can you get an honours degree without doing a dissertation

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Ten things I wish I'd known before starting my dissertation

The sun is shining but many students won't see the daylight. Because it's that time of year again – dissertation time.

Luckily for me, my D-Day (dissertation hand-in day) has already been and gone. But I remember it well.

The 10,000-word spiral-bound paper squatted on my desk in various forms of completion was my Allied forces; the history department in-tray was my Normandy. And when Eisenhower talked about a "great crusade toward which we have striven these many months", he was bang on.

I remember first encountering the Undergraduate Dissertation Handbook, feeling my heart sink at how long the massive file took to download, and began to think about possible (but in hindsight, wildly over-ambitious) topics. Here's what I've learned since, and wish I'd known back then…

1 ) If your dissertation supervisor isn't right, change. Mine was brilliant. If you don't feel like they're giving you the right advice, request to swap to someone else – providing it's early on and your reason is valid, your department shouldn't have a problem with it. In my experience, it doesn't matter too much whether they're an expert on your topic. What counts is whether they're approachable, reliable, reassuring, give detailed feedback and don't mind the odd panicked email. They are your lifeline and your best chance of success.

2 ) If you mention working on your dissertation to family, friends or near-strangers, they will ask you what it's about, and they will be expecting a more impressive answer than you can give. So prepare for looks of confusion and disappointment. People anticipate grandeur in history dissertation topics – war, genocide, the formation of modern society. They don't think much of researching an obscure piece of 1970s disability legislation. But they're not the ones marking it.

3 ) If they ask follow-up questions, they're probably just being polite.

4 ) Do not ask friends how much work they've done. You'll end up paranoid – or they will. Either way, you don't have time for it.

5 ) There will be one day during the process when you will freak out, doubt your entire thesis and decide to start again from scratch. You might even come up with a new question and start working on it, depending on how long the breakdown lasts. You will at some point run out of steam and collapse in an exhausted, tear-stained heap. But unless there are serious flaws in your work (unlikely) and your supervisor recommends starting again (highly unlikely), don't do it. It's just panic, it'll pass.

6 ) A lot of the work you do will not make it into your dissertation. The first few days in archives, I felt like everything I was unearthing was a gem, and when I sat down to write, it seemed as if it was all gold. But a brutal editing down to the word count has left much of that early material at the wayside.

7 ) You will print like you have never printed before. If you're using a university or library printer, it will start to affect your weekly budget in a big way. If you're printing from your room, "paper jam" will come to be the most dreaded two words in the English language.

8 ) Your dissertation will interfere with whatever else you have going on – a social life, sporting commitments, societies, other essay demands. Don't even try and give up biscuits for Lent, they'll basically become their own food group when you're too busy to cook and desperate for sugar.

9 ) Your time is not your own. Even if you're super-organised, plan your time down to the last hour and don't have a single moment of deadline panic, you'll still find that thoughts of your dissertation will creep up on you when you least expect it. You'll fall asleep thinking about it, dream about it and wake up thinking about. You'll feel guilty when you're not working on it, and mired in self-doubt when you are.

10 ) Finishing it will be one of the best things you've ever done. It's worth the hard work to know you've completed what's likely to be your biggest, most important, single piece of work. Be proud of it.

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Understanding honours

Honours is an additional qualification where you can build on your undergraduate studies by completing a self-directed research project and disciplinary or research-focused coursework. This may be integrated into your undergraduate degree or require an additional year of study.

Overview and types of honours

• Eligibility and preparing for honours
• Honours awards and classes

You can undertake honours either as part of the combined Bachelor of Advanced Studies, or through an appended honours course after your undergraduate degree. Some professional or specialist degrees also have embedded or integrated honours.

Honours provides an opportunity to work on an independent but supervised research project and is usually completed as one year full-time study (some disciplines offer part-time options).

Under the guidance of an academic supervisor, you will choose a thesis topic, create a reading list and identify your method of research.

Academics in your faculty or school will provide supervision as you write your thesis. This thesis will document your research from proposal through to conclusion.

Why study honours?

Completing honours shows you have achieved high academic standards and gives you an honours-level award.

An honours pathway can open the door for further research study, equipping you with the prerequisite research skills to undertake a research degree such as the PhD.

Alternatively, if you decide to only complete an honours pathway without pursuing further research, you will graduate with a robust set of transferrable skills including:

• time management and research skills
• project management and delivery
• showing future employers that you can investigate independently and achieve more complex goals.

What’s involved

Generally, honours will consist of three components:

• an independent research project, mentored by your academic supervisor
• additional units in research design/technical training
• some honours and coursework units.

You will usually complete a dissertation or thesis and attend regular meetings with your supervisor to discuss your research.

Once you complete the requirements for your honours, you will graduate with an honours level award.

You can contact the faculty or school honours coordinator from the area of interest you are considering, for more information about honours. We also hold honours information sessions (usually in September) where you can discuss your options.

Types of honours

The type of honours you undertake depends on your individual study circumstances.

Honours in the combined Bachelor of Advanced Studies

If you are completing a combined Bachelor of Advanced Studies and are eligible, you can elect to complete embedded honours in either of your two majors in the final year of your studies. Be aware that some streams do not allow you to undertake honours in your second major or as an embedded component in the combined degree. Check our applying for honours pages  and your handbook for more information about options available to you. 

If you are completing an eligible degree and commenced your studies in 2018 or later (or transferred to the new curriculum version of your degree in 2018) and are on track to complete two majors by the end of your degree, you can apply to transfer to a combined Bachelor of Advanced Studies up until your penultimate semester of study. This adds an additional year to your single bachelor’s degree in which you will complete your honours, and means you will graduate with two bachelor’s degrees.

Transferring to the combined Bachelor of Advanced Studies

If you are a Commonwealth supported student (who commenced your degree prior to 2021) and you are considering transferring to a combined Bachelor of Advanced Studies degree, you’ll need to apply for a new course enrolment. This means you will be charged the new Jobs-ready Graduates Package fee rates for units you need to complete in your new degree. You won’t be re-charged the new fee rates for any units you already completed under the old rates.

Please carefully check information on our Tuition fees page and consider the implications of transferring courses before you take any action.

For more information regarding the Jobs-ready Graduates Package and fee changes, please visit www.studyassist.gov.au

Appended honours

Appended honours is an additional course that you complete after you have finished your undergraduate degree. Generally, appended honours is available to both current University of Sydney students and external applicants. You’ll find information and eligibility criteria for most appended honours degrees in Find a course .

As a current student, often you'll need to apply through Find a course in the same way that external applicants apply, but may also need to submit an additional application form to your school or discipline. When searching for these on Sydney Courses (Find a course) these degrees will look like the Bachelor of Arts (Honours).

Embedded honours

Some bachelor’s degrees have honours embedded within them. You will complete your honours study in the final semesters of your current undergraduate degree by completing specific units. Honours will not increase the overall time taken to complete your studies.

Generally, you will apply for embedded honours directly to your faculty or school.

Integrated honours

There may be some specialist and professional degrees where you complete honours integrated within the duration of your degree. You won’t have to apply separately to do honours and won’t need to complete specific honours units. An example is the Bachelor of Engineering.

Double and joint honours

In some situations it is possible to complete either double honours or joint honours.

Double honours means you complete two separate honours theses in different subject areas. This normally takes an additional year, extending your studies to two years full time.

Joint honours is when you complete an honours thesis in two subject areas closely related to each other. A special program of study is designed that allows you to complete the course concurrently in one year.

To apply for double or joint honours, you need to meet the eligibility requirements for both honours.

Contact the honours coordinator in your faculty or school to discuss your options.

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Honours vs Bachelor's Degree: Which is better?

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May I have the honour?

If you recently completed high school, you've probably been at the receiving end of several unsolicited questions and opinions. Maybe you've managed to shrug off most of them and avoid the sudden, unwanted stress of thinking about what the future has in store for you. However, you've undoubtedly been confused about some terms thrown at you. If "honours degree" or "Hons." was one of them and your curiosity led you here, then you're at the right place. So what does an honours degree mean? We're here to clear up any confusion you might have about what an honours degree is and what it means for your career. Honours vs. Bachelors degree: which degree is better? Read further so that you can confidently take your next step up the education ladder. 

What is an Honours Degree?

Before we discuss what an honours degree entails, you should be aware that depending on the nation you are studying in, it may signify different things. However, it does have a universally applicable core definition. A Bachelor's degree with honours is one that is intended to be of a higher calibre than a regular Bachelor's degree. The curriculum for these degrees calls for greater achievement while still in the undergraduate stage. It introduces knowledge in a particular setting that encourages choosing the course of research and professional endeavour.

While several nations, like the US, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, and Scotland, offer honours degrees as a distinct year of study, the UK and Canada offer them as inclusive degrees, meaning they last the same amount of time as a conventional Bachelor's degree. Deep learning standards and subject-specific specialisation were created to set the honours degree apart from the Bachelor's. The honours degree quickly spread to other countries, including India. It was first used by many famous colleges and institutions, who then began to provide their courses to their pupils. One of them, Central Universities, nevertheless provides its students with a variety of well-liked honours courses.

What are the Types of Honours Degrees?

The nicest part about earning an honours degree is that you can do so in various ways depending on your goals and preferred study methods. Here are some of the types of honours degrees you can opt for:

1. Single Honours Degree

After completing your undergraduate studies, you may choose to pursue a stand-alone honours degree, which is regarded as an additional course. You can take a course that combines three disciplines into one honours degree, such as Politics, Philosophy, and Economics, to specialise in one of your undergraduate subjects. In contrast to integrated or embedded honours, where you finish your honours requirements throughout the course of your study, this variety differs by needing an additional year of study.

2. Joint/Combined Honours Degree

If you choose to pursue a joint or combined honours degree, you can study various disciplines at the undergraduate level independently. This is for all the top students who can't be content to specialise in just one subject and desire the chance to have two or even three subject specialisations as part of their conventional undergraduate degree. You select different study modules for each subject, and each one is offered by a different department or school within the University. This is how it works. Therefore, unless you aim high and select three disciplines, each would account for a third of your total mark.

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3. A Degree with an Honours Project

One of the simplest options for earning an honours degree is this one. It would be a typical three-year degree that includes a project or dissertation in the last year of study. Additionally, it would have a credit value of 360 as compared to a conventional Bachelor's degree's credit value of 300 and the absence of the dissertation.

What is a Bachelor's Degree?

In the UK, universities give students something called a Bachelor's degree. This degree covers a wider range of subjects and usually takes less time than an honours degree, which focuses on one specific area and takes longer to complete, like three or four years.

People who want to learn about many different things or don't want to specialise choose a Bachelor's degree. It can also be important for certain jobs or be a starting point for more learning or career growth. Another thing to note is that a Bachelor's degree can still be valuable. Some professions may require you to have a Bachelor's degree as a basic qualification. It can also serve as a solid foundation for further education or professional development. In other words, it's a stepping stone that can open doors to more advanced studies or career opportunities.

Types of Bachelor's Degrees

There are plenty of types of Bachelor's degrees as it is one of the most opted degrees by students. Here are some of the most famous Bachelor's degrees students go for:

1. Bachelor of Arts (BA) 

A Bachelor's degree BA degree includes a wide variety of courses in the humanities, social sciences, and occasionally even natural sciences. Without spending much time on one subject, it offers a well-rounded education.

2. Bachelor of Science (BSc)

Just like a Bachelor's degree, a BSc degree provides a general education in a variety of scientific fields like physics, chemistry, biology, zoology, geology, etc. 

3. Bachelor of Law (LLB)

A Bachelor's degree in LLB is a general law degree that introduces students to the foundations of legal studies. It might not provide a level of legal specialisation as deep as an honours degree. 

4. Bachelors of Education (BEd)

Bachelor's degrees in the Bachelor of Education (BEd) are primarily intended for people who want to work in education. Although it might not go as thoroughly into certain topic areas, it gives a foundation in education theory and instructional practices. 

Honours Degree Vs. Bachelor's Degree- The Key Differences

Though these degree types seem almost similar, they differ in many ways. Here is an explanation of what differentiates them from each other: 

1. First off, it goes without saying that Bachelor's degrees are significantly simpler to pursue . 

2. A higher, more specialised level of research is required throughout an honours degree , and it differs from a Bachelor's degree in how new knowledge is generated each year. 

3. Whether you finish it after your undergraduate studies or incorporate it inside, it would also involve passing more exams and prerequisites than a Bachelor's degree.

4. A Bachelor's degree requires you to study each subject separately , whereas an honours degree allows you to specialise in one or two disciplines , giving you access to a particular, integrated curriculum. 

5. Additionally, an honours degree would be your passport to earning a doctorate or a master's by research .

The value of an honours degree versus a Bachelor's degree depends on the context and the specific program of study. In general, Honors degrees may indicate that a student has taken additional coursework, completed a thesis or other research project, or maintained a high GPA, and could be seen as more rigorous or challenging than a Bachelor's degree. This could make them more desirable to certain employers or graduate programs. It may also open some career opportunities or open more options to pursue higher education. However, it's also important to note that the value of an honours degree varies depending on the field of study, and it's not always necessary to pursue an honours degree to achieve success in a particular career. It also depends on the educational institution; some universities have highly esteemed Honors programs, while others might not carry as much weight.

What is the Grading System for an Honours Degree?

The grading system for an Honours Degree is typically based on a student's performance throughout their studies. It involves assigning grades to indicate how well a student has done. In many universities, the grading scale ranges from A (the highest) to F (a failing grade). Here's a breakdown:

A: Excellent B: Very Good C: Good D: Satisfactory E: Pass, but not great F: Fail

Students are usually required to maintain a certain grade point average (GPA) to earn an Honours Degree. This means they must consistently achieve good to excellent grades in their courses. Sometimes, Honours Degrees may have additional requirements like completing a thesis or capstone project. If you’d like to learn more about the grading systems of different countries such as US, UK and Australia, find our respective guides here:

• US Grading System
• UK Grading System Guide
• Australia Grading System

Which one to Choose: Honours or Bachelor's Degree? 

Choosing between an Honours Degree and a Bachelor's Degree depends on your goals and interests:

1. Choose an Honours Degree if you want to specialise deeply in one field, are passionate about research, and are ready for more challenging coursework. It's great for those aiming for advanced careers or further education.

2. Choose a Bachelor's Degree if you prefer a broader education, want to explore various subjects, or are unsure of your career path. It's a good foundation for many jobs and can be a stepping stone to more specialised degrees later.

Honours are for in-depth expertise, while Bachelor's offers a well-rounded education. Think about your passions and where you see yourself in the future to make the best choice.

Top Universities for an Honours Degree

Some top universities are known for offering Honours Degrees:

1. Harvard University:

Harvard University is famous for its rigorous academic programs and research opportunities. Read our blog to find out more about Harvard University acceptance rate .

2. Oxford University:

Oxford University is renowned for its long history of academic excellence and specialised Honours programs. Read our blog to know about Oxford University Application requirements, deadlines and FAQs .

3. Stanford University: 

Stanford University is known for its cutting-edge research and strong Honours options. Read about Standord University acceptance rate .

4. Cambridge University:

Cambridge University offers a wide range of Honours courses and has a strong academic reputation. Read our detailed guide on Cambridge University .

5. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT):

Massachusetts Institute of Technology is known for its focus on science and technology Honours programs. Find out in detail about the offerings from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

6. University of California, Berkeley:

The University of California, Berkeley offers diverse Honours options and is a hub for innovation.

7. University of Sydney:

The University of Sydney is a  top choice for Honours programs in Australia.

8. University of Toronto:

The University of Toronto is known for its academic excellence and Honours opportunities. Here is complete guide to University of Toronto .

Top Universities for a Bachelor's Degree

Some top universities are known for offering Bachelor’s Degrees:

1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT): 

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is known for its focus on science and technology Bachelor's programs.

2. Cambridge University: 

Cambridge University offers a wide range of Bachelor's courses and has a strong academic reputation.

3. Harvard University: 

Harvard University is famous for its rigorous academic programs and research opportunities.

4. Stanford University: 

Stanford University is widely known for its cutting-edge research and strong Bachelor's options.

5. Oxford University: 

Oxford University is renowned for its long history of academic excellence and specialised Bachelor's programs.

To sum up, both honours and Bachelor's degrees have their own set of benefits and drawbacks. Honours degrees offer more specialised and advanced coursework, which can make graduates more attractive to employers in their field of study. However, Bachelor's degrees are often more flexible and can allow students to explore different areas of interest before committing to a specific career path. Ultimately, deciding between an honour and a Bachelor's degree will depend on the individual student's career goals, academic interests, and personal preferences. It is important to weigh each option's pros and cons and seek advice from academic advisors, professors, and industry professionals before making a decision. There are various entrance exams score which are considered for admission one of which is Ielts , ielts is crucial exam for study and work.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between an honours degree and a bachelor's degree, what is a bachelor's degree, can you graduate without honours, does a degree with honours hold a higher value, do masters degrees have honours.

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This version of the McGill Department of English, Undergraduate Studies site is deprecated but has been preserved for archival reasons. The information on this site is not up to date and should not be consulted. Students, faculty, and staff should consult the new site using the link below.

Honours Program: Frequently Asked Questions

1) why do honours english what are the major advantages of an honours degree.

Many students with a strong engagement in their English program may find that the 36-credit Major simply isn't enough—just scratching the surface of what could be explored. A 54-credit Honours program allows students to graduate both with a broad, extensive background in most areas of the field and also with a strong, in-depth concentration on a specialized area of interest. In their later years, Honours students also take more small, upper-level seminars, thus developing more personal relationships with a range of professors in the department and with their student cohort, as well as a more advanced knowledge of English studies. In the final year of the Honours program, each student undertakes a 6-credit Honours Essay, working closely with one supervising professor over two semesters to complete this substantial, specialized research project. For many Honours students, the Honours Essay is a key attraction. The chance to conceive of an ambitious research project on a special topic of personal interest, design a reading list and research plan for approaching this topic, and then write up the essay in one-on-one consultation with a supervisor can be a highlight of the undergraduate career.

2) Why would some students reasonably choose not to do Honours?

An Honours program is intended to give the student advanced knowledge in one field or discipline. Students who are more interested in breadth than in specialization might decide to spread their studies over several departments (with a Major and two Minors, for example); students strongly interested in two distinct disciplines might choose a Double Major; and students who want to do fully interdisciplinary work bringing together study in two fields may design a Joint Honours program.

