Philosophy, Politics and Economics major

Very many important issues – climate change, healthcare, political participation, taxation and much more besides – have philosophical, political, and economic dimensions. UWA's Philosophy, Politics and Economics extended major is a challenging and rigorous programme which equips students to engage with such issues from an interdisciplinary perspective. Students receive a thorough grounding in each of the three disciplines, and will examine 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 invaluable critical thinking and analytical skills essential for success in the modern workplace.

This page is for students in the Bachelor of Philosophy, Politics, and Economics. Students who commenced the Bachelor of Arts prior to 2021 should refer to the Handbook for the original MJD-PPECN">Philosophy, Politics and Economics Major.

Outcomes

Students are able to (1) explain the foundations of philosophy, political science, and economics; (2) demonstrate an understanding of the intertwined history of philosophy, political science, and economics; (3) apply insights from philosophy, politics, and economics to important social questions such as climate change, inequality, and distributive justice; (4) critically review assumptions underpinning philosophical, political and/or economic viewpoints on important social questions such as climate change, inequality, and distributive justice; (5) demonstrate sound research skills and written and oral communication skills; and (6) demonstrate valuable analytical and critical thinking skills.

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:

BP012 Bachelor of Philosophy, Politics and Economics
BH005 Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours)

Overview of unit sequence

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

  • four Level 1 units
  • seven Level 2 units
  • seven Level 3 units
Key to availability of units:
S1 = Semester 1; S2 = Semester 2; SS = summer teaching period; N/A = not available in 2021

Note: Units that are indicated as N/A may be available in 2022 or 2023.

Level 1

Degree-specific major units
Take all units (24 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, S2 ECON1102 Macroeconomics: Money and Finance
Prerequisites:
Nil
Co-requisites:
Nil
Incompatibility:
Nil
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.

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, SS 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 PPHE2001 Integrating Philosophy, Politics, and Economics: The Philosophy of Economics and Political Science
Prerequisites:
Any level 1 PHIL unit,
or
any level 1 POLS unit,
or
any level 1 ECON unit.
Co-requisites:
Nil
Incompatibility:
Nil
S1 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
Degree-specific major units
Take unit(s) to the value of 6 points:
Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
SS PHIL2002 Logic: How to Defeat Your Foes with Reasoning
Prerequisites:
24 points of Level 1 units
Co-requisites:
Nil.
Incompatibility:
PHIL2205 Introduction to Logic
S1 PHIL2005 Exploring the Nature of Science
Prerequisites:
24 points of Level 1 units
Co-requisites:
Nil.
Incompatibility:
PHIL2270 Philosophy of Science
S2 PHIL2007 Knowledge and the Justification of Belief
Prerequisites:
any Level 1 unit
Co-requisites:
Nil
Incompatibility:
Nil
N/A PHIL2009 Global and Environmental Justice
Prerequisites:
Nil.
Co-requisites:
Nil
Incompatibility:
Nil
Degree-specific major units
Take unit(s) to the value of 6 points:
Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S1 POLS2201 Foundations of Public Policy
Prerequisites:
12 points of Social Sciences and/
or
Humanities study at level 1
Co-requisites:
Nil.
Incompatibility:
POLS3301 Public Policy
S2 POLS2202 Foundations of Comparative Politics
Prerequisites:
12 points of Social Sciences and/
or
Humanities study at level 1
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

Level 3

Degree-specific major units
Take all units (18 points):
Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S2 PHIL3003 Moral Theory
Prerequisites:
any Level 2 Philosophy unit
or
PPHE2211
or
PPHE3327
Co-requisites:
Nil.
Incompatibility:
PHIL 2209 Moral Theory
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
S1 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
Degree-specific major units
Take unit(s) to the value of 6 points:
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
S2 ECON3395 Economic Policy
Prerequisites:
ECON2233 Microeconomics: Policy and Applications
Co-requisites:
Nil.
Incompatibility:
Nil.
Degree-specific major units
Take unit(s) to the value of 12 points:
Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
N/A POLS3204 The Politics of Gender
Prerequisites:
12 points of Social Science and/
or
Humanities study at level 2
Co-requisites:
Nil
Incompatibility:
Nil
S1 POLS3231 Politics of the Mass Media
Prerequisites:
12 points of Social Science and/
or
Humanities study at level 2
Co-requisites:
Nil.
Incompatibility:
POLS2231/POLS3331 Politics of the Mass Media
N/A 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
S2 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
Degree-specific major units
Take unit(s) to the value of 6 points:
Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S2 ECON3301 Game Theory and Strategic Thinking
Prerequisites:
ECON2233 Microeconomics: Policy and Applications
Co-requisites:
Nil
Incompatibility:
Nil
S1 PHIL3008 What to Do? How to Make Rational Decisions under Uncertainty
Prerequisites:
completion of 12 points
Co-requisites:
Nil
Incompatibility:
Nil

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 Philosophy or Politics and Economics course.

%Course study plan%

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.