What is the difference? How can one get an honours degree? Is there a difference when applying to grad school?

The main difference right off the bat is that an honours degree lasts four years whereas a general BA lasts three. Honours requires more coursework and in the case of the Arts usually a seminar course and or thesis work.

And yes it does affect Grad School. One can only apply to grad school if they have completed an honours degree with a sufficiently acceptable average (varies on the school and program) along with excellent references from professors.

Also, when you're applying for jobs an honours looks better. If you score the job you're more likely to get paid better. Example: teachers with a BA honours get paid at the level 3 tier whereas ones with a BA are a level 2. If you have a masters in education you're at level 4 (the highest)

You apply for Honours at the end of your first year. If you don't get in you mirror the Honours program in second year and re-apply at the end of second year.

what exaclty is "mirroring" the program, I've heard it a couple times..and if you dont get into honours the first time you apply does that affect how long it takes to get the degree?

What lorend means by mirroring a program is taking the courses you would take if you were registered in the 2nd year of that program. In this way, you are eligible to apply for the program you were "mirroring" at the end of second year, since you have taken the courses.

Hope this helps somewhat.

You have (technically) until the end of third year to apply for an Honours degree; by which I mean you have three years to try. If you don't get in at the end of third year you end up graduating with a normal BA.

And mirroring the program won't affect how long it will take you to complete the Honours degree. However, you may need certain course permissions from the department/instructor for some classes as you're not registered in an Honours program.

If it turns out that you cannot get into your degree of choice this time around you would talk to your faculty and they would advise you on what to do next. Usually they would say either pick a back up degree or mirror the program, in which case they would advise you on how to do that.

Towards the end of the year your faculty will send out emails in your MUSS MAIL (so that means check it more than once a year!!) telling you the times you may come to info sessions regarding specific programs. I know for sure that Science has a social/meet the profs and TA's and dept heads while they give you free pens and tell you about Chemistry or Physics and Astronomy, etc. Humanities does something similiar where you have an info session and they tell you how to apply to programs and what marks you need, about academic probation, etc. I know other faculties do it too, I've just never seen them in action so I can't tell you about it. You should def go to these kinds of sessions so check your MUSS mail!