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The University of Notre Dame Australia

  • 2% international / 98% domestic

Bachelor of Philosophy, Politics and Economics

  • Bachelor

The Bachelor of Philosophy, Politics and Economics is designed for those who want to understand human communities and society. The program trains future leaders and professionals to make a difference in all walks of life.

Key details

Degree Type
Bachelor
Duration
3 years full-time
Course Code
3573, 103322C
Study Mode
In person

About this course

School of Philosophy & Theology

The Bachelor of Philosophy, Politics and Economics is designed for those who want to understand human communities and society. The program trains future leaders and professionals to make a difference in all walks of life. Students will learn to integrate knowledge, by focussing on how society can either promote or thwart human flourishing. Philosophy will give the concepts and skills to identify questions and problems, thinking through them clearly and creatively. Studying Politics, students will consider governance, leadership, and the importance of law and policy. Through economics, they will learn to solve a range of problems through economic reasoning. Bringing together these disciplines, graduates will appreciate the central importance of the human person's quest to lead a good life, working with others toward the common good.

Entry requirements

Academic requirements for this program are outlined below. In addition, to be eligible for admission, all applicants need to satisfy the Minimum University Admission Requirements outlined. These include those relating to minimum age and English Language Proficiency. We also consider your application more broadly - your non-academic achievements (such as any previous leadership roles, volunteering, work, church and/or community involvement) as well as personal qualities - your aspirations and interests and your capacity to complete your chosen program. See Individual Factors for further details regarding this.

Applicants with recent Secondary Education

  • Indicative ATAR/Selection Rank* of 70

OR

  • International Baccalaureate (IB) score of 25

*Selection Ranks include ATAR plus Adjustment Factors.

Applicants with Higher Education

  • Successful completion of 4 subjects at an undergraduate level or higher*

OR

  • Successful completion of the Notre Dame Tertiary Pathway Program (TPP), or a tertiary preparation program from another institution that is deemed to be of a similar academic rigour to the Notre Dame TPP

* Applicants who have successfully completed subjects at another University, which are relevant to the selected program of study, may be eligible for credit (Advanced Standing).

Applicants with Vocational Education and Training (VET) study

  • Successful completion of AQF Certificate IV or higher from an accredited provider such as TAFE or a Registered Training Organisation (RTO)

Applicants with Work and Life Experience

Applicants who left secondary education more than two years previously and who have not undertaken VET or higher education study since may be considered for direct entry. This includes applicants who have completed Steiner, Montessori or home school curriculums. To qualify, applicants must be 20 years of age as at 1 March in the year of intake and meet one or more of the following:

  • Applicants who have completed at least two years of relevant work experience may be considered for direct entry. Applicants must provide evidence of their work experience, including duties undertaken and years of experience, and they must demonstrate that they have the academic capability to undertake undergraduate studies. The Special Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT) may be required*.

OR

  • Completion of STAT with scores of at least 135 in the Multiple Choice section and 140 in the Written English section*.

OR

  • Completion of two Year 12 WACE, HSC or equivalent exams, with a result equivalent to the Indicative ATAR/Selection Rank listed under Secondary Education section above.

*STAT results must have been obtained within the last three calendar years in order to be considered (e.g. for 2024 admission, STAT results obtained in 2023, 2022 or 2021 can be considered).

Entry requirements NSW

Academic requirements for this program are outlined below. In addition, to be eligible for admission, all applicants need to satisfy the Minimum University Admission Requirements outlined. These include those relating to minimum age and English Language Proficiency. We also consider your application more broadly - your non-academic achievements (such as any previous leadership roles, volunteering, work, church and/or community involvement) as well as personal qualities - your aspirations and interests and your capacity to complete your chosen program. See Individual Factors for further details regarding this.

Applicants with recent Secondary Education

  • Prescribed ATAR/Selection Rank*

OR

  • Equivalent International Baccalaureate (IB) score

*Selection Ranks include ATAR plus Adjustment Factors.

Applicants with Higher Education

  • Successful completion of 4 subjects at an undergraduate level or higher*

OR

  • Successful completion of the Notre Dame Tertiary Pathway Program (TPP), or a tertiary preparation program from another institution that is deemed to be of a similar academic rigour to the Notre Dame TPP

*Applicants who have successfully completed subjects at another University, which are relevant to the selected program of study, may be eligible for credit (Advanced Standing).

Applicants with Vocational Education and Training (VET) study

  • Successful completion of AQF Certificate IV or higher from an accredited provider such as TAFE or a Registered Training Organisation (RTO)

Applicants with Work and Life Experience

Applicants who left secondary education more than two years previously and who have not undertaken VET or higher education study since may be considered for direct entry. This includes applicants who have completed Steiner, Montessori or home school curriculums. To qualify, applicants must be 20 years of age as at 1 March in the year of intake and meet one or more of the following:

  • Applicants who have completed at least two years of relevant work experience may be considered for direct entry. Applicants must provide evidence of their work experience, including duties undertaken and years of experience, and they must demonstrate that they have the academic capability to undertake undergraduate studies. The Special Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT) may be required*.

OR

  • Completion of STAT with scores of at least 150 in the Multiple Choice section and 150 in the Written English section*.

OR

  • Completion of two Year 12 WACE, HSC or equivalent exams, with a result equivalent to the Indicative ATAR/Selection Rank listed under Secondary Education section above.

*STAT results must have been obtained within the last three calendar years in order to be considered (e.g. for 2024 admission, STAT results obtained in 2023, 2022 or 2021 can be considered).

Study locations

Sydney

Fremantle

What you will learn

The degree will equip students to be attentive to the role of religion within society, and the importance of civil disagreement in the public square. All students have the opportunity to undertake an internship during their degree. The program also includes the option for an accelerated pathway toward a Masters degree, enabling students to complete a Bachelors and a Masters degree within four years.

Career pathways

Graduates of this program can follow diverse career paths in the private and public sectors; career opportunities range from advocacy, journalism and media, international diplomacy and trade missions, policy development, government administration, academic teaching, public libraries, research institutes, Church ministry and agencies, parish adult faith programs, education and teaching (upon completion of a graduate-entry teaching qualification), script writing, advertising, Catholic and Christian schools, pastoral counselling.

Course structure

Required courses

  • Introduction to World Politics
  • Economics
  • Ancient Philosophy
  • Policy, Democracy and Governance in Australia
  • Quantitative Methods for Business
  • Philosophy of the Human Person
  • Public Policy and Practice: The Business of Government
  • Moral Philosophy
  • Microeconomic Theory and Policy
  • Political Philosophy
  • Macroeconomic Theory and Practice
  • Internship in Philosophy, Politics or Business

Electives

Electives (students will choose from a discipline area to graduate with at least one major, in Philosophy, Politics and International Relations, or Economics)

Philosophy Electives

  • Philosophy Electives
  • History of Philