Application Information

What should I know about Honours before I enrol?

What are the pre-requisites for admission?

A three-year business course with a major in Advertising/Marketing/Public Relations/Sales.

An overall average grade of above 70.

Please note:
Students who have completed a Bachelors Degree in Marketing or equivalent from another university are also considered on a case-by-case basis in consultation with the Honours Program Manager.

We acknowledge that the honours year is not suitable for every student. It is therefore prudent for the student to get additional advice from the program manager.

What is the enrolment process?

A formal application for the honours program must be submitted to the Honours Program Coordinator in the School of Marketing before the deadline.
Your academic record will be examined - if you meet the formal requirements, you may be requested to come in for a personal interview to help us determine your suitability for the program.
At the interview potential research topics we be discussed - we have to consider if your interest matches with the research strengths of the School of Marketing. Apply as soon as possible so that an early interview can be arranged.
The first round of interviews are scheduled for the last week of November.
A formal acceptance letter will be sent out once the selection process is over. You will be given another deadline to formally accept the offer.

What does the Honours Program entail?

There is a formal component, whereby you will be graded, and an informal component, which consists of a number of enrichment and support activities.

Formal component
The formal component consists of four core units (4 x 25 credit points) and an Honours Business Dissertation (100 credit points). The first four units will be completed in the first semester through regular classes and intensive weekends. This will significantly develop your theoretical knowledge in marketing and to extend research skills. These units will build the foundation parts for the dissertation in the second semester.

Draft program schedule (Marketing honours students)

Semester 1

Business Research Methodology 400 [4796] (25 credit points)
Business Policy 414 [4795] (25 credit points)
Marketing 494 [4284] (25 credit points)
Marketing Theory 400 [10849] (25 credit points).

Semester 2

Business Dissertation (Marketing) 495 [12209] (100 credit points)

This dissertation must be completed within the second semester of the program. It is expected to be 20,000 to 30,000 words. A list of potential topics is being updated presently, and will be put up in the Honours website in due course.

Draft program schedule (Public Relations honours students)

Semester 1

Business Research Methodology 400 [4796] (25 credit points)
PR (Theory) 470 [301232] (25 credit points)
PR (Critical Issues) 460 [301231] (25 credit points)
Marketing 494 [4284] (25 credit points).

Semester 2

Business Dissertation (Marketing) 495 [12209] (100 credit points)
This dissertation must be completed within the second semester of the program. It is expected to be 20,000 to 30,000 words. A list of potential topics are being updated presently, and will be put up in the Honours website in due course.

Current topics of interest fall under the broad umbrella of:

Services Marketing
Export Marketing
Consumer Behaviour
Branding Strategies
Tourism Marketing
Advertising; and
Social Marketing.

All honours students will have to present their dissertations during the School of Marketing Festival.

Informal component

For 2009, the School of Marketing will be offering a series of enrichment activities to build a more vibrant and peer-supported learning environment. You will be given the opportunity to mingle with fellow honours and postgraduate students along with academic staff. This will dispel the myth that 'research' is a lonely process. Some of these enrichment activities include:

thesis writing appreciation courses
literature review techniques
SPSS revision/appreciation classes
advanced multivariate analysis
informal seminars and student presentations of projects and papers.

You will be provided with a timetable for these optional activities once they are confirmed.