Honours

Honours/Higher Degree by Research Preliminary/Graduate Diploma in Arts (Advanced)

WHY TAKE HONOURS?

The fourth year Honours program provides an opportunity to study political science and international relations in both greater depth and greater scope than is possible in earlier undergraduate years. It is a demanding but varied and, we hope, enjoyable course of study.

The program is designed to develop an enhanced knowledge base in the discipline of political science and international relations, together with analytic and research skills appropriate to the advanced study of politics. For students who wish to have the option of postgraduate study, an honours degree (or its equivalent) is essential.

While Honours in Political Science and International Relations is academically rather than vocationally oriented, many students have found this degree to be useful in their subsequent careers. Employers are increasingly aware that an honours degree signifies a higher level of attainment than an ordinary three year degree. For those of our recent graduates who have gone to work for commonwealth and state public services, parliament or members of parliament, non-government organizations, public relations agencies and media organizations, the degree has proven of direct vocational use.

WHAT DOES THE PROGRAM CONSIST OF?

Political Science and International Relations offers its Honours program as a self-contained fourth-year of full-time study (or its part-time equivalent) consisting of:

Two semester length seminars: 12 points each (25% each)
A dissertation of 12,000 words: 24 points (50%)

Students can commence Honours at the beginning of either Semester 1 or Semester 2. An appropriate program of study can also be devised, in discussion with the Honours Coordinator, for students combining Political Science and International Relations Honours with honours study in other disciplines. The program can include joint honours (comprising approximately 24 points each in Political Science and International Relations and in another discipline) or cognate studies (e.g. 36 points in Political Science and International Relations and 12 points in another discipline). Students enrolled in honours in another discipline can also enrol in cognate studies in Political Science and International Relations.

The Seminars

The two Honours seminars are designed to survey major fields of study and key debates and issues within Political Science and International Relations. The objective is to develop a more complete grasp of the discipline than is normally acquired in a pass degree.

The seminar groups will meet once per week each semester for a period of around 2 hours. Detailed guides to seminar content and assessment will be available at the information session held in the first week of the relevant semester.

Political Behaviour, Political Institutions and Political Theory (Semester 1)
Associate Professor David Denemark, Associate Professor Bruce Stone, Dr Jeannette Taylor, Dr David van Mill

This seminar contains modules on three major fields of political science. The political behaviour module examines the implications of changing party politics on elections and voting. In an era of weakening party loyalties, voters increasingly use non-party based cues to decide their vote -- especially evaluations of leaders and issues. The parties, in turn, have embraced a variety of new campaign techniques to win their votes and secure victory, all of which weaken party politics. The political institutions module surveys, in a comparative context, debates about the design and operation of liberal democratic systems of government and their component institutions (executives, legislatures, electoral systems and political parties). The political theory module deals with normative political throught -- that is, the nature of the good society, how we should treat other human beings, and how states should interact. It focuses on key issues such as free speech, just war theory, punishment and genetic engineering.

International Politics (Semester 2)
Dr Jie Chen, Dr Roderic Pitty, Associate Professor Samina Yasmeen

The end of the Cold War and the consequent partial restructuring of the international system has seen the emergence of new issues and new actors in international politics. This seminar examines a range of contemporary issues and contrasts different approaches to sovereignty and securtiy in world politics. Particular issues examined may include terrorism, Islamic militancy, world population and refugees, international migration and citizenship, nuclear proliferation, gender equality, human trafficking, transnational social movements, democratisation, economic globalisation, the natural environment, human rights, the International Criminal Court and international peacekeeping. The aim of the seminar is to examine the implications of the new agenda of international politics for the stability of the international system and for the study of international relations.

Returning Staff Member

In 2008, Professor Alex Coram will return from a four year overseas secondment. Based on discussions with Professor Coram, the above seminars will be modified slightly to allow input from him in the fields of formal political theory and international political economy.

Dissertation

The 12,000 word dissertation may be on any topic which the student chooses, subject to the approval of the Discipline. Selection of a topic normally occurs in the first few weeks of the program, with the assistance of staff. Students have a supervisor to advise on the design of the research and provide ongoing support. The following topics are among the wide range chosen in recent years: Just War Theory and the 2003 War in Iraq; The Consequences of Italian Electoral System Change; Civil Society in the Arab Gulf; The Euthanasia Debate; Australia and the 2002 Korean Nuclear Crisis; The Political Participation of Muslim Immigrants; Howard, the Media and the 2001 Federal Election; Agenda Setting and Prostitution Reform in WA; Intergovernmental Relations, WA and the GST; Environmental Policy Integration in the European Union; Libya and the Idea of a Rogue State; Australia's Defence Policy Since 9/11; The Role of the WA Legislative Council; Toleration in John Rawls' Political Thought; Zimbabwe and the Justification for International Intervention; Whistleblowers in WA Government.

