Higher education at Monash

[Joseph41]

I do apologise if I have missed the thread for this.

Basically, I am wishing to study at Monash for quite some time, and I have some questions for anybody who has (or is). Firstly, the plan is to complete my Honours year next year, but I'm still not 100% how it works. If anybody could explain how the year works, that would be grouse. Specifically, I am planning on doing Honours in Linguistics (the School of Languages, Literatures, Cultures and Linguistics).

Secondly, after Honours I am very interested in doing my Master's (Masters? I've never known what is the conventional rendering, here) and, eventually, my PhD. But again, I have very little idea how either works.

And finally - the thing that actually prompted me to make this thread - I have a question for a friend. She is from France, and her question is this (paraphrasing): is it possible to undertake electives as part of a Master's degree? For example, would it be possible (specifically at Monash, but also elsewhere if relevant) to complete a Master's of International Business whilst also taking elective units in music or a language?

Thank you all.

[slothpomba]

I dont know heaps either but if its anything like science honours is a blend of classes (training in research, lectures on special topics, etc) and your own private research project that you run in conjunction with staff. Most faculties have an honours co-ordinator, i'd contact them to ask more about it.

If you intend to start honours next year (like i intend to) you should really contact them relatively soon to make sure you dont miss any deadlines or information sessions.

I dont think its possible to do electives in a masters degree in the sense of taking units from totally different faculties. Many masters degrees do allow choice (in the form of pick 5 subjects from this list of 10, etc..) but it isn't taken as far to be able to do anything you want basically.

IF you do want to study another area, a good option is either a post-graduate diploma in that area or a bachelor of letters (2 years only, study whatever you like, on the centerlink list, etc). But these are more for if you really decided you wanted to study business or philosophy at the end of your science degree rather than progressing up the chain in your original discipline.

[ShortBlackChick]

I think most Arts faculty honours programs are by Research rather than Coursework but it would depend on the field of study that it is. You can always approach the faculty and even lecturers for information.

Again with the question about Masters, I have seen some course plans where there are spaces for elective units, even from other faculty's but it really depends on the field of study. Some courses are very specialised and have little room for other units as electives, others are more flexible. Generally looking up handbook entry's for even Masters courses has a general course plan as well as detailing what is required to graduate ie. whether there's space for electives.

Re-read your post but ceebs deleting the above sentence but I just googled the course you mentioned for your friend

http://monash.edu/pubs/handbooks/courses/2098.html

(i.) a further 24 points of graduate-level electives subject to course coordinator approval and the following condition:

a maximum of 12 points may be taken from other faculties
Elective units can be identified using the browse units tool in the current edition of the handbook. The level of the unit is indicated by the first number in the unit code; graduate units are those that commence with the number 5. Students must be able to meet any unit prerequisites.

[Joseph41]

I dont know heaps either but if its anything like science honours is a blend of classes (training in research, lectures on special topics, etc) and your own private research project that you run in conjunction with staff. Most faculties have an honours co-ordinator, i'd contact them to ask more about it.

If you intend to start honours next year (like i intend to) you should really contact them relatively soon to make sure you dont miss any deadlines or information sessions.

I dont think its possible to do electives in a masters degree in the sense of taking units from totally different faculties. Many masters degrees do allow choice (in the form of pick 5 subjects from this list of 10, etc..) but it isn't taken as far to be able to do anything you want basically.

IF you do want to study another area, a good option is either a post-graduate diploma in that area or a bachelor of letters (2 years only, study whatever you like, on the centerlink list, etc). But these are more for if you really decided you wanted to study business or philosophy at the end of your science degree rather than progressing up the chain in your original discipline.

Thanks! I have spoken to the School of Languages, Literatures, Cultures and Linguistics, yeah. I was sort of forced into it by virtue of not being in the country at the time that I usually would be applying. The combination of classes and research sounds about right. Does anybody have any experience with such classes? What are they like?

And thank you - I have passed that information on. Great reply!

I think most Arts faculty honours programs are by Research rather than Coursework but it would depend on the field of study that it is. You can always approach the faculty and even lecturers for information.

Again with the question about Masters, I have seen some course plans where there are spaces for elective units, even from other faculty's but it really depends on the field of study. Some courses are very specialised and have little room for other units as electives, others are more flexible. Generally looking up handbook entry's for even Masters courses has a general course plan as well as detailing what is required to graduate ie. whether there's space for electives.

Re-read your post but ceebs deleting the above sentence but I just googled the course you mentioned for your friend

http://monash.edu/pubs/handbooks/courses/2098.html

Hi ShortBlackChick,

Thanks very much. I'll do some snooping around Handbooks to research this further.

Thank you both!