6 Reasons To Pursue An Honours Year

You’ve probably heard the term ‘graduating with honours’ at least once. But do you know what it actually means?

Pursuing an honours year in your degree program grants you a higher level of qualification compared to a general Bachelor’s Degree.

In an Honours programme, students are tasked to complete a supervised independent research project related to the nature of their study.

This additional academic qualification can either be done simultaneously with your current Bachelor’s Degree or as a standalone year-long course upon completing your undergraduate degree.

Now that we’ve gone over the basics, here are 6 reasons why pursuing an Honours can be the next best step in your academic journey!

Today, hiring companies are more likely to employ applicants who have completed an honours year compared to those who didn’t.

Since their curriculum is far more demanding and advanced, it shows prospective employers that these students have a better capacity to achieve more complex goals and thrive in a workplace environment.

Instead of just a general subject, honours programmes are designed to tackle more in-depth concepts that would drastically enhance your skillsets as a student.

Since it is positioned to be more advanced than the standard Bachelor’s degree, the curriculum also covers more extensive skills as well.

Some of these include enhanced research skills, strategic problem solving, critical thinking, and report analysis and writing, among many others.

While these also be addressed in general degree courses, they may not be as comprehensive.

For those looking to continue their studies beyond a Bachelor’s Degree, you’ll be glad to know that attaining honours can be of great help to you in the process.

Many students use their honours year as a stepping stone into the world of academic research and further studies such as a master’s degree or PhD.

Certain schools allow students to apply directly for their PhD programme just with their honours degree, depending on the admission criteria. This is an opportunity not offered to non-honours degree holders.

Not only would this accelerate your academic journey, but it also gives you a glimpse into what it would be like before deciding to commit to a master’s or PhD programme.

Apart from your actual degree, students may also attain professional certification for specific skills and course completions as part of their honours.

These certifications are granted depending on your chosen course or area of specialisation.

Let’s take engineering, for example. Some certifications that engineering students can attain include programming foundations, Python, JavaScript, and AI and machine learning.

When presented along with your honours degree at a job interview, you’ll stand a higher chance among your counterparts during the hiring process.

An honours degree is a great way to go beyond your foundational knowledge and delve into more skills-based learning.

Nowadays, employers and companies are on the lookout for candidates with a deep understanding of a particular subject or specialised area.

Instead of taking up general electives, honours programmes dive deeper into specific skills such as research and report writing, which is can be extremely useful for those looking to pursue a career in academia.

On top of that, being a subject matter expert also helps students find their niche and opens them up to collaboration opportunities for multidisciplinary research.

Being a part of an honours programme can help build your connections in both your academic and professional networks.

Students will be able to tap into their school’s esteemed list of alumni and faculty members, and have the privilege to learn from them firsthand.

Apart from being mentored by these acclaimed academics themselves, simply being connected to them could also open doors for your future employment at the same time.

Whether it’s an on-campus position, being recommended to your dream company, or even finding a co-founder to build a startup with, the opportunities are endless.

Think you need advice from a skilled professional on whether an honours year is the way to go? Our IDP education counsellors are here to help.

From going through all the available programme options to making sure the necessary requirements are in place, our job is to ensure that the application process goes nothing but smoothly.

Get in touch with us by booking a today to have all your questions answered!