The Bachelor of Arts is the most diverse, most flexible, and most popular degree at The Australian National University. Each of its some forty majors, in fields throughout the arts, humanities and social sciences, is taught by truly outstanding scholars to ensure that each student receives the very best education, is engaged with cutting-edge research, and learns to think like a researcher. These majors can be coupled with more than seventy minors and specialisations to broaden or deepen your study. Regardless of your choices, your Arts degree will provide you with core skills in critical analysis and in written and oral communication, while developing your adaptability and ability to help shape change and prepare you for a multifaceted career or further study.

The Bachelor of Political Science is the only dedicated Political Science degree in Australia. The ANU has some of the world’s finest political scientists, and was the only Australian university to receive a 5 (“well above world class”) in both of the Excellence in Research for Australia’s reports. Located in the national capital, the ANU is the only university with a right to place interns in Australian Parliament House. The Bachelor of Political Science will give you the knowledge, theoretical understandings, and practical skills that underpin a successful career that engages with politics.

Employment Opportunities

Graduates of the Bachelor of Arts may find work in publishing, policy, education, international development, politics, media, information technology, communications, journalism, aid, advertising, art conservation, government and many other fields.

Graduates of the Bachelor of Arts may find work in publishing, policy, education, international development, politics, media, information technology, communications, journalism, aid, advertising, art conservation, government and many other fields.

Learning Outcomes

1. critically apply theoretical frameworks and research techniques to understanding national and international issues and problems;
2. identify, including through interrogation of databases, relevant sources of information from across a variety of media (print and digital, written and audio-visual) and judge the importance and reliability of those sources;
3. evaluate ideas and develop creative solutions to problems, including through independent pursuit of knowledge and making connections between different disciplinary approaches and methods;
4. communicate and debate both orally and in writing, and work with others, using a variety of media; and
5. understand the ethical implications of ideas, communications, and actions.

1. 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;

2. apply a range of research methods to the investigation of political phenomena;

3. demonstrate understanding of differences in political systems and the contexts in which they operate; and

4. communicate and debate both orally and in writing, and work with others, using a variety of media.

Further Information

APAC accreditation and pathway to Honours in Psychology

The Bachelor of Arts is accredited by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC) when students complete the accredited sequence of psychology courses.

• Students admitted to an ANU BSc, BARTS or PhB prior to 2023 who wish to be eligible for Honours in Psychology must complete the courses from the Psychology major and specialisation in order to satisfy the APAC accredited sequence of courses and achieve the minimum required learning in Psychology. The minimum required learning is achieved by successful completion of PSYC1003 , PSYC1004 , PSYC2001 , PSYC2002 , PSYC2007 , PSYC2008 , PSYC2009 , PSYC3018 , PSYC3025 , PSYC3026 and an additional 2 x 3000 level PSYC courses (or, for PhB students, 3000 level SCNC courses with a psychology supervisor). It is strongly recommended students also complete PSYC2012 and PSYC3020 (PSYC3020 will contribute towards the additional 2 x 3000 level PSYC course requirement).
• Students admitted to an ANU BSc, BARTS or PhB from 2023 onwards who wish to be eligible for Honours in Psychology must complete the courses from the Psychology major and specialisation in order to satisfy the APAC accredited sequence of courses and achieve the minimum required learning in Psychology. The minimum required learning is achieved by successful completion of PSYC1003 , PSYC1004 , PSYC2001 , PSYC2007 , PSYC2008 , PSYC2009 , PSYC2012 , PSYC3018 , PSYC3020 , PSYC3025 , PSYC3026 and PSYC3202.

APAC accreditation and pathway to Honours in Psychology

The Bachelor of Arts is accredited by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC) when students complete the accredited sequence of psychology courses.

