Choosing a Program - Honours

The entry requirements and structure of the Honours programs varies across the departments.

If you are considering the Bachelor of Science (Degree with Honours) or Bachelor of Biomedicine (Degree with Honours) you will need to look carefully at the options available to you. Your background, research interests, program structure and location may affect your choice.

Whether or not you have the right entry requirements for a particular department’s Honours program will affect the range of choices available to you. While planning your early undergraduate years, or determining your eligibility for Honours, you need to look at the particular entry requirements of the
Bachelor of Science (Degree with Honours) or Bachelor of Biomedicine (Degree with Honours) program as well as any additional requirements which exist for some Departments.

Please find the contact details of Departments/Institutes in the list below and find out as much as you can about the experience at the Departments/Institutes you are considering.

Choosing a Supervisor and Research Area

A critical element of success in Honours is choosing a research area that interests you. Department websites have information on the range of research areas they offer, as well as areas of interest of academic staff members who can supervise your project.

It is very important for you to talk to supervisors and current/previous Honours students. It’s one thing to be interested in the project but you need to get along with your supervisor too. If possible, try to get some work experience in the lab to get an idea about the environment.

If you are passionate about a particular area that is not offered by any department don’t be afraid to approach your lecturers and tell them about your interests and research ideas. In many cases, your lecturers will be thrilled that you are interested in something and might try to design a project that meets your interests.

View 2019 Honours Research Projects
Program Structure

The Advanced Coursework component is normally comprised of 400-level lectures and tutorials, journal clubs, literature reviews, oral presentations, and other departmental activities. The Research Project component comprises a research project in a specific area completed under the guidance of an academic who specialises in that area. The relative weightings of each of these components may vary between programs.

You may be interested in a number of disciplines or a study area (eg molecular biology) which is offered in several departments. Looking at the structure of the program may influence your choice and it is recommended that you talk over your ideas with the department honours coordinator or your lecturers.
Course Requirements
In order to be awarded an Honours qualification, students enrolled in the Bachelor of Science (Degree with Honours) or Bachelor of Biomedicine (Degree with Honours) must pass all components and obtain an overall average mark of at least 65% for both the Research Project subject and the Advanced Coursework subject. Some departments have other hurdle requirements. Refer to the departmental entries in the Honours section of the Handbook for further information.
- More information the Bachelor of Biomedicine (Degree with Honours) course structure is available.
- More information about the Bachelor of Science (Degree with Honours) course structure is available.

Contact List of Disciplines/Research Institutes

Find out as much as you can about the experience at the departments or research institutes you are considering.

