The discipline of History has been taught at the University of Melbourne since 1854. Following the introduction of the four-year Honours degree after 1949, students submitted a 9000-word thesis in their final year – previously, the longest piece of work for Honours student was a 3000-word essay. Streaming of Honours students from first year ended in 1970, and from second year in 1979. The History Honours year has been a richly rewarding experience for thousands of students. Between 1937 and 1966, 575 students completed Honours courses in History, and from 1967 to 2002, 1735 completed an Honours year that included History. The Honours year has provided students with an opportunity to acquire advanced skills of analysis, to develop research techniques and original ideas, and to apply innovative solutions to complex problems. Over the past four decades Honours graduates are most likely to have found employment in tertiary institutions, as primary and secondary school teachers, and in the legal profession or the public service.

References

Fay Anderson & Stuart Macintyre (eds), The life of the past: The discipline of history at the University of Melbourne, 1855-2005 (Department of History, 2006).

Geoffrey Serle, ‘A survey of Honours graduates of the University of Melbourne School of History, 1937-1966’, Historical Studies 15, 57 (1971): 43-58.