how it differs from a bachelor’s degree and more.

What are honours in a degree?

An honours degree is an additional year of study that includes completing an independent research project and writing a thesis. It gives you the opportunity to strengthen your knowledge and understanding in a particular field of interest.

What does studying an honours degree involve?

Studying an honours degree involves independent research and writing a thesis with guidance from a supervisor. You will spend your time between coursework, thesis writing and attending meetings with your supervisor to discuss your progress. The exact components of an honours degree and thesis may vary depending on the degree and study area.

Why study an honours degree?

There are several benefits to studying an honours degree.

Enhance research skills: You’ll develop analytical, critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Develop expertise: You’ll become an expert in your chosen area of study.
Make an impact: Your research and progress could contribute to new insights or help solve real-world problems in your field.
Gain a competitive edge: Your specialised skills and knowledge are looked favourably upon by employers.

My Honours year has been my favourite part of studying Psychology at UNSW. Unlike the shorter projects during undergrad, this was something I could really dive into over a longer period. Having the time to focus deeply on one topic is incredibly rewarding.

Nalin Chandran
Bachelor of Psychology (Hons) student

What’s the difference between a bachelor’s degree and an honours degree?

There are a few differences between a bachelor’s degree and an honours degree. As the honours degree requires an additional year of study, you’ll:

develop advanced knowledge and expertise in a specialised focus area
advance your career opportunities
have a strong foundation for further studies, such as a PhD.

Is honours harder than bachelor?

Studying an honours degree can be demanding, as it requires more independence and specialised study. However, it allows you to develop advanced research, analytical, problem solving and communication skills.

Studying an honours degree at UNSW

At UNSW, there are two ways to complete an honours degree. An honours degree can be completed through an embedded program or as an additional year of study. Some honours degrees are only open to high achieving students.

You can:

study a degree that includes an embedded honours component (four years), like the Bachelor of Engineering (Honours), or
finish a bachelor’s degree (three years) and then complete a one year honours degree (one year), like the Bachelor of Design (Honours).

We offer a range of honours degrees across our faculties and undergraduate degrees. For embedded honours degrees that you can apply to as a school leaver, visit our degree finder.

If you’re a current undergraduate student looking to take on an honours year, we recommend speaking to one of your course academics, or you may also check the Handbook to explore what your honours year may entail.

Still have questions? Reach out to our friendly team at the Nucleus for more support.

Explore our degrees

Frequently asked questions about studying an honours degree

An honours year can be a rewarding next step if you’re looking to build deeper expertise and make meaningful progress in your field. You might choose to complete an honours degree if you:

are thinking about further study like a master's or PhD and want the research experience to support it,
need an accredited pathway for your profession and want a clear, structured route into your chosen field,
would like to strengthen your career prospects with advanced skills that employers value, especially in fields where research and innovation drive change,
are passionate about a particular topic and want the chance to explore it more deeply through guided research,
want to dive deeper into your discipline and contribute ideas that can have real-world relevance or community impact.
You don’t need honours to study most master’s degrees. However, some research master’s programs may ask for it. Learn more about postgraduate entry requirements at UNSW.
First class honours is awarded to students who achieve exceptional academic results. It can also strengthen applications for a PhD.
Honours isn’t a postgraduate degree; it’s an additional year of study on top of your undergraduate program, or it’s embedded into your program.