Philosophy, Politics and Economics major

Note: this major is only available to re-enrolling students.

All important social issues—climate change, healthcare, inequality, political participation, criminal justice, and much more besides—have philosophical, political, and economic dimensions. UWA's Bachelor of Philosophy, Politics and Economics is a challenging and rigorous course of study which equips students to engage with these issues from a uniquely interdisciplinary perspective.

Students will receive a thorough grounding in each of the three disciplines, examining the ways in which insights from each area of study can fruitfully inform scholarship in the others. Students will also study the intertwined history of philosophy, politics, and economics, and develop the critical thinking and analytical skills essential for success in the workplace.

This page is for the Bachelor of Arts major, Philosophy, Politics, and Economics. This Major is no longer open to enrolments. It is applicable only to students who began their studies in 2019 or 2020, and have not transferred to the Bachelor of Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (BPPE).”

Outcomes

Students are able to (1) Integrate Philosophical, Political and Economic Ideas.; (2) independently construct arguments for philosophical, political and economic positions; (3) understand and apply the methods of contemporary philosophy, politics and economics.; (4) identify and evaluate assumptions underpinning philosophical, political and/or economic viewpoints on social and legal topics; (5) demonstrate sound research skills and written and oral communication skills; and (6) provide an interdisciplinary approach to issues with philosophical, political, and economic dimensions..

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.

Philosophy, Politics and Economics can only be taken as a degree-specific major in the following degree courses:

Overview of unit sequence

Philosophy, Politics and Economics is a degree-specific double major comprising:

  • three Level 1 units
  • five Level 2 units
  • six Level 3 units
  • one Level 3 complementary unit
  • two Level 4 complementary units
  • one Level 5 complementary unit
Key to availability of units:
S1 = Semester 1; S2 = Semester 2; SS = summer teaching period; N/A = not available in 2022;
NS = non-standard teaching period

Note: Units that are indicated as N/A may be available in 2023 or 2024.

This major was available only from 2019 onward, even though some of its units may have been available in 2018. The major has a non-conventional structure: three level 1 units (one each from Philosophy, Politics, and Economics); five level 2 units (two each from Philosophy and Economics, and one from Politics); six level 3 units (two each from Philosophy and Politics, one from Economics, and a capstone unit); and four complementary units (two from Law, one from Politics, and one from Economics).

Level 1

Degree-specific major units
Take all units (18 points):
Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S1, S2 ECON1101 Microeconomics: Prices and Markets
Prerequisites:
Nil.
Co-requisites:
Nil.
Incompatibility:
ECON1000 Economics for Business
S1, SS PHIL1002 Introduction to Critical Thinking
Prerequisites:
Nil.
Co-requisites:
Nil.
Incompatibility:
PHIL1105 Introduction to Critical Thinking
S1 POLS1101 Understanding Politics and Policy
Prerequisites:
Nil.
Co-requisites:
Nil.
Incompatibility:
Nil.
Complementary units
Take the following complementary unit:
Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S1 LAWS1111 Law, Conflict and Change
Prerequisites:
Nil.
Co-requisites:
Nil.
Incompatibility:
Nil.

Level 2

Degree-specific major units
Take all units (30 points):
Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S2 ECON2105 Rise of the Global Economy
Prerequisites:
ECON1101 Microeconomics: Prices and Markets
or
ECON1000 Economics for Business
or
BUSN1103 Foundations of Global Business
Co-requisites:
Nil.
Incompatibility:
ECON1105 Rise of the Global Economy
S1 ECON2233 Microeconomics: Policy and Applications
Prerequisites:
ECON1101 Microeconomics: Prices and Markets
Co-requisites:
Nil.
Incompatibility:
Nil.
S1 PHIL2001 Bioethics
Prerequisites:
any level 1 unit in the Bachelor of Arts,
or
equivalent
Co-requisites:
Nil.
Incompatibility:
PHIL2201 Social Ethics: Life and Death
N/A PHIL2007 Knowledge and the Justification of Belief
Prerequisites:
any Level 1 unit
Co-requisites:
Nil
Incompatibility:
Nil
S2 POLS2220 Foundations of Global Political Economy
Prerequisites:
12 points of Social Sciences and/
or
Humanities study at level 1
Co-requisites:
Nil.
Incompatibility:
POLS3320 International Political Economy
Complementary units
Take all complementary units (12 points):
Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S2 LAWS2224 Evolution of Human Rights
Prerequisites:
Nil
Co-requisites:
LAWS1111 Law, Conflict, and Change (formerly LAWS1111 Legal Systems)
Incompatibility:
Nil.
S2 PPHE2211 History of Political Ideas
Prerequisites:
completion of any POLS
or
PHIL unit
or
24 points in the Bachelor of Arts
Co-requisites:
Nil.
Incompatibility:
POLS3311 History of Political Ideas; POLS2211 History of Political Ideas