• Students admitted to an ANU BSc, BARTS or PhB prior to 2023 who wish to be eligible for Honours in Psychology must complete the courses from the Psychology major and specialisation in order to satisfy the APAC accredited sequence of courses and achieve the minimum required learning in Psychology. The minimum required learning is achieved by successful completion of PSYC1003 , PSYC1004 , PSYC2001 , PSYC2002 , PSYC2007 , PSYC2008 , PSYC2009 , PSYC3018 , PSYC3025 , PSYC3026 and an additional 2 x 3000 level PSYC courses (or, for PhB students, 3000 level SCNC courses with a psychology supervisor). It is strongly recommended students also complete PSYC2012 and PSYC3020 (PSYC3020 will contribute towards the additional 2 x 3000 level PSYC course requirement).
• Students admitted to an ANU BSc, BARTS or PhB from 2023 onwards who wish to be eligible for Honours in Psychology must complete the courses from the Psychology major and specialisation in order to satisfy the APAC accredited sequence of courses and achieve the minimum required learning in Psychology. The minimum required learning is achieved by successful completion of PSYC1003 , PSYC1004 , PSYC2001 , PSYC2007 , PSYC2008 , PSYC2009 , PSYC2012 , PSYC3018 , PSYC3020 , PSYC3025 , PSYC3026 and PSYC3202.

Admission Requirements

Prerequisites

Adjustment Factors

Adjustment factors are additional points added to an applicant's Selection Rank (for example an applicant's ATAR). ANU offers adjustment factors based on performance and equity principles, such as for high achievement in nationally strategic senior secondary subjects and for recognition of difficult circumstances that students face in their studies. 

Selection Rank adjustments are granted in accordance with the approved schedules, and no more than 15 (maximum 5 subject/performance-based adjustment factors and maximum 10 equity-based adjustment factors) can be awarded. 

You may be considered for adjustment factors if you have:

• applied for an eligible ANU Bachelor degree program
• undertaken Australian Year 12 or the International Baccalaureate
• achieved an ATAR or equivalent at or above 70
• not previously attempted tertiary study.

Please 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.

Program Requirements

The Bachelor of Arts flexible double degree component requires completion of 96 units, of which:

A maximum of 36 units may come from completion of 1000-level courses

The 96 units must consist of:

48 units from the completion of one of the following majors

MAJORS

Disciplines and Fields

Anthropology

Archaeology

Art History and Curatorial Studies

Australian Indigenous Studies

Biological Anthropology

Classical Studies

Composition

Composition for Film and Video Games

Criminology

Demography

Development Studies

Digital Humanities

Economic Studies

English

Environmental Studies

Gender, Sexuality and Culture

Geography

Global Security

History

Human Evolutionary Biology

Human Rights

International Communication

International Relations

Linguistics

Mathematics

Music

Music Technology

Musicology

Peace and Conflict Studies

Performance

Philosophy

Political Science

Popular Music

Psychology

Screen Studies

Sociology

War Studies

Languages

Ancient Greek

Arabic

Chinese Language

French Language and Culture

German Language and Culture

Hindi Language

Indonesian Language

Italian Language and Culture

Japanese Language

Japanese Linguistics

Korean Language

Latin

Persian

Sanskrit Language

Spanish

Thai Language

Vietnamese Language

Geographically Defined Area Studies

Asian Studies

Asian History

Asian and Pacific Culture, Media and Gender

Chinese Studies

Indian and South Asian Studies

Indonesian Studies

Japanese Studies

Korean Studies

Middle Eastern and Central Asian Studies

Middle East Politics and Security

Northeast Asian Studies

Pacific Studies

Southeast Asian Studies

EITHER:

48 units from completion of a second major from the list above

OR

24 units from completion of one of the following minors, which must have a different name to the major

MINORS

Disciplines and Fields

Advanced Studies

Anthropology

Applied Linguistics

Archaeology

Australian Indigenous Studies

Biological Anthropology

Classical Studies

Climate Science and Policy

Criminology

Demography

Design

Development Studies

Digital Humanities

Economic Studies

English

Environmental Policy

Environmental Studies

Forensic Anthropology

Forensic Linguistics

Gender and Sexuality

Geography

Global Security

Health, Medicine and the Body

Heritage and Museum Studies

History

Human Ecology

Human Evolutionary Biology

Human Rights

Indian and South Asian Studies

International Communication

International Relations

Linguistics

Mathematics

Music

Peace and Conflict Studies

Philosophy and Science

Philosophy

Political Science

Screen Studies

Social Psychology

Social Research Methods

Sociology

Sustainable Development

Visual Arts Practice

War Studies

The Bachelor of Political Science flexible double degree component requires the completion of 96 units, of which:

A maximum of 36 units may come from completion of 1000-level courses

The 96 units must consist of:

24 units from completion of the following compulsory courses:

POLS1002 Introduction to Politics

POLS1009 Research and Writing in Political Science

POLS2044 Contemporary Political Analysis

POLS2119 Ideas in Politics

A minimum of 6 units must come from completion of courses from the following list:

EURO3002 Comparative European Politics

POLS3022 Washington DC Internship

POLS3029 Sharing Power: Federalism in Comparative Perspective

POLS3031 Comparative Judicial Politics

POLS3033 Environment, Human Security and Conflict

POLS3036 International Terrorism

POLS3038 Media and Politics

POLS3039 Political Leadership and Executive Government

POLS3040 Conflict and Change in Sub-Saharan Africa

A minimum of 12 units from completion of political theory and political philosophy courses from the following list:

PHIL1004 Fundamental Ideas in Philosophy: An Introduction

PHIL2020 Theories of Social Justice

PHIL2113 Global Justice

POLS2063 Contemporary Political Theory

POLS2102 Political Belief and Deceit

A minimum of 12 units from completion of methodology courses from the following list:

ECON2141 Strategic Thinking: An Introduction to Game Theory

POLS2125 Game Theory and Social Sciences

POLS2130 Public Choice and Politics

POLS2137 Meaning in Politics: Interpretation, Method and Critique

POLS3045 Qualitative Methods in Political Science Research

SOCY2043 Introduction to Qualitative Research Methods

A minimum of 12 units from completion of Australian politics courses from the following list:

POLS2002 Public Policy: Theory and Practice

POLS2009 Bureaucracy, Politics and Power

POLS2111 Elections, Political Behaviour and Public Opinion in Australia

POLS2114 Australian Political Institutions

A minimum of 12 units from completion of comparative politics courses from the following list:

ASIA2065 Asia’s Changing Politics in Comparative Perspective

POLS2043 Pressure Groups and Political Lobbying

POLS2126 Democracy and Dictatorship

POLS2134 Gender and Politics

POLS2135 Race, Ethnicity and Representation

A minimum of 6 units and a maximum of 12 units from the following cognate list:

ANIP3005 Australian National Internships Program B

DEMO2001 Understanding Population Change

DEMO3001 Population Policy Case Studies

HIST1209 Terror to Terrorism: A History              

HIST2227 Australian Political History      

HIST2022 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander History   

HIST2240 Democracy and Dissent: Europe Since 1945*  

MEAS3007 Syria in the Levant: State, Society and the Current Turmoil

MEAS3008 Egypt: Social and Political Dynamics in a Changing Middle East

*Please note that courses with asterisks are usually offered every second year.

A maximum of 6 units from completion of area studies courses from the following list:

ASIA2026 The Politics of China

ASIA2031 Japanese Politics

ASIA2049 Politics and Society in Contemporary Korea

ASIA2070 Democracy in Southeast Asia

ASIA2516 Indonesia: Politics, Society and Development

EURO2012 Uniting Europe: History, Politics, Theory

MEAS2001 New States of Eurasia: Emerging Issues in Politics and Security

MEAS3005 Modern Iraq: State, Politics and Society

POLS2031 Politics in the Middle East

POLS2055 Pacific Politics

POLS2069 Politics in Russia

POLS2095 Politics in Latin America

POLS2100 Genocide in the Modern World

POLS2127 U.S. Politics

POLS3070 Politics in Central Asia

A minimum of 6 and maximum of 12 units from completion of political economy courses from the following list:

ASIA2090 Study Tour: The Political Economy of Myanmar

ECON2013 Behavioural Economics

ECON2060 Economic Reasoning for Government

MEAS2105 The Political Economy of the Middle East

POLS2011 Development and Change

POLS2094 Issues in International Political Economy

A maximum of 6 units from completion of internship/Vice-Chancellors courses from the following list:

ANIP3003 Australian National Internships Program A

VCUG2002 Leadership and Influence in a Complex World

VCUG3001 Unravelling Complexity

Majors

Bachelor of Arts Majors

Minors

Bachelor of Arts Minors

Study Options