Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 1, 2025 (24/02/2025 - 22/11/2025)
- Study level
- Undergraduate
- Location
- Gatton
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 12
- Administrative campus
- Gatton
- Coordinating unit
- Veterinary Science School
Design, implementation and presentation of research project relevant to student's program of study, with emphasis on defining the research issue, establishing methodology, undertaking appropriate collection and analysis of data and drawing defensible conclusions. Students commencing in semester 1 full-time enrol in VETS6616 for 2 consecutive semesters, part-time students enrol in VETS6628 for 4 consecutive semesters. Students commencing in semester 2 full-time enrol in VETS6617 for 2 consecutive semesters, part-time students enrol in VETS6629 for 4 consecutive semesters.
An Honours Research Project has no formal lectures, nor structured content. As with other research-focused degrees, you are expected to work on your research project and prepare drafts of your thesis and seminars under the guidance of your advisor(s). The major honours research project (thesis) extends over two semesters full-time OR four semesters part-time, and is written up as a thesis that includes an abstract, an introduction (including a review of the relevant literature, with no significant overlap with your VETS6640 literature review assessment piece), a description of the methodology used, documentation of experimental results, a discussion of experimental results with respect to other published findings, a conclusion and a list of references used.
Course requirements
Companion or co-requisite courses
You'll need to complete the following courses at the same time:
VETS6640, VETS6001.
Incompatible
You can't enrol in this course if you've already completed the following:
VETS6618 and VETS6619.
Restrictions
Enrolment restricted to Bachelor of Science (Honours) (Gatton) students.
Course contact
Course staff
Guest lecturer
Dr Swaid Abdullah
Program director
Dr Frances Shapter
Timetable
Additional timetable information
Please be aware that due to unforeseen circumstances it may be necessary to make changes to the timetable throughout the semester and so it is important to check VETS6616 Blackboard site regularly. Students will be notified of changes to the timetable via Blackboard Announcements.
Your academic timetable, and your needs as an Hons. student, are unique to you. Full details regarding expectations for students and advisors are provided in the SVS Honours handbook, available in the Learning Resources folder on Blackboard.
All students will give a minor seminar early in the first semester of their enrolment (first Semester for those students enrolled in VETS6616 or VETS6628, and second semester for students enrolled in VETS6617 or VETS6629).ﾠ
Students will also give a final seminar immediately after the submission of their thesis (mid-November for those students enrolled in VETS6616 or VETS6628 and mid-June for students enrolled in VETS6617 or VETS6629).
It is required that all students attend each other's seminars.
Aims and outcomes
The general aim of this postgraduate research program is that students complete theses of merit, which meet criteria set out in the accreditation document for the program. This course should encourage you to develop and demonstrate capabilities for critical thought and independent research. You will learn how to conceive, design, carry out and communicate science through the development and practice of sound research skills together with the presentation of your results.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Cultivate and demonstrate the skills, knowledge and attitudes required to perform self-directed, original, independent, ethical research.
LO2.
Apply skills in communication, time management, problem solving and organisation to meet project milestones and work effectively in a research team.
LO3.
Objectively analyse current knowledge in your field and use innovative and novel approaches to address gaps in knowledge and/or revise methodologies.
LO4.
Apply detailed understanding, and demonstrate developing mastery, of your research field to evaluate literature and optimise project design, critically and objectively.
LO5.
Utilise appropriate experimental design and statistical analysis to critically analyse and draw accurate conclusions from your research.
LO6.
Be able to summarise and communicate your research effectively, to a broad scientific audience, in written (thesis presentation) and verbal (seminar presentation) formats.
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project |
Learning Contract
|
Pass/Fail |
24/03/2025 2:00 pm |
| Participation/ Student contribution |
Project Engagement
|
10% |
31/10/2025 2:00 pm |
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation |
Honours Assessment Authenticity Report
|
Pass/Fail | |
| Presentation |
Preliminary Research Seminar
|
Pass/Fail |
14/04/2025 - 17/04/2025 |
| Presentation |
Honours Final Seminar
|
20% |
Date & Time will be confirmed via Blackboard, late in Semester 2. |
| Thesis |
Honours Thesis
|
70% |
24/10/2025 2:00 pm |
A hurdle is an assessment requirement that must be satisfied in order to receive a specific grade for the course. Check the assessment details for more information about hurdle requirements.
