Honours
An Honours degree in Chemistry or Physics at the University of Adelaide is the gateway to increased job opportunities and to a wide range of rewarding careers in research.
Honours is an additional year of full-time study at the end of your undergraduate degree: it is a prerequisite and stepping stone to a research higher degree, and an opportunity to specialise and increase your competitiveness if you are seeking a job. Regardless of your career aspirations, Honours is an opportunity for personal and professional development: it will develop your abilities in clear-thinking, criticism and communication, and test your imagination, self reliance and self-discipline.
The Honours year consists of a major research project, together with courses, written assignments and papers. The research project is supervised by School academic staff and research affiliates who are international leaders in their fields of science. As an Honours student, you will be a member of a research team working at the leading edges of Chemistry and Physics. You will use state of the art facilities and train with world class researchers in a contemporary learning environment. You may also wish to consider the Master of Philosophy as an alternative to honours.
Who is eligible?
Students who have completed an undergraduate degree with high achievement in level 3 courses are eligible to apply for admission to this program. Applications are also welcomed from graduates in relevant disciplines from other Universities. Honours studies may be commenced in January (Semester 1) or in July (Semester 2). However, planning for Honours should commence in the preceding year: applicants are encouraged to discuss potential projects with supervisors and Honours Coordinators (listed below) as early as possible. Lists of potential projects and supervisors are available towards the end of the second semester.
Honours Projects available
The various research areas you can pursue with an Honours degree from the School of Chemistry & Physics are:
Chemistry |
Energy & Environment |
| Functional Materials | |
| Medicinal & Biological Chemistry | |
| Molecular Photoscience & Ion Chemistry |
Physics |
Environmental Luminescence |
| Atmospheric Physics | |
| Geophysics | |
| High Energy Astrophysics | |
| Medical Physics | |
| Optics and Photonics | |
| Theoretical Physics | |
| Particle & Nuclear Theory | |
| Plus other Research interest areas include: | Mathematical Physics |
A copy of 2013 Honours Research Projects and 2013 Honours Course Descriptions for Physics are available to download for students who are interested. Prospective students not currently enrolled at the University of Adelaide can contact the Honours Coordinator Assoc Prof Murray Hamilton or the School Office to get a copy of the list.
Honours Scholarships
The School of Chemistry & Physics will provide a number of scholarships to support students to undertake an Honours program in the School in 2013. Scholarships of $2,000 will be awarded to Honours students and paid in two instalments based on satisfactory progress during the Honours program.
The purpose of the scholarships is to encourage undergraduate students to consider undertaking postgraduate study at the University of Adelaide, leading to a career involving research.
Applications are to be submitted to the School office by no later than Friday 2 November 2012.
Download an application form (PDF)
For further information, contact Julie Reeves, School Academic Programs Officer.
Honours Expression of Interest
To apply to study honours click on Honours Expression of Interest and depending on our circumstances choose the appropriate form that relates to you: for Domestic or International students.
For further information & key dates, please refer to the Faculty of Sciences website.
Information Sessions for Honours 2013
The School holds information sessions in September each year for students considering undertaking Honours the following academic year.
During the sessions, students are able to talk to Academics about research projects offered as part of the Honours year. Honours Coordinators can answer any questions about how to apply, what is required, what is involved, how to choose a project/supervisor and what you will gain from the experience.
Information sessions for Honours in 2013 have already been held, however interested applicants are invited to contact the Honours Coordinators directly for further information.
How and When to apply for Honours
For those intending to start in Semester 1, the nominal deadline for applications is towards the end of Semester 2 of the preceding year, so that offers can be sent out in early December. Later applications are acceptable but it may not be possible for you to receive your first preference.
Supervisors are limited in the number of students they can supervise. In some years certain kinds of projects are more popular than others, and it may not always be possible to give you your first choice of research project and supervisor. In case complications do arise, we ask you to nominate a reserve choice.
Whilst mid-year applications can be received up until the end of May, it would be best to still apply towards the end of Semester 2 of the preceding year as this will help you to secure the supervisor of your choice.
If you are not currently enrolled as a student at the University of Adelaide, you should register your interest with the Honours Coordinator of your chosen discipline in the first instance to determine your eligibility and discuss information you may need to provide.
For all enquiries about Honours study please contact the Honours Coordinators:
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Honours Coordinators
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Chemistry |
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Physics |
Assoc. Prof. Murray Hamilton |
Student Services, School of Chemistry & Physics
The University of Adelaide
AUSTRALIA 5005
Phone: +61 8 8313 5996
Fax: +61 8 8313 4347
email: chemphys@adelaide.edu.au
Further information about Honours:
