Honours Courses

The Honours program offers students the opportunity for specialised study in Business, Commerce, or Management, at an advanced level.

Through a combination of coursework and research the Honours program aims to provide a post-degree level of study for students seeking to widen their knowledge in one of the specialist areas offered by the School of Business. The course gives graduates the training necessary to conduct independent high-quality research in business and academic settings and cultivates analytical and critical skills and an awareness of emerging developments in business. The course is also valuable preparation and qualification for those who may wish to undertake study at the higher degree level (Masters or PhD).

Career Opportunities

The course provides opportunity for students to study a topic of their choice in greater depth than is possible in course work. It is highly valued by employers as evidence of a graduate’s ability to think critically, to work independently on an in-depth project and to be able to communicate the results with a professional written report.

School of Business Honours graduates have found employment in a wide range of areas in the public and private sector including sessional university teaching. Many Honours graduates go on to further study, either upon completion of Honours or after a few years of employment.

Course Structure

The Honours course is one year full time or two year part time duration. There are three components to the Honours Program:

Students complete the above units. Each of the units focuses on the main topic area and each contribute to the final written report.

Mode of Delivery

The course work units, BS802 and BS803 are frequently offered in flexible mode depending on the number of students and their requirements. BS801 is also usually offered in both teaching periods. The major part of the work is completed independently under the guidance of an academic supervisor and does not involve class attendance. Both part time and full time enrolment is possible.

Admission Requirements

To be eligible for admission to an Honours Year, candidates must have completed an undergraduate program with at least a Distinction average in third-year level units in the major area of study in which they have chosen to pursue their Honours studies, and have achieved no less than a Credit average in all second and third year level units. Admission into the Honours Program is possible at the commencement of Teaching Periods 1 & 3. Both part time and full time enrolment is possible.

Courses Available

The School of Business offers the following Honours courses:

Students are able to choose and study a topic of interest in any of the above streams, with specialisations also available, through negotiation with their academic supervisor.

Examples of completed and current Honours projects are:

Completed projects:
> Casual Employment: The labour hire experience
> Life after downsizing: the impact on the employees of a regional manufacturing company
    of a major redundancy program
> Aboriginal mission tourism: visitation to Ebenezer mission
> Seasonality in Alpine Tourism: a case study of Mansfield-Mount Buller
> Bridging the gap between success and failure: a simple, non-financial performance    assessment tool for small to micro nature-based tourism operators
> Tourism as a strategy to arrest small town decline: lessons of Maldon and St Arnaud
> Moving Toward a Proactive Approach to Malware Prevention.
> Indirect benefits of tourism and the impact of Ballarat's small and medium sized    enterprises (SMEs)

Current projects:
> Measuring Perceptions of Service Quality within the Attractions Sector of the Victorian    Tourism Industry
> A generational comparison of attitudes to women in management and professions (working    title)
> An Analysis of Indigenous Tourism Product - utilising a comparison of interpretation and    education methods at Rock Art sites in Victoria

How to Apply

Students with Australian Citizenship or Residency must apply to the Honours courses via VTAC.

For further application details please contact Ms Debbie Lord, Undergraduate Liaison Officer on tel: 03 5327 9403 or email: d.lord@ballarat.edu.au.

International applicants should visit the International Student Program's Application page or contact International Office staff on:
Telephone: +61 3 53 27 9018
Facsimile: +61 3 53 27 9017
Email: international@ballarat.edu.au
Online Enquiry Form

More information for International Applicants is available at: http://www.ballarat.edu.au/international/entry_requirements.shtml.

Further Information

Honours Course Coordinator

Dr Lorene Gottschalk
Tel: +61 3 5327 9647
Email: l.gottschalk@ballarat.edu.au