This course is an essential component of the Honours Program in the School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences and is completed in the first session of an Honours Program. It is only available to students enrolled in an Honours Program offered by the School of BEES and enrolment must be approved by the School of BEES Honours Coordinator. The course assessment is a research proposal that includes a literature review and risk assessment in a defined disciplinary area (including archaeology & palaeoenvironments, biology, climate science, ecology, environmental management, genetics, geochemistry, geology, human geography, marine & coastal science or physical geography). The course is taken in conjunction with an Honours Research Project in the School of BEES. The focus of the research proposal is decided in consultation with an Honours Supervisor and is related to the topic area of the research project.