Why do an honours course. Also postgraduate masters course. Benefits? (1 Viewer)

[stazi]

As the title states.
I've searched the forums, everyone wants to do an honours course, but I can't find anything to let me know why I'd want to do it. Also wondering same thing with postgrad courses.
For example, an honours in marketing? What would that give me

 

[flipsyde]

I wanna do a Masters.. umm cos it sounds good lol

Do you have to have honours to do masters?

 

[doe]

this has been discussed before, please poke around some older threads (search) i wil try dig up the url later

basically you finish your degree and cant get a job so you go back and do an honours year in the hope it will improve your chances

some people do them cause they want to do a phd.

postgraduate courses are usually done for career development (ie mba) or to further your personal knowldege in a more specialized field.

 

[doe]

Do you have to have honours to do masters?

not usually. you just need a bachelors. some require an honours degree but they are not particualy common. be wary of doing a masters straight after a bachelors unless its part of a typical course (ie i think at mq psychology and chiropractorocity or whatever it is have a masters built in to the course). otherwise youre "overqualified" with zero experience and it will hinder your ability to find employment. unless the masters is in a different field, not what you did at an undergraduate level.

 

[flipsyde]

I shud be ok.. cos Im gonan do Masters of Secondary Education right after I get my BA and both the BA and MSE require me to do work experience.. so it shudnt be a problem.

 

[doe]

yeah that sortof stuff is fine. it is almost what the masters programs are designed for, so people can choose a field to speicalize in. for instance i am doing a postgraduate diploma in applied finance and my undergrad degree is in computing. it would have been sheer folly for me to get a masters in it/computing though.

 

[stazi]

Hmm as far as I know marketing doesnt have a practical aspect.
So you would recommend doing a 4th year marketing honours degree, then finding employment in the business. Then finally completing a masters course in a marketing related venture.
Furthermore, how many years are masters degress, and can they also be hecs based?

Finally, what is a phd I've heard the term been used often. And the webster dictionary gives me doctor of philosophy?
So its a strictly philosophy based venture?

 

[stazi]

Ohh and another question:
how do you become a uni lecturer

 

[stazi]

Shite, forgot another question:
Can you only do one subject as an honours student? How many hours a week would it involve?
Do you just need above 50 to pass the honours year, or are there other things.

 

[llamalope]

Hmm as far as I know marketing doesnt have a practical aspect.
So you would recommend doing a 4th year marketing honours degree, then finding employment in the business. Then finally completing a masters course in a marketing related venture.
Furthermore, how many years are masters degress, and can they also be hecs based?

Finally, what is a phd I've heard the term been used often. And the webster dictionary gives me doctor of philosophy?
So its a strictly philosophy based venture?

A ph.D is a doctor of philosophy. Basically you have to do a reasearch thesis in an area of original thought. You must do primary research in the field, rather than using secondary data. Then you have to write a massive thesis and have it proof read and bound...its a lot of work

 

[stazi]

A ph.D is a doctor of philosophy. Basically you have to do a reasearch thesis in an area of original thought. You must do primary research in the field, rather than using secondary data. Then you have to write a massive thesis and have it proof read and bound...its a lot of work

It does sound like a lot of work.
So, if im not mistaken:
1) Complete the bachelor degree
2) Complete either honours or masters degree
3) Get accepted into PH.D. course?
How many years is this course Would it really have any benefits rather then having a Dr. to your name, in the marketing profession

 

[stazi]

Damn it, I just found out I can't do honours in marketing That sucks.
So does that mean, the only logical step is:
BEc and social sciences ----> work for a year or two ----> Masters in marketing ----> back to work (or phd for marketing which sounds like a bitch)

 

[stazi]

Yep on the website it says you cant do it, as its not listed as a heading but the handbook says you can
looks like ill do that (in 3 years )

 

[Generator]

doe/1Time4ThePpl: http://boredofstudies.org/community/showthread.php?t=53905&highlight=Honours
http://boredofstudies.org/community/showthread.php?t=55083&highlight=Honours

 

[Super Pig]

Apparently ppl with Master by coursework degrees have the highest starting salary ($60k) compared to PhD and Master by research degree holders ($5xk). Ppl with an honours degree also earns more than their pass degree counterparts (several k more on average).

The importance of an honours year varies depending on the discipline. It's crucial in most sciences. A science honours year usually involves 8 advanced courses in the subject area plus a thesis. The workload is much more intense than the first 3 years. But you learn a whole lot more. You may also do a joint honours year in 2 closely related subject areas. 1st class honours ppl can jump straight into PhDs.

 

[Jeevers]

honours

Hi,

An honours degree is something you want to do not just for the sake of doing it. Usually one year of your'e time is spent doing what you are interested in, especially in something specialized such as appled finance. The Honours degree is vital if you are competing for high entry-level jobs, depending on your'e field. If you feel you have gained stronger skill sets from the extra honours degree, then that will ultimately help you get a job. That is more important than whatever is written in your CV.

As for marketing I feel, practical work experience is better than an honours degree, let alone a marketing degree....Anyway, that's my opinion. :uhhuh:



B Mathematics and Finance, UTS (3rd year)

 

[srp123au]

Ive been told that in doing honours/phd:
1. It gives you a better chance of gaining employment, because every student as a minimum who gets into uni does undergraduate studies...
2. In some courses doing undergraduate only allows you to qualify for the minumum job. The example I've been told is environmental management degree.. if you do undegraduate parks and wildlife only allow you to do level 1.. and if you do honours level 2..etc and so on..
3.You would better yourself in knowlegde of your area.. and knowledge is power.. and would get u more places.

 

[loquasagacious]

Basically honours PhDs and Masters all make you look shit-hot to a potential employer hence improving your chances.

From what I can tell it is not necassery to complete a masters and then a PhD. Or Honours and then a Masters.

My plan is to trasnfer to Arts/Economics (which in itself should be 1 a good course and 2 make me extra employable.... also I'm a cheapskate and I get two degrees for the price of one and a third degrees).

I might do honours in International Realtions/Politics before I finnish.

Later on I plan to do either a masters or PhD (preferably PhD, because it is a higher qualification and I can use the title Dr) in international relations.

 

[chookyn]

yeah i may do an honours year in viscomm at newcastle uni, or maybe a postgrad cert/dip in multimedia... that's the back-up plan if i haven't found a job in the graphic design industry by the start of 2007...

most people who do an honours year do it because it fills in time and improves their qualifications, so job prospects are better for the next year.

masters is generally only good to do after you've finished your undergrad studies and been in the workforce for at least a few years so you have some decent experience first.

i plan to study masters in fine art and design, or art, design and environment at UTAS, Hobart. (about 3-5yrs after i finish my BA or honours) Not solely for the professional benefits, mainly for the sake of further developing my art style and travelling around tassie.

 

[doe]

phds are for research. you need a degree with a research component to be accepted (ie honours or masters by research, a masters by coursework is usually not enough).

i know a few people who are doing comp sci phds purely becuase they cant find employment. heres a hint, if one degree doesnt help you get a job, more degrees arent likely to help either. the university has its own agenda for pushing honours (more research output = good for funding and reputation) talk to people in your target industry as well about what is worthwhile.