A bachelor's or undergraduate degree takes three to four years to complete. All honours programs require a high level of achievement and concentration in the subject. An honours degree is generally a forerunner for admission into graduate studies. A master's degree usually requires two years of full-time study and includes a thesis. A postgraduate diploma requires one year of full time study. A doctoral degree, or PhD, requires at least three years of additional full-time study, with at least one year on campus. In most cases, a master's degree is required before admission into a doctoral program, but some universities will accept students who have completed an honors degree.