3) Is an Honours degree a prerequisite for admission to graduate school?

No, these days an Honours degree is no longer a specific requirement for most graduate programs. But, even if it is not technically required, an Honours program does still offer by far the best preparation for graduate study, and can be a great advantage for those applying to graduate schools. The Honours degree itself is a strong indicator that the student has earned admission to, and completed the requirements of, an advanced, highly selective program of study and research. An Honours English program gives students both broad coverage in their field and a coherent, in-depth training in their area of specialization. A range of smaller seminars in later years also gives Honours students an impressive amount of advanced training—and contact with several professors who have followed the students' work closely and so can support them with strong, detailed letters of reference. Successful completion of the research and writing for the yearlong, 40-to-50-page Honours Essay is an accomplishment valued by graduate schools in many fields, as well as by future employers outside of academia.

4) When do students apply to the Honours program?

Generally at the end of U1 (the first year in an English Major program)—after the student has completed at least 18 credits (6 courses) in English. But many students also apply at the end of U2. Those who apply at the end of U2 should have carefully planned their course selections in U1 and U2, choosing courses with an eye on the Honours requirements, in consultation with an Honours advisor, even before they have actually submitted their applications to the program.

5) If I do decide to apply to the Honours program later in my McGill career, will I be allowed to stay for an extra term or year at McGill, or to take credits beyond the 120-credit limit?

This is not a decision of the Department of English, but of the office of the Associate Dean of Students. Generally, though,  the Associate Dean of Students will give a student permission to register for additional terms, and additional course credits, if it can be shown that these specific courses and credits are necessary for completion of the requirements of the student's Honours, major, or minor program.

6) Can I consult with an Honours Advisor before I am admitted to the Honours program?

Yes, students are strongly encouraged to meet with an Honours advisor as soon as they begin considering the option of applying to Honours. It is a good idea to consult with an Honours Advisor even before you apply to the program—to define a "field of inquiry," design a coherent study plan, choose courses, help select a potential Honours Essay supervisor, and so on. This is especially encouraged for students who plan to apply only at the end of U2; things will go much more smoothly if such students have consulted an Honours Advisor about course selection, etc., long before actually applying for admission to the Honours program.

7) Is it possible to combine a semester or year of Study Abroad with an Honours program?

Yes, but this will also require especially careful planning of course selections, both at McGill and at the foreign school.

8) Do I need to have already defined a precise topic for my Honours Essay at the time of applying to Honours?

No. At the time of application (at end of U1 or U2), all that is required is a brief , 250-word statement outlining a general "field of inquiry" or area of concentration—usually defined by an era, a methodology, and/or a set of analytic questions. It can be further defined in relation to a list of authors, texts, or possible case studies. The professor selected as sponsor/supervisor at the time of application should have a special expertise in that "field of inquiry," and can help the student refine the definition of the area of concentration before the application is submitted. A precise subject and argument for the actual Honours Essay does not have to be defined until the beginning of U3, the year in which the Honours Essay is written. The Honours Essay proposal is due in late October of U3. (Students can look over samples of "model" proposals from previous years that are kept on file in Arts 155 .)

9) What if my interests change after I have been admitted to Honours, and I decide I would like to shift the focus of my advanced course work and my Honours Essay to a different "field of inquiry"?

This is not unusual. The student would not be required to re-apply to the Honours Committee, but would simply need to find a new supervisor who agrees to work with the student on the newly-defined Honours Essay. In such cases, the professor who serves as "sponsor" of the application for admission to the program will be different from the essay supervisor (who consults with the student on the project and on related course choices in both terms of U3).

10) Is it possible to do a "creative" Honours Essay—in any of the department's three streams? How would such a project work?

In rare cases, students are allowed to plan a "creative" thesis—usually involving the writing of a collection of poems or short stories; the making of a film; or the writing/production of a play. In such cases, the student should of course have had a great deal of previous experience in such creative work, evidenced through course work, independent study projects, or a strong portfolio of prior creative projects. The student would also have to find a professor who would approve the project and agree to supervise it. All creative projects must also include an analytical component—an accompanying research essay exploring issues related to the creative work done for the project.

11) If I meet the minimum CGPA and English Program GPA requirements, am I guaranteed admission into the Honours Program?

No. Meeting the grade requirements is a strong start, but the Honours Committee makes admissions decisions on the basis of the complete application package—including the writing sample, the statement defining a "field of inquiry," and so on.

12) When should I begin preparing my application to the Honours program?

Although completed applications are not due until the end of exam period in each winter term, students are encouraged to begin to prepare for the application process by at least January because the application process requires a good deal of prior thought, planning, legwork, and consultation with a potential faculty sponsor/supervisor. The application process is, in fact, quite simple. But getting the support and signature of the faculty sponsor/supervisor, and agreeing on the definition of the "field of inquiry," can take some time.

13) After I have submitted my application to the Honours program, when can I expect to hear about the Honours Committee's decision?

Normally the Honours Committee meets to make admissions decisions in late May, and students will be contacted about the decision in early June.

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Do All Degrees Have a Dissertation?

In General , University by Think Student Editor February 5, 2023 Leave a Comment

When thinking about university and the work you have to do, dissertations can often come to mind. As they’re an extended piece of writing, they can often feel long, hard, and simply too much of a hassle. Due to this, it’s entirely naturally to wonder if you must do one at all. That’s exactly what you’ll find out in this article.

In short, at undergraduate level, not all degrees will require you to have a dissertation. Whether you have to do a dissertation or not will generally depend on what you study and what university you study at.

However, at master’s degree level, you will need to do a dissertation to gain the full master’s degree. It may be possible for you to start the master’s degree and then to switch to a postgraduate certificate or diploma, which would not require you to do a dissertation.

Continue reading to learn more about dissertations and when you may need to do one. This article will tell you all you need to know about whether you have to do a dissertation and what the point of one is at all.

Table of Contents

Does everyone at university have to do a dissertation?

While university is often associated with traditional degrees, there are many other options for what you can study at university. These will generally be forms of higher education, meaning that they will be qualifications done after completing sixth form or college at level 4 or above. For more on higher education, check out this Think Student article .

