Bachelor of Commerce (Honours)

This is a prestigious program of coursework and research in commerce for high achieving students who have completed a relevant undergraduate degree. You will undertake research methodology training and carry out an independent research project in your selected discipline, working closely with a supervisor who will provide you with individual guidance and academic counselling. The course offers a pathway to higher degree research in commerce. In some circumstances, candidature embracing more than one discipline may be approved.

Completing honours demonstrates your advanced research, analytical and communication skills enhancing employability outcomes.

Specialisations

• Accounting
• Business law and taxation
• Econometrics
• Economics
• Finance
• Management
• Marketing

Candidature embracing more than one discipline may be approved.

Combined honours

Combined honours may be undertaken provided that all honours requirements have been met in the disciplines. Application to undertake combined honours must be made with the support of the school honours coordinators of the disciplines. Combined honours normally take the form of a joint dissertation alongside coursework chosen from the component disciplines.

These course outcomes are aligned with the Australian Qualifications Framework level 8, the Bologna Cycle 1 and Monash Graduate AttributesAustralian Qualifications Framework level 8, the Bologna Cycle 1 and Monash Graduate Attributes (http://monash.edu/pubs/handbooks/alignmentofoutcomes.html).

Upon successful completion of this course it is expected that you will be able to demonstrate:

1. be critical and creative scholars who:
• produce innovative solutions to problems
• apply research skills to business challenges
• communicate effectively and perceptively
2. be responsible and effective global citizens who:
• engage in an internationalised world
• exhibit cross cultural competence
• demonstrate ethical values
3. have comprehensive understanding of their discipline and be able to provide discipline based solutions relevant to the business, professional and public policy communities that we serve
4. be able to construct conceptual frameworks and use these to analyse complex issues in the corporate sector, government and the professions
5. have an ability to undertake research informed by advanced studies in their discipline.

This course consists of a combination of coursework and research. In the coursework component you will develop advanced theoretical and/or technical knowledge of your discipline and appropriate research methodologies. In the research component you will plan and execute a research project under the individual guidance of an academic supervisor.

This course comprises 48 points including research (12 or 24 points) and coursework (36 or 24 points).

Honours studies may be taken as single honours (a single discipline over one year of full-time study), or in some instances can be taken as combined honours (more than one discipline over one year of full-time study). Students need to discuss with the relevant Honours co-ordinators the option to undertake combined honours.

Units are 6 credit points unless otherwise specified.

Accounting

Students complete the following two units (30 points):

• ACX4000 Research methods
• ACX4018 Honours research thesis (24 points)

and three units from (18 points):

• ACX4040 Issues in accounting information systems
• ACX4050 Issues in auditing and assurance
• ACX4070 Issues in financial accounting
• ACX4090 Issues in management accounning

Business law and taxation

Students complete the following three units (42 points):

• BTX4110 Directed studies 1
• BTX4130 Honours research thesis (24 points)
• BTX4900 Research methods and report (12 points)

and:

• one level 3 unit (6 points) from the Department of Business Law and Taxation.

Econometrics

Students complete the following unit:

• ETC4860 Honours research project (12 points)

and six coursework units (36 points), with at least three (18 points) from:

• ETC4010 Special reading unit in econometrics honours
• ETC4400 Econometric theory
• ETC4410 Applied econometrics 2
• ETC4420 Microeconometrics
• ETC4460 Financial econometrics 2
• ETC4541 Bayesian time series econometrics

Selection of units not specified above is to be determined in consultation with and approved by the econometrics honours coordinator.

Economics

Students complete the following three units (24 points):

• ECC4650 Microeconomics
• ECC4660 Macroeconomics
• ECC4860 Honours research project (12 points)

and four units (24 points) from:

• ECC4670 Development economics
• ECC4690 International trade
• ECC4810 Public economics
• ECC4830 Welfare economics
• ECC4840 Economics of industry, institution and organisation
• ECC5470 Competition, regulation and policy
• ECC5475 Financial economics
• ECC5479 Project evaluation

Selection of units not specified above is to be determined in consultation with and approved by the economics honours coordinator

Finance

Students complete the following two units (30 points):

• BFX4000 Research methods
• BFX4018 Honours research thesis (24 points)

and three units (18 points) from:

• BFX4030 Advanced modelling in finance
• BFX4060 Issues in corporate finance
• BFX4080 Issues in banking
• BFX4120 Issues in investments

Management

Students complete the following five units (48 points):

• MGX4000 Introductory management research methods
• MGX4100 Perspectives and paradigms in management theory
• MGX4200 Data analysis for organisational research
• MGX4300 Contemporary issues in management
• MGX4400 Honours research thesis (24 points)

Marketing

Students complete the following five units (48 points):

• MKX4050 Marketing theory
• MKX4070 Qualitative research methods
• MKX4080 Advanced business research methods
• MKX4461 Contemporary issues in marketing
• MKX4900 Honours research thesis (24 points)

Satisfactory completion of this course may provide credit toward a Monash masters by coursework degree and will provide the preparation necessary to undertake a masters by research degree or a doctorate (PhD) degree.