Bachelor of Science (Honours)
Overview
Open up pathways to further research, postgraduate study options and exciting career opportunities by undertaking an additional year of study to obtain your honours.
The Bachelor of Science (Honours) program provides an opportunity to pursue an independent research project in your area of interest as an additional year of study, essentially giving you a research apprenticeship.
During your honours year, you'll work under the guidance of a researcher on a specific project of interest to them. You'll learn about the research environment, how to perform critical experiments and analyse data, and how to communicate and present your results.
As a UQ Science Honours graduate, you'll have the skills that enable you to work without close supervision in a research environment in industry or government or to proceed to a research higher degree.
Program highlights
- Tailor your studies to your interests and career goals with a flexible program that gives you the freedom to follow your scientific passion.
- Work under the guidance of a researcher and learn about the research environment, how to perform critical experiments and analyse data, and how to communicate and present your results.
- Be in high demand by employers for your ability to work independently.
Majors
Tailor your studies to suit your goals. This program offers these options:
- Anatomy
- Archaeological Science
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
- Bioinformatics
How you'll learn
Your learning experiences are designed to best suit the learning outcomes of the courses you choose.
- Research experience
- Laboratory work
- Fieldwork
What you'll study
At UQ, degrees are called 'programs' and subjects are called 'courses'. Here's a sample of the courses you could study in this program:
- Honours Research Project
Career possibilities
Our programs prepare you for your first job and beyond. Depending on which major you choose, here are some of the careers you could be on your way to:
- Biopharmaceutical scientist
- Academic researcher
- Animal research scientist
- Research officer
- Clinical genetics scientist
- Marine research officer
- Environment and sustainability consultant
- Conservation researcher
- Data scientist
- Food technologist
Graduate salary
Science and mathematics (undergraduate)
compared.edu.au
Graduate salary
Agriculture & environmental studies (undergraduate)
compared.edu.au
Events
See all events7 April
International Baccalaureate Research Skills Program
30 June
Queensland Biology Winter School, Year 11
Stories
See all storiesUni life
What's it really like to study science at UQ?
9-minute read
Careers
Career opportunities in agricultural science
4-minute read
Stories
See all storiesUni life
What's it really like to study science at UQ?
9-minute read
Careers
Career opportunities in agricultural science
4-minute read
Entry requirements
Prerequisites
- a grade point average (GPA) of 4.0 on a 7-point scale, and
- a GPA of at least 4.5* for 8 units of courses at level 3 or higher relevant to the honours project, and
- have secured an honours project and supervisor, and
- satisfied any additional requirements set by the head of school.
Psychology field of study:UQ Bachelor of Science with:
- a grade point average (GPA) of 5.0 for level 2 and 3 courses in the Psychology extended major, and
- satisfied any additional requirements set by the head of school.
Prerequisites
- a grade point average (GPA) of 4.0 on a 7-point scale, and
- a GPA of at least 4.5* for 8 units of courses at level 3 or higher relevant to the honours project, and
- have secured an honours project and supervisor, and
- satisfied any additional requirements set by the head of school.
Psychology field of study:UQ Bachelor of Science with:
- a grade point average (GPA) of 5.0 for level 2 and 3 courses in the Psychology extended major, and
- satisfied any additional requirements set by the head of school.
English language requirements
IELTS overall 6.5; reading 6; writing 6; speaking 6; listening 6. For other English Language Proficiency Tests and Scores approved for UQ
TOEFL iBT (including Paper Edition) - Overall 87, listening 19, reading 19, writing 21 and speaking 19.
PTE Academic - Overall Score of 64 and 60 in all sub bands.
BE - A minimum overall grade of 4 plus a minimum grade of C in all macro skills.
CES - Overall 176 and 169 in all sub bands.
OET is not accepted.
There are other ways to meet the English language requirements. For some programs, additional conditions apply.
Student visas
International students who are accepted into full-time study in the Bachelor of Science (Honours) are eligible to apply for an Australian student visa (subclass 500).