Discipline	Location	Contact Name	Contact Details	Email
^{Anatomy & Neuroscience}	^On-campus	^{Dr Peter Kitchener}	^{8344 6746}	^{p.kitchener@unimelb.edu.au}
^{Anatomy & Neuroscience}	^On-campus	^{Ms Irene Koumanelis}	^{8344 5918}	^{i.koumanelis@unimelb.edu.au}
^{Biochemistry & Molecular Biology}	^On-campus	^{Dr Justine Mintern}	^{8344 2976}	^{jmintern@unimelb.edu.au}
		^{Dr David Stroud}	^{8344 7316}	^{david.stroud@unimelb.edu.au}
		^{Ms Irene Koumanelis}	^{8344 5918}	^{i.koumanelis@unimelb.edu.au}
^{Clinical Pathology}	^On-campus	^{Prof Frederic Hollande}	^{8559 7023}	^{frederic.hollande@unimelb.edu.au}
^{Clinical Pathology}	^On-campus	^{Ms Simone Stahli Quinn}	^{9035 5244}	^{Honours-Parkville@unimelb.edu.au}
^{Primary Care (General Practice)}	^On-campus	^{Prof Meredith Temple-Smith}	^{8344 3371}	^{m.temple-smith@unimelb.edu.au}
		^{Ann-Maree Duncan}	^{8344 7196}	^{ann-maree.duncan@unimelb.edu.au}
		^{Dr Patty Chondros}	^{8344 4766}	^{p.chondros@unimelb.edu.au}
^{Medical Biology (Walter & Eliza Hall Institute)}	^Off-campus	^{Dr Keely Bumsted-Obrien}	^{9345 2984}	^{bumsted-obrien@wehi.edu.au}
^{Medical Biology (Walter & Eliza Hall Institute)}	^Off-campus	^{Kerry Ko}	^{9345 2149}	^{education@wehi.edu.au}
^{Medicine (Austin Health)}	^Off-campus	^{Dr Barbara Fam}	^{9496 3257}	^{bcfam@unimelb.edu.au}
^{Medicine (Austin Health)}	^Off-campus	^{Ms Jo Mayall}	^{9496 3590}	^{j.mayall@unimelb.edu.au}
^{Medicine (Royal Melbourne Hospital)}	^Off-campus	^{Dr Adrian Achuthan}	^{8344 3298}	^{aaa@unimelb.edu.au}
^{Medicine (Royal Melbourne Hospital)}	^Off-campus	^{Ms Simone Stahli Quinn}	^{9035 5244}	^{Honours-Parkville@unimelb.edu.au;}
^{Medicine (Western Health)}	^Off-campus	A/Prof Damian Myers	0401766608	damianem@unimelb.edu.au
^{Medicine (Western Health)}	^Off-campus	Ms Aloka Carbone	8395 8119	aloka.carbone@unimelb.edu.au
^{Medicine (St. Vincent's Hospital)}	^Off-campus	^{Dr Amanda Edgley}	^{9288 3275}	^{aedgley@unimelb.edu.au}
		^{Ms Nora Hanafi}	^{9288 3601}	^{shanafi@unimelb.edu.au}
		^{Ms Meredith Faragher}	^N/A	^{meredith.faragher@unimelb.edu.au}
^{Microbiology and Immunology}	^On-campus	^{Prof Scott Mueller}	^{8344 9044}	^{smue@unimelb.edu.au}
		^{Prof Damian Purcell}	^{8344 6753}	^{dfjp@unimelb.edu.au}
		^{Prof Katherine Kedzierska}	^{8344 7962}	^{kkedz@unimelb.edu.au}
		^{Ms Irene Koumanelis}	^{: 8344 5918}	^{i.koumanelis@unimelb.edu.au}
^{Optometry and Vision Sciences}	^On-campus	^{Prof Trichur Vidyasagar}	^{8344 7004}	^{sagar.t@unimelb.edu.au}
		^{Dr Jia Jia Lek}	^{8344 5156}	^{jjlek@unimelb.edu.au}
		^{Ms Charlotte Alldis}	^{9035 5646}	^{c.alldis@unimelb.edu.au}
^{Oral Health Science (Dental Science)}	^On-campus	^{A/Prof Glen Scholz}	^{9341 1545}	^{glenms@unimelb.edu.au}
^{Oral Health Science (Dental Science)}	^On-campus	^{Ms Janelle Christie}	^{9341 1504}	^{dental-office@unimelb.edu.au}
^{Otolaryngology (Hearing Sciences)}	^Off-campus	^{Dr Hayden Eastwood}	^na	^{haydente@unimelb.edu.au}
^{Otolaryngology (Hearing Sciences)}	^Off-campus	^{Ms Nora Hanafi}	^{9288 3601}	^{shanafi@unimelb.edu.au}
^Paediatrics	^Off-campus	^{Dr Belinda McClaren}	^{8341 6415}	^{belinda.mcclaren@mcri.edu.au}
^Paediatrics	^Off-campus	^{Ms Helen D’Cruz}	^{9345 6671}	^{helen.dcruz@rch.org.au}
^Pathology	^On-campus	^{Dr Theo Mantamadiotis}	^{8344 5861}	^{theom@unimelb.edu.au}
^Pathology	^On-campus	^{Ms Irene Koumanelis}	^{8344 5918}	^{i.koumanelis@unimelb.edu.au}
^{Pharmacology and Therapeutics}	^On-campus	^{A/Prof Christine Wright}	^{8344 8219}	^{cewright@unimelb.edu.au}
		^{Prof Danny Hoyer}	^{9035 7119}	^{d.hoyer@unimelb.edu.au}
		^{Ms Irene Koumanelis}	^{8344 5918}	^{i.koumanelis@unimelb.edu.au}
		^{Pharmacology Information}	^{9035 7119}	^{pharmacology-info@unimelb.edu.au}
^Physiology	^On-campus	^{Dr Angelina Y Fong}	^{8344 6707}	^{angelina.fong@unimelb.edu.au}
		^{Prof Andrew Allen}	^{8344 5838}	^{a.allen@unimelb.edu.au}
		^{Ms Irene Koumanelis}	^{: 8344 5918}	^{i.koumanelis@unimelb.edu.au}
^{Population and Global Health}	^On-campus	^{A/Prof Louise A. Keogh}	^{8344 0692}	^{l.keogh@unimelb.edu.au}
		^{Elizabeth Dent}	^{9035 6304}	^{e.dent@unimelb.edu.au}
		^{Dr Alison Barr}	^{9035 3403}	^{abarr1@unimelb.edu.au}
^{Surgery (Austin Health)}	^Off-campus	^{Dr Theodora Fifis}	^{9496 5468}	^{tfifis@unimelb.edu.au}
^{Surgery (Austin Health)}	^Off-campus	^{Ms Jo Mayall}	^{9496 3590}	^{j.mayall@unimelb.edu.au}

