Charles Sturt University
Honours study - get an industry edge
What is an Honours degree?
- An Honours degree is a program that is completed during an intense period of study, either full-time or over two years part-time.
- Some Honours programs are integrated into the undergraduate coursework program.
- Most Honours programs involve an additional year of study, during which students undertake the required coursework and research components.
The Benefits of an Honours degree
- It can be a competitive advantage in the competitive job market - it shows employers that you have higher level critical writing and research skills.
- It allows entry into research degrees undertaken at Master or Doctoral levels.
Studying at Honours level
Honours programs vary across university faculties.
They usually include a combination of a discipline development component (coursework) and a research development component (research project). The exact weighting of these components differs according to the academic discipline within which you are studying. The research project is completed in the form of a written dissertation or creative work, and can weigh 25%, 50% or 75% depending on your Faculty’s requirements.
Applying to study Honours
You must have attained a Grade Point Average (GPA) of 5 or higher to be eligible to study at Honours level.
Scholarships and SCF exempt award
To help with the cost of studying there are a number of Honours scholarships as well as Student Contribution Fee (SCF) exempt places available.
There are a limited number of merit-based scholarships available to Honours students.
For further information on how to apply and guidelines on the Honours Scholarships please visit:
An SCF exemption is an exemption from paying HECS fees and is designed to allow high performing students to continue their studies without incurring a further financial burden.
Contact details
Non CSU students
If you are not a current CSU student, please contact us on 1800 334 733 or for more ways to contact us.
Current students
Current CSU students should contact the Honours Coordinator for their Faculty:
Faculty of Arts
Robert Doubleday, Arts Faculty Executive Officer
Ph: 02 6933 2903
Email: rdoubleday@csu.edu.au
Faculty of Business
Rod Duncan, Lecturer School of Marketing and ManagementPh: 02 6338 4982
Email: rduncan@csu.edu.au
Faculty of Education
Sue Saltmarsh, Senior Lecturer, Graduate Certificate in Educational Research/Bachelor of Educational Research (Honours) Teacher Education
Ph: 02 6338 4366
Email: ssaltmarsh@csu.edu.au
Christopher Klopper, convenor of the embedded undergraduate Honours program
Ph: 02 6338 4142
Email: cklopper@csu.edu.au
Dr. Jane Wilkinson, Lecturer in the School of Education
Ph: (02) 69 332491
Email: jawilkinson@csu.edu.au
Faculty of Science
Dr Paul Prenzler Sub-Dean (Honours and Graduate Studies)
Ph: 02 6933 2978
Email: pprenzler@csu.edu.au
What our students say
"I have found that completing Honours with CSU has placed me in a very good position for doing research in the postgraduate Masters course I am now completing. This indicates how well the Honours program prepares students for doctorate study because the Masters has not been as challenging as I expected postgraduate study to be.
"The balance of both research and practical skills has given me an excellent competitive edge in an international academic environment - Wow!
"Studying Honours allows you to explore a topic in depth, developing a sustained piece of work that can be used to prepare you for future study or as a calling card for the industry.
"I think Honours is a great polishing year to prepare you for the next step in your career."
Rebecca Wotzko - Honours student