Handbook

Assessment

As part of their research project students will be required to complete, at a minimum, a literature review and / or research proposal, present a seminar on their findings and complete a written thesis.

All students will be required to complete a written thesis. Details of thesis requirements such as word limit, format, and submission deadline will be provided by the School.

At the end of a student’s first and second terms, an EC grade will be awarded for each course (PSYC4072 and PSYC4093 in Term 1, PSYC4073 and PSYC4103 in Term 2) provided that all requirements for the term have been satisfactorily completed, and the supervisor is satisfied with a student’s progress on their project.

Where term requirements have not been completed or the supervisor feels progress on the student's project is unsatisfactory, the grade will be withheld and the student given an opportunity to complete the requirement and / or progress their project. If the outstanding requirement(s) has not been completed prior to the commencement of the following term, the supervisor will discuss this with the Honours Coordinators and the student may be required to withdraw from the program. Once withdrawn from the program, a student will need to reapply for admission to the Honours Program.

Once the Honours year is completed, a student's Final Mark (see Honours Grade Calculation, below) will be recorded against all courses across the whole year (i.e., EC grades replaced with the overall Honours mark).

Academic Rules

• Students are expected to complete all the requirements for Honours as listed in this page of the Handbook. Where a student does not complete a particular requirement of Honours, their grade and hence graduation will be withheld until the item is completed.
• Students must abide by UNSW policies and procedures with regards to Work Health & Safety, Ethics, and Research. Details of these will be provided to students in an Honours Handbook and information session by the School.
• Students will complete a research project totalling 30 UOC. Each student will have a supervisor for their project who is expected to have at least a Masters (AQF level 9) qualification.
• Students may be supervised by a person external to UNSW, especially where a research project is industry-based. However, where a student has an external supervisor a joint-supervisor must be nominated who is an employed academic of the School.
• It is not possible to take leave from the Honours program.

Honours Grade Calculation

In calculating an overall Honours mark, assessment components are given the following weight:

• Research project component [PSYC4072 Honours Research Project 6 UOC, PSYC4073 Honours Research Project 12 UOC (Term 2), PSYC4073 Honours Research Project 12 UOC (Term 3)] - 62.5%
• Coursework component (PSYC4093 Psychology 4A & PSYC4103 Psychology 4B) - 37.5%

At the completion of Honours, students will be awarded an honours grading as follows:

Final Mark ≥85 (Honours Class 1)
Final Mark 75-84 (Honours Class 2.1)
Final Mark 65-74 (Honours Class 2.2)
Final Mark 50-64 (Honours Class 3)

The calculation of class of award will be determined from the student’s weighted average mark for all of the courses (research-based and coursework) required for the program.

Note that only PSYC4XXX coded courses will be used to calculate the honours grading.

Honours marks and gradings will be scrutinised at the School level to ensure consistency across cohorts. The Faculty will also review these marks and grades prior to the release of results.

Admission Requirements

This Honours in Psychology stream is the honours pathway for students who have completed an APAC-accredited Psychology major in a pass degree at UNSW, or equivalent at another recognised institution.

UNSW students will not be allowed entry into this Honours stream unless they have achieved an average mark of 75 or higher of:

• Marks for 60 UOC of psychology core courses (those common to all programs*); and
• The three highest of marks for all Level 3 psychology elective courses ever attempted (i.e., a total of 18 UOC).

* The 60 UOC of psychology core courses are:

• Level 1: PSYC1001, PSYC1011, PSYC1111
• Level 2: PSYC2001, PSYC2061, PSYC2071, PSYC2081, PSYC2101
• Level 3: PSYC3001 and PSYC3011

This "Psychology Average" is based on a student’s mark for the first attempt at each course—unless there were special circumstances which justify including the mark from the second attempt. In such cases, students should set out these circumstances in a letter to the Honours Coordinators at the time of application. Results for psychology courses completed externally (i.e., at another institution) are not included in the Psychology Average.

Exceptional graduates from other institutions may apply for Honours in psychology via program 4518 Bachelor of Psychological Science.

Admission Process

UNSW students who wish to undertake Honours in psychology should familiarise themselves with the School's list of available supervisors and their research interests. The School may run an Honours information session in approximately August or September, at which time the list and other information about the Honours year will be made available. If the session does not go ahead, students will be able to access the information from the School of Psychology website.

All UNSW students must submit an online Intention to Undertake Honours Form - this is how supervisor preferences are recorded. Students not enrolled in a program in which the Honours year is embedded (e.g., 3435 Bachelor of Psychological Science, 3970 Bachelor of Science) must also submit an online application for admission for the separate program, 4518 Bachelor of Psychological Science.

Exceptional graduates from other institutions need only submit an online application for admission for the separate program, 4518 Bachelor of Psychological Science, as their supervisor preferences will be managed separately.

Honours in psychology is only available for commencement in Term 1.

Pathways

Postgraduate Study

An Honours degree is required for entry to most postgraduate psychology programs in Australian universities.

Registration as a Psychologist and APS Membership

The Honours year in psychology at UNSW is an APAC-accredited fourth-year sequence, leading to provisional registration as a psychologist (www.psychologyboard.gov.au) and associate membership of the Australian Psychological Society (APS).