Dissertation Research Seminars

A series of additional seminars is provided to support the dissertation component of the program.

ELIGIBILITY

Students may apply to enrol in a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) at the completion of Level 2/3 or within seven years of completing their BA pass degree. Note that it is Faculty policy that students must have completed all the requirements for the BA pass degree before they can be admitted to honours. Where more than seven years have elapsed following the completion of a pass degree, students may apply for a Higher Degree by Research Preliminary (HDR Prelim) or a Graduate Diploma in Arts (Advanced).

To be eligible for Honours students are required to (i) complete a major sequence in Political Science and International Relations, (ii) achieve 65 percent or above in units comprising half the pass degree (usually 72 points), (iii) achieve 70 percent or above, on average, in Political Science and International Relations units comprising 36 points at Level 2/3. Students who fall slightly short of these requirements may discuss their results with the Honours Coordinator to see if a special case can be made.

Higher Degree Research Preliminary: Those who wish to apply for a higher degree by research (e.g. MA) but do not have the necessary preparation and are not eligible for honours may apply for admission to the HDR Preliminary. Applicants will generally be expected to have a degree which includes the equivalent of a major sequence in Political Science and International Relations and grades the same as those required for entry to honours. The HDR Prelim comprises an honours level program which can be varied depending on a student's academic background and the preparation necessary for entry to a higher degree by research. This is not a stand-alone qualification. Those wishing to take an honours-equivalent program that constitutes a stand-alone qualification should apply for the Graduate Diploma in Arts (Advanced). For more information and an application form see: http://www.faculty.arts.uwa.edu.au/enrolled_students/policies/hdr_prelim

Graduate Diploma in Arts (Advanced): The normal requirements for entry to the Graduate Diploma in Arts (Advanced) are a Bachelor Arts or equivalent with at least half of the credit points at 65 percent and above, including 70 percent or above, on average, in Political Science and International Relations units comprising 36 points at Level 2/3 and a major in Political Science and International Relations. Students enrol in an honours equivalent program. Note that this is a fee-paying course for local and international students. For more information and an application form see: http://www.arts.uwa.edu.au/for/prospective/postgrad/courses/graddipartsadv

Honours Applicants from other Institutions: Students from other institutions who wish to apply for honours at UWA are no longer required to apply through the Tertiary Institutions Service Centre (TISC) and can apply directly to UWA. Further information and an Honours Application Form (External Students) is available from: http://admissions.uwa.edu.au/undergrad/honours

HOW TO APPLY

Students wishing to apply should complete an Honours Application form, available from the Student Administration website: http://www.studentadmin.uwa.edu.au/welcome/forms

Prior to applying for admission to Honours, students should contact the Political Science and International Relations office to confirm their eligibility and finalise their program. You should also consult the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Science's Honours policy: http://www.faculty.arts.uwa.edu.au/enrolled_students/policies/honours

Due to the popularity of the Honours Program in Political Science and International Relations, it has become necessary to place a ceiling on the number of students who can be admitted. Most students who meet the entry requirements will gain a place in the program but entry is not guaranteed. Eligible applicants will be ranked in accordance with the following criterion:

* Highest average across their best Political Science and International Relations units
comprising 36 points at Level 2/3.

Places will then be offered until the quota (20 students for those commencing in Semester 1 each year) is filled. A further five places will be available for mid-year applicants.

Students should also be aware that staff in Political Science and International Relations are concerned to ensure, in the interests of students as well as staff, that no staff member is excessively burdened with supervision. It is yet to be determined whether a formal upper limit will be placed on the number of honours students a staff member may supervise, but alternative supervisory arrangements will be investigated if the load of any staff member becomes unreasonably large.

The deadline for submitting your application to Political Science and International Relations for mid-year entry is FRIDAY, 6 JUNE 2008.

Applications will be sent to the Faculty of Arts for conditional offers. Once the results for semester 1 are finalised, and applications ranked, students will be notified via email whether their application has or has not been supported by Political Science and International Relations.

If you would like further information, or to make an appointment with the Honours Coordinator (Associate Professor Bruce Stone), please contact the Administrative Officer in Political Science and International Relations on 6488 2086 or email Political.Science@uwa.edu.au