Program Overview

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Undergraduate

Political Science and International Relations

Gain an understanding of governments and political systems in Australia and internationally and the values and ideologies that have motivated political action in modern society.

Course Details

Careers and further study

This course opens up a world of future study pathways and career opportunities.

Career Pathways

Political Science and International Relations graduates are trained in critical thinking, problem-solving, the ability to identify connections between global, national and local phenomena, research and analysis, cross-cultural awareness, and oral and written communication skills. These skills prepare students for a wide range of occupations.

Graduates of this major are not only found in political parties, ministers’ offices and parliament – many graduates often go on to policy and research positions in international, national and local government agencies, in the private sector, non-governmental and community organisations, in parliament, political parties and electoral agencies; or to careers in law, the media and the education sector. A specialisation in international relations is also directly relevant for careers in foreign affairs, diplomacy, defence, intelligence, trade and international organisations.

Further study

This major lays the foundation for further study options at honours and postgraduate level including:

• Master of International Relations
• Master of Public Policy
• Master of International Law and Master of International Relations

Fees and scholarships

Learn more about the fees that apply to you for this course. For fee type definitions and further assistance, see the Fee Calculator Help page. You can also search our database for scholarships that are relevant to you or this course.

Domestic Student Fees

For Commonwealth-supported places, student contribution amounts are charged by unit, based on area of study. For a fee estimate, go to the Fee Calculator and select “I want to price my units”. Fees are subject to annual indexation. Refer to the Handbook to identify the units required.

International Student Fees

Annual course fee

2025

$48,300.00

Onshore international students are charged an annual course fee, charged per credit point at a rate dependent on the course in which the student is enrolled. Annual course fees are calculated based on an annual study load. Check the handbook to confirm the annual study load for your course.

Admission requirements

The University of Western Australia welcomes applications from international and domestic school-leavers. If you’re interested in studying one of these majors, find out the admission details below.

Minimum entry requirements

Below you’ll find a list of admission equivalencies for this course's Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank (ATAR).

• All India Senior School Certificate (CBSE)
  • 9
• Canadian High School (except Quebec)
  • 68
• French Baccalaureate
  • 10
• Gao Kao (PR China NCEE)/750
  • 507
• GCE A-Levels
  • 8
• German Abitur
  • 3.6
• Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education
  • 14
• Indian Senior School Certificate (CISCE)
  • 45
• Indonesian Sekolah Menengah Atas (SMA) - Pass of 65
  • 75.5
• International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB)
  • 24
• Malaysian STPM
  • 10
• Monash University Foundation Year
  • 254
• NCUK Foundation Program
  • 8
• Norwegian Vitnemål
  • 3.5
• Singapore - Cambridge A Levels
  • 6.5
• South African National Senior Certificate
  • 4
• South Korean College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT)
  • 324
• Sweden Slutbetyg
  • 14.5
• Trinity College Foundation
  • 280
• Unified Examination Certificate (UEC)
  • 14
• University of Western Australia College (UWAC) Foundation Program
  • 61
• US College Board Advanced Placements
  • 7
• US College Board SAT
  • 1130
• Western Australian Universities' Foundation Program (WAUFP)
  • 56
• Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE) 2016 onwards
  • 75

English competency

English is the language of instruction and assessment at UWA and you will need to meet the English language requirements of the University to be eligible for a place.

Minimum overall IELTS score of 6.5, with no band less than 6.0.

How to apply

The application process to this course is different for the assured and graduate entry pathways, and for international and domestic applicants.

Refer to the below regarding application processes for each of the pathways. More information regarding admission requirements and prerequisites for each pathway can be found on the 'Admission Requirements' tab.

Domestic Pathways

• Domestic Assured Pathway/School Leaver Entry: Applications are lodged via TISC. Refer to TISC Online for current course codes and application deadlines.
• Domestic Graduate Entry: Applications are lodged via GEMSAS, which open and close in accordance with the GEMSAS timeline. All domestic applicants must submit a valid GAMSAT score by the application closing date.

