What does “honours” mean as a degree?

Honours is a specialised undergraduate degree in one subject, normally taking four years. The bulk of the work is concentrated in a single major — an honours degree in physics means four years spent largely on physics, with some supporting subjects alongside.

A pass course or general degree, by contrast, is usually three years and spread across several subjects without going as deep into any one. The difference is duration and depth — one narrow and deep, the other broad and comparatively shallow.

That difference has practical consequences. For postgraduate study or a research path, a specialised degree of the honours kind is usually what is expected, because the next level builds on that depth.

Which structure an institution uses and what each department requires varies — the same name can cover different arrangements. So read the institution’s own description of the programme before you enrol, and check how many years it runs, which subjects are compulsory within it, and what it qualifies you to study next.