Major Overview

Description

Societies can only continue to exist if they solve the problem of internal order and are able to protect themselves from external threats. Political Science and International Relations studies how societies govern themselves and the collective decisions, or public policies, they need, or choose, to make. Attention is given to the different ways government is organised; values such as liberty, participation, majority rule and minority rights which inform political institutions and public policy; and ideologies such as conservatism, liberalism, socialism, feminism and environmentalism which have motivated much political action in modern societies. International relations focuses on the ways in which states and peoples interact with other states, regional or global political organisations, and social movements in an increasingly interdependent world.

Outcomes

Students are able to:

  1. Demonstrate advanced knowledge about the nature of politics and the functions of diverse political ideas, theories, actors, institutions and systems
  2. Critically evaluate key political and policy dynamics at local, national, transnational, regional and international levels
  3. Creatively apply critical thinking and problem-solving skills to independently and collaboratively address challenges, crises and change in the political world
  4. Competently apply basic Political Science and International Relations methods and skills to designing and executing social research
  5. Effectively communicate political knowledge, ideas, analyses and arguments in different formats..
Broadening guidelines

All students studying towards a Bachelor's Degree at UWA are required to Broaden their studies by completing a minimum of four units (24 points) of study outside their degree specific major. Broadening is your opportunity to explore other areas of interest, investigate new disciplines and knowledge paradigms and to shape your degree to suit your own aspirations and interests. Many of you will be able to undertake more than this minimum amount of broadening study and we encourage you to do so if this suits your aspirations. Over the next few months you will find here some broadening suggestions related to your degree-specific major. While we know that many students value guidance of this sort, these are only suggestions and students should not lose sight of the opportunity to explore that is afforded by your Broadening Choices. Advice can also be sought from your Allocated Student Advising Office.

Courses

Political Science and International Relations can be taken as a degree-specific major in the following degree courses:

Example Study Plan

See study plans for more information.

Units

Key to availability of units:
S1
Semester 1
S2
Semester 2
N/A
not available in 2025 – may be available in 2026 or 2027
NS
non-standard teaching period

Level 1

Degree-specific major units

take at least 12 points from POLS1101, POLS1102, and IREL1001:

Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S1 IREL1001 The International Politics of Climate Change
Incompatibility
POLS3342 Global Environmental Politics in your chosen degree
S1 POLS1101 Understanding Politics and Policy None
S2 POLS1102 Understanding Global Politics None

Level 2

Degree-specific major units

Take unit(s) to the value of 18 points:

Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S1 IREL2001 Foundations of Foreign Policy
Prerequisites
12 points of Social Sciences and/or Humanities study at level 1
Incompatibility
POLS2214 Foundations of Foreign Policy
S1 POLS2201 Foundations of Public Policy
Prerequisites
12 points of Social Sciences and/or Humanities study at level 1
Incompatibility
POLS3301 Public Policy
S2 POLS2202 Foundations of Comparative Politics
Prerequisites
12 points of Social Sciences and/or Humanities study at level 1
S2 POLS2220 Foundations of Global Political Economy
Prerequisites
12 points of Social Sciences and/or Humanities study at level 1
Incompatibility
POLS3320 International Political Economy

Level 3

Take units to the value of 18 points from Group A and B (maximum value of 6 points from Group B).

Degree-specific major units

Group A—take units to the value of 18 points from Group A and B.

Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S2 ASIA3005 Autocracy and Democracy in Asia
Prerequisites
Successful completion of
any one level 2 Unit(s) from the School Social Sciences
or Humanities
Incompatibility
Successful completion of
ASIA3005 Democratisation in Asia
S1 IREL3002 The Politics of Human Rights
Prerequisites
Successful completion of
POLS1102 Understanding Global Politics
Incompatibility
POLS5686 International Norms, Ethics and Human Rights
N/A POLS3204 The Politics of Gender
Prerequisites
12 points of Social Science and/or Humanities study at level 2
S2 POLS3231 Politics of the Mass Media
Prerequisites
12 points of Social Science and/or Humanities study at level 2
Incompatibility
POLS2231/POLS3331 Politics of the Mass Media
S1 POLS3302 South Asia and the Middle East: Foreign Relations and Politics
Prerequisites
12 points of Social Sciences and/or Humanities study at level 2
S1 POLS3308 Greater China: Politics and International Relations
Prerequisites
12 points of Social Sciences and/or Humanities study at level 2
Incompatibility
POLS2208 Politics in Greater China
N/A POLS3324 Islam and World Politics
Prerequisites
12 points of Social Sciences and/or Humanities study at level 2
Incompatibility
POLS2224 Islam and World Politics
N/A POLS3334 The International Politics of Africa
Prerequisites
12 points of Social Sciences and/or Humanities study at level 2
S1 POLS3335 Social Movements and the Politics of Change
Prerequisites
12 points of Social Sciences and/or Humanities study at level 2
N/A POLS3342 Global Environmental Politics
Prerequisites
12 points of Social Sciences and/or Humanities study at level 2
Incompatibility
POLS2229 States, Welfare and Environmental Policy
Degree-specific major units

Group B—take units to the value of 18 points from Group A and B (maximum value of 6 points from Group B).

Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S2 PARL3399 WA Parliamentary Research Program
Prerequisites
Acceptance into the WA Parliamentary Research Program
and Successful completion of
96 points in your chosen degree
or approval from the School
S2 POLS3304 Policy and Diplomacy in Practice
Prerequisites
Successful completion of
any one level 1 Political Science (POLS) units and any three level 2 Political Science (POLS)
or Political Science, Philosophy, and Economics (PPHE) units
Incompatibility
PARL3339,
and WILG3001
NS, S1, S2 WILG3001 Work Integrated Learning Internship Program
Prerequisites
Successful completion of
48 points
and Enrolment in
BP009 Bachelor of Business
or BP013 Bachelor of Economics
or MJD-BUSAN Business Analytics
or MJD-POLSC Political Science and International Relations
or MJD-LINGO Linguistics
or MJD-CRMDM Criminology and Criminal Justice
or MNR-CRWRS Creative Writing Studies and a successful application for the WIL Placement Program
Incompatibility
BUSN3348 Business Practicum
or HUMA2901 Arts Practicum
or POLS3326 Political Science Internship
or WILG2201 Professional Experience Practicum
or PARL3399 WA Parliamentary Research Program.