Bachelor of Commerce (Honours)(Accounting)

1 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

University of New South Wales

Program Overview

The Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) at the University of New South Wales is an intensive one-year program designed for high-achieving students who want to deepen their expertise in business, economics, or commerce through advanced research and analytical training. Campus Location: Kensington, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia — a major global education hub with strong industry connections and access to leading employers. This program is ideal for students aiming for research-focused careers, postgraduate study (such as a PhD or master’s by research), or highly specialised roles in business and finance.

Curriculum Structure

In this one-year honours program, students transition from advanced coursework into independent research, developing strong analytical and academic writing skills. The structure is designed to build both technical mastery and research capability within a chosen commerce discipline.

Year 1 (Honours Year):
Students begin with advanced coursework such as Honours Research Methods in Commerce, which builds strong foundations in research design, data analysis, and academic writing. Alongside this, they undertake discipline-specific advanced seminars (such as in Finance, Accounting, or Economics), where they engage with contemporary theories and real-world business problems at an advanced level. The year culminates in the Honours Thesis, an independent research project supervised by academic experts, allowing students to investigate a specialised topic in depth.

Focus areas: Advanced business research, quantitative and qualitative analysis, academic writing, discipline-specific expertise (Accounting, Finance, or Economics), independent thesis development

Learning outcomes: Strong research capability, advanced analytical thinking, specialised commerce expertise, ability to conduct independent academic or industry research, preparation for postgraduate study or high-level professional roles

Professional alignment (accreditation): Research-intensive honours qualification recognised for entry into PhD programs and advanced postgraduate study pathways in business, finance, accounting, and economics

Reputation (employability rankings): The University of New South Wales Business School is consistently ranked among the world’s leading institutions in QS World University Rankings by Subject (Business & Management Studies), reflecting strong global academic reputation and graduate employability outcomes

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

The Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) at the University of New South Wales is a research-intensive program where students develop advanced analytical and academic skills by working closely with leading academics in their chosen discipline. Rather than standard coursework, students gain hands-on experience in business research, data analysis, and critical problem-solving through an independent honours thesis, supported by expert supervision and access to advanced academic resources across the UNSW Business School.

This program is designed to immerse students in real research environments and professional-level analytical tools, helping them build the capabilities needed for postgraduate study, consulting, or research-driven careers:

Honours Research Thesis: Students complete a major independent research project under academic supervision, developing deep expertise in a specialised area of commerce.
Advanced Data Analysis Tools: Students commonly use statistical and analytical software such as R, Stata, Excel, and Python for business and economics research.
Academic Supervision & Seminars: One-on-one supervision with leading academics and participation in research seminars within the UNSW Business School.
UNSW Business School Facilities: Access to dedicated study spaces, research support services, and discipline-specific academic resources within the Business School environment.
UNSW Library & Digital Databases: Full access to extensive business databases, journals, financial data sources, and research collections through UNSW Library services.
Research Culture Exposure: Engagement with current research discussions, academic workshops, and peer collaboration with other honours students.
Industry-Connected Research Topics: Opportunities to align research projects with real-world business, finance, and economics problems in collaboration with industry-relevant themes.

Progression & Future Opportunities

Graduates of the Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) at the University of New South Wales develop advanced analytical, research, and critical thinking skills that prepare them for high-level roles in business, economics, and finance, as well as strong pathways into postgraduate research and professional leadership positions. This honours year is designed to deepen expertise in a chosen commerce discipline while building the capability to solve complex real-world business problems.

Typical roles include: Business Analyst, Research Analyst, Economic Consultant, Strategy Analyst.

Career Development Support: UNSW Employability and Career Discovery: Provides personalised career coaching, research mentoring, interview preparation, employer networking events, and access to internship and graduate recruitment pathways with leading organisations in consulting, banking, government, and corporate sectors.
Employment Outcomes & Salary Insight: Honours graduates in commerce-related fields typically achieve strong early career outcomes, with median starting salaries around AUD 75,000–90,000 per year, depending on discipline and industry, with significantly higher long-term earning potential in consulting, finance, and strategy roles.
Industry Partnerships: UNSW Business School Industry Connections: Students engage with leading employers including consulting firms, multinational corporations, financial institutions, and government agencies through research projects, industry collaboration, internships, case competitions, and professional networking events.
Accreditation & Long-Term Value: Academic Excellence Pathway: The Honours qualification is a highly regarded academic credential that strengthens eligibility for competitive graduate roles and provides a direct pathway into research degrees and advanced professional study at leading global universities.
Graduation Outcomes: Graduates develop advanced capabilities in research methodology, data analysis, strategic thinking, problem-solving, and discipline-specific commerce expertise, enabling them to contribute at a high level in business, policy, and academic environments.

Further Academic Progression: Graduates can continue into Master of Commerce, Master of Business Analytics, Master of Economics, Master of Finance, Master of Management, MBA programs, or research-focused Master by Research and PhD pathways. The honours qualification also significantly strengthens applications for competitive postgraduate scholarships and elite graduate programs worldwide.

Additional Information & Requirements

To be admitted into the Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) program, a student must have completed a pass degree, normally a business-related degree, or equivalent, with a business major in the desired honours discipline (namely accounting, finance, marketing, or information systems). A student in a double degree may gain entry to the Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) prior to completing the requirements for the double degree program if they have completed 144 UOC, including 48 UoC in the Bachelor of Commerce compulsory and flexible core courses and all requirements for the relevant major. Students who have completed a non-business degree with a major in one of the specified business areas, or a specified cognate area, may be eligible to complete honours within this program. Disciplines may also have particular pre-requisite requirements for entry into honours. Students are required to meet the entry requirements for the study area they are applying. Please refer to each school's honours entry requirement for exact details.
A student must have an overall Weighted Average Mark (WAM) of at least 70 (or equivalent) with a discipline/major WAM of at least 70. Due to the academic requirements of some disciplines and the competitive nature of honours places, the WAM required for entry may be higher in some disciplines. Students who have failed a course within their pass degree will not normally gain entry to the Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) program. Please refer to the relevant discipline Honours plan for exact details.
The availability and willingness of a supervisor to work with the candidate is another important criterion for successful admission to the program. The number of students accepted to the Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) in a particular discipline is dependent on the availability of supervisors in that discipline. If there are more applicants than a discipline can accommodate, admission will be determined according to students' academic merit. Hence meeting the academic requirements of the program does not guarantee a place in the program.
An interview is required as part of admission requirements into this program.
Progression Requirements Students are to maintain a course average of 70 or more (and satisfactorily pass any Pass/Fail courses) to continue in the Honours program after the end of their first session.