Honours in Sociology
Honours Year Coordinator
Dr Kirsten McLean
Tel: +61 3 99052418
Email: kirsten.mclean@monash.edu
Room: 11/W1114
Clayton Campus
Aim of the Honours Year in Sociology
Honours in Sociology equips students with research skills not acquired in studies for the pass degree. An honours degree is a prerequisite for entry to postgraduate research degrees. It is also highly valued in the employment market as evidence of an applicant’s ability to undertake independent work and produce clearly written reports. Recent Sociology Honours graduates have found work as social researchers in both academia and industry, been accepted into the Victorian and federal public service, or enrolled in our higher degree programs (e.g. PhD, MA).
Our research shows us that the top four reasons why Sociology students choose to do Honours are to enhance employment opportunities, to add to the prestige of their degree, to learn more about other areas of the discipline and to study more deeply a particular area within Sociology.
As part of the Honours year, you will do a thesis - an independent research project on a sociological issue. You will work closely with your supervisor, similar to being an apprentice but also an academic colleague. At the end you will have learnt how to formulate a topic for research; how to collect and critically assess relevant information on the research topic; and how to write a report on the results of your research. In doing the Honours thesis, you will be producing your first research report, an experience most people never forget. Later in life you may not remember the essays you wrote as a Monash student but you will always remember the topic of your Honours thesis, and remember it as an intellectual challenge and achievement.
Recent Honours theses completed in Sociology include research on:
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Eligibility
Monash Sociology Students
As a Monash student you qualify for admission to the Sociology Honours program provided that:
- You have completed the degree (or the degree and diploma) requirements and are qualified to graduate;
- You have completed an approved Sociology major sequence (48 points or more covering studies at year levels one, two and three; and
- You have obtained average grades of 70 per cent or better in units in your Sociology major to the value of 24 points at second and third year levels, 18 points of which must be at third year level.
External Students
Students who have completed their degree at another institution are advised to consult the Faculty Honours entry requirements webpage for more information: http://www.arts.monash.edu.au/future/honours/entry-requirements.php
Application Process
Details about applying for Honours can be found here: http://www.arts.monash.edu.au/future/honours/
Before you apply for Arts Honours at Monash, you must consult the Sociology Honours Coordinator who will discuss your study program with you and sign your application form. You will need to bring a copy of your academic transcript to this meeting and include it in your application.
Structure of Sociology Honours
The structure of the Honours year can be found here: http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/2011handbooks/aos/hons-sociology---honours.html
Both coursework units are completed in Semester 1, with the thesis component completed in Semester 2. Part time students will develop their program with the Honours coordinator.
The Thesis
The thesis is worth 24 points and is approximately 15,000 to 18,000 words in length. It is important to select a topic which can be completed in the available time and with available resources. It may be wise to look for topics in areas where you already have some knowledge, such as areas covered in units taken in previous years. There are two broad categories of honours theses:
- A theoretical analysis: this might consist of a discussion of one or more concepts, or of an issue in social theory, or of the work of one or more social theorists. This approach might include some discussion of the implications for research, elaborated into a research design.
- An empirical study: the topic should be such that meaningful results can be obtained from small samples or limited sets of data. Studies entailing representative samples or extensive data-gathering should not be attempted. Various types of empirical data can be considered, including both primary and secondary data. Particularly suitable are case studies, in-depth interviews, small surveys, and secondary statistical data.
Allocation of Supervisors
Supervisors are allocated in the first week of semester 1 – part time students will have their supervisor allocated upon enrolment in the thesis units. The Sociology Honours Coordinator consults with the students about their topic area and then suggests potential supervisors. Students then have a preliminary meeting with the potential supervisor. If all is satisfactory, then the supervisory arrangement is finalised. This is usually by week 3 of the semester. Students can express a preference for particular supervisors. While every effort is made to match supervisors who have some knowledge of the student’s area of interest, this is not always possible given the diverse range of topics covered by students.
Prizes and Scholarships
The Anne Edwards Sociology Honours Dissertation Award was established in 1995 by the then Head of sociology, Professor Anne Edwards, and is a prize of approximately $500 which is awarded each year to the student whose Sociology thesis receives the highest mark from the year’s examiners. It is awarded in November each year.
The Faculty of Arts also has a generous scholarship scheme and all Sociology Honours students are encouraged to consider applying. Please see this link for further information about scholarship available to Honours students:
http://www.arts.monash.edu.au/future/honours/scholarships.php