Program Requirements

The Bachelor of Policy Studies requires completion of 144 units, of which:

A maximum of 60 units may come from completion of 1000-level courses

The 144 units must include:

54 units from completion of the following compulsory courses:

DEMO2001 Population Studies

ECON1101 Microeconomics 1

POLS1002 Introduction to Politics

POLS2009 Bureaucracy and Public Policy

POLS2105 Political Leadership and Executive Government

SOCY1002 Self and Society

SOCY2038 Introduction to Quantitative Research Methods

SOCY2043 Introduction to Qualitative Research Methods

SOCY2101 Social Policy: Principles and Practice

6 units from completion of a Capstone course from the following list:

SOCY3001 Research Internship

SOCY3030 Applied Policy Project

6 units from completion of a course from the following list:

ECON1100 Economics 1 (H)

ECON1102 Macroeconomics 1

6 units from completion of an Australian Politics course from the following list:

HIST2227 Australian Political History

POLS2043 Pressure Groups and Political Lobbying

POLS2111 Elections, Political Behaviour and Public Opinion in Australia

POLS2114 Australian Political Institutions

POLS2121 Ideas in Australian Politics

6 units from completion of a Political Theory course from the following list:

PHIL2020 Politics Theories of Social Justice

PHIL2115 Political Philosophy from Hobbes to Mill

POLS2063 Contemporary Political Theory

POLS2119 Ideas in Politics

POLS2120 Foundations of Political Theory

18 units from completion of Key Issues in Policy Studies courses from the following list:

ANIP3005 Australian National Internship B

CRIM2001 Doing Criminology: Research and Practice in Crime and Criminal Justice

CRIM2003 Controversies in Crime Control

CRIM2004 Dimensions of Crime: Identifying and Controlling Offenders

ENVS3001 Climate Change Science and Policy in Practice

ENVS3020 Climate Change Science and Policy

ENVS3028 Environmental Policy

ENVS3033 International Environmental Policy

INDG3001 Public policy development and implementation and Indigenous Australians

LING2022 Language Policy and Language Politics

SOCY2021 Education and Society

SOCY2022 Environmental Sociology

STST2001 International Security Issues in the Asia-Pacific

STST2003 Australia and Security in the Pacific Islands

STST3002 Australian Security in the Asian Century

STST3003 Honeypots and Overcoats: Australian Intelligence in the World

48 units from completion of elective courses offered by ANU

Honours

For information about honours, please see Bachelor of Policy Studies (Honours)

Elective Study

Once you have met the program requirements of your degree, you may have enough electives to complete an additional elective major, minor or specialisation.

Study Options

Admission Requirements

Admission to all programs is on a competitive basis. Admission to undergraduate degrees is based on meeting the ATAR requirement or an equivalent rank derived from the following qualifications:

• An Australian year 12 qualification or international equivalent; OR
• A completed Associate Diploma, Associate Degree, AQF Diploma, Diploma, AQF Advanced Diploma, Graduate Certificate or international equivalent; OR
• At least one standard full-time year (1.0 FTE) in a single program of degree level study at an Australian higher education institution or international equivalent; OR
• An approved tertiary preparation course unless subsequent study is undertaken.

Click HERE for further information about domestic admission.

More information about ATAR requirements for individual programs can be found HERE.

The National Register of higher education providers is an authoritative source of information that will help you confirm your institution of choice is registered to deliver higher education in Australia.

The Quality Indicators for Learning and Teaching (QILT) website is HERE. Based on surveys done by thousands of students across Australia you can find out about universities that interest you, doing side-by-side comparisons.

The table below is a guide to the entry level required for domestic applicants. Exact entry level will be set at time of offer.

Domestic applicant entry requirements

Queensland Band equivalents are a guide only - selection is made on an ATAR equivalent that is not available to students.

International applicant entry requirements

International applicants may view further information on admissions requirements at Entry Requirements for International Undergraduate Applicants

The University reserves the right to alter or discontinue its programs as required.

Adjustment Factors

ANU offers rank adjustments for a number of adjustment factors, including for high achievement in nationally strategic senior secondary subjects and for recognition of difficult circumstances that students face in their studies. Rank adjustments are applied to Bachelor degree applicants with an ATAR at or above 70. Points are awarded in accordance with the approved schedules, and no more than 15 points (maximum 5 subject/performance-based adjustments, maximum 10 equity-based adjustments and maximum 5 Elite Athlete adjustments) will be awarded. Subject and performance-based adjustments do not apply to programs with a minimum selection rank of 98 or higher. Visit the ANU Adjustment Factors website for further information.

Scholarships

ANU offers a wide range of scholarships to students to assist with the cost of their studies.

Eligibility to apply for ANU scholarships varies depending on the specifics of the scholarship and can be categorised by the type of student you are.  Specific scholarship application process information is included in the relevant scholarship listing.

For further information see the Scholarships website.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of a Bachelor of Policy Studies, graduates will be able to:

1. define key areas of contemporary Australian public policy;
2. critique the historical development of current Australian public policies;
3. gather and analyse economic data, social data, and statistics related to Australian public policies;
4. interpret and evaluate the outcomes of analysis of Australian public policies;
5. produce professional written documentation for use within the Australian policy process;
6. communicate effectively and professionally, both orally and in writing, the findings of policy analysis and the evaluation of public policies; and
7. engage and intervene effectively in the contemporary Australian public policy process to effect change.