Future Students

Political Science and International Relations

It investigates how individuals, social movements, groups and parties seek to influence each other and governmental decision-makers; how governmental systems are organised and operate; and how policies related to such things as welfare, multiculturalism and the environment come into being and influence our lives.

At the international level, it analyses issues such as the causes and consequences of war; the creation of international agreements about such things as trade, weapons development and human rights; the operation of international organisations such as the United Nations; the emerging international agenda concerning migration, refugees, terrorism, drug trafficking and religion; and the nature and consequences of globalisation.

Political Science also studies values such as justice, liberty, equality, participation, and community which underlie preferences for particular forms of social order; and ideologies such as conservatism, liberalism, socialism, fascism, feminism and environmentalism which have motivated or justified much political action in modern societies.

Political Science may be studied as a major within the Bachelor of Arts or the Bachelor of Arts (Communication Studies). This includes combined courses which include these degrees. You may be able to study individual Political Science units within other degrees.

Level 1
Political Science and International Relations offers two semester units at Level 1 which examine the contemporary international system and the design and operation of contemporary democracies.

Level 2 and 3
Upper level units encourage more specialised study within Political Science. Areas of the Discipline covered in these units include international politics, the politics of particular regions such as Europe and East Asia, Australian foreign policy, Islam in world politics, political theory, political economy, Australian politics, public policy, comparative politics, voter behaviour, mass media and politics, comparative politics, game theory, and the politics of specific countries such as the United States and China.

Political Science teaches the skills of social science analysis and research applied to political phenomena, and effective written and oral presentation.

Career opportunities

Graduates in political science are to be found in many walks of life, not just in political parties and parliament. Many graduates pursue careers in journalism (TV, radio and press) and many enter the Western Australian and the Commonwealth Public Services (including the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade). Other graduates find work in business and trade union organisations which increasingly value understanding of the political context of the economy and industrial relations. Some students use political science as a basis for vocational study (such as law, education, social work).