Political Science is the study of human relationships and institutions that involve power, rule, or authority. It is about how societies govern themselves and how societies ought to be governed. It is about the political behaviour of individuals and groups that occurs in all societies. It is about those who have political power in society and those who do not.
Political Science is a broadly-based discipline offering courses that span a number of sub-fields. The major in Political Science introduces students to core concepts and methods and exposes them to four key areas of the discipline:
- Political thought and political theory or ideas,
- Australian government and public policy,
- Comparative politics and comparative public policy including the study of particular countries or regions, and
- International Politics/International Relations.
Students who wish to complete additional work in Politics beyond the required courses for the major may take a second major in International Relations, a minor in Asia-Pacific Politics, Contemporary Europe, Australian Politics, Comparative Politics, International Relations or Political Theory, or select individual POLS courses as electives within their degree.
Learning Outcomes
- demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the nature and significance of politics and governance;
- demonstrate knowledge and understanding of differences in political systems and the contexts in which they operate;
- apply concepts and theories used in the study of political science to the analysis of interests, ideas, institutions and behaviour and to the evaluation of political phenomena; and
- demonstrate knowledge of the different research methods used to investigate political phenomena and the ability to apply these methods.
Requirements
This major requires the completion of 48 units, which must include:
24 units from the completion of the following course(s):
POLS1002 - Introduction to Politics (6 units)
POLS1009 - Research and Writing in Political Science (6 units)
POLS2044 - Contemporary Political Analysis (6 units)
POLS2119 - Ideas in Politics (6 units)
A minimum of 6 and a maximum of 18 units from the completion of the following:
EURO3002 - Comparative European Politics (6 units)
POLS3029 - Sharing Power: Federalism in Comparative Perspective (6 units)
POLS3031 - Comparative Judicial Politics (6 units)
POLS3033 - Environment, Human Security and Conflict (6 units)
POLS3035 - The Politics of International Law (6 units)
POLS3036 - International Terrorism (6 units)
POLS3038 - Media and Politics (6 units)
POLS3039 - Political Leadership and Executive Government (6 units)
A minimum of 6 and a maximum of 18 units from the completion of the following:
HIST2227 - Australian Political History (6 units)
POLS2009 - Bureaucracy, Politics and Power (6 units)
POLS2043 - Pressure Groups and Political Lobbying (6 units)
POLS2111 - Elections, Political Behaviour and Public Opinion in Australia (6 units)
POLS2114 - Australian Political Institutions (6 units)
A maximum of 12 units from the completion of the following list:
PHIL2020 - Theories of Social Justice (6 units)
POLS2063 - Contemporary Political Theory (6 units)
POLS2102 - Political Belief and Deceit (6 units)
POLS2125 - Game Theory and Social Sciences (6 units)
POLS2126 - Democracy and Dictatorship (6 units)
SOCY2043 - Introduction to Qualitative Research Methods (6 units)
A maximum of 12 units from the completion of the following list:
ANIP3003 - Australian National Internships Program A (6 units)
ANIP3005 - Australian National Internships Program B (12 units)
ASIA2026 - The Politics of China (6 units)
ASIA2031 - Japanese Politics (6 units)
ASIA2049 - Politics and Society in Contemporary Korea (6 units)
ASIA2060 - Southeast Asian Security (6 units)
ASIA2070 - Democracy in Southeast Asia (6 units)
ASIA2081 - Human Rights in Asia (6 units)
ASIA2516 - Indonesia: Politics, Society and Development (6 units)
ECON3056 - PPE Integration 3: Classic Literature in Politics, Philosophy and Economics (6 units)
EURO2012 - Uniting Europe: History, Politics, Theory (6 units)
MEAS2001 - New States of Eurasia: Emerging Issues in Politics and Security (6 units)
MEAS2105 - The Political Economy of the Middle East (6 units)
PHIL2116 - PPE Integration 2 (6 units)
PHIL2122 - Philosophy and Public Policy (6 units)
POLS2011 - Development and Change (6 units)
POLS2031 - Politics in the Middle East (6 units)
POLS2055 - Pacific Politics (6 units)
POLS2069 - Politics in Russia (6 units)
POLS2094 - Issues in International Political Economy (6 units)
POLS2095 - Politics in Latin America (6 units)
POLS2101 - Refugee Politics: Displacement and Exclusion in the 20th and 21st Centuries (6 units)
