Admission to Candidature

1. Admission to candidature shall be determined by the Head of School on the recommendation of the Course Coordinator.
2. Except as provided in Rule 3, a candidate for admission to the honours course shall:
(a) hold an AQF Level 7 Bachelor of Arts or the Bachelor of Media and Communications from the University of New England; and
(b) have attained a minimum grade point average of 5.0 (Credit); and
(c) have achieved 18 credit points at Distinction level or better in 300-level units in their chosen area of study; and
(d) have passed units to the value of at least 48 credit points in the subject in which the candidate wishes to proceed; and
(e) have fulfilled any additional requirements prescribed and published by the School or area concerned.
3. With the approval of the Head of School on the recommendation of the course coordinator, a person who has fulfilled the requirements of an equivalent AQF Level 7 Bachelor qualification of a university or other institution and who meets requirements considered by the School to be equivalent to those specified in Rule 2. (b), (c), (d) and (e), may be admitted to the honours course leading to the degree of Bachelor of Media and Communications with Honours.

Advanced Standing

Candidates are referred to the University Policy on Advanced Standing.

Advanced standing shall not be awarded for the dissertation component.

Period of Candidature

The period of candidature shall be:
(a) one year as a full-time candidate;
(b) up to two years as a part-time candidate.

Course Requirements

1. To qualify for the award a candidate must pass units to the value of 48 credit points comprising:
(i) an advanced course work component to the value of 24 credit points in the relevant subject; and
(ii) a dissertation component to the value of 24 credit points in the relevant subject.

2. Each Bachelor of Media and Communications (Honours) candidate will be required to consult with their supervisor(s). The nature and extent of such consultation will be determined by the supervisor(s) and Head of School after consultation with the candidate prior to commencement of each year of candidature and may require face-to-face consultation.

3. A candidate may not enrol concurrently for other units at this University or at another institution, except that, upon the recommendation of the Head of School, the course coordinator may grant permission to do so.

Program of Study

Candidates shall complete an approved program of study as outlined in the Course Schedule comprising:

To view complete Program of Study click here

Classes of Honours

There shall be three classes of honours, namely Class I, Class II, and Class III. Class II shall have two divisions. The final class of honours will be determined on the basis of marks awarded for both dissertation and coursework.
An exceptionally distinguished candidate who has been awarded First Class Honours may be awarded a University Medal.

Calculation of Honours Result

The ratio of assessment components will equal the ratio of marks within the final grade. The calculation of results for each discipline can be found in the School's Honours Handbook.

Suspensions and Extensions of Candidature

The School may grant an extension or suspension of candidature, or a combination of both, to full-time candidates for up to six months or to part-time candidates for up to 12 months as follows:
(a) by way of extension of candidature, to compensate a candidate for time lost by ill-health or unforeseeable and avoidable difficulties; or
(b) by way of suspension of candidature, to compensate a candidate who produces evidence that they shall not be in a position to pursue work towards the Bachelor of Media and Communications with Honours.

Re-enrolment

1. A candidate may be granted a deferral by the School concerned to re-enrol in a subsequent year if they withdraw from candidature by the census date of the teaching period in which they commenced. This is subject to the School being able to provide appropriate supervision.

2. A part-time candidate who withdraws later than the census date in the second year of enrolment but prior to two months before the submission of the dissertation as required by the Head of School may re-enrol in the same subject for the degree, provided that:
(a) two years will have elapsed before such re-enrolment;
(b) the topic of study undertaken within the dissertation is different from that of the original enrolment; and
(c) subject to the School being able to provide appropriate supervision.

3. A candidate who withdraws later than two months prior to the date on which the dissertation is required shall be deemed to have failed.

4. A candidate who is deemed to have failed may, after a lapse of three years, be permitted to apply for re-admission to the course, provided the proposed work is in a different topic of study within the dissertation from that of the original enrolment and subject to the School being able to provide appropriate supervision.

Submission of Dissertation

Submission of the dissertation will be 39 weeks from the commencement of the trimester in which a candidate is enrolled.

Examination of Dissertation

1. The dissertation will be assessed by at least two examiners neither of whom will be the candidate's supervisor.
2. The dissertation examination processes are described in the School's Honours Handbook.

Appeals

Candidates are referred to the Academic Assessment Appeals Policy and the Academic Assessment Appeals Procedures.

Course Progression

Candidates are referred to the Course Progression Rule and the Course Progression Procedures.

Improper Conduct

Candidates are referred to the Student Coursework Academic Misconduct Rule and the Student Coursework Academic Misconduct Procedures.