Welcome to the Department of Botany Honours Page
Honours is a 4th year of undergraduate study, available to qualified students who have completed their regular three full years of undergraduate study. The Honours ‘year’ runs over nine months, and there are two intakes per year in the Department of Botany; February-October, or July-April. Many lab-based projects start in February, while many field-based projects commence in July. However, there are no hard and fast rules about this and project specifics often determine the start date.
Honours is a very different experience to the familiar lectures, pracs, and end of semester exams. The major assessment task is an independent Research Thesis, worth 70% of the overall Honours mark. This research project is completed under the direction of a principal academic supervisor, although sometimes a co-supervisor may be involved. A co-supervisor may be an academic from within the Department of Botany, another Department within the School of Life Sciences, or external to the University - some Honours projects are offered in collaboration with the Royal Botanic Gardens (Melb), the Department of Primary Industries (Vic), and the Victorian AgriBiosciences Centre.
The Coursework component comprises 10% towards a major literature review, and 20% to assessment tasks in Science Communication. These tasks include the preparation of a scientific poster, completion of an oral presentation workshop, and a final Research Seminar (each worth 6.7%).
What projects are available for study?
For current students, brochures outlining current projects on offer in the Department of Botany are available on the LMS pages of BOT3ESE and BOT3PB. Hardcopies can also be collected from the foyer of the Department (Level 4, Biological Sciences 1).
To discuss your options, please contact the Honours Supervisor E: s.hoebee@latrobe.edu.au
Why Honours?
You might contemplate Honours for a number of reasons – as a stepping stone into a postgraduate degree (Masters or PhD) and a career in research, or to improve your job prospects on leaving University. Honours helps you to develop a generic set of skills that employers look for when sifting through applications.
Is Honours hard?
Whatever your motivation for undertaking Honours, you must be up for a challenging year – it will be the biggest you’ve faced so far in your academic career. Unlike the short-term group projects you may have completed through your second and third years, the research project you’ll undertake for Honours requires months of sustained, solitary effort. While you might get some assistance from your fellow students, you will complete almost all of the work yourself, with direction from your supervisor. Don’t expect him/her to spend endless hours working on your project with you – remember, they’ve already done Honours! One of the keys to being successful in Honours is the ability and willingness to work independently, and to manage your time effectively. Of course, the hard yards are not so hard if you have a passion for inquiry and discovery.
What do I need to get in?
As the name suggests, Honours isn’t for everyone. To be eligible for Honours in the Department of Botany, students must obtain an average of least 70% in units relevant to the Honours discipline to the value of 60 credit points (two 3rd year subjects), and an average of at least 65% across all third year units. Once you’ve completed your undergraduate requirements, and if you meet the 70% hurdle, the Faculty will send you a letter informing you of your eligibility for Honours. Some students might receive several such letters from different Departments, depending on their subject choices and academic performance. Most students will receive this letter in December at the conclusion of their third year, or perhaps mid-year if they finish later.
How do I get in?
The letter(s) simply confirm eligibility, but there are many more eligible students wanting to complete Honours than there are places available each year. Acceptance into Honours really depends on getting the support of an academic supervisor. Prospective Honours students should make contact with potential supervisors during their last semester of undergraduate study, and talk about the projects they have on offer. Ask your potential supervisor what their expectations of you and the project will be – conversations like these are best had early on in the process. Once you’ve been ‘taken on’ by a supervisor, then you go ahead and enroll in Botany Honours, as you would any other Unit.
What if I haven’t completed my undergraduate degree at La Trobe University?
No problem! In the first instance, contact a potential supervisor to discuss your interests and academic qualifications, and then get in touch with the Honours Coordinator, Susan Hoebee. Have a copy of your undergraduate academic transcript ready to send along.
Honours, or Postgraduate Diploma?
Students who wish to continue their studies after the completion of their third year, and who meet eligibility requirements, would normally continue on into the Honours year. Students who don’t meet those entry requirements may be considered for a Postgraduate Diploma. Also, students who havbe graduated with an undergraduate degree, and then return to University after a break of more than 2 years must enroll in a Postgraduate Diploma. The course requirements for Honours and Postgraduate Diploma are the same.
Can I defer my place in Honours?
There is no administrative mechanism for deferring a place in Honours. Deferment implies that you have been assured a place in Honours, and as explained above, this really comes down to an agreement between you and your supervisor, rather than an ‘official’ offer from the University.
Can I enroll in Honours or a Postgraduate Diploma part time?
Yes you can, but you need the agreement of your academic supervisor.
What kind of financial support is available during Honours?
La Trobe University offers an Honours Year Grant worth up to $2000. For more information see La Trobe University Honours Year Grants.
The Department of Botany awards the annual David Ashton Scholarship, worth $1000, to the best 3rd year student going on to Honours in ecology.
Questions?
Contact the Botany Honours/Post Graduate Diploma Coordinator:
Dr Susan Hoebee
- T: +61 (0)3 9479 2274
- F: +61 (0)3 9479 1188
- E: s.hoebee@latrobe.edu.au