Division of Business
Honours
Honours
2004 Consultant EMA Consulting
2003 Bachelor of Honours (Management) in Employment Relations
2002 Bachelor of Management (Employment Relations)
The Honours Program provided me with a way to challenge myself. I had a good Grade Point Average (GPA) from my undergraduate degree and enjoyed research so completing my Honours gave me the opportunity to build on these and gain qualification for entry to a PhD and pursue an academic career if I chose to do so.
The Honours Program provided the challenge I was looking for and overall I had a really great experience. I found the timelines manageable but I was also well prepared and expecting an intense year. My Supervisor provided excellent support and his patience, guidance and wisdom helped immensely particularly with preparing timelines. There is a lot more contact and feedback than you have in the undergraduate degree.
The program itself was well structured and I used my understanding of methodologies and approaches learned in the course Research Methods in Business and Management H (in the first half of the year) in my thesis.
Overall, it was hard work and required a lot of dedication and organisation, but I got tremendous satisfaction from my final result (First Class Honours).
In collecting the data for my thesis, titled The ethics of negotiating in the Industrial Relations field, I conducted a number of interviews with practitioners in the field that I am currently working. This helped build my understanding of the profession and how the industry works. The research itself was also a good indication that I had a strong interest in the area and had the background and skills required to pursue a successful career.
My honours led well into a career in IR and the research skills I developed have helped me conduct research to a professional standard. Working closely with my thesis Supervisor has also improved my ability to accept and use constructive criticism, which has improved my learning in general, particularly in a teamwork environment.
I am currently working as a Consultant with EMA Consulting who specialise in the provision of industrial relations advice to employers. My role includes the provision of verbal and written advice, the handling of unfair dismissal matters and the drafting of awards and agreements.
I am really enjoying working in the IR field and there is a lot of potential for my career to grow with EMA. In furthering this, I am also considering returning to UniSA to commence a PhD.
The Honours was a great experience for me and I would recommend it to anyone who has an interest in a particular field or topic area. It gave me the opportunity to challenge myself and develop specialist knowledge and expertise that have been advantageous in my industry.
