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:

66 units from completion of the following compulsory courses:

ECON1101 Microeconomics 1

POLS1002 Introduction to Politics

POLS2009 Bureaucracy and Public Policy

POLS2105 Political Leadership and Executive Government

DEMO2001 Population Studies

SOCY1002 Self and Society

SOCY2038 Introduction to Quantitative Research Methods

SOCY2043 Qualitative Research Methods

SOCY2101 Social Policy: Principles and Practice

SOCY3123 Policy and Program Evaluation

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

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

ANIP3005 Australian National Internship B

ASIA1022 Peacebuilding and Conflict Resolution

ASIA2020 Engaging Asia: Working with Government

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

SOCY2056 Sociology of Work and Employment

CRIM2001 Doing Criminology (Studies in Social Problems)

CRIM2004 Key Issues in Criminology I

SOCY3016 Key Issues in Criminology II

SOCY3021 Sociology of Health and Illness

STST2001 International Security Issues in the Asia-Pacific

STST2002 Internal Security Issues in the A-P

STST2003 Securing Australia's Asia-Pacific 'Arc of Instability'

STST3002 Australian Security in the Asian Century

STST3003 The Evolution and Roles of Australia’s Security and Intelligence Organisations

48 units from completion of elective courses offered by ANU

Honours

For information about honours, please see the College of Arts and Social Sciences Honours website.

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.

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

From 2010, the UAI/ENTER/TER will be referred to as ATAR (Australian Tertiary Admission Rank) for admission. See http://www.uac.edu.au/undergraduate/atar/ for further information.

Queensland Band equivalents are a guide only - selection is made on a UAI 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

The National Access Scheme 2014

ANU offers bonus points for nationally strategic senior secondary subjects, and in recognition of difficult circumstances that students face in their studies. 

Bonus points are applied to all applicants with an ATAR at or above 70. Points are awarded in accordance with the approved schedule, and no more than 10 points (maximum 5 academic points and maximum 5 equity points) will be awarded.

Bonus points do not apply to programs with an ATAR cutoff of 98 or higher.

Bonus Points are only awarded to domestic applicants applying for admission through UAC who have not previously attempted tertiary study.

How to apply

Academic Bonus Points: senior secondary students do not need to apply for ANU academic bonus points. They are automatically added in accordance with the schedule.

Educational Access Scheme: senior secondary students do not need to apply if their school is part of the Priority School Funding Program or Country Areas Program. All other applicants should refer to www.uac.edu.au/undergraduate/eas for more 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 the requirements of the program, students will have the skills and knowledge 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.