Honours degree in Management or Marketing

The Honours degree is aimed at students who are keen to pursue further study in an intensively-supported and well-structured advanced programme of independent study. Mentoring and an individualised supportive learning environment are key features of the Honours programme.

This degree has been designed to offer selected students the opportunity for advanced study in the specialist business areas of Marketing or Management offered by the School of Business and Economics. Students will also learn how to conduct business-related research at an advanced level. The Honours programme presents a structured introduction to conducting research and is useful for students who are considering further study at a higher level.

Students who complete the programme with a First Class Honours grade are eligible to apply for a PhD programme at Monash University, Australia or Malaysia. Honours graduates who wish to further their studies at Monash South Africa, are required as to first register for an MPhil and thereafter for a PhD programme.

Vision

The aim is to produce graduates who are global citizens and have excellent academic, practical and research skills that will be highly prized in both academic and industry circles, while also adding sustainable value to their own populations and communities.

Objectives

The programme aims to provide:

• an advanced level of study for students seeking in-depth knowledge;
• the opportunity to engage in advanced critical thinking and analysis;
• the opportunity to explore an academic interest in depth;
• the opportunity to add sustainable value globally and locally; and
• a pathway to academic or industry research careers.

On completion of the Honours programme students should have:

• specialist expertise in an area sought by employers;
• comprehensive and relevant business-related research skills;
• global perspectives to deliver real solutions to the communities they serve;
• the ability to contribute to meeting the key global business and society challenges in health, climate change, sustainability, innovation and social cohesion;
• the skills to be able to undertake supported independent research;
• the capacity to engage in critical, logical and independent thinking;
• enhanced their communication and interpersonal skills; and
• created a pathway for a career in research.

Entry requirements

A Bachelor degree in business or another field with Marketing or Management (including Management sub-fields such as Human Resources Management and Tourism Management) as a major discipline area from Monash University, or an equivalent university or institute, is necessary to be considered for admission.

Monash University candidates should normally have obtained a minimum average (WAM) of 65 percent over year levels two and three of the undergraduate degree in the business units of the discipline area. Applicants from universities other than Monash should normally have obtained a minimum average of 70% in the main subjects of the discipline area.

Applicants should also have successfully completed a university mathematics or statistics unit. For Monash University candidates this unit needs to be equivalent to ETW1102 Business Statistics. Applicants who do not comply with this requirement may be required to complete an additional mathematics or statistic units in addition to their degree at Monash or another institution.

Undergraduate units required

Candidates are required to have successfully completed either eight Marketing or eight Management (or sub-field) units in their undergraduate degree programme. Applicants who completed their undergraduate degree from a university other than Monash should have successfully completed all required main discipline area subjects up to year level 3.

Areas of study

Students will focus in the discipline areas of either Management or Marketing. This focus will be contained in the Directed studies units.

Structure

The course structure has three main components:

• a set of research methods units
• a set of directed studies units where students can study topics of specific interest
• a major research project and report.

Requirements

(a) Students must complete three core units (36 points):

• BEW4000 Research methods 1
• BEW4010 Research methods 2
• BEW4100 Research project and report (24 points)

(b) Students must complete a further two units (12 points):

• BEW4020 Directed studies 1
• BEW4030 Directed studies 2

Course Outline

Assessment

Assessment will be through a combination of assignments, examinations, and written reports appropriate to the selected area of study and associated activities. Students will also be expected to actively participate in seminars that are presented throughout the programme.

Degree awarded on completion

A Monash University Honours degree

Applying for the Honours degree

• Complete the Application Form (available from the Admissions Department)
• Submit a written Statement of Interest and a copy of your academic record.
  The Statement of Interest is to be no longer than one page. The first half of the statement answers the question “Why is the Honours course of interest to you”. The second half describes the topic that you would like to address in your thesis. (If you do not have a specific topic in mind, you can discuss a topic that you have studied which you particularly enjoyed.)
• Students will also be invited for an interview.
• Applications close at the end of November for studies in the following year.

Admission to the programme

The intensive and personalised nature of the course means that numbers are restricted. Selection will be based on demonstrated academic ability, the Statement of Interest, the interview, as well as the availability of suitable supervision.

Course unit information

BEW4000 - Research methodology 1

6 points, SCA Band 3, 0.125 EFTSL

First semester

Synopsis

On completion of this subject students will be able to formulate a research proposal, develop hypotheses, identify appropriate research methodologies and prepare a research thesis. Topics include: the philosophy of qualitative/interpretive and quantitative research; qualitative/interpretive and quantitative research designs; quasi-experiments and experiments in the field; interview-based research designs; ethnography/participant observation and case study research design; documentation and observation research design; context/textual data analysis; ethical issues in research; research report writing.

Assessment

Within semester assessment: 100%

BEW4010 - Research methodology 2

6 points, SCA Band 3, 0.125 EFTSL

First semester

Synopsis

This is an in-depth introduction to quantitative research methods and provides research methodology skills and knowledge necessary for students to complete an independent research project at the honours level. Topics include: survey studies/correlational field studies; forms of regression; analysis of variances; discriminant analysis; factor analysis; non-parametric statistics.

Assessment

Within semester assessment: 40%
Examination (3 hours): 60%

Prohibitions

ETW2111, ETX2111, ETX2121

BEW4020 - Directed studies 1

6 points, SCA Band 3, 0.125 EFTSL

First semester 

Synopsis

Under the guidance of an academic supervisor, this subject allows a student to independently gain in-depth discipline knowledge in a selected area of business and commerce as a foundation to the completion of an honours project. The student will complete a prescribed list of readings, undertake further independent literature studies, and complete other learning activities and assessments considered appropriate for the selected field of study.

Assessment

Assessment will be through a combination of assignments, examinations, and written reports appropriate to the selected area of study and associated activities.

BEW4030 - Directed studies 2

6 points, SCA Band 3, 0.125 EFTSL

First semester

Synopsis

Under the guidance of an academic supervisor, this subject allows a student to independently gain in-depth discipline knowledge in a selected area of business and commerce as a foundation to the completion of an honours research project. The student will complete a prescribed list of readings, undertake further independent literature studies, and complete other learning activities and assessments considered appropriate for the selected field of study.

Assessment

Assignments, examinations and written reports appropriate to the selected area of study and associated activities

BEW4100 - Research project and report

24 points, SCA Band 3, 0.500 EFTSL

Second semester

Synopsis

Students work under the guidance of a supervisor to plan, carry out, and report on an original research project that addresses a significant issues in business; this research project is likely to have substantial practical outcomes or implications; as well, it is hoped that students and supervisors will publish the work in an appropriate journal.

Assessment

Within semester assessment: 100%

Prerequisites

BEW4000