Assessment details
Learning Contract
- Hurdle
- In-person
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Project
- Weight
- Pass/Fail
- Due date
24/03/2025 2:00 pm
- Other conditions
- Student specific, Time limited.
Task description
The Learning Contract is a Pass/Fail assessment item. This document must be collaboratively completed between the advisor(s) and the student within four weeks of commencing study.
The purpose of this document is to ensure that prior to census date, within reason, all aspects of;
- the project have been considered
- the advisor(s)/student responsibilities and study plan have been discussed and agreed upon
- research integrity, budgets, compliance with UQ policies, compliance with external regulatory bodies and funding opportunities have been discussed and understood
- due diligence is completed; this has been included to ensure the student has every opportunity to succeed in this program.
- This is a Pass/Fail item, based on submission of the completed form. Students who are unable to submit the form by the due date, will be recommended to withdraw from the program before census date.
Hurdle requirements
Students must submit the Learning Contract by the due dateSubmission guidelines
Submit your Learning Contract through the course Turnitin submission point in Blackboard.
All students must ensure they receive their Turnitin receipt on submission of any assessments. A valid Turnitin receipt will be the only evidence accepted if one or more of your submissions are missing. Without evidence, the assessment will receive the standard late penalty or, after seven days, will receive zero. In the case of a Blackboard outage, please contact the Course Coordinator as soon as possible to confirm the outage with ITS.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
Students with acceptable reasons (medical or compassionate reasons or as a result of exceptional circumstances) may apply for an extension of the deadline. Information on applying for an extension can be found here: my.UQ Applying for an extension.
Extension applications must be received by the assessment due date and time.
Project Engagement
- Mode
- Activity/ Performance
- Category
- Participation/ Student contribution
- Weight
- 10%
- Due date
31/10/2025 2:00 pm
- Other conditions
- Student specific.
Task description
Advisor(s) will grade students according to their engagement in the research project.
The advisor(s) mark is an objective assessment as to the overall quality of the student in terms of their scholarship, practical competence and professional approach to research. Where a student has more than one advisor, the average of all advisors will be used for the final mark.
The Student evaluation form is available on Blackboard. The principal advisor must send the completed evaluation to the course coordinator via email, f.shapter@uq.edu.au , by the due date. Where a student has multiple advisor(s)who do not agree on a single evaluation, supervisors may submit their evaluations separately to the course coordinator. An average mark will be determined from all advisory inputs and used for grading.
Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
An extension for this item will automatically be granted, in line with any centrally approved extensions for the Thesis and Final Seminar submissions.
Students with acceptable reasons (medical or compassionate reasons or as a result of exceptional circumstances) may apply for an extension of the deadline. Information on applying for an extension can be found here: my.UQ Applying for an extension.
Extension applications must be received by the assessment due date and time.
Honours Assessment Authenticity Report
- Hurdle
- In-person
- Online
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation
- Weight
- Pass/Fail
- Other conditions
- Student specific, Time limited.
Task description
UQ acknowledges that AI presents novel and evolving opportunities to assessment and learning, and will support students and staff in maintaining academic integrity. Individual assessment tasks will detail any form of acceptable use of AI across all courses. Use of AI outputs without attribution is a form of plagiarism which is unacceptable and constitutes academic misconduct. Assessment will always centre on critical appraisal of student knowledge, skills and attributes. This may include students’ critical reflection and application of AI within their discipline. This assessment task evaluates student’s abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Students are advised that the use of AI technologies for submitted responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
The Honours Authenticity Report must be submitted one week prior to the submission of the Honours Thesis. This is a pass/fail assessment item for this course.
To pass this assessment, students are required to demonstrate to their advisor(s), detailed comprehension of their written submission independent of AI tools. The use of the Honours Authenticity Report in conjunction with your academic advisor(s) oversight has been designed to authenticate and document the student's understanding of the topic and scientific principles, contained in their Honours Thesis. Students may use AI as a learning tool; to hone their understanding of a topic and improve their scientific writing style. However, all assessment submitted for grading must have been generated by the student, WITHOUT the use of any form of generative AI.