There are a number of requirements you must satisfy before a visa is granted, including the Genuine Student (GS) requirement.
Fields of study
Fields of study
Tailor your studies to suit your goals. This program offers these options:
Design, implement and present your research project, with emphasis on defining the research issue, establishing methodology, undertaking appropriate collection and analysis of data and drawing defensible conclusions.
Supporting workshops and courses will further add to your research training.
Plan, research and produce a substantial project on globally significant issues such as human evolution and dispersal, the development of civilisation and human-environment relationships, and develop your critical analysis, communication and research skills. Research seminars will provide you with advanced level knowledge of archaeological science theory, methodology and practice.
The Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Archaeological Science is designed to complement undergraduate study and together fulfill the minimum qualification for professional entry to archaeology for science-based students, as well as research-based higher degrees.
Undertake your own original research project under the guidance of an academic supervisor.
Design, implement and present your research project, with emphasis on defining the research issue, establishing methodology, undertaking appropriate collection and analysis of data, and drawing defensible conclusions.
Supporting workshops and courses will further add to your research training.
You'll design, implement and present your research project, with emphasis on defining the research issue, establishing methodology, undertaking appropriate collection and analysis of data, and drawing defensible conclusions. Supporting workshops and courses will further add to your research training.
Undertake your own original research project under the guidance of an academic supervisor.
Design, implement and present your research project, with emphasis on defining the research issue, establishing methodology, undertaking appropriate collection and analysis of data, and drawing defensible conclusions.
Supporting workshops and courses will further add to your research training.
When you undertake honours, you'll be equipped to work as part of a research team in a semi-autonomous manner. You'll learn to identify key questions, plan experiments, acquire new techniques and interpret the results.
This program is accredited by the Royal Australian Chemical Institute for the educational relevance of its chemistry content.
In this field of study, you'll take on an independent research project under the guidance of one of Australia’s leading marine researchers.
You'll design, implement and present your research project, with emphasis on defining the research issue, establishing a methodology, undertaking appropriate collection and analysis of data, and drawing and defending your conclusions.
Gain practical experience by undertaking field work at UQ’s Heron Island Research Station on the southern Great Barrier Reef or UQ’s Moreton Bay Research Station on North Stradbroke Island.
Supporting workshops and courses will further add to your research training.
Under the guidance of an academic supervisor, you'll design, implement and present your research project, with emphasis on defining the research issue, establishing methodology, undertaking appropriate collection and analysis of data and drawing defensible conclusions. Supporting workshops and courses will further add to your research training.
Students will be able to identify key questions, plan experiments, acquire new techniques and interpret results.
Students will be able to identify key questions, plan experiments, acquire new techniques and interpret results.
When you undertake honours, you'll be equipped to work as part of a research team in a semi-autonomous manner. You'll learn to identify key questions, plan experiments, acquire new techniques and interpret the results.
Demonstrate your understanding of how organisms interact with each other and their environments by undertaking your own research project under the guidance of an academic supervisor.
Apply your expertise to tackle global issues such as biodiversity loss, climate change, diminishing natural resources and the environmental impacts of human activity.
You will design, implement and present your research project, with emphasis on defining the research issue, establishing methodology, undertaking appropriate collection and analysis of data, and drawing defensible conclusions.
Supporting workshops and courses will further add to your research training.
Depending on the nature of your research project, you may also conduct fieldwork in a range of rainforest, outback or marine environments.
Students will be able to identify key questions, plan experiments, acquire new techniques and interpret results.
Take on an independent research project under the guidance of leading environmental researchers.
You'll design, implement and present your research project, with emphasis on defining the research issue, establishing methodology, undertaking appropriate collection and analysis of data, and drawing defensible conclusions.
Depending on your project, you'll also undertake fieldwork in diverse subtropical and tropical ecosystems including World Heritage rainforests, the Great Barrier Reef, North Stradbroke Island and outback Australia.
Supporting workshops and courses will further add to your research training.
Students will be able to identify key questions, plan experiments, acquire new techniques and interpret results.
