Bachelor of Arts - Advanced (Honours)

2021 Deakin University Handbook

Course sub-headings

• Course overview
• Career opportunities
• Participation requirements
• Fees and charges
• Course Learning Outcomes
• Course rules
• Major sequences
• Discipline sequences
• Work experience
• Research and research-related study

Course overview

Stand out from the crowd with advanced research skills and specialist knowledge in your field of interest with Deakin's Bachelor of Arts – Advanced (Honours). If you’re a high-achieving student, this course allows you to enrol immediately in a four-year honours degree that combines a Bachelor of Arts with an honours year. You’ll develop high-level critical and systematic thinking skills in your area of interest and apply them through a supervised and supported research project. 

As well as diverse coursework, you’ll develop your knowledge through a substantial research project in your fourth year which trains you to investigate, explore and inquire. These practical skills will be crucial throughout your career, or if you choose to continue your studies at a masters or PhD level. There are a broad range of majors to specialise in, from literature and creative writing to history and politics, allowing you to tailor your degree to your unique interests and career aspirations. 

Want to spend your days deeply immersed in a topic you’re truly passionate about? 

Our Bachelor of Arts – Advanced (Honours) provides similar training and opportunities to our popular arts degree, with the added benefit of an honours year that opens up exciting career and study opportunities. The course gives you the platform to question and examine an area of interest, through a supervised research project with one of our professional academics.

As a researcher, you’ll learn to think critically about how we find information, identify robust source material, and interpret and write about new ideas. 

When you graduate, high-performing students will be eligible to apply for higher degrees by research and extend your new awareness through Deakin’s exceptional masters and doctorate programs (admissions requirements apply).

Career opportunities

The Bachelor of Arts - Advanced (Honours) develops important and transferable career skills making you highly employable within many industries. With an honours edge you will stand out from the crowd because of your advanced skills in managing a large project (the thesis), conducting research, developing original ideas through advanced critical thought, and applying in-depth discipline knowledge to pressing problems. Our graduates have found careers in:

• business
• community services
• education
• government civil service
• international relations
• media
• museums and other historical or cultural institutions
• not for profit community or policy work
• private sector consulting
• public office
• public policy
• police
• research
• social work
• writing, editing and publishing

Participation requirements

Reasonable adjustments to participation and other course requirements will be made for students with a disability. Click here for more information.

Fees and charges

Fees and charges vary depending on your course, the type of fee place you hold, your commencement year and your study load. To find out about the fees and charges that apply to you, visit the Current students fees website or our handy Fee estimator to help estimate your tuition fees.

Course Learning Outcomes

Course rules

To qualify for the award of Bachelor of Arts (Years 1 to 3), students must complete 24 credit points as follows:

• Two major sequences of at least 8 credit points each. Majors must comprise 2 credit points at level 1 and a minimum of 2 credit points at level 3 (unless otherwise stated).

Or

• One major of at least 8 credit points and one minor of at least 4 credit points consisting of units and level combinations as specified within the selected minor.

Plus

• No more than 10 credit points of units at level 1
• A minimum of 6 credit points at level 3.
• Up to a maximum of 8 credit points may be taken from outside the Arts course grouped units.
• AAI018 Academic Integrity (0-credit-point compulsory unit)

NOTE: Following successful completion of the first 3 levels of the course, students with a WAM (Weighted Average Mark) above 65 may progress to the honours level. A WAM of less than 65 results in an alternative exit from A401 with award A300 Bachelor of Arts.

The Honours (4^th year) requires the completion of 8 credit points of study from a discipline sequence below. Half of that requirement is met through coursework, which may include directed reading and/or enrolment in course work units, and half is satisfied through a research project (thesis or dissertation) of 14000-16000 words. There are no attendance requirements for Cloud (online) enrolled students, although regular consultation with an appointed thesis supervisor is required.

Course rules

Transition to University Study

The Faculty offers two units AIX160 Introduction to University Study and AIX117 Professional Writing for Work, that are specifically designed to ease the transition into university study. New students are encouraged to enrol in one or both of these units in their first year.

Major sequences

A major or minor sequence is a group of units in a particular area of study taken over the three levels of your course. Each unit is usually worth 1 credit point.
A major sequence is made up of 8 credit points, and a minor sequence is made of 4 credit points.
Please check the rules of each major and minor sequence to see which units you need to complete to achieve the required credit points.

For alternative majors/minors please refer to A300 Bachelor of Arts. Refer to the details of each discipline for availability.

To qualify for the award of the Honours (4th Year) students are required to complete 8 credit points of study at level 4. Half of that requirement is met through coursework, and half is satisfied through a research project (thesis or dissertation) of 14000-16000 words.

Where creative works form a significant part of the assessment, they must be accompanied by an exegesis of at least 6000 words, depending on the discipline area. There are no attendance requirements, although regular consultation with an appointed thesis supervisor is required. Students are also required to complete AAI018 Academic Integrity (0-credit-point compulsory unit).

Discipline sequences

Discipline sequences - Honours

The School of Communication and Creative Arts offers the Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in the following disciplines: Children's Literature, Gender and Sexuality Studies, Creative Writing and Literary Studies.

The School of Humanities and Social Sciences offers the Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in the following disciplines: Anthropology, Criminology, History, Sociology, International Relations, Politics, Philosophy, Languages, and Middle East Studies

Sequencing - Honours

The BA Honours is best taken as a one-year full time course, but it is possible to both enter in Trimester 2 and to study part-time. Students enrolling in Trimester 2 in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences will commence part-time but may convert to full-time study in the following year. Course completion may be 18-months to 2-years.

Work experience

Elective units may provide the opportunity for Work Integrated Learning experiences.

Other course information

Course duration - additional information

Course duration may be affected by delays in completing course requirements, such as accessing or completing work placements.

Further information

Student Central can help you with course planning, choosing the right units and explaining course rules and requirements.

• Contact Student Central

Research and research-related study

Independent research components are embedded across a number of units in the Bachelor of Arts (Years 1 to 3).

Research related study comprises 75% of the Honours (4th year) componen of this course. Students take 4cp of thesis units to produce a 14-16,000 word thesis, and 2 cp of research training coursework units.