Honours is a widely recognised and highly regarded additional year of undergraduate study available to you after you complete your undergraduate course. It's a unique opportunity for you to explore your research potential and put the theory from your undergraduate studies into practice. An honours qualification is not only well regarded in academia, but also in industry where further, concentrated studies in a specialised area is highly sought after. Extend your knowledge of your undergraduate degree with a stand-alone Honours year in your subject area expertise. This course is available to students who have already completed their studies in this study area. Depending on your interests and the availability of honours projects, you might wish to undertake honours in anatomy, biochemistry, biology (genetics), cell pathology, histology and embryology, immunology, infectious diseases, microbiology, pharmacology or physiology. This course is also offered at the Westmead precinct. The Faculty of Science has an outstanding reputation for the quality of its postgraduate research programs across a wide range of science disciplines. With significant levels of funding from various research councils and bodies, and the provision of major research facilities, the Faculty is committed to providing leading education and research training to its students. There are a range of research programs available, depending on which stage you are at in your academic career. Whether at the doctoral or masters level, you undertake self-directed, supervised research in your specialised area of science, and produce a thesis considered to be a substantially original contribution to the subject concerned. The Honours year in Science provides a research training pathway to our higher research degrees, the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) and Master of Science (MSc). The postgraduate research programs offered by the Faculty attract a large number of domestic and international students each year.
History and philosophy of science (HPS) investigates the nature of science, how science has developed, and how it has come to occupy such an central position in today's society.
HPS is an exciting area of study in which you will be stimulated to think critically and creatively about developments within science and their impact on society. It places science in its historical and social contexts and examines how science differs from other forms of knowledge.
Studying fourth year honours in history and philosophy of science (HPS) can lead to many different career paths such as science policy, science education, science journalism, and science writing.
In particular, it serves as an excellent preparation for an academic career. In the HPS honours course you can expect to work closely with an academic supervisor in a lively and supportive department, on a major research-based project and undertaking relevant coursework units.
You will gain experience in formulating a research question and carrying out investigations around your topic, and this will culminate in a 15,000 word thesis about your research. Your research will normally be related to one of the following major themes: medicine and society, early modern science or bioethics.