International Pathways

• International Assured Pathway/School Leaver Entry: Applications are lodged via UWA's online application system or via an authorised international education agent.
• International Graduate Entry: Applications are lodged via UWA's online application system or via an authorised international education agent.

Course details

Develop core knowledge and professional skills to understand and critically engage with the politics of our complex, dynamic and globalised world. This major will give you an understanding of governments and political systems in Australia and internationally, and the values and ideologies that have motivated political action in modern society.

About the course

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 that inform political institutions and public policy; and ideologies such as conservatism, liberalism, socialism, feminism and environmentalism that have motivated much political action in modern societies. Studies also focus 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.

Course structure

Our undergraduate degrees offer you a broad range of options allowing you to combine subjects in a way that matches your career goals and personal interests.

Level 1

• Core: take at least 12 points from POLS1101, POLS1102, and IREL1001:
  • IREL1001 The International Politics of Climate Change (6)
  • POLS1101 Understanding Politics and Policy (6)
  • POLS1102 Understanding Global Politics (6)

Level 2

• Option: Take unit(s) to the value of 18 points:
  • IREL2001 Foundations of Foreign Policy (6)
  • POLS2201 Foundations of Public Policy (6)
  • POLS2202 Foundations of Comparative Politics (6)
  • POLS2220 Foundations of Global Political Economy (6)

Level 3

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

Option - Group A

• Take units to the value of 18 points from Group A and B.
  • ASIA3005 Autocracy and Democracy in Asia (6)
  • IREL3002 The Politics of Human Rights (6)
  • POLS3204 The Politics of Gender (6)
  • POLS3231 Politics of the Mass Media (6)
  • POLS3302 South Asia and the Middle East: Foreign Relations and Politics (6)
  • POLS3308 Greater China: Politics and International Relations (6)
  • POLS3324 Islam and World Politics (6)
  • POLS3334 The International Politics of Africa (6)
  • POLS3335 Social Movements and the Politics of Change (6)
  • POLS3342 Global Environmental Politics (6)

Option - Group B

• Take units to the value of 18 points from Group A and B (maximum value of 6 points from Group B).
  • PARL3399 WA Parliamentary Research Program (6)
  • POLS3304 Policy and Diplomacy in Practice (6)
  • WILG3001 Work Integrated Learning Internship Program (6)

Why study this course?

• Prepare for a wide range of careers, gaining both the ability to identify connections between global, national and local phenomena, and skills in research, analysis, cross-cultural awareness, critical thinking, problem solving and communication
• Access many internship and study abroad options
• A range of important international think tanks established at UWA contribute to the teaching and learning of this major

Why take a second major

• Expand your skills - Taking a second major either in a complementary area or in something like Economics or Business Law will show you have developed transferable skills such as, teamwork, critical thinking, digital literacy and presentation skills – which are highly sought after in the workforce.
• Add it to your resume – Employers are looking for graduates who have skills in a variety of areas. Two majors will expand your career prospects and help you stand out amongst the crowd.
• Study your passion alongside your interests – Do you love Marketing? Law? History of Art? Pursue a career while studying something else you love! Your second major can be from any other school across the university.
• No additional time – Choosing two majors instead of one won’t add any additional time to your undergraduate degree. A standard bachelor degree consists of the same amount of units either way.
• Discover what you want to do while you’re doing it – Not sure what career you want when you graduate? It’s very common for undergraduate students to be unsure. Choosing two majors in different areas will give you the opportunity to explore multiple interests and see what fits best. Majors can be switched until the end of your first year without adding any time onto your degree.

Your degree options

This major is offered as a degree-specific, or first, major for these degrees. It is also offered as a second major in our other bachelor's degrees.

• Bachelor of Arts
• Bachelor of Philosophy

Popular combinations

• Law and Society
• Applied Human Geography
• Anthropology

Meet our students

• Mehdi Nawa
  • "I chose political science because it gave me the opportunity to learn about the complexity of the international system and the universal factors that help shape a country’s relationship with its neighbours. The course enhances my independence and critical-thinking skills."