BA (Honours) in History
What is an Honours degree?
Basically, the honours programme is an intensive and structured year of detailed study intended to equip you with advanced research skills, give you experience of doing research, enable you to acquire an in-depth knowledge of particular areas of the past, familiarise you with some of the standard ways historians conceptualise the past, and develop your capacity for identifying and solving methodological problems.
The Honours degree is an advanced qualification in its own right but it will also prepare you for research towards a masters or doctoral degree. The honours programme differs from the history courses you took at undergraduate level in many respects. In particular, the papers are on more specialised topics and give you a more intensive grounding in historiography.
Who can do Honours?
Probably the most important qualifications are enthusiasm and self-organisation. Honours requires higher than average levels of motivation and time-management.
The formal requirement is that you have a BA in history with at least a B average across all your History courses. If you have any doubts about your eligibility, contact the Honours Co-ordinator.
What are the formal requirements?
The degree consists of four courses normally completed in one year full-time, but can be done part-time over as many as four years (normally two).
HIST 450 History as a Discipline and HIST 480 Research paper are compulsory.
You may substitute one course from other programmes and schools for the optional History courses, subject to approval at the time you enrol.
Please note
Attendance at, and participation in, weekly classes is compulsory for all Honours students. Excessive non-attendance or unexplained absences hamper the ability of small groups to carry out group discussions. A penalty policy will apply to all Honours courses.
Honours courses
The availability of courses varies from year to year. Students considering part-time enrolment need to be aware of this when planning their programmes. Part-time students will normally take HIST 450: History as a Discipline during the first year of their enrolment.
Are post-graduate scholarships available for Honours work?
Yes. The Joan Burns Scholarship in History pays fees for the Honours year and is awarded to the applicant with the highest grade point average. University Senior Scholarships are awarded (without application) to third-year students with the highest grade point average. The History Programme also makes available to each Honours student a sum of up to $200 to cover essential research costs associated with the programme.
The Gerald Hunt Prize is available each year, as funds permit, for the best Honours research essay in Hist480. No application is required and the current value is $500.
Enrolment
Your enrolment has to be personally approved by the History Programme's Honours Co-ordinator. If you are contemplating enrolment, you should get in touch before making a definite decision.
The degree is offered only on a calendar-year basis and classes begin the week following enrolment week. You should apply to enrol after reading the Enrolment Section of the Enrolment Handbook, and completing the application form.
Students should consult the CIS (Course Information System) on the University website home page for the most up-to-date information on course offerings.
For BA Honours enquiries, please contact the History Programme Administrator in the first instance, (Mrs Judy Robertson, room 318, level 3, History, ph (03) 364-2104 email: judy.robertson@canterbury.ac.nz). Judy will arrange contact with the Honours Co-ordinator or the Head of Programme.