POLS2113 - Human Rights (6 units)
POLS2123 - Peace and Conflict Studies (6 units)
POLS2127 - U.S. Politics (6 units)
POLS2130 - Public Choice and Politics (6 units)
POLS2134 - Gender and Politics (6 units)
POLS2135 - Race, Ethnicity and Representation (6 units)
POLS2136 - Power and Influence in World Politics (6 units)
POLS3001 - Foreign Policy Analysis (6 units)
POLS3017 - International Relations Theory (6 units)
POLS3022 - Washington DC Internship (12 units)
POLS3040 - Conflict and Change in Sub-Saharan Africa (6 units)
POLS3041 - Applied Policy Project (6 units)
POLS3070 - Politics in Central Asia (6 units)
SOCY2030 - Social Inequalities and Development (6 units)
18 units from completion of the following course(s):
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| POLS1002 | Introduction to Politics | 6 |
| POLS2119 | Ideas in Politics | 6 |
| POLS 3025: Contemp. Political Analysis |
6 units from completion of the following course(s):
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| POLS1005 | Introduction to International Relations: Foundations and Concepts | 6 |
| POLS1006 | Introduction to International Relations: Contemporary Global Issues | 6 |
A minimum of 6 units must come from completion of courses from the following list:
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| HIST2227 | Australian Political History | 6 |
| POLS2009 | Bureaucracy, Politics and Power | 6 |
| POLS2043 | Pressure Groups and Political Lobbying | 6 |
| POLS 2067: Aust Political Parties | ||
| POLS 2081: Religion & Pols in Aust | ||
| POLS 2083: Contem Aust Pol Issues | ||
| POLS 2103: Australian Democracy | ||
| POLS 2104: Media Politics | ||
| POLS 2105: Political Leadership | ||
| POLS2111 | Elections, Political Behaviour and Public Opinion in Australia | 6 |
| POLS2114 | Australian Political Institutions | 6 |
| POLS 2116: Class, power and conflict | ||
| POLS 2121: Ideas in Australian Politics |
A maximum of 18 units may come from completion of courses from the following list:
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| PHIL 2065: Politics and Rights | ||
| PHIL 2115: Hobbes to Mill | ||
| POLS 2061: Classical Marxism | ||
| POLS2063 | Contemporary Political Theory | 6 |
| POLS 2064: Global Social Movements | ||
| POLS 2076: Frankfurt School | ||
| POLS 2092: Fascism and Antifascism | ||
| POLS 2096: Genocide Studies | ||
| POLS2100 | Genocide in the Modern World | 6 |
| POLS2102 | Political Belief and Deceit | 6 |
| POLS 2120: Foundations of Pol Theory | ||
| POLS2125 | Game Theory and Social Sciences | 6 |
| POLS2126 | Democracy and Dictatorship | 6 |
| POLS 3021: Washington Internship | ||
| SOCY2038 | Introduction to Quantitative Research Methods | 6 |
| SOCY2043 | Introduction to Qualitative Research Methods | 6 |
A maximum of 12 units may come from completion of courses from the following list:
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| ASIA2060 | Southeast Asian Security | 6 |
| EURO 2011: Nationalism in Europe | ||
| MEAS2105 | The Political Economy of the Middle East | 6 |
| PHIL2113 | Global Justice | 6 |
| POLS2011 | Development and Change | 6 |
| POLS2031 | Politics in the Middle East | 6 |
| POLS 2075: Glob & Pol of Identity | ||
| POLS 2085: Gendered Pols of War | ||
| POLS2094 | Issues in International Political Economy | 6 |
| POLS2095 | Politics in Latin America | 6 |
| POLS 2097: Strategy I: Grand Strategy | ||
| POLS 2098: Strategy II | ||
| POLS 2099: Cartographies of Security | ||
| POLS2101 | Refugee Politics: Displacement and Exclusion in the 20th and 21st Centuries | 6 |
| POLS 2109: The Politics of Empire | ||
| POLS2113 | Human Rights | 6 |
| POLS 2115: Revolution! | ||
| POLS 2117: IR in Latin America | ||
| POLS2123 | Peace and Conflict Studies | 6 |
| POLS 2124: Politics of Nuclear Weapons | ||
| POLS3001 | Foreign Policy Analysis | 6 |
| POLS3017 | International Relations Theory | 6 |
| SOCY2030 | Social Inequalities and Development | 6 |
| ASIA2026 | The Politics of China | 6 |
| ASIA2031 | Japanese Politics | 6 |
| ASIA2049 | Politics and Society in Contemporary Korea | 6 |
| ASIA2070 | Democracy in Southeast Asia | 6 |
| ASIA 2075: India Arriving | ||
| ASIA2081 | Human Rights in Asia | 6 |
| ASIA2516 | Indonesia: Politics, Society and Development | 6 |
| EURO 2003: European Union | ||
| EURO 3001: Uniting Europe | ||
| MEAS2001 | New States of Eurasia: Emerging Issues in Politics and Security | 6 |
| POLS 2025: Politics in Britain | ||
| POLS2055 | Pacific Politics | 6 |
| POLS2069 | Politics in Russia | 6 |
| POLS 2070: Politics in Central Asia | ||
| POLS 2118: Latin American Democracy | ||
| POLS2127 | U.S. Politics | 6 |
