Political Science is the study of human relationships and institutions that involve power, rule, or authority. The Political Science major enables students to:
- Study the identities and values that underpin political attitudes and behaviour;
- Understand and compare the institutions and political systems of Australia and other countries,
- Acquire and apply a range of analytical skills to the examination of political phenomena; and
- Focus on specific areas of interest, such as Australian politics, comparative politics, international relations, methods, political theory, and public policy.
This flexible major also enables students to include internships and other options in their study; and/or to take a second major or minor in another field including International Relations.
Learning Outcomes
- demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the key areas of interest to political scientists, including citizen ideas/interests/attitudes/behaviour, policy actors and outcomes, and political systems and institutions;
- apply political science theories and concepts to the the study of political phenomena of relevance to scholars and policymakers; reflect on the utility and explanatory power of those theories and concepts;
- apply political science analytical tools to the evaluation of political phenomena of relevance to scholars and policymakers; and
- communicate and debate both orally and in writing, and work with others, using a wide variety of media.
Requirements
The Political Science major requires the completion of 48 units, of which:
A maximum of 18 units may come from the completion of 1000-level courses;
A minimum of 18 units must come from the completion of 3000-level courses
The 48 units must consist of:
12 units from the completion of the following compulsory courses:
POLS1002 Introduction to Politics
POLS1009 Introduction to Data and Methods for Political Science and International Relations
A minimum of 6 units and a maximum of 12 units from the completion of courses from the following Australian and Comparative politics list, of which a minimum of 6 units must come from the completion of POLS-coded courses:
POLS2010 Comparative Politics
POLS2114 Australian Politics
HIST2022 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander History
HIST2227 Australian Political History
A minimum of 6 units and a maximum of 12 units from the completion of courses from the following Political Science sub-fields list:
DEMO1001 Global Population Challenges
POLS2002 Public Policy: Theory and Practice
POLS2044 Quantitative Methods in Political Science and International Relations
POLS2045 Qualitative Methods in Political Science and International Relations Research
POLS2102 Political Belief and Deceit
POLS2119 Ideas in Politics
POLS2130 Public Choice and Politics
POLS2137 Meaning in Politics: Interpretation, Method and Critique
Or any other 2000 level POLS course with permission
A minimum of 12 units and a maximum of 18 units from the completion of any 3000-level POLS course, of which at least 12 units must come from the completion of courses from the following Political Science Depth List:
POLS3002 Comparative European Politics
POLS3029 Sharing Power: Federalism in Comparative Perspective
POLS3043 Pressure Groups and Political Lobbying
POLS3095 Politics in Latin America
POLS3111 Elections, Political Behaviour and Public Opinion in Australia
POLS3113 Human Rights
POLS3125 Game Theory and Social Sciences
POLS3126 Democracy and Dictatorship
POLS3134 The Politics of Gender, Race, and Identity
A maximum of 6 units from the completion of courses from the following Social Science Depth list:
ANIP3003 Australian National Internships Program A
MEAS3005 Modern Iraq: State, Politics and Society
MEAS3007 Syria in the Levant: State, Society, and the Current Turmoil
MEAS3008 Egypt: Social and Political Dynamics in a Changing Middle East
MEAS3009 Modern Arabian Peninsula: Politics, Security and Society
PASI3001 Politics and Development in the Contemporary Pacific
PASI3013 Environment and Development in the Pacific
SOCR3001 Data for Decision Making
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 |
| POLS 1006: Contemporary Global Issues |
A minimum of 6 units must come from completion of courses from the following list:
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| HIST2227 | Australian Political History | 6 |
| POLS 2009: Bureaucracy, Politics and Powe | ||
| POLS 2043: Pressure Groups | ||
| 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 | ||
| POLS 2111: Elections, Political Behaviour | ||
| POLS2114 | Australian Politics | 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 | ||
| POLS 2063: Contemporary Political Theory | ||
| 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 | ||
| POLS 2125: Game Theory and Social Science | ||
| POLS 2126: Democracy and Dictatorship | ||
| 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 |
| PHIL 2113: Global Justice | ||
| POLS 2011: Development and Change | ||
| POLS2031 | Politics in the Middle East | 6 |
| POLS 2075: Glob & Pol of Identity | ||
| POLS 2085: Gendered Pols of War | ||
| POLS2094 | International Political Economy | 6 |
| POLS 2095: Development in Latin America | ||
| POLS 2097: Strategy I: Grand Strategy | ||
| POLS 2098: Strategy II | ||
| POLS 2099: Cartographies of Security | ||
| POLS 2101: Refugee Politics | ||
| POLS 2109: The Politics of Empire | ||
| POLS 2113: Human Rights | ||
| POLS 2115: Revolution! | ||
| POLS 2117: IR in Latin America | ||
| POLS 2123: Peace and Conflict Studies | ||
| POLS 2124: Politics of Nuclear Weapons | ||
| POLS3001 | Foreign Policy Analysis | 6 |
| POLS 3017: Intern Relations Theory | ||
| SOCY2030 | Social Inequalities and Development | 6 |
| ASIA2026 | The Politics of China | 6 |
| ASIA2031 | Japanese Politics | 6 |
| ASIA2049 | Politics and Society in Contemporary Korea | 6 |
| ASIA 2070: Democracy in Southeast Asia | ||
| 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 | ||
| POLS 2127: U.S. Politics |