By the end of first year, students should begin to think seriously about the possibility of undertaking Special Topics, which are individually-designed, research-focused courses for second and third year students, and Honours, a fourth year in which the student undertakes a 10-month research project and writes a thesis under supervision. Special Topics provide an ideal introduction to independent research, and are recommended for students interested in undertaking Honours.
1. What are Special Topics Courses?
Two Special Topics courses are available in RSB - BIOL3208
Biology Research Project which is 6 units and BIOL3209
Biology Research Project which is 12 units. Special topics are individually designed courses available to third year students. They allow highly motivated students to undertake supervised independent study.
Special Topics courses take the place of conventional lecture courses and count towards the various majors offered by the Research School of Biology. Because they are designed for the individual student, they can take many forms. For example:
- Participation in a research project.
- Guided reading projects in an area of biology of interest to the student.
- An intensive training program that is designed to provide students with particular skills not available through the conventional curriculum e.g. botanical internship.
Students are expected to spend about the same amount of time on a special topics unit as they would spend on a conventional course – about 10 hours/week including on-campus work and studying.
If you are planning on doing
Honours a special topics course can give you an excellent introduction to independent research and prepare you well for the Honours year.
2. How do I gain entry to a Special Topics course?
Contact any supervisor whose research area interests you. Once an academic has agreed to supervise you, you should discuss the proposal with the Special Projects co-ordinator and complete an Approval to Undertake a Course. This form is available at the Biology Teaching and Learning Centre and, when completed, is then submitted to the Biology Teaching and Learning Centre. The Head of Biology Teaching and Learning will make the final decision about whether the student will be allowed to enroll in the course. If the answer is yes, the student will be issued with a permission code that will allow them to enroll in the appropriate course.
3. How much of my degree can be made up from Special Topics courses?
Special topics courses are available in two forms: BIOL3208 (6 points) or BIOL3209 (12 points). The total workload for a six point course is expected to be similar to that for a conventional third year course, while a twelve point course is expected to be double that load. Both count as Group C courses for the purposes of degree rules, even if they are taken in second year, or during the summer between second and third year.
Students can enrol in one of these courses. Permission to enrol in BIOL3208 is easier to get than that for BIOL3209. Students will be expected to have better marks for BIOL3209; permission to enrol in BIOL3209 requires a High Distinction average.
Under special conditions, a student can enrol in two 6-point Special Topics courses. The two courses have to be run by different supervisors and they have to fall in different semesters. If a student does two 6-point Special Topics courses, then they cannot do a 12-point Special Topics course.
4. What are the constraints?
The first constraint is marks: these courses are designed for highly motivated students. Although exceptions are occasionally made by the Head, students are generally expected to have a Distinction average or higher in order to enroll in special topics BIOL3208 (6 points) and a High Distinction average to enroll in BIOL3209 (12 points) or in more than one 6 point Special Project course.
The second constraint is finding a supervisor. These are one-on-one courses, designed for individual students. This makes them very work-intensive for supervisors, and most academics are willing to take on only one or two students in a year.
Apart from the expectation that students will be in third year, there are no further constraints. Timing of research-based courses will often depend on the organism under study, and some topics will require intense, full-time involvement, so they are best undertaken over summer. Special Topics courses are arranged between the student and the supervisor on a one-on-one basis. They can take any form that is mutually agreed on, and approved by the Head of Biology Teaching and Learning.
5. What projects are on offer?
All academics in Research School of Biology are able to supervise Special Topics courses. Also, researchers in the nearby JCSMR and CSIRO divisions can co-supervise students in special topics projects. Not all researchers will offer Special Topics courses each year.
View a list of biology research projects available to undergraduate students here.An important first step is to email the researcher you are interested in working with to ask if they are offering special topics projects in the upcoming semester(s).
If you don't find the topic or researcher you'd like to work with – contact any member of ANU staff directly.
Honours
There are several reasons for considering a four-year Honours degree rather than the basic three year BSc. Graduates having completed a project-oriented fourth year are favoured over those with a basic degree in selection for jobs. Employers prefer applicants who can show evidence of ability to plan an investigation, work independently on it, and persevere until it is completed, all within time constraints. The fourth year gives far greater opportunity for students to show initiative, and to follow their own lines of interest, than is possible in basic undergraduate course work. In addition, there is often opportunity to become proficient in the use of sophisticated equipment and techniques, experience which is seldom possible to gain in the classroom. Honours is also a direct entry pathway into graduate research programs, such as a PhD, and a career in research.
A student may elect to proceed to an Honours year through any of the programs offered through RSB, in an area of his/her interest. In order to do this, students must have a minimum of credit performance in 6 Group B or Group C units related to the Honours topic, but more stringent entry requirements may be imposed by the School. The Honours course includes a research project, assessable written material (including a thesis), and workshops on experimental design, data handling and communication.
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Courses Available and the Biology Majors Planner Read more about
Honours in Biology
