Program Requirements

The Bachelor of Politics, Philosophy and Economics requires the completion of 144 units, of which:

A maximum of 60 units can come from the completion of 1000 level courses.

A minimum of 84 units must come from the completion of 2000 and 3000 level courses.

The 144 units must include:

54 units from the completion of the following compulsory courses:

ECON1101 Microeconomics 1

ECON2101 Microeconomics 2(P)

ECON3056 PPE Integrative Seminar Year 3: Classic Literature in PPE

PHIL1004 Fundamental Ideas in Philosophy: An Introduction

PHIL1005 Logic and Critical Thinking

PHIL2116 PPE Integrative Seminar Year 2

POLS1002 Introduction to Politics

POLS1005 Introduction to International Relations: Foundations and Concepts

POLS1008 PPE Integrative Seminar Year 1: Puzzles in Politics, Philosophy and Economics

A minimum of 6 units from completion of courses from the following list, which may also be counted towards completion of any other other requirements:

ECON2141 Strategic Thinking: An Introduction to Game Theory (P)

POLS2125 Game Theory and Social Sciences

POLS2130 Public Choice and Politics

12 units from completion of courses from the following list:

POLS2063 Contemporary Political Theory

POLS2094 Issues in International Political Economy

POLS2111 Elections, Political Behaviour and Public Opinion in Australia

POLS2114 Australian Political Institutions

POLS2120 Foundations of Political Theory

POLS2125 Game Theory and Social Sciences

POLS2130 Public Choice and Politics

12 units from completion of courses from the following list:

PHIL2020 Theories of Social Justice

PHIL2057 Philosophy of Science

PHIL2064 Theories of Ethics

PHIL2080 Logic

PHIL2113 Global Justice

PHIL2115 Political Philosophy from Hobbes to Mill

PHIL3073 Advanced Ethics, Social and Political Philosophy

12 units from completion of courses from the following list:

CRIM2000 The Illicit Economy

ECHI1006 The Australian Economy: Past and Present

ECHI2005 History of Economic Thought(P)

ECON1102 Macroeconomics 1

ECON2013 Behavioural Economics: Psychology and Economics

ECON2014 Managerial Economics

ECON2026 Money and Banking

ECON2120 Law and Economics(P)

ECON2141 Strategic Thinking: An Introduction to Game Theory (P)

EMET1001 Foundations of Economic and Financial Models

INDG3003 The Indigenous Economy

6 units from the completion of 2000- and 3000-level courses from one of the following subject areas:

ANIP Australian National Internship

ECON Economics

PHIL Philosophy

POLS Political Science

48 units from completion of elective courses offered by ANU

Honours

Students interested in undertaking a fourth Honours year of study should contact the relevant Honours Convenor in their second year of study to discuss eligibility requirements and the choice of later-year courses.

Further information about Honours in Economics can be found on the webpage:

http://studyat.anu.edu.au/programs/3200XBECON;honours.html

Further information about Honours in Philosophy or Political Sciences can be found on the webpage:

http://studyat.anu.edu.au/2011/programs/3100XBARTS;honours.html

Elective Study

Once you have met the program requirements of your degree, you may have enough electives to complete an additional elective major, minor or specialisation.

Study Options

Admission Requirements

An ATAR of 96 or equivalent International Admission rank.

Applicants are assumed to have achieved a level of knowledge of mathematics comparable to at least a Mathematical Methods major in the ACT or NSW Mathematics or equivalent.

Adjustment Factors

The National Access Scheme 2014

ANU offers bonus points for nationally strategic senior secondary subjects, and in recognition of difficult circumstances that students face in their studies. 

Bonus points are applied to all applicants with an ATAR at or above 70. Points are awarded in accordance with the approved schedule, and no more than 10 points (maximum 5 academic points and maximum 5 equity points) will be awarded.

Bonus points do not apply to programs with an ATAR cutoff of 98 or higher.

Bonus Points are only awarded to domestic applicants applying for admission through UAC who have not previously attempted tertiary study.

How to apply

Academic Bonus Points: senior secondary students do not need to apply for ANU academic bonus points. They are automatically added in accordance with the schedule.

Educational Access Scheme: senior secondary students do not need to apply if their school is part of the Priority School Funding Program or Country Areas Program. All other applicants should refer to www.uac.edu.au/undergraduate/eas for more information.

Scholarships

ANU offers a wide range of scholarships to students to assist with the cost of their studies.

Eligibility to apply for ANU scholarships varies depending on the specifics of the scholarship and can be categorised by the type of student you are.  Specific scholarship application process information is included in the relevant scholarship listing.

For further information see the Scholarships website.

Learning Outcomes

Identify the principal theoretical approaches to the study of PPE, and the relationships between them;

Identify main currents in the three disciplines of PPE and their theoretical bases;

Define, critically discuss and apply:

1. major philosophical theories and approaches to the evaluation of social institutions;

2. the methods of economics to the study of political institutions and processes;

3. the methods of economics to questions within political philosophy;

4. the assumptions, ‘tools’ and limitations of political economy;

5. the core arguments and principles of public choice and rational choice theory.

Describe and evaluate how the core arguments and principles of public choice and rational choice theory affect and influence political situations, institutions and complex political processes in liberal democracies;

Recognise and analyse the different actors, processes and stages involved in formulating public policies; and

Analyse practical dilemmas that arise in politics using the theories, approaches and methods of the three main disciplines of PPE.