We use this information to improve the safety and quality of food as well as extend the range of products available.
The science of nutrition studies the effects of dietary nutrients on growth, development, health and well-being in the population. It also examines the psychological, sociological and cultural factors which influence food choice, with a particular focus on the consequences for health.
As part of your Honours year, you'll complete either a research or industry focused project.
It is based in chemistry, biochemistry, biotechnology, microbiology, and biometry, and is the science underpinning the food industry – the largest manufacturing industry in Australia.
Research honours students will have the opportunity to delve deeply into a particular aspect of their chosen food and its manufacturing process by completing either a research focused or industry focused project.
You'll learn how genetic information can contribute to understanding disease and lead to the development of personalised medicine
When you undertake honours, you'll be equipped to work as part of a research team in a semi-autonomous manner. You'll learn to identify key questions, plan experiments, acquire new techniques and interpret the results.
It involves the sequencing, assembly and annotation of genomes for comparative, evolutionary and ecological studies.
You'll learn about physical and human geography, and how to apply geographical information science.
Under the honours program, the emphasis is on the study of processes that create and sustain the physical environment, and on techniques for the collection and analysis of spatial information.
Take on an independent research project under the guidance of leading researchers who work in laboratories where current medical breakthroughs are taking place.
You'll design, implement and present your research project – with emphasis on defining the research issue, establishing methodology, undertaking appropriate collection and analysis of data, and drawing defensible conclusions.
Supporting workshops and courses will further add to your research training.
You'll use ecology, zoology, botany and genetics to examine aquatic life in ecosystems from the ocean to wetlands, and learn about ecological and environmental protection strategies.
When you undertake honours, you'll be equipped to work as part of a research team in a semi-autonomous manner. You'll learn to identify key questions, plan experiments, acquire new techniques and interpret the results.
You'll complete compulsory courses in your choice of fields, including algebra, physics, financial mathematics, calculus, number theory and statistics.
In addition to your coursework, you'll complete a year-long honours research thesis. This involves choosing a relevant topic, applying appropriate research methodologies and presenting your conclusions in both a written thesis and oral presentation.
You'll also understand the importance of microbiology in environmental, agricultural and industrial settings.
When you undertake honours, you'll be equipped to work as part of a research team in a semi-autonomous manner. You'll learn to identify key questions, plan experiments, acquire new techniques and interpret the results.
As a new frontier of science, it is receiving worldwide attention.
Students will be able to identify key questions, plan experiments, acquire new techniques and interpret results.
Students will be able to identify key questions, plan experiments, acquire new techniques and interpret results.
Students will be able to identify key questions, plan experiments, acquire new techniques and interpret results.
Or you may decide to apply your knowledge to practical areas and develop advanced materials, electronic and optical devices. The flexibility is yours.
When you undertake honours, you'll be equipped to work as part of a research team in a semi-autonomous manner. You'll learn to identify key questions, plan experiments, acquire new techniques and interpret the results.
Undertake your own original research project under the guidance of an academic supervisor.
Design, implement and present your research project, with emphasis on defining the research issue, establishing methodology, undertaking appropriate collection and analysis of data, and drawing defensible conclusions.
Throughout your honours year, you will gather the knowledge and skills required to kickstart your career as a researcher and/or professional in the field of physiology.
Using a variety of approaches, plant scientists address two of the most important problems facing humankind, global warming and dependency on fossil fuels, by applying the production of biofuels from plant origin to the use of plants in carbon sequestration.
Plant scientists need to understand how plants work from molecules to ecosystems to improve the production of food, pharmaceuticals and timber, control diseases, pests and noxious weeds, allow plants to cope with drought, salinity and pollutants, and design new plants for innovative purposes such as biofactories.
An honours year in plant science will allow you to further develop your research skills under the guidance of leading teachers and academics at UQ Gatton's specialist facilities.
You'll complete a combination of compulsory courses, focusing on specialised areas of psychology and preparing you for academic research.
