LLB students
Graduating with Honours - LLB students
For LLB students who commenced in 2015 or after:
If you are a student who commenced in 2015 or after, and you wish to undertake 76040 Research Thesis, you must have completed the subject 76090 Research Methodology as well as 71116 Remedies. 76040 Research Thesis and 76090 Research Methodology are taken as Law electives within your degree. An additional year of study is NOT required to study these subjects as they form part of the credit points required for the completion of your course with Honours. If you intend to undertake Honours within your Law degree you must ensure you have sufficient capacity within your Law elective choice block to enrol into these subjects.
You must also comply with the Honours Regulations which can be found in the UTS Handbook.
Alternative rules apply to students who commenced the LLB in 2014 or prior.
What does a Research Thesis involve?
- Undertaking independent research under the guidance and supervision of a supervisor.
- Writing a 10 000 word thesis.
- Defining a research question on an approved topic of your choice (In most cases, the research thesis extends and develops research done in one or more of the elective subjects already undertaken, but in appropriate circumstances a candidate may undertake a new topic).
- Producing an original piece of work.
- Attending the coursework research workshop at the beginning of the session and a writing workshop held mid-way through session.
- Meeting with your supervisor throughout the session on a mutually agreed basis to discuss thesis progress. This gives students the opportunity to check they are on the right track and to ask for advice or feedback.
Eligibility & Rules
Students wishing to undertake 76040 Research Thesis must:
- Be on track to obtain a Weighted Average Mark (WAM) of at least 70 in their law subjects (excluding their worst three Law subjects).
- Not have failed any Law subject after the first session of study.
Students are required to calculate their provisional WAM using the formulae 'sum of all' (UTS Law subject credit points multiplied by mark) divisible by the 'sum of all law subject credit points'. Students will be required to indicate their calculation on their application form.
To graduate with Honours LLB students must:
• Successfully complete the subjects 76090 Research Methodology (only for students who commenced their LLB in 2015 or later) and 76040 Research Thesis as one of your law electives. Undergraduate students who are not on track to receive their law degree with Honours are not normally approved to enrol into Research Thesis.
• Not fail any law subject after the first session of study.
• Successfully complete no less than 96 credit points of law subjects.
• Subject to requirements below, obtain an Honours mark, calculated in accordance with the formula ‘sum of all’ (UTS law subject credit points x mark) and divisible by the ‘sum of all law subject credit points’ that equals to:
- No less than 75.00 for First Class Honours.
- In the range of 70.00 and 74.99 for Second Class Honours (note that in calculating the Honours mark, rounding occurs to two decimal places).
NOTE: A student’s worst three Law subjects are excluded from the WAM calculation provided that at least twelve (12) UTS Bachelor of Laws subjects are included. However, a student’s Honours mark must include the mark obtained by the student in 'Research Methodology' and ‘Research Thesis’ even if such a mark might be one of their three worst.
Students are required to calculate their provisional WAM and indicate their calculation on their research thesis applications. Students should consult the Honours rules in the UTS:Handbook for information about requirements for the award of Honours at graduation.