The options of what you can study at a university can range from higher national certificates (HNCs) to foundation degrees and many more. For more on these, check out this UCAS guide .

Due to the wide range of qualifications that you can get at university, the answer is no, not everyone at university will have to do a dissertation . This is primarily due to how these higher education qualifications have different structures to the traditional bachelor’s or master’s degrees and so will often not require a dissertation.

For example, a HNC is equivalent to the first year of a bachelor’s degree. As a dissertation would generally be done in the final year of the degree, a dissertation couldn’t fit into its structure at all. For more on HNC qualifications, check out this article by University Compare.

Can you get a degree without doing a dissertation?

University can be hard to navigate, and it can be even harder trying to get your head around all of the terms and trying to figure out what a degree actually involves. Dissertations are a notorious part of the degree process, and you may wonder if they’re also an essential part.

In the UK, most degrees will require you to do a dissertation. However, this doesn’t apply to all degrees and will likely depend on where you go and what you study . To learn more about this, check out this article by Unite Students.

This means that it is entirely possible for you to get a degree without doing a dissertation as long as it’s not a compulsory part of your course. If the dissertation is something you feel strongly about not doing, then it can be worth fully looking at whether the courses you are interested in will make it compulsory in the modules section of course information pages.

For more insight into which subjects at undergraduate degree level are likely to require you to do a dissertation as well as if dissertations are compulsory at master’s degree level, check out the following headings.

Which degrees require a dissertation?

As mentioned above, in the UK, the majority of degrees will require you to do a dissertation. Otherwise, a dissertation or some other kind of research project may be an optional module that you can choose whether or not to take in your third year.

To find out more specific information about whether or not a specific course will require you to do a dissertation, it is best to look at the course information provided on the university’s website.

However, as a rule of thumb, it’s safe to assume that subjects that are based in both researching and writing will likely require you to do a dissertation . For example, history degrees are very likely to require you to do one.

Especially as at some universities they are considered a key part of the degree due to enabling you to put the skills you have developed into practice. For more on this, check out this page on the University of Southampton’s website.

Whereas more practical subjects, such as engineering, may instead get you to do a research or design project instead of a dissertation. In the same way, doing this kind of project instead will enable students to best apply the skills that they have learnt and developed during the course of their degree.

Do all master’s degrees require a dissertation?

During a master’s degree, students will typically learn about their subject area in greater depth to the extent that they pretty much become a “master” of it by the end of the degree. At level 7 (or level 11 in Scotland), master’s degrees are the second highest level of qualification you can get in the UK. To learn more about master’s degrees, check out this Think Student article .

Due to this, it’s no wonder that a range of high-level academic skills are involved and that you will have increased independence in your studies. As both of these are also traits that dissertations give you, you may be wondering if the master’s dissertation is essential.

The answer is yes, it is. In the UK, a master’s degree will require you to do a dissertation in order to complete your full master’s qualification.

However, if you start a master’s degree and are unable to do the dissertation, some universities will allow you to switch to a shorter postgraduate course, where you won’t have to do the dissertation. This may be a postgraduate certificate (PG Cert) or a postgraduate diploma (PG Dip).

To learn more about all of this, check out this guide by the University of York.

What is the point of a university dissertation?

In the UK, a dissertation is a massive research project and extended piece of writing that students undertake typically at the end of their degree, whether it is an undergraduate or master’s. To learn more about dissertations, check out this article by Think Student.

A dissertation allows a student to study the specific area of their subject that they are most interested in. This enables them to get more in-depth knowledge and to specialise in this element of their subject area. This can be especially great if you want to break into a specific career, related to this subject or if you want to study further.

Also, as a dissertation is done independently, it allows students to develop a wide range of skills from problem solving to time management to organisation. This means that a dissertation can enable students to come out of their studies not only with the degree and specialist knowledge in their subject area but also transferable skills that can improve their career prospects. To learn more about how doing a dissertation can improve your employability, check out this article by LSE.

While a dissertation can leave you will some valuable, transferable skills that can greatly enhance your career prospects and make it easier for you to integrate into a working environment, the dissertation alone may not be enough to secure you the graduate job you’re looking for. However, you can look at this Think Student article , which will give you some useful tips on how to find the right job for you after you graduate.

Honors Theses

What this handout is about.

Writing a senior honors thesis, or any major research essay, can seem daunting at first. A thesis requires a reflective, multi-stage writing process. This handout will walk you through those stages. It is targeted at students in the humanities and social sciences, since their theses tend to involve more writing than projects in the hard sciences. Yet all thesis writers may find the organizational strategies helpful.

Introduction

What is an honors thesis.

That depends quite a bit on your field of study. However, all honors theses have at least two things in common:

• They are based on students’ original research.
• They take the form of a written manuscript, which presents the findings of that research. In the humanities, theses average 50-75 pages in length and consist of two or more chapters. In the social sciences, the manuscript may be shorter, depending on whether the project involves more quantitative than qualitative research. In the hard sciences, the manuscript may be shorter still, often taking the form of a sophisticated laboratory report.

Who can write an honors thesis?

In general, students who are at the end of their junior year, have an overall 3.2 GPA, and meet their departmental requirements can write a senior thesis. For information about your eligibility, contact:

• UNC Honors Program
• Your departmental administrators of undergraduate studies/honors

Why write an honors thesis?

Satisfy your intellectual curiosity This is the most compelling reason to write a thesis. Whether it’s the short stories of Flannery O’Connor or the challenges of urban poverty, you’ve studied topics in college that really piqued your interest. Now’s your chance to follow your passions, explore further, and contribute some original ideas and research in your field.

Develop transferable skills Whether you choose to stay in your field of study or not, the process of developing and crafting a feasible research project will hone skills that will serve you well in almost any future job. After all, most jobs require some form of problem solving and oral and written communication. Writing an honors thesis requires that you:

• ask smart questions
• acquire the investigative instincts needed to find answers
• navigate libraries, laboratories, archives, databases, and other research venues
• develop the flexibility to redirect your research if your initial plan flops
• master the art of time management
• hone your argumentation skills
• organize a lengthy piece of writing
• polish your oral communication skills by presenting and defending your project to faculty and peers

Work closely with faculty mentors At large research universities like Carolina, you’ve likely taken classes where you barely got to know your instructor. Writing a thesis offers the opportunity to work one-on-one with a with faculty adviser. Such mentors can enrich your intellectual development and later serve as invaluable references for graduate school and employment.