Institutes / Centres

Students will enrol for Honours projects from the following research institutes via one of the nominated departments listed above.

Department	Location	Contact Name	Contact Details
Baker IDI Heart & Diabetes Institute	Off-campus	Ms Leonie Cullen	Phone: 8532 1161

			Email: leonie.cullen@bakeridi.edu.au
Burnet Institute	Off-campus	Dr Raffi Gugasyan	Phone: 9282 2108

			Email: gugasyan@burnet.edu.au
		Dr Megan Lim	Phone: 8506 2403

			Email: lim@burnet.edu.au
Florey Dept. of Neuroscience & Mental Health	Off-campus	Ms Jacquie Munro-Smith	Phone: 8344 8491
Florey Dept. of Neuroscience & Mental Health	Off-campus	Ms Jacquie Munro-Smith	Email: jacquie.munrosmith@florey.edu.au
Murdoch Childrens Research Institute	Off-campus	Dr Belinda McClaren	Phone: 8341 6415
Murdoch Childrens Research Institute	Off-campus	Dr Belinda McClaren	Email: belinda.mcclaren@mcri.edu.au
Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute	Off-campus	Ms Kerryn Westcott	Phone: 9496 5512
(formerly Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research)			Phone: 9496 5512
			Email: kerryn.westcott@onjcri.org.au
Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre	Off-campus	Dr Caroline Owen	Phone: 8559 5948
Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre	Off-campus	Dr Caroline Owen	Email: Caroline.Owen@petermac.org

Honours Courses

Bachelor or Biomedicine (Degree with Honours)/Bachelor of Science (Degree with Honours)
The Bachelor of Biomedicine (Degree with Honours) (Course Code: BH-BMED) or the Bachelor of Science (Degree with Honours) (Course Code: BH-SCI) provides students with the opportunity to integrate their previous studies with advanced studies in their field of interest within the biomedical and health sciences, and focus their knowledge, skills and intellect on an exciting piece of original research.

Each program within the Honours program is comprised of two components:
- The advanced coursework component provides opportunities for increasing students’ depth of knowledge in their particular areas of interest and expanding the theoretical basis on which they will base their research work. It provides students with the opportunity to develop expertise in the broad scientific field in which their individual research project is placed, including the methodologies of the relevant field(s), and the use of the scientific literature in their specialist area of study.
- The research project provides students with the opportunity to apply their knowledge and technical skills in a supervised research project and develop skills in experimental design, project implementation and in the communication of the outcomes of a research project. The project develops students’ technical and data acquisition skills, their problem-solving and critical thinking capacities in the context of research, their skills in communicating to a variety of audiences and the application of appropriate risk assessment and ethical approval processes.
Bachelor of Oral Health (Degree with Honours)

More details of course information and application process is available to view.
Honours/Graduate Diploma (Advanced) in Psychology

More details of course information and application process is available to view.
Honours projects in the following discipline areas are administered by the Faculty of MDHS:
Honours projects in the following discipline areas are not administered by the Faculty of MDHS:
Applicants for these non-MDHS Honours streams as well as others are advised to contact the relevant departments/schools directly. More information can be found on the Faculty of Science webpage.

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