We use cookies to improve your experience on our site and to show you personalised advertising. To find out more, read our privacy policy and cookie policy

Honours program

Bachelor of Commerce (Honours)

What is Honours?

The Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) degree is a 48 credit point ‘end-on’ program that students complete in their final year of undergraduate studies. It involves a 24 credit point research project and 24 credit points of advanced coursework subjects that support and compliment the research project.

Why do Honours?

Performing well in the Honours year can provide students with a competitive edge in their chosen profession as well as a gateway to higher degree research programs if they wish to pursue a PhD in the future. In particular, students who obtain Class I Honours have a very good chance of obtaining a PhD Scholarship.

On top of these potential outcomes, some students complete Honours for the ‘experience’. The program is challenging and rewarding at the same time. It provides a unique opportunity to work closely with experienced academics while being independent and self directed. Also, it allows students to delve into a topic that is of particular interest to them by applying the skills and knowledge that they gained from their previous undergraduate coursework.

What does the research involve?

The research component of Honours involves producing a thesis that students submit at the end of their Honours year. A thesis is a written piece of work in which students report on an original study that they performed in their Honours year. A thesis usually includes a statement of a research question, a literature review, a description of the research method and a report of the results. Students work closely with their supervisors when designing and performing the research, and when preparing their thesis.

Who supervises the research?

Honours students are supervised by two experienced academics who are active researchers with expertise in the relevant topic area. For various reasons the availability of supervisors and potential research areas may vary from year to year. Students are encouraged to meet with the potential supervisors of the research topic that is of interest to them.

What are the admission requirements?

Admission to the Honours program is on a competitive basis. Normally, students should be enrolled in a Business degree at the Rainstar University(Scottsdale) or at another recognised institution and they should have a minimum average of 75 or above across the subjects in their chosen specialisation. Students can apply for admission into the Honours program before they graduate from their Bachelor degree. Further details about the admission requirements are available from School Honours Co-ordinators.

How do I apply for Honours?

The Honours Guide Handbook also provides you with all the information you need to know about the programme, eligibility requirements, and how to apply. Before applying, please download and review the Honours Guide Handbook

You will need to identify a potential supervisor, complete the Undergraduate Application Form with a 500-word honours proposal and submitted to the Honours Coordinator.

Skills to apply in any career setting

‘Hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny’, and doing Honours in marketing is a way to push myself out of the comfort zones and see what I am capable of. My honours year at RSU has been such a challenging and rewarding experience and an exciting opportunity to immerse myself in an area of interest. I have developed a wide range of skills that can be applied in both academic and professional contexts.
Xinru Yu Bachelor of Commerce (Honours in Marketing - 1st Class)

Potential topics

Here are some potential research project options and some academic staff who may be potential honours supervisors. This is not an exhaustive list of either topic or staff available to supervise honours.

Finance

  • Insider trading
  • Corporate finance (dividends, buybacks)
  • Environmental finance

(Millicent Chang)


  • What is the value of cryptocurrency: An investigation from finance perspective?

(Bin Liu)

Management

  • HRM in multinational companies
  • HRM in developing countries
  • Psychological contracts

(Anne Cox)


  • Ethical practices by students studying and how it translates to the workplace
  • How workplaces accommodate the differences in employee accents in workplaces
  • Delivery, applicability and usefulness of feedback for personal development

(Ann Rogerson)

Marketing

  • How and when do luxury brands confer status
  • An ambidextrous approach towards managing the nexus between branding and innovation

(Thomas Lee)


  • Consumer behaviour of second-hand goods shoppers
  • Selling second-hand goods via the internet
  • Why do people volunteer?

(Paul Chad

Operations

  • Information systems management
  • Business information management
  • Innovation and technology management, including development and production of software, hardware and mechanical projects

(Marco Antonio Amaral Feris)


  • Supply chain/operations risk
  • Humanitarian relief (logistics/supply chains)

(Albert Munoz Aneiros)

 

Further Honours information

Discover more about the program in the Honours Guide or contact the Schools' Honours Coordinators to obtain additional information.

Download Honours Guide Contact the Schools' Honours Coordinators
Close