Open windows into future professions An honors thesis will give you a taste of what it’s like to do research in your field. Even if you’re a sociology major, you may not really know what it’s like to be a sociologist. Writing a sociology thesis would open a window into that world. It also might help you decide whether to pursue that field in graduate school or in your future career.

How do you write an honors thesis?

Get an idea of what’s expected.

It’s a good idea to review some of the honors theses other students have submitted to get a sense of what an honors thesis might look like and what kinds of things might be appropriate topics. Look for examples from the previous year in the Carolina Digital Repository. You may also be able to find past theses collected in your major department or at the North Carolina Collection in Wilson Library. Pay special attention to theses written by students who share your major.

Choose a topic

Ideally, you should start thinking about topics early in your junior year, so you can begin your research and writing quickly during your senior year. (Many departments require that you submit a proposal for an honors thesis project during the spring of your junior year.)

How should you choose a topic?

• Read widely in the fields that interest you. Make a habit of browsing professional journals to survey the “hot” areas of research and to familiarize yourself with your field’s stylistic conventions. (You’ll find the most recent issues of the major professional journals in the periodicals reading room on the first floor of Davis Library).
• Set up appointments to talk with faculty in your field. This is a good idea, since you’ll eventually need to select an advisor and a second reader. Faculty also can help you start narrowing down potential topics.
• Look at honors theses from the past. The North Carolina Collection in Wilson Library holds UNC honors theses. To get a sense of the typical scope of a thesis, take a look at a sampling from your field.

What makes a good topic?

• It’s fascinating. Above all, choose something that grips your imagination. If you don’t, the chances are good that you’ll struggle to finish.
• It’s doable. Even if a topic interests you, it won’t work out unless you have access to the materials you need to research it. Also be sure that your topic is narrow enough. Let’s take an example: Say you’re interested in the efforts to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment in the 1970s and early 1980s. That’s a big topic that probably can’t be adequately covered in a single thesis. You need to find a case study within that larger topic. For example, maybe you’re particularly interested in the states that did not ratify the ERA. Of those states, perhaps you’ll select North Carolina, since you’ll have ready access to local research materials. And maybe you want to focus primarily on the ERA’s opponents. Beyond that, maybe you’re particularly interested in female opponents of the ERA. Now you’ve got a much more manageable topic: Women in North Carolina Who Opposed the ERA in the 1970s and 1980s.
• It contains a question. There’s a big difference between having a topic and having a guiding research question. Taking the above topic, perhaps your main question is: Why did some women in North Carolina oppose the ERA? You will, of course, generate other questions: Who were the most outspoken opponents? White women? Middle-class women? How did they oppose the ERA? Public protests? Legislative petitions? etc. etc. Yet it’s good to start with a guiding question that will focus your research.

Goal-setting and time management

The senior year is an exceptionally busy time for college students. In addition to the usual load of courses and jobs, seniors have the daunting task of applying for jobs and/or graduate school. These demands are angst producing and time consuming If that scenario sounds familiar, don’t panic! Do start strategizing about how to make a time for your thesis. You may need to take a lighter course load or eliminate extracurricular activities. Even if the thesis is the only thing on your plate, you still need to make a systematic schedule for yourself. Most departments require that you take a class that guides you through the honors project, so deadlines likely will be set for you. Still, you should set your own goals for meeting those deadlines. Here are a few suggestions for goal setting and time management:

Start early. Keep in mind that many departments will require that you turn in your thesis sometime in early April, so don’t count on having the entire spring semester to finish your work. Ideally, you’ll start the research process the semester or summer before your senior year so that the writing process can begin early in the fall. Some goal-setting will be done for you if you are taking a required class that guides you through the honors project. But any substantive research project requires a clear timetable.

Set clear goals in making a timetable. Find out the final deadline for turning in your project to your department. Working backwards from that deadline, figure out how much time you can allow for the various stages of production.

Here is a sample timetable. Use it, however, with two caveats in mind:

• The timetable for your thesis might look very different depending on your departmental requirements.
• You may not wish to proceed through these stages in a linear fashion. You may want to revise chapter one before you write chapter two. Or you might want to write your introduction last, not first. This sample is designed simply to help you start thinking about how to customize your own schedule.

Sample timetable

Avoid falling into the trap of procrastination. Once you’ve set goals for yourself, stick to them! For some tips on how to do this, see our handout on procrastination .

Consistent production

It’s a good idea to try to squeeze in a bit of thesis work every day—even if it’s just fifteen minutes of journaling or brainstorming about your topic. Or maybe you’ll spend that fifteen minutes taking notes on a book. The important thing is to accomplish a bit of active production (i.e., putting words on paper) for your thesis every day. That way, you develop good writing habits that will help you keep your project moving forward.

Make yourself accountable to someone other than yourself

Since most of you will be taking a required thesis seminar, you will have deadlines. Yet you might want to form a writing group or enlist a peer reader, some person or people who can help you stick to your goals. Moreover, if your advisor encourages you to work mostly independently, don’t be afraid to ask them to set up periodic meetings at which you’ll turn in installments of your project.

Brainstorming and freewriting

One of the biggest challenges of a lengthy writing project is keeping the creative juices flowing. Here’s where freewriting can help. Try keeping a small notebook handy where you jot down stray ideas that pop into your head. Or schedule time to freewrite. You may find that such exercises “free” you up to articulate your argument and generate new ideas. Here are some questions to stimulate freewriting.

Questions for basic brainstorming at the beginning of your project:

• What do I already know about this topic?
• Why do I care about this topic?
• Why is this topic important to people other than myself
• What more do I want to learn about this topic?
• What is the main question that I am trying to answer?
• Where can I look for additional information?
• Who is my audience and how can I reach them?
• How will my work inform my larger field of study?
• What’s the main goal of my research project?

Questions for reflection throughout your project:

• What’s my main argument? How has it changed since I began the project?
• What’s the most important evidence that I have in support of my “big point”?
• What questions do my sources not answer?
• How does my case study inform or challenge my field writ large?
• Does my project reinforce or contradict noted scholars in my field? How?
• What is the most surprising finding of my research?
• What is the most frustrating part of this project?
• What is the most rewarding part of this project?
• What will be my work’s most important contribution?

