- An honours degree can mean very different things depending on where you study.
- Whether it's required for a Master’s or simply shows deeper expertise in your subject, an honours degree often gives you an edge.
- Choosing between a regular and honours degree isn’t just about workload—it’s about goals.
- If you want to explore postgraduate study or stand out in a competitive field, start exploring honours degrees now on Bachelorsportal.com.
If you want to study at the undergraduate level, things can get confusing quickly, with so many types of Bachelor's degrees available: Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Engineering, Bachelor of Laws, etc.
And just when you think you’ve got it all figured out—along comes the term honours degree.
What’s an honours degree?
An honours degree is like a boosted version of a regular Bachelor’s. It usually means you’ve done more advanced courses or extra work, sometimes even a research project or thesis in your final year. It shows you’ve gone deeper into your subject and hit a higher academic level.
In some countries, an honours degree is a separate, more challenging programme. In others, it’s something you get based on your final grades, like a reward for doing well. Either way, it can open doors to postgraduate study or help you stand out when applying for jobs.
Definition: An honours degree is an undergraduate academic qualification that represents a higher level of achievement than a regular bachelor's degree. It typically involves more in-depth study, additional coursework, and in some cases, an independent research project or thesis. Honours degrees are commonly used as a pathway to postgrad (Master's) studies and are awarded in many countries either as a separate programme or as a distinction based on academic performance.
Not sure what all this means for you? Don’t worry—we’ll break it down. This guide will explain how honours degrees work, what it means to graduate with honours, and how it all fits into your study plans.
Now, let’s have a look at the most popular countries where you can graduate with honours:
What is an honours degree in the US?
In the United States, there is no such thing as an ‘honours degree” per se. Students can only graduate with a regular Bachelor’s degree.
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 an honours degree in Canada?
In Canada, an honours degree usually refers to a Bachelor’s that takes 4 years to complete. This honours Bachelor’s is more intensive and involves a higher level of specialisation. To enrol in most Master’s programmes offered by Canadian universities, you will need a 4-year honours degree.
Canadian universities use ‘(Hons)’ or ‘(Honours)’ to indicate that a specific Bachelor’s is an honours degree. Here are a few examples:
- Kinesiology (Hons)
- Applied Psychology (Honours)
- Honours Bachelor of Arts
Find an honours degree in Canada.
What is an honours degree in the UK?
The United Kingdom is the most popular study destination where you can graduate with honours. In fact, the majority of Bachelor’s programmes offered by local universities are honours degrees, and almost all of them include a thesis or research work in the final year of studies.
UK universities generally use ‘(Hons)’ to indicate that a specific Bachelor’s is an honours degree. Here are a few examples:
- (Hons) Chemistry
- Business Marketing (Hons)
- BA (Hons) in Creative Writing
It usually takes 3-4 years to graduate with honours, and the type of honours degree you receive depends on your overall grades. Based on your academic efforts, you can graduate with:
- First-Class Honours (First or 1st): You need to complete your studies with an overall mark of 70% or above. It is a great academic achievement and represents an advantage when applying for a Master’s degree or a job.
- Upper Second-Class Honours (2:1): You need an overall grade of 60-69% to receive it. This degree type is a common admission requirement when applying for a Master’s programme.
- Lower Second-Class Honours (2:2): To obtain this degree, you need a mark of 50-59%. It is not as prestigious as the First or 2:1 degree but is still accepted by certain Master’s programmes.
- Third-Class Honours (Third or 3rd): It is offered to students who finish their studies with an overall mark of 40-49%. While it is still a pass, it will be challenging to compete with other students when applying for a Master’s degree.
- Ordinary Bachelor’s degree: It is awarded if you miss the 40% mark by a small margin.
Based on data from the University College London (UCL), almost 50% of students graduated with an Upper Second-Class Honours (2:1) degree in the last 4-5 years.
Find an honours degree in the UK.
What is an honours degree in Ireland?
In Ireland, the differences between ordinary Bachelor’s and honours Bachelor’s are few but clear:
- admission requirements for honours degrees are stricter
- honours Bachelors involve more demanding assignments, classwork and examinations
Irish universities use ‘(Hons)’ and ‘(Honours)’ to indicate that a specific Bachelor’s is an honours degree.
Find an honours degree in Ireland.
What is an honours degree in Australia?
In Australia, an honours degree can refer to:
- a stand-alone course in which you can enrol after your undergraduate studies
- a type of work that you can usually complete in the last year of your Bachelor’s degree
Australian universities use ‘(Hons)’, ‘(Honours)’ or ‘with Honours’ to indicate that a specific Bachelor’s is an honours degree or includes honours work. Here are a few examples:
- Law (Hons)
- Engineering (Honours)
- Environmental Science with Honours
The stand-alone or appended honours degree is an optional course that’s available to students who have graduated with a Bachelor’s diploma. It usually takes 1 year to complete and involves an independent research project and, sometimes, additional coursework.
