PREREQUISITESIn summary, to be eligible for Honours in Linguistics you need: - a major in Linguistics, including LING2201 Phonetics and Phonology and LING2202 Grammatical Theory (Syntax).
- Arts general requirements: at least 72 points in the pass degree at 65% or above.
- Science general requirements: an average mark of at least 65 per cent in the level 2 and level 3 units of the Linguistics major
Make sure you read the official Arts or Science regulations. You should also look at the Arts Honours page for general information.
HONOURS COURSEThe Honours course in Linguistics consists of: - Level 2 and/or level 3 units totalling 24 points - constituting 50% of the Honours mark.
- An Honours dissertation - constituting the other 50% of the Honours mark.
- Honours Seminars (at the discretion of the Discipline Chair and subject to numbers).
The unit work will normally be level 2 and/or level 3 units offered by Linguistics. Honours students taking these courses are expected to perform at a higher standard than students in the pass degree. Click here for the listed units. If there are insufficient units available in a given year that a student has not already completed in their pass degree, it may be possible, in consultation with the Discipline Chair, to arrange a reading unit or special Honours unit (subject to student numbers and teaching commitments). A student may also meet part of their unit requirements by taking a language-related unit offered by another discipline (cognate honours). See Planning Your Major in Linguistics below.
It is possible to commence the Honours program at the mid-year.
DISSERTATIONThe student will need to negotiate a topic and supervisor. In the first instance, this should be discussed with the Discipline Chair. Staff will be happy to suggest potential topics if a student is unsure of the direction they might take.
The range of possible topics is very broad - see the attached list of previous Honours dissertation topics. Students are welcome to examine previous Honours dissertations held in Linguistics. You might also find it useful to have a look at Projects in Linguistics: A Practical Guide to Researching Language (Wray, Trott & Bloomer 1998; EDFAA Library 410.72 1998 PRO. If it's out on loan, do a recall.) This book describes various sub-areas of Linguistics and gives some example projects in each area, though it's a bit light on in the core areas of phonology, grammar and semantics. There is also a useful general discussion of various research techniques and tools.
A formal written proposal will be developed in consultation with the supervisor and will be due around the end of the sixth week of the semester. Your supervisor will give you the exact date.
The dissertation, of 10-15,000 words, is due on the last teaching day of the second semester. University and Faculty policies on Academic Misconduct and the Linguistics Guidelines for Assignment Content apply. All copies of the dissertation submitted should include the Linguistics Minor Dissertation Declaration. There will be two examiners, neither of which can be the supervisor. Students are expected to submit three copies of the dissertation (one for each examiner to work with and one to be held as the official copy in the Linguistics Office). Students are also encouraged to submit an electronic copy for archive purposes. Students are also required to give a formal presentation on their dissertation topic at the end of the second semester. This presentation forms part of the assessment of the dissertation.
HONOURS SEMINARSIn addition to the final formal presentation, students may be required to participate in Honours Seminars throughout the year. These may include discussions of research methodology, presentation and discussion of students' formal proposals, and presentations on student's research topics leading up to the final presentation. The Honours program is viewed as part of a broad education in Linguistics, and students are encouraged to develop their knowledge across the discipline, ie beyond the dissertation topic and unit content. Honours students are therefore normally expected to attend any academic seminars presented by the Linguistics discipline, and are strongly encouraged to attend any relevant symposia or conferences.
JOINT HONOURSIt is usually possible to negotiate a joint Honours program across two disciplines. The question of which of the components (the units and dissertation) is taken in which discipline is open to negotiation between the student and the discipline.
PLANNING YOUR MAJOR IN LINGUISTICSIf you are thinking about doing Honours in the future, you will need to take the availability of units into account
when you plan out
the units in your major. The
four Level 2 units will usually be run every year. For Level 3 units,
two of the five are usually offered each year on a rotating basis (and
subject to staff availability). Which two of the Level 3 units are offered in a given year will not usually be decided until the June of the preceding year. It can be possible for a student
to be unable to find sufficient units in Linguistics in their Honours
year because they have already completed one or both of the level 3
units on offer that year in their major. This can happen when a student
hasn't progressed directly through the major in consecutive years,
especially if they've taken a heavy load of Linguistics units in their
major. In such cases, it is possible for a student to take a unit in a
cognate discipline (eg a language, psychology) as part of their Honours
in Linguistics. However it is better to plan out your major to avoid
this problem if possible. If you have any queries about your major, please contact the Discipline Chair.
ASSISTANCEHonours students are always welcome to discuss their coursework and research projects with any of the academic staff in Linguistics, especially their supervisor.
A range of support services for Honours students is offered by Student Services. This includes workshops on conducting a research project. We encourage you to take advantage of these services.
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