Research and note-taking

In conducting research, you will need to find both primary sources (“firsthand” sources that come directly from the period/events/people you are studying) and secondary sources (“secondhand” sources that are filtered through the interpretations of experts in your field.) The nature of your research will vary tremendously, depending on what field you’re in. For some general suggestions on finding sources, consult the UNC Libraries tutorials . Whatever the exact nature of the research you’re conducting, you’ll be taking lots of notes and should reflect critically on how you do that. Too often it’s assumed that the research phase of a project involves very little substantive writing (i.e., writing that involves thinking). We sit down with our research materials and plunder them for basic facts and useful quotations. That mechanical type of information-recording is important. But a more thoughtful type of writing and analytical thinking is also essential at this stage. Some general guidelines for note-taking:

First of all, develop a research system. There are lots of ways to take and organize your notes. Whether you choose to use note cards, computer databases, or notebooks, follow two cardinal rules:

• Make careful distinctions between direct quotations and your paraphrasing! This is critical if you want to be sure to avoid accidentally plagiarizing someone else’s work. For more on this, see our handout on plagiarism .
• Record full citations for each source. Don’t get lazy here! It will be far more difficult to find the proper citation later than to write it down now.

Keeping those rules in mind, here’s a template for the types of information that your note cards/legal pad sheets/computer files should include for each of your sources:

Abbreviated subject heading: Include two or three words to remind you of what this sources is about (this shorthand categorization is essential for the later sorting of your sources).

Complete bibliographic citation:

• author, title, publisher, copyright date, and page numbers for published works
• box and folder numbers and document descriptions for archival sources
• complete web page title, author, address, and date accessed for online sources

Notes on facts, quotations, and arguments: Depending on the type of source you’re using, the content of your notes will vary. If, for example, you’re using US Census data, then you’ll mainly be writing down statistics and numbers. If you’re looking at someone else’s diary, you might jot down a number of quotations that illustrate the subject’s feelings and perspectives. If you’re looking at a secondary source, you’ll want to make note not just of factual information provided by the author but also of their key arguments.

Your interpretation of the source: This is the most important part of note-taking. Don’t just record facts. Go ahead and take a stab at interpreting them. As historians Jacques Barzun and Henry F. Graff insist, “A note is a thought.” So what do these thoughts entail? Ask yourself questions about the context and significance of each source.

Interpreting the context of a source:

• Who wrote/created the source?
• When, and under what circumstances, was it written/created?
• Why was it written/created? What was the agenda behind the source?
• How was it written/created?
• If using a secondary source: How does it speak to other scholarship in the field?

Interpreting the significance of a source:

• How does this source answer (or complicate) my guiding research questions?
• Does it pose new questions for my project? What are they?
• Does it challenge my fundamental argument? If so, how?
• Given the source’s context, how reliable is it?

You don’t need to answer all of these questions for each source, but you should set a goal of engaging in at least one or two sentences of thoughtful, interpretative writing for each source. If you do so, you’ll make much easier the next task that awaits you: drafting.

The dread of drafting

Why do we often dread drafting? We dread drafting because it requires synthesis, one of the more difficult forms of thinking and interpretation. If you’ve been free-writing and taking thoughtful notes during the research phase of your project, then the drafting should be far less painful. Here are some tips on how to get started:

Sort your “evidence” or research into analytical categories:

• Some people file note cards into categories.
• The technologically-oriented among us take notes using computer database programs that have built-in sorting mechanisms.
• Others cut and paste evidence into detailed outlines on their computer.
• Still others stack books, notes, and photocopies into topically-arranged piles.There is not a single right way, but this step—in some form or fashion—is essential!

If you’ve been forcing yourself to put subject headings on your notes as you go along, you’ll have generated a number of important analytical categories. Now, you need to refine those categories and sort your evidence. Everyone has a different “sorting style.”

Formulate working arguments for your entire thesis and individual chapters. Once you’ve sorted your evidence, you need to spend some time thinking about your project’s “big picture.” You need to be able to answer two questions in specific terms:

• What is the overall argument of my thesis?
• What are the sub-arguments of each chapter and how do they relate to my main argument?

Keep in mind that “working arguments” may change after you start writing. But a senior thesis is big and potentially unwieldy. If you leave this business of argument to chance, you may end up with a tangle of ideas. See our handout on arguments and handout on thesis statements for some general advice on formulating arguments.

Divide your thesis into manageable chunks. The surest road to frustration at this stage is getting obsessed with the big picture. What? Didn’t we just say that you needed to focus on the big picture? Yes, by all means, yes. You do need to focus on the big picture in order to get a conceptual handle on your project, but you also need to break your thesis down into manageable chunks of writing. For example, take a small stack of note cards and flesh them out on paper. Or write through one point on a chapter outline. Those small bits of prose will add up quickly.

Just start! Even if it’s not at the beginning. Are you having trouble writing those first few pages of your chapter? Sometimes the introduction is the toughest place to start. You should have a rough idea of your overall argument before you begin writing one of the main chapters, but you might find it easier to start writing in the middle of a chapter of somewhere other than word one. Grab hold where you evidence is strongest and your ideas are clearest.

Keep up the momentum! Assuming the first draft won’t be your last draft, try to get your thoughts on paper without spending too much time fussing over minor stylistic concerns. At the drafting stage, it’s all about getting those ideas on paper. Once that task is done, you can turn your attention to revising.

Peter Elbow, in Writing With Power, suggests that writing is difficult because it requires two conflicting tasks: creating and criticizing. While these two tasks are intimately intertwined, the drafting stage focuses on creating, while revising requires criticizing. If you leave your revising to the last minute, then you’ve left out a crucial stage of the writing process. See our handout for some general tips on revising . The challenges of revising an honors thesis may include:

Juggling feedback from multiple readers

A senior thesis may mark the first time that you have had to juggle feedback from a wide range of readers:

• your adviser
• a second (and sometimes third) faculty reader
• the professor and students in your honors thesis seminar

You may feel overwhelmed by the prospect of incorporating all this advice. Keep in mind that some advice is better than others. You will probably want to take most seriously the advice of your adviser since they carry the most weight in giving your project a stamp of approval. But sometimes your adviser may give you more advice than you can digest. If so, don’t be afraid to approach them—in a polite and cooperative spirit, of course—and ask for some help in prioritizing that advice. See our handout for some tips on getting and receiving feedback .

Refining your argument

It’s especially easy in writing a lengthy work to lose sight of your main ideas. So spend some time after you’ve drafted to go back and clarify your overall argument and the individual chapter arguments and make sure they match the evidence you present.

Organizing and reorganizing

Again, in writing a 50-75 page thesis, things can get jumbled. You may find it particularly helpful to make a “reverse outline” of each of your chapters. That will help you to see the big sections in your work and move things around so there’s a logical flow of ideas. See our handout on  organization  for more organizational suggestions and tips on making a reverse outline

Plugging in holes in your evidence

It’s unlikely that you anticipated everything you needed to look up before you drafted your thesis. Save some time at the revising stage to plug in the holes in your research. Make sure that you have both primary and secondary evidence to support and contextualize your main ideas.

Saving time for the small stuff

Even though your argument, evidence, and organization are most important, leave plenty of time to polish your prose. At this point, you’ve spent a very long time on your thesis. Don’t let minor blemishes (misspellings and incorrect grammar) distract your readers!

Formatting and final touches

You’re almost done! You’ve researched, drafted, and revised your thesis; now you need to take care of those pesky little formatting matters. An honors thesis should replicate—on a smaller scale—the appearance of a dissertation or master’s thesis. So, you need to include the “trappings” of a formal piece of academic work. For specific questions on formatting matters, check with your department to see if it has a style guide that you should use. For general formatting guidelines, consult the Graduate School’s Guide to Dissertations and Theses . Keeping in mind the caveat that you should always check with your department first about its stylistic guidelines, here’s a brief overview of the final “finishing touches” that you’ll need to put on your honors thesis:

• Honors Thesis
• Name of Department
• University of North Carolina
• These parts of the thesis will vary in format depending on whether your discipline uses MLA, APA, CBE, or Chicago (also known in its shortened version as Turabian) style. Whichever style you’re using, stick to the rules and be consistent. It might be helpful to buy an appropriate style guide. Or consult the UNC LibrariesYear Citations/footnotes and works cited/reference pages  citation tutorial
• In addition, in the bottom left corner, you need to leave space for your adviser and faculty readers to sign their names. For example:

Approved by: _____________________

Adviser: Prof. Jane Doe

• This is not a required component of an honors thesis. However, if you want to thank particular librarians, archivists, interviewees, and advisers, here’s the place to do it. You should include an acknowledgments page if you received a grant from the university or an outside agency that supported your research. It’s a good idea to acknowledge folks who helped you with a major project, but do not feel the need to go overboard with copious and flowery expressions of gratitude. You can—and should—always write additional thank-you notes to people who gave you assistance.
• Formatted much like the table of contents.
• You’ll need to save this until the end, because it needs to reflect your final pagination. Once you’ve made all changes to the body of the thesis, then type up your table of contents with the titles of each section aligned on the left and the page numbers on which those sections begin flush right.
• Each page of your thesis needs a number, although not all page numbers are displayed. All pages that precede the first page of the main text (i.e., your introduction or chapter one) are numbered with small roman numerals (i, ii, iii, iv, v, etc.). All pages thereafter use Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, etc.).
• Your text should be double spaced (except, in some cases, long excerpts of quoted material), in a 12 point font and a standard font style (e.g., Times New Roman). An honors thesis isn’t the place to experiment with funky fonts—they won’t enhance your work, they’ll only distract your readers.
• In general, leave a one-inch inch margin on all sides. However, for the copy of your thesis that will be bound by the library, you need to leave a 1.25-inch margin on the left.

How do I defend my honors thesis?

Graciously, enthusiastically, and confidently. The term defense is scary and misleading—it conjures up images of a military exercise or an athletic maneuver. An academic defense ideally shouldn’t be a combative scene but a congenial conversation about the work’s merits and weaknesses. That said, the defense probably won’t be like the average conversation that you have with your friends. You’ll be the center of attention. And you may get some challenging questions. Thus, it’s a good idea to spend some time preparing yourself. First of all, you’ll want to prepare 5-10 minutes of opening comments. Here’s a good time to preempt some criticisms by frankly acknowledging what you think your work’s greatest strengths and weaknesses are. Then you may be asked some typical questions:

• What is the main argument of your thesis?
• How does it fit in with the work of Ms. Famous Scholar?
• Have you read the work of Mr. Important Author?

NOTE: Don’t get too flustered if you haven’t! Most scholars have their favorite authors and books and may bring one or more of them up, even if the person or book is only tangentially related to the topic at hand. Should you get this question, answer honestly and simply jot down the title or the author’s name for future reference. No one expects you to have read everything that’s out there.

• Why did you choose this particular case study to explore your topic?
• If you were to expand this project in graduate school, how would you do so?

Should you get some biting criticism of your work, try not to get defensive. Yes, this is a defense, but you’ll probably only fan the flames if you lose your cool. Keep in mind that all academic work has flaws or weaknesses, and you can be sure that your professors have received criticisms of their own work. It’s part of the academic enterprise. Accept criticism graciously and learn from it. If you receive criticism that is unfair, stand up for yourself confidently, but in a good spirit. Above all, try to have fun! A defense is a rare opportunity to have eminent scholars in your field focus on YOU and your ideas and work. And the defense marks the end of a long and arduous journey. You have every right to be proud of your accomplishments!

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Atchity, Kenneth. 1986. A Writer’s Time: A Guide to the Creative Process from Vision Through Revision . New York: W.W. Norton.

Barzun, Jacques, and Henry F. Graff. 2012. The Modern Researcher , 6th ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.

Elbow, Peter. 1998. Writing With Power: Techniques for Mastering the Writing Process . New York: Oxford University Press.

Graff, Gerald, and Cathy Birkenstein. 2014. “They Say/I Say”: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing , 3rd ed. New York: W.W. Norton and Company.

Lamott, Anne. 1994. Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life . New York: Pantheon.

Lasch, Christopher. 2002. Plain Style: A Guide to Written English. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press.

Turabian, Kate. 2018. A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, Dissertations , 9th ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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