1.0    Purpose and Scope

1. Academic merit achieved in AQF level 8 bachelor’s honours degree qualifications is recognised through the award of a class of honours.

2. This procedure outlines the requirements for the awarding of classes of honours in an AQF level 8 bachelor’s honours degree or integrated program that includes a bachelor’s honours degree component offered at UQ.

 2.0    Process and Key Controls

1. A UQ bachelor’s honours degree may be awarded in an approved field of study and must be awarded in one of these classes – honours class I; honours class II (A or B); honours class III (A or B).
2. Program-specific variations to the requirements set out in the procedure are reviewed by the Committee for Academic Programs Policy (CAPP) and approved by the Vice-Chancellor (as per the Program Approval Procedure) and set out in the program requirements.

3.0    Key Requirements

3.1    Honours pathways

1. Consistent with Section 3.4 of the Program Design Procedure, AQF level 8 bachelor’s honours programs are offered as either:

   1. an additional one year (16 units) of study following completion of an AQF level 7 bachelor’s degree; or

   2. a single qualification of at least four years (64 units) duration*.

2. Three options for pathways to bachelor’s honours programs are offered at UQ:

Option 1: Admit graduates into a one-year level 8 bachelor’s honours degree, following completion of a level 7 bachelor’s degree.

Option 2: Admit all commencing students into a four-year (or more) level 7 bachelor’s degree and (at some point during that degree) students who meet the entry requirements may apply to change programs to a four-year (or more) level 8 bachelor’s honours degree.

Option 3: Admit all commencing students into a four-year (or more) level 8 bachelor’s honours degree.

For Option 2 and Option 3, program requirements may specify that students, if eligible, are permitted to exit the level 8 bachelor’s honours degree before completion and be awarded a specified level 7 bachelor’s degree. Justification must be included in the program proposal submitted to CAPP and the exit award option specified in the program requirements.

* including graduate-entry honours programs of at least three years (48 units) or more duration.

3.2    Calculation of Grade Point Average (GPA) for the purpose of awarding class of honours

1. The program requirements must specify a set of courses, including 16 units of courses at level 3 or higher that will be used to calculate the GPA for the purpose of awarding the class of honours. Of the courses specified, at least 12 units must be graded courses. Only courses undertaken at UQ can be included in the calculation of the class of honours.

2. Unless the program requirements state that all attempts at courses that contribute to the calculation of the class of honours should be used, the result achieved in the first attempt will be used, regardless of the program in which the result was obtained. This will include where supplementary assessment has been undertaken (for example a result 2S4 means a grade of 2 will be used for calculation of honours classification, and a grade of 4 used for the purposes of completion of the program requirements).

3. In submissions to CAPP to establish or modify program-specific honours requirements in program requirements, faculties are required to identify the 4 units that provide research or research preparation in the courses that contribute to honours as per section 3.4 of the Program Design Procedure.

3.3    Classes of honours

1. The standard cut-offs for classes of honours are shown below. Where specific program requirements make these cut-offs impracticable, a case can be made to CAPP for a change to be made for that program.

2. Transition arrangements apply for students who have completed courses prior to 2015, that will be used to determine the class of honours. The class of honours will be determined using both the 2015 cut-offs and the applicable 2014 method and cut-offs (see pre-2015 PPL 3.50.12b Procedures). The highest class of honours will be awarded.

4.0   Roles, Responsibilities and Accountabilities

5.0    Monitoring, Review and Assurance

The Committee for Academic Programs Policy is responsible for reviewing this procedure as required and for monitoring university-wide compliance of UQ’s programs.

6.0    Recording and Reporting

1. Design features and structural details relating to all programs offered by the University are published in the programs catalogue.
2. Records relating to the structure and design of the University’s programs, including approved variations and proposals initiated through the Program Approval Procedure, shall be managed in accordance with the Information Management Policy.
3. The records concerning a person’s admission, enrolment and progression including University decisions are filed in the applicant's or student’s record in the University’s record management systems.

7.0   Appendix

7.1    Definitions, Terms, Acronyms

Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) - the national qualifications framework available at https://www.aqf.edu.au/.

CAPP - Committee for Academic Programs Policy.

Field of study – a prescribed combination of courses having a value of at least 8 units in a postgraduate coursework program or having a value of 16 units in a one-year bachelor’s honours program or in an embedded bachelor's honours program.

GPA – for the purpose of this procedure, the Grade point average (GPA) is calculated in accordance with section 3.2 of this procedure and is used to determine the class of honours.   

Integrated program – a sequence of study under one set of program requirements that leads to a combination of awards on a single testamur.

Program – a sequence of study leading to the award of a qualification such as an undergraduate degree or diploma, and/or a postgraduate coursework qualification.

Program requirements – for the purpose of this procedure, program requirements mean the courses to be taken to complete the program and any other specific conditions of the program including admission, enrolment and progression requirements. Program requirements include all requirements set out in the former ‘program rules’.