A year-long honours research thesis is the major component of this program. Choose between an individual or team project, in which you will develop a relevant topic, apply methodologies and present your written conclusions.
It is founded upon a multidisciplinary understanding of health that allows you to explore and examine the basis of disease and well-being by considering the vagaries of human behaviour, the physical environment, the socio-economic and cultural determinants of health, and the systems of health care management.
When you undertake honours, you'll be equipped to work as part of a research team in a semi-autonomous manner. You'll learn to identify key questions, plan experiments, acquire new techniques and interpret the results.
Examples include the improvement of medical treatments through better experimental design, and the use of meteorological data to assess drought conditions.
Students undertake a research project and advanced level courses in mathematics, statistics, and probability theory.
Students will be able to identify key questions, plan experiments, acquire new techniques and interpret results.
When you undertake honours, you'll be equipped to work as part of a research team in a semi-autonomous manner. You'll learn to identify key questions, plan experiments, acquire new techniques and interpret the results.
Fields of study
Tailor your studies to suit your goals. This program offers these options:
Design, implement and present your research project, with emphasis on defining the research issue, establishing methodology, undertaking appropriate collection and analysis of data and drawing defensible conclusions.
Supporting workshops and courses will further add to your research training.
Plan, research and produce a substantial project on globally significant issues such as human evolution and dispersal, the development of civilisation and human-environment relationships, and develop your critical analysis, communication and research skills. Research seminars will provide you with advanced level knowledge of archaeological science theory, methodology and practice.
The Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Archaeological Science is designed to complement undergraduate study and together fulfill the minimum qualification for professional entry to archaeology for science-based students, as well as research-based higher degrees.
Undertake your own original research project under the guidance of an academic supervisor.
Design, implement and present your research project, with emphasis on defining the research issue, establishing methodology, undertaking appropriate collection and analysis of data, and drawing defensible conclusions.
Supporting workshops and courses will further add to your research training.
You'll design, implement and present your research project, with emphasis on defining the research issue, establishing methodology, undertaking appropriate collection and analysis of data, and drawing defensible conclusions. Supporting workshops and courses will further add to your research training.
Undertake your own original research project under the guidance of an academic supervisor.
Design, implement and present your research project, with emphasis on defining the research issue, establishing methodology, undertaking appropriate collection and analysis of data, and drawing defensible conclusions.
Supporting workshops and courses will further add to your research training.
When you undertake honours, you'll be equipped to work as part of a research team in a semi-autonomous manner. You'll learn to identify key questions, plan experiments, acquire new techniques and interpret the results.
This program is accredited by the Royal Australian Chemical Institute for the educational relevance of its chemistry content.
In this field of study, you'll take on an independent research project under the guidance of one of Australia’s leading marine researchers.
You'll design, implement and present your research project, with emphasis on defining the research issue, establishing a methodology, undertaking appropriate collection and analysis of data, and drawing and defending your conclusions.
Gain practical experience by undertaking field work at UQ’s Heron Island Research Station on the southern Great Barrier Reef or UQ’s Moreton Bay Research Station on North Stradbroke Island.
Supporting workshops and courses will further add to your research training.
Under the guidance of an academic supervisor, you'll design, implement and present your research project, with emphasis on defining the research issue, establishing methodology, undertaking appropriate collection and analysis of data and drawing defensible conclusions. Supporting workshops and courses will further add to your research training.
Students will be able to identify key questions, plan experiments, acquire new techniques and interpret results.
Students will be able to identify key questions, plan experiments, acquire new techniques and interpret results.
When you undertake honours, you'll be equipped to work as part of a research team in a semi-autonomous manner. You'll learn to identify key questions, plan experiments, acquire new techniques and interpret the results.
Demonstrate your understanding of how organisms interact with each other and their environments by undertaking your own research project under the guidance of an academic supervisor.
Apply your expertise to tackle global issues such as biodiversity loss, climate change, diminishing natural resources and the environmental impacts of human activity.
You will design, implement and present your research project, with emphasis on defining the research issue, establishing methodology, undertaking appropriate collection and analysis of data, and drawing defensible conclusions.