Level 3

Degree-specific major units
Take all units (12 points):
Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S2 ECON3395 Economic Policy
Prerequisites:
ECON2233 Microeconomics: Policy and Applications
Co-requisites:
Nil.
Incompatibility:
Nil.
S2 PPHE3001 Integrating Philosophy, Politics and Economics: Rational Choice
Prerequisites:
Any level 2 PHIL unit, any level 2 ECON unit,
or
any level 2 POLS unit.
Co-requisites:
Nil
Incompatibility:
Nil
Complementary units
Take the following complementary unit:
Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S1 ECON3310 History of Economic Ideas
Prerequisites:
ECON2233 Microeconomics: Policy and Applications;
for pre-2012 courses: none
Co-requisites:
Nil
Incompatibility:
Nil
Degree-specific major units
Philosophy—take unit(s) to the value of 12 points:
Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S2 PHIL3002 Aesthetics
Prerequisites:
any Level 2 Philosophy unit
or
PPHE2211
Co-requisites:
Nil.
Incompatibility:
PHIL2208 Aesthetics; PHIL2207 Philosophy, Literature and Film
S1 PHIL3003 Moral Theory
Prerequisites:
any Level 2 Philosophy unit
or
PPHE2211
or
PPHE3327
Co-requisites:
Nil.
Incompatibility:
PHIL 2209 Moral Theory
S1 PHIL3005 Continental Philosophy: The Origin and Influence of Phenomenology
Prerequisites:
any Level 2 Philosophy unit
or
PPHE2211
Co-requisites:
Nil.
Incompatibility:
PHIL2225 Continental Philosophy
S1 PHIL3008 What to Do? How to Make Rational Decisions under Uncertainty
Prerequisites:
completion of 12 points
Co-requisites:
Nil
Incompatibility:
Nil
Degree-specific major units
Politics—take unit(s) to the value of 12 points:
Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S2, NS ASIA3005 Democratisation in Asia
Prerequisites:
any Level 2 ASIA unit, Level 2 ANTH unit
or
Level 2 POLS unit
Co-requisites:
Nil.
Incompatibility:
SOCS2228 Democratisation in Asia
S1 POLS3335 Social Movements and the Politics of Change
Prerequisites:
12 points of Social Sciences and/
or
Humanities study at level 2
Co-requisites:
Nil
Incompatibility:
Nil
N/A POLS3342 Global Environmental Politics
Prerequisites:
12 points of Social Sciences and/
or
Humanities study at level 2
Co-requisites:
Nil.
Incompatibility:
POLS2229 States, Welfare and Environmental Policy
S2 PPHE3327 Contemporary Political Theory
Prerequisites:
any Level 2 POLS
or
PHIL unit
or
PPHE2211 History of Political Ideas
Co-requisites:
Nil.
Incompatibility:
POLS2227 Contemporary Political Theory; POLS3327 Contemporary Political Theory

Choosing your degree-specific major

General degrees

You must satisfy the requirements of a degree-specific major before you complete your course. The flexible structure of an undergraduate course allows you to try out a number of different subjects to see what interests you before nominating your degree-specific major. You have the choice to either nominate your degree-specific major when you first enrol in the course or delay nominating it until your second year.

To plan the first year of your study without nominating a degree-specific major, you are advised to choose units that will pave the way to two or more degree-specific majors that are of interest to you. For examples of the choice of units available in first year, search the first-year study plans .

To fully understand the structure of an undergraduate course, read the course structure information and the Undergraduate Degree Course Rules.

The following example illustrates how the Philosophy, Politics and Economics degree-specific major can be included in the Bachelor of Arts course.

Example: Course Study Plan: CSP001-PPECN

There are more choices open to you. For more examples, search the study plans .

Specialised degrees – Bachelor of Advanced Computer Science (Honours), Bachelor of Automation and Robotics, Bachelor of Environmental Design, Bachelor of Music

You must satisfy the requirements of the degree-specific major in your degree before you complete your course.

Bachelor of Philosophy, Politics and Economics

This comprehensive degree does not allow you to choose a double major.