Monash Law Honours

The very best students studying at Monash Law are invited to enrol in our Honours program. An Honours degree is an undergraduate qualification reflecting a high level of academic achievement. In Law, unlike in other faculties, it does not require an additional year of study; rather, it is completed during a student’s final year.

In addition to demonstrating academic excellence in the undergraduate degree, the Honours program also prepares students for higher degrees (coursework and research masters or the PhD).

The Order of Merit 2007

Calculation of Honours

The award of an Honours degree in Law is based on the weighted average of marks obtained in Monash Law units. Depending upon your Honours Weighted Average (HWA), students may be awarded an Honours classification of HI, HIIA, HIIB or HIII. For further information, go to Honour Classification and Order of Merit.

Each law unit is weighted according to its value in the Bachelor of Laws:

• 12 credit point units and compulsory full year units carry a weighting of 1.0
• 6 credit point units and compulsory semester units carry a weighting of 0.5
• 3 credit point units carry a weighting of 0.25

Students who complete LAW5207 Research Unit 512 (see below for details) receive a 20% bonus added to the grade achieved in that unit for the purposes of the HWA calculation.

Honours cut-offs for 2007 were determined and endorsed by Faculty Board Meeting 1/08.  The following cut-offs were applied when determining the Honours grade:

Honours Thesis: Honours Research

Although not necessary for the award of Honours, many of the Faculty’s top students elect to enrol in Research Unit 512, which involves the writing of a 12,000-15,000 word thesis under the supervision of an academic member of staff. To be eligible for this unit, students must have an HWA of 65% or better for their Law degree up to and including their penultimate year.

This unit is restricted to 30 students per year, and entry is dependent upon the number and standard of applicants each year. Students who do not apply by the closing date are not considered, and special consideration factors are not taken into account for the purpose of admission to this unit.

Students undertaking an Honours thesis have the opportunity to explore and develop ideas and issues under the supervision and guidance of an academic member of staff. Honours theses are often of such quality that they are subsequently published in legal journals, and, although Honours may be obtained without writing a thesis, it is of considerable advantage to students who wish to pursue further study.

In recognition of the work involved in researching and writing a thesis, a bonus 20% is added to the grade obtained in that unit when calculating the student’s overall HWA.

Applications

Honours applications without enrolling in Research Unit

Unless you wish to enrol in Research Unit 512, there is no need to apply for the award of Honours. The average of every completing student is calculated by the Faculty of Law in February of each year. An Order of Merit list is placed on the Student Services Noticeboard, in the basement of the Law Building following the supplementary and special (deferred) examinations.

Honours applications including the Honours Research Unit

Students who would like to apply for Research Unit 512, should:

1. Calculate the weighted average of all law units completed up to and including their penultimate year in the manner outlined above; 
2. If it seems likely that you will achieve an HWA of at least 65% at the end of that year, students must submit an Honours Research Unit 512 Application Form [Doc] available online, or from the Student Services counter.

Application forms must be lodged by the last Friday in November of a student’s penultimate full academic year. Successful applicants will be notified in late December. Students will then, in consultation with a member of staff, be required to develop a research proposal, which will be submitted for approval by the Director of the Honours Program in February. If your proposal is approved you will be assigned a supervisor and will be expected to submit your thesis on the first Monday in September. 

The submission date may be determined at an earlier date, depending upon the number of credit points a student requires for completion.

Graduating with Honours

Following the supplementary and special (deferred) examinations in January each year, an Order of Merit list is prepared. Only students whose complete set of results is available when the list is prepared are included on this list.

Students may now graduate in the year in which they complete their Law degree and no longer need to wait until the following year as the scores are pre-determined.  This allows students completing in first semester to graduate, potentially with Honours, in the second semester ceremony.

Further information

Should you require further information about the Honours program, please contact:

Pauline Smith
Student Services
First floor, Faculty of Law
Phone + 61 3 9905 3300
Email pauline.smith@law.monash.edu.au

Dr Greg Taylor
Convenor, Honours Program