Hurdle requirements
Students must submit an authenticity report before the Honours Thesis is due.Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
An extension for this item will automatically be granted, in line with any centrally approved extensions for the Thesis and Final Seminar submissions.
Students with acceptable reasons (medical or compassionate reasons or as a result of exceptional circumstances) may apply for an extension of the deadline. Information on applying for an extension can be found here: my.UQ Applying for an extension.
Extension applications must be received by the assessment due date and time.
Preliminary Research Seminar
- Hurdle
- Mode
- Oral
- Category
- Presentation
- Weight
- Pass/Fail
- Due date
14/04/2025 - 17/04/2025
Task description
Students will present a formal 15-20 minute research seminar, outlining the
- background for their research question,
- their hypotheses,
- objectives,
- proposed methodology, and
- project timelines
Followed by a 5 minute, facilitated Question and Answer session.
Full details of the assessment task are provided in the Honours guidelines document and a template for the presentation, are provided on Blackboard .
This is a pass/fail assessment item designed to provide timely feedback on the project plan and for the student to practice seminar skills prior to graded assessment.
Student's should treat this as a formal research seminar, and present themselves accordingly in business style attire.
As this is potentially their first scientific presentation, students receive feedback regarding their project plan and presentation style, but this does not impact their grade. The act of delivering the seminar in line with the template provided in the course Blackboard site constitutes a pass.
All Honours students are required to attend the seminar presentations of all other Honours students. The date and time of the seminar will be determined based on course coordinator and advisor(s) availability, and advised via a Blackboard announcement. Students will provide written feedback on presentations of other Honours students as outlined on the course Blackboard site and in the SVS honours handbook.
Hurdle requirements
Students must deliver a preliminary seminar to progress in this course.Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
Students with acceptable reasons (medical or compassionate reasons or as a result of exceptional circumstances) may apply for an extension of the deadline. Information on applying for an extension can be found here: my.UQ Applying for an extension.
Extension applications must be received by the assessment due date and time.
Honours Final Seminar
- In-person
- Mode
- Oral
- Category
- Presentation
- Weight
- 20%
- Due date
Date & Time will be confirmed via Blackboard, late in Semester 2.
- Other conditions
- Student specific, Time limited.
Task description
20-25min oral presentation of the student's Honours research project (in-person, Gaton campus)
Seminars should follow the structure of a standard 30min research seminar, with a 20-25min presentation followed by questions from the panel for 5-10minutes or longer if the topic starts an academic discussion.
Students should seek detailed guidance for development and review of their seminar from their advisor(s).
Students must prepare a seminar abstract suitable for advertising the seminar throughout SVS, have this reviewed by their advisors and provide the abstract to the Honours coordinator 2 weeks before their agreed presentation date.
See SVS Honours handbook for further information. A template for the seminar is available on Blackboard.
This final seminar is worth 20% of the assessment and it will be assessed by the thesis examiners.
Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You may be able to defer this exam.
Students must be available for their examinations on the scheduled date, time, and campus of their course enrolment. The exam format is determined by the Course Coordinator and may include written (paper-based, online, or digital), practical, oral, or other timed assessments (such as quizzes).
If you are unable to sit for your original examination, you may be eligible for a deferred examination. To apply, you must demonstrate that unavoidable circumstances prevented you from attending your exam. If this is not possible, you can apply for a one-off discretionary deferred exam. All requests for deferred examinations MUST include supporting documentation. For more information, including acceptable evidence and application instructions, please visit my.UQ Deferring an Exam.
Please note that there are no provisions to defer an already-deferred exam. You must be available to sit your deferred examination at the allocated time.
Students who submit five or more deferral requests within a twelve-month period will be contacted with advice on the services and support available within the University.
Honours Thesis
- In-person
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Thesis
- Weight
- 70%
- Due date
24/10/2025 2:00 pm
- Other conditions
- Time limited.
Task description
Students will submit a final Honours Thesis based on the research carried out over the study period, to be marked by an internal and external examiner. The thesis will include an abstract, introduction (detailing previous work and the aims and hypotheses of current study), methodology, results, discussion (including conclusions) and references. Details on the format and content requirements of the honours thesis are available on the course Blackboard and in the SVS honours handbook.
The final thesis will be examined by two examiners – normally this will be conducted by two internal examiners or one internal examiner and one external to this School. The percentage mark awarded will be the average of the two examiners' marks. Thesis marks will be subject to a moderation process conducted by the Honours coordinator, or a discipline expert nominated by the Honours coordinator if they differ by 15% or more.
Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
This task has been designed to be challenging, authentic and complex. Whilst students may use AI and/or Machine Translation (MT) technologies, successful completion of assessment in this course will require students to critically engage in specific contexts and tasks for which artificial intelligence will provide only limited support and guidance.
A failure to reference generative AI or MT use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
To pass this assessment, students will be required to demonstrate detailed comprehension of their written submission independent of AI and MT tools.
Submission guidelines
Submit your Assessment through the course Turnitin submission point in Blackboard.
All students must ensure they receive their Turnitin receipt on submission of any assessments. A valid Turnitin receipt will be the only evidence accepted if one or more of your submissions are missing. Without evidence, the assessment will receive the standard late penalty or, after seven days, will receive zero. In the case of a Blackboard outage, please contact the Course Coordinator as soon as possible to confirm the outage with ITS.
You also need to supply a corrected e-copy of your thesis to the Honours Coordinator via email, as PDF or MS Word files, for archiving purposes.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
Students with acceptable reasons (medical or compassionate reasons or as a result of exceptional circumstances) may apply for an extension of the deadline. Information on applying for an extension can be found here: my.UQ Applying for an extension.
Extension applications must be received by the assessment due date and time.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
You are required to submit assessable items on time.
If you fail to meet the submission deadline for any assessment item, then 10% of the maximum possible mark for the assessment item (assessment ‘marked from’ value) will be deducted as a late penalty for every day (or part day) late after the due date.
For example, if you submit your assignment 1 hour late, you will be penalised 10%; if your assignment is 24.5 hours late, you will be penalised 20% (because it is late by one 24-hour period plus part of another 24-hour period). 10% will be deducted per day for up to 7 calendar days, at which point your submission will receive a mark of zero (0) unless an extension has been approved.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Description |
|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: 0-29% |
| 2 (Fail) |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: 30-44% |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes Course grade description: 45-49% |
| 4 (Pass) |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: 50-64% |
| 5 (Credit) |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: 65-74% |
| 6 (Distinction) |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: 75-84% |
| 7 (High Distinction) |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: 85%-100% |
Additional course grading information
Detailed assessment criteria for the thesis and seminar can be found in the SVS honours handbook
To pass VETS6616
Students must attain 50% or greater of total marks, which includes the final seminar,ﾠthe thesis assessment and the supervisor's assessment.
Detailed assessment criteria for the thesis and seminar can be found in the SVS honours handbook
Grade Calculations
When rounding final marks for grade calculations, part marks of <0.5 will be ROUNDED DOWN to the nearest whole number, and part marks of >/= 0.5 will be ROUNDED UP to the nearest whole number.
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Should you fail a course with a grade of 3, you may be eligible for supplementary assessment. Refer to my.UQ for information on supplementary assessment and how to apply.
Supplementary assessment provides an additional opportunity to demonstrate you have achieved all the required learning outcomes for a course.
If you apply and are granted supplementary assessment, the type of supplementary assessment set will consider which learning outcome(s) have not been met.
Supplementary assessment can take any form (such as a written report, oral presentation, examination or other appropriate assessment) and may test specific learning outcomes tailored to the individual student, or all learning outcomes.
To receive a passing grade of 3S4, you must obtain a mark of 50% or more on the supplementary assessment.
Additional assessment information
The final thesis will be examined by two examiners – normally this will be conducted by two internal examiners or one internal examiner and one external to this School. The percentage mark awarded will be the average of the two examiners' marks. Thesis marks will be subject to a moderation process conducted by the Honours coordinator, or a discipline expert nominated by the Honours coordinator if they differ by 15% or more.
This final seminar is worth 20% of the assessment for VETS6616, VETS6617, VETS6628 and VETS6629; it will be assessed by the thesis examiners.
The final 10% of the assessment will be based on a mark provided by the advisor(s). The advisor(s) mark is an objective assessment by the student’s advisor(s) as to the overall quality of the student in terms of their scholarship, practical competence and potential for independent postgraduate research. Where a student has more than one advisor, the average of all advisors will be used for the final mark.
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Library resources are available on the UQ Library website.
Additional learning resources information
UQ Student Support and Wellbeing Services
Harmonising study and life commitments and seeking help early when needed is essential for successfully navigating university studies. UQ Student Support and Wellbeing Services (SSWS) and UQU Student Advocacy and Support (SAS) offer numerous resources for BVSc(Hons) and BVetTech students, including various mindfulness programs and counselling services to boost confidence and promote overall physical and mental wellbeing.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, call the UQ Counselling and Crisis Line on 1300 851 998 (available 24/7, 365 days a year).
The Hub
The Student Clinical Skills Hub is a purpose-built, state-of-the-art self-directed learning facility located centrally in the School (John Mahon (8105), Room 101) with two main areas and an online resource community available for all SVS students.
The Hub has a lab where students can practice their clinical skills using standard veterinary equipment, on simulators and/or models in conjunction with supporting audio-visual resources and a smaller communications suite with two working consult rooms, a viewing room and a debriefing space.
The Hub’s aim is to provide a safe, authentic, self-directed learning environment where students can practice their clinical skills in accordance with individual competences beyond the scheduled contact hours of their programs and further enhance their capacity for self-directed, lifelong learning.
If you cannot access the community or have any other questions, please contact the Hub Coordinator via svs-hub@uq.edu.au or ext 15046.
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Not scheduled |
Not Timetabled |
Review and Critique published scientific literature Students will examine critically published peer-reviewed literature on their topic of study and relate the findings of those studies to the work under investigation. |
Not scheduled |
Not Timetabled |
Maintain a Lab Book (Digital or hardcopy) Maintain a digital or hardcopy Lab Book, as a legal record of all project work undertaken |
Not scheduled |
Seminar |
Develop research literacy through participation in research seminars Attend seminars and presentations of peers, providing constructive, written feedback against the rubric provided on Blackboard. |
Not scheduled |
Not Timetabled |
Devise, plan and conduct an Honours research project As a self-directed learning task, but under the direction of academic advisors, develop and perform a research project at Honours level, using research methodology relevant to the field of study. The research should be conducted under relevant Workplace Health and Safety, Biosecurity and Ethical approvals. |
Not scheduled |
Not Timetabled |
Communicate research and research outcomes During the conduct of the research project, prepare and deliver written and oral communications of the research project. These tasks will be self-directed, but will require students to communicate with advisors to develop and improve the presentations. |
Additional learning activity information
An Honours course of study should be considered a full time, semester-based, student workload of 8 units/per semester (or the part time equivalent). This equates to 40 hours of study per week for the 13 weeks of semester, and the three weeks of SWOTVAC and exam block (640 hours total). As with any degree, students who wish to excel may choose to spend more study hours per week, but this is at the student's discretion and should not be a requirement for passing this degree.
Students should discuss their study plan with their advisor from enrolment. Honours is a self-directed learning program, with set due dates for numerous assessment items, across two semesters (or four, for part-time) of enrolment. However, as with all research, the individual student's study plan can be aligned to the specific research project's design and timelines, and the student's individual circumstances. This includes studying during semester breaks. The study plan must be agreed to by both advsior(s) and student in advance, and students should not be required to exceed the total of 640 hours of candidature during enrolment. For example, a student enrolled in the Sem. 2 intake may choose to work less hours per week, but continue to work throughout the summer break, if appropriate supervision is still available.
Appropriate alternate supervision should be identified if the advisor(s) is not available for extended periods, and/or to supervise practical components, where the agreed study plan is continuing during their absence.
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments - Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.