The other types of honours are referred to as integrated or embedded honours. The work will generally take place during the last semester, and it may (or not) include specific study units. These types of honours don’t increase the length of your studies.
Learn more about honours degrees in Australia.
Find an honours degree in Australia.
What is an honours degree in New Zealand?
In New Zealand, an honours degree refers to either:
- a stand-alone postgraduate programme available after completing a Bachelor’s
- or an undergraduate (Bachelor’s) degree that involves more work
Universities in New Zealand use ‘(Hons)’, ‘(Honours)’ or ‘with Honours’ to indicate that a specific programme is an honours degree.
The stand-alone postgraduate honours degree can be seen as a pathway to a Master’s programme. It usually takes one year to complete and offers a personalised study experience.
The honours Bachelor’s is an undergraduate degree that requires more effort from students and approaches the discipline more in-depth. However, the length of studies is still the same: usually 3-4 years.
Find an honours degree in New Zealand.
What is an honours degree in South Africa?
In South Africa, an honours degree is a postgraduate qualification that you can take after completing a three-year bachelor's degree (usually a BA or BSc). It adds one extra year of full-time study and focuses on advanced courses and research in your chosen field.
- An honours degree is often required if you want to apply for a Master’s programme. It shows that you’ve developed strong academic skills and are ready for more specialised study or research work.
So, while in some countries it’s part of an undergraduate degree, in South Africa it’s considered a bridge between a bachelor’s and a master’s.
Other countries where universities offer honours degrees
There are other places where students might encounter honours degrees, but their number is lower when compared to the countries listed above. Here are some of them:
- honours degrees in Germany
- honours degrees in Greece
- honours degrees in Malta
- honours degrees in the United Arab Emirates
- honours degrees in Hong Kong SAR
Compare how honours degrees work around the world
As described above, honours degrees aren’t the same everywhere. Depending on the country, they can be part of your undergraduate studies or a separate step altogether. Here's a quick comparison to help you see the differences:
| Country | Type | Duration | Key Features | Use for Postgraduate Study |
| UK | Undergraduate honours | 3–4 years | Integrated into most bachelor's degrees; includes classification (1st, 2:1, etc.) | Standard requirement for Master's entry |
| Australia | Optional postgraduate honours year | +1 year after 3-year BA/BSc | Involves advanced study and research; often leads to PhD or Master's | Strongly recommended or required for research degrees |
| Canada | Undergraduate honours | 4 years | More specialised courses; may include thesis | Often required or preferred for graduate study |
| USA | Honours distinction | 4 years (standard BA/BS) | Not a separate degree; based on GPA or thesis (cum laude honours system) | Not required, but high GPA may improve admission chances |
| South Africa | Postgraduate honours degree | 1 year after 3-year BA/BSc | Advanced coursework and research; considered a bridge to postgraduate study | Required for admission into most Master’s programmes |
Online honours degrees
For those of you who won’t settle for an ordinary Bachelor’s but want to study from the comfort of your home, we have great news:
You can! On our portals alone, there are over 350 online honours degrees waiting to be discovered. Most of them are offered by universities in the UK, but we’ll let you find out the details on your own.
Honours degree vs. graduating with honours – what’s the difference?
These two terms sound similar, but they mean different things depending on where you study.
An honours degree is a type of undergraduate degree. It usually involves extra coursework, a higher academic standard, or a research project. In countries like the UK, Australia, and Canada, it’s a specific programme you enrol in.
Graduating with honours (like cum laude, magna cum laude, or summa cum laude) is more common in the US. It means you finished your degree with a high GPA or class rank, but it’s not a separate degree.
So, one is about the structure of the degree itself, the other is a recognition for excellent grades.
What are the benefits of an honours degree?
Thinking about whether an honours degree is worth it? Here’s what it can offer—and why it might help you get ahead:
1. It opens doors to postgraduate study
In countries like Canada and South Africa, an honours degree is often required if you want to apply for a Master’s. Without it, your study options can be limited.
2. It gives you an academic edge
In the UK and Australia, honours degrees show that you’ve completed more advanced coursework or research. This can help you stand out when applying for graduate jobs or further studies.
3. It builds strong research and critical thinking skills
If your honours programme includes a thesis or research project, you'll learn how to think independently, manage your time, and write at an academic level—skills that are valuable in almost any field.
4. It shows you’re up for a challenge
Choosing an honours degree proves you’re motivated and capable of handling a more demanding academic load. That’s something employers and universities look for.