Supporting workshops and courses will further add to your research training.
Depending on the nature of your research project, you may also conduct fieldwork in a range of rainforest, outback or marine environments.
Students will be able to identify key questions, plan experiments, acquire new techniques and interpret results.
Take on an independent research project under the guidance of leading environmental researchers.
You'll design, implement and present your research project, with emphasis on defining the research issue, establishing methodology, undertaking appropriate collection and analysis of data, and drawing defensible conclusions.
Depending on your project, you'll also undertake fieldwork in diverse subtropical and tropical ecosystems including World Heritage rainforests, the Great Barrier Reef, North Stradbroke Island and outback Australia.
Supporting workshops and courses will further add to your research training.
Students will be able to identify key questions, plan experiments, acquire new techniques and interpret results.
We use this information to improve the safety and quality of food as well as extend the range of products available.
The science of nutrition studies the effects of dietary nutrients on growth, development, health and well-being in the population. It also examines the psychological, sociological and cultural factors which influence food choice, with a particular focus on the consequences for health.
As part of your Honours year, you'll complete either a research or industry focused project.
It is based in chemistry, biochemistry, biotechnology, microbiology, and biometry, and is the science underpinning the food industry – the largest manufacturing industry in Australia.
Research honours students will have the opportunity to delve deeply into a particular aspect of their chosen food and its manufacturing process by completing either a research focused or industry focused project.
You'll learn how genetic information can contribute to understanding disease and lead to the development of personalised medicine
When you undertake honours, you'll be equipped to work as part of a research team in a semi-autonomous manner. You'll learn to identify key questions, plan experiments, acquire new techniques and interpret the results.
It involves the sequencing, assembly and annotation of genomes for comparative, evolutionary and ecological studies.
You'll learn about physical and human geography, and how to apply geographical information science.
Under the honours program, the emphasis is on the study of processes that create and sustain the physical environment, and on techniques for the collection and analysis of spatial information.
Take on an independent research project under the guidance of leading researchers who work in laboratories where current medical breakthroughs are taking place.
You'll design, implement and present your research project – with emphasis on defining the research issue, establishing methodology, undertaking appropriate collection and analysis of data, and drawing defensible conclusions.
Supporting workshops and courses will further add to your research training.
You'll use ecology, zoology, botany and genetics to examine aquatic life in ecosystems from the ocean to wetlands, and learn about ecological and environmental protection strategies.
When you undertake honours, you'll be equipped to work as part of a research team in a semi-autonomous manner. You'll learn to identify key questions, plan experiments, acquire new techniques and interpret the results.
You'll complete compulsory courses in your choice of fields, including algebra, physics, financial mathematics, calculus, number theory and statistics.
In addition to your coursework, you'll complete a year-long honours research thesis. This involves choosing a relevant topic, applying appropriate research methodologies and presenting your conclusions in both a written thesis and oral presentation.
You'll also understand the importance of microbiology in environmental, agricultural and industrial settings.
When you undertake honours, you'll be equipped to work as part of a research team in a semi-autonomous manner. You'll learn to identify key questions, plan experiments, acquire new techniques and interpret the results.
As a new frontier of science, it is receiving worldwide attention.
Students will be able to identify key questions, plan experiments, acquire new techniques and interpret results.
Students will be able to identify key questions, plan experiments, acquire new techniques and interpret results.
Students will be able to identify key questions, plan experiments, acquire new techniques and interpret results.
Or you may decide to apply your knowledge to practical areas and develop advanced materials, electronic and optical devices. The flexibility is yours.
When you undertake honours, you'll be equipped to work as part of a research team in a semi-autonomous manner. You'll learn to identify key questions, plan experiments, acquire new techniques and interpret the results.
Undertake your own original research project under the guidance of an academic supervisor.
Design, implement and present your research project, with emphasis on defining the research issue, establishing methodology, undertaking appropriate collection and analysis of data, and drawing defensible conclusions.
Throughout your honours year, you will gather the knowledge and skills required to kickstart your career as a researcher and/or professional in the field of physiology.
Using a variety of approaches, plant scientists address two of the most important problems facing humankind, global warming and dependency on fossil fuels, by applying the production of biofuels from plant origin to the use of plants in carbon sequestration.
Plant scientists need to understand how plants work from molecules to ecosystems to improve the production of food, pharmaceuticals and timber, control diseases, pests and noxious weeds, allow plants to cope with drought, salinity and pollutants, and design new plants for innovative purposes such as biofactories.
An honours year in plant science will allow you to further develop your research skills under the guidance of leading teachers and academics at UQ Gatton's specialist facilities.
You'll complete a combination of compulsory courses, focusing on specialised areas of psychology and preparing you for academic research.
A year-long honours research thesis is the major component of this program. Choose between an individual or team project, in which you will develop a relevant topic, apply methodologies and present your written conclusions.
It is founded upon a multidisciplinary understanding of health that allows you to explore and examine the basis of disease and well-being by considering the vagaries of human behaviour, the physical environment, the socio-economic and cultural determinants of health, and the systems of health care management.
When you undertake honours, you'll be equipped to work as part of a research team in a semi-autonomous manner. You'll learn to identify key questions, plan experiments, acquire new techniques and interpret the results.
Examples include the improvement of medical treatments through better experimental design, and the use of meteorological data to assess drought conditions.
Students undertake a research project and advanced level courses in mathematics, statistics, and probability theory.
Students will be able to identify key questions, plan experiments, acquire new techniques and interpret results.
When you undertake honours, you'll be equipped to work as part of a research team in a semi-autonomous manner. You'll learn to identify key questions, plan experiments, acquire new techniques and interpret the results.
Fees and Scholarships
Indicative annual fee
Approximate yearly cost of tuition (16 units). Your fees will vary according to your selected courses and study load. Fees are reviewed each year and may increase.
$10,681
2024
Fee information for 2025 is not yet available. Fee information displayed is for 2024.
$10,681
2025
Approximate yearly cost of tuition (16 units). Your fees will vary according to your study load. Fees are reviewed each year and may increase.
AUD $50,560
2024
Fee information for 2025 is not yet available. Fee information displayed is for 2024.
AUD $50,560
2025
Government assistance
Financial aid
As an international student, you might be eligible for financial aid – either from your home country, or from the Australian Government.
HECS-HELP
Domestic places in the Bachelor of Science (Honours) are Commonwealth Supported. This means the cost of your education is shared between you and the Australian Government.
Instead of tuition fees, Commonwealth Supported students pay what are called student contribution amounts.
HECS-HELP is an Australian Government loan scheme to assist eligible students with the cost of their student contribution amounts.
Centrelink support
The Australian Government offers a number of income-support payments to eligible Australian university students.
Scholarships
You may be eligible for more than 100 scholarships, including:
How to apply
Applying online
All international applications should be submitted to UQ. If you prefer, you can use an approved UQ agent in your country.
The program code for the Bachelor of Science (Honours) is 2031.
Applying online
All domestic applications should be submitted to UQ.
The program code for the Bachelor of Science (Honours) is 2031.
Important dates
The closing date for this program is:
- To commence study in semester 2 - May 31 of the year of commencement.
- To commence study in semester 1 - November 30 of the previous year.
- There is an early closing date for Honours in Psychology, please refer to the school website for further information
To learn more about UQ dates, including semester start dates, view the Academic Calendar.
Important dates
The closing date for this program is:
- Please note, the closing date for Honours can vary between Schools. Please refer to the relevant School website for further information.
- To commence study in Semester 1 - January 31 of the year of commencement.
- To commence study in Semester 2 - June 30 of the year of commencement.
- There is an early closing date for Honours in Psychology, please refer to the school website for further information
To learn more about UQ dates, including semester start dates, view the Academic Calendar.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants
For support with applying – or if you have any questions about university life – get in touch with our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies Unit.
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