Bachelor of Business, Government and Policy (Honours)

1 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

University of Canberra

Program Overview

The Bachelor of Business, Government and Policy (Honours) at the University of Canberra is a chance to really dive into how business, politics, and public policy shape the world around us. It’s a great fit if you’re passionate about making meaningful change and want to understand how decisions are made across government, industry, and civil society. Over the course of the year, you’ll learn how to research, analyse, and influence policy and business-government interactions, building both academic depth and practical insight.

What you’ll study

Final (Honours) Year
In your first semester, you’ll get grounded in essential research skills through subjects like Reading and Critiquing Literature and Research Methods, where you’ll learn how to evaluate existing research and design your own original project. You’ll also choose a methods-based elective—options like Introduction to Statistics, Qualitative Research Practice in Health, or Quantitative Methods in Commerce—so you can build practical skills that align with your interests.

In semester two, everything comes together as you begin your Honours Research Thesis. This is your chance to explore a real-world challenge in policy or business-government relations that matters to you, guided closely by experienced academic supervisors. Your thesis becomes the heart of the year, helping you develop your own voice as a researcher and apply what you’ve learned to a meaningful topic.

If you choose to study part-time, you’ll simply spread the thesis process across two semesters—starting with research foundations and finishing with your completed project.

Study Focus Areas

Business–Government Relations
Public Policy
Research & Analysis

What you’ll graduate with

You’ll build the confidence and skills to:

Conduct independent research
Analyse policy and business issues critically
Communicate insights clearly to different audiences
Apply research to real-world policy, organisational and societal contexts

Professional Recognition

This Honours degree is recognised under the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF level 8)—a respected credential in Australia and internationally.

Strong employability outcomes

At UC, you’ll be part of a university known for exceptional career outcomes, ranked #1 in Canberra for graduate employment and skill development. It’s a powerful launchpad for roles across government, business, consulting, research, and the not-for-profit sector.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

The Bachelor of Business, Government and Policy (Honours) at University of Canberra gives you more than just textbooks and theory — it’s built so you graduate with real-world research skills, hands-on experience, and a clear sense of how to apply what you study in government, business or policy contexts. From early on you’ll get to develop a substantial research project (your thesis), and there are structured opportunities for internships and professional exposure to help you understand how academic ideas play out in the real world.

Here are the key experiential learning opportunities you’d benefit from if you join:

Supervised research project (Honours Thesis): You spend a significant part of your time — under guidance of two supervisors — planning, researching and writing a full-length honours thesis. This gives you hands-on experience in designing research, collecting and analysing data, and contributing original ideas to your field.
Research-methods training: Early in the course you take units on research methods and literature review. These build your foundation for rigorous scholarly work and prepare you for the thesis that follows.
Flexible internships / work-integrated learning: The program offers a chance to undertake a professionally relevant internship (especially during the Winter term), which can be tailored to your research interests or career aspirations. This gives you exposure to real workplaces — public sector, private firms or non-profits — and helps you connect academic learning with practical policy or business environments.
Small cohort, dedicated mentoring: Because the program is honours-level, you work in a small, supportive cohort and get closer, more personalised guidance from your supervisors and the Honours Program Director. This means feedback and mentoring are more meaningful, helping you shape your ideas and professional identity.
Opportunities for publication and professional visibility: The program follows a thesis-by-publication model, giving ambitious students the chance to graduate with published work — a big advantage if you’re thinking about research, a master’s/PhD, or careers in policy analysis, consulting or academia.

Progression & Future Opportunities

Sounds like you’re looking at the Bachelor of Business, Government and Policy (Honours) at University of Canberra — great choice. Here’s why this program can be a really strong fit for you.

You’ll leave this program well-equipped for careers that involve shaping policy, influencing business-government relations, and engaging with public and social challenges. Graduates commonly move into roles such as policy analyst, government advisor or public affairs officer, corporate government-relations manager, or research associate in think-tanks or NGOs.

Here’s what this means for you:

Strong employability support: UC has a solid track record — it is ranked #1 in Canberra for graduate employment and for “skill development,” showing it helps students land meaningful work after graduation.
Real industry and government connections: Being located in Australia’s capital and studying under the Faculty of Business, Government & Law gives you access to a network of government agencies, public-sector organisations, and private firms — which can make internships, real-world projects, and future job placements more accessible.
Flexible and recognised qualification: The Honours degree is a 1-year program (full- or part-time) under the Australian Qualifications Framework, giving you a formal credential that is respected by employers and institutions across Australia and internationally.
A foundation for long-term impact: Through coursework and a substantial research thesis, you gain research, critical thinking, policy analysis, and writing skills — abilities that tend to remain valuable whether you go into government, business, advocacy, or research-based work.

Further Academic Progression:
If after this honours degree you decide you want to go deeper, you could continue with a Master’s or a research doctorate — for example at University of Canberra or elsewhere — to specialise further in public policy, governance, social policy, or related areas. This degree gives you a solid academic foundation for that next step, and since it involves a thesis by research you’ll already have a taste (and record) of independent research — a big plus for advanced studies.