What is the benefit of an honours degree?
Asked by: Tavares Farrell | Last update: January 8, 2026Score: 4.9/5 (65 votes)
Successfully completing an honours degree will not only prepare you for higher-degree study at master's and PhD level, but will demonstrate to prospective employers a higher capacity for independent learning and research, along with enhanced problem-solving, critical thinking and communication skills.
How useful is an honours degree?
Because honours degrees show a higher level of achievement than ordinary bachelor's degrees, you will be demonstrating to employers that you've been awarded a more academically demanding qualification, showing you have a higher level of commitment and determination when it comes to your learning and future.
What is the point of an honors degree?
Generally, honors programs are designed for exceptionally motivated and high-achieving students who want a more in-depth and robust learning experience than you would find in regular classes.
How valuable is an honours degree?
If your desired profession values specialised knowledge and advanced research skills, an honours degree might give you an edge. Fields like academia, research, and certain high-level industry roles often prefer honours graduates.
Is graduating with honours important?
Graduating with honors can also be a valuable addition to a student's academic record in terms of recognition from colleagues and professionals in their field. So much so that a potential employer may look at two applicants with the same degree and prefer the applicant who graduated with honors.
Why do people do an Honours degree?
Do jobs care if you graduated with honors?
Graduating with magna cum laude honors can help a student get a job in certain fields or gain admission to a top graduate school. It is particularly useful for job candidates in finance, management consulting, and engineering. Magna cum laude and similar honors are most helpful in landing a first or second job.
Is a degree without honours worth it?
The main difference between an honours degree and a non-honours bachelor's degree is the academic level - honours degrees have a higher academic standard. Because the level of study required for an honours degree is higher overall, students will develop a deeper understanding of their subjects.
What does an honours degree get you?
Completing honours shows you have achieved high academic standards and gives you a Bachelor (Honours) qualification. An honours degree can open the door for further research study, equipping you with the prerequisite research skills to undertake a research degree such as the PhD.
Is honors a big deal?
However, outside of academia, it's not as big of a deal as some may think, according to a recent study. Graduation honors on a transcript or resume reflect the performance of a motivated student, but that's the extent of their staying power, some observers say.
What GPA is considered honours?
Calculating Honours Standing
Letter grades will be converted to a grade point scale (A=4, B=3, C+=2.5, C=2, C-=1), and if the overall grade point average (GPA) is greater than "B" (>3.0) the student will be granted Honours Standing.
What is an honours degree equivalent to?
An honours degree is a postgraduate qualification that follows on from a standard bachelor's degree. The term “honours” signifies a higher level of academic achievement and often involves an independent research project, which can potentially lead to a master's degree.
Do colleges care if you are in honors?
Many state colleges like to see applicants with honors classes, as it shows commitment and determination.
Is honours better than masters?
An Honours degree prepares you for further studies and equips you with essential skills. On the other hand, a Masters degree provides advanced knowledge and opens doors to higher-level positions in specialised fields.
Is honours harder than bachelor?
The key difference between bachelors and honours is specialisation. A bachelor's degree offers general education across subjects, while an honours degree focuses on in-depth learning, often including research or a dissertation, making it more academically rigorous.
Why is honours important?
Successfully completing an honours degree will not only prepare you for higher-degree study at master's and PhD level, but will demonstrate to prospective employers a higher capacity for independent learning and research, along with enhanced problem-solving, critical thinking and communication skills.
Do you have to do a dissertation to get an honours degree?
Most courses require students to do a dissertation or research project in the final stage. Students on both single and joint honours degrees may do two dissertations either as a core requirement of the course or through selecting option modules which are assessed by submission of a dissertation.
Do employers care if you graduate with honors?
For future employers, seeing a student graduating with honors can verify that the student has the competence to do the work they are assigned to do. For graduate or doctoral programs, a student graduating with honors signifies that they not only have mastered their subject but have mastered the art of being a student.
Are honors students gifted?
Gifted students engage in deeper, more complex problem-solving and are frequently presented with opportunities to explore subjects with greater autonomy and depth. On the other hand, honors programs cater to students who demonstrate a high level of achievement in traditional academic subjects.
What are the pros and cons of Honors College?
Since these classes are only open to honors students, you will be with the same peers each semester. In addition, since the classes are smaller, you'll get more of your professor's attention. CON: Depending on your major, honors courses will count as electives or enrichment courses outside of your major curriculum.
Is it worth doing an honours degree?
Put simply, an honours degree gets you more job-ready than a bachelor's program alone. Graduating with honours demonstrates to the global workforce that you have successfully completed a self-directed, academic project.
What GPA to get into honours?
If you have demonstrated academic excellence (GPA of 5.00 or above) during your Bachelor Degree you are encouraged to undertake an Honours year – a 1 year specialisation related to your undergraduate studies. See admission requirements.
Does graduating with honours matter?
Graduating as an honour student can be beneficial to your career growth because most employers believe you are a professional who has the ability to strive for excellence at the highest levels.
Why should I do an honours degree?
An honours degree or program is an additional year of study that equips high-performing, ambitious students with additional skills after completing their bachelor's degree. During this year, you'll gain the advanced knowledge and analytical skills that will make you stand out to employers.
What does graduating with honours mean?
There is such a thing as 'graduating with honours', but that just refers to being an exemplary student and finishing your studies with a very high GPA. Such students are awarded honorific titles like: cum laude (with praise) magna cum laude (with great praise) summa cum laude (with the highest praise)
What is the value of honours degree?
Obtaining an Honours Degree can significantly increase a candidate's chances of securing employment in their desired field. This is because an Honours Degree equips the student with specialized knowledge and skills, making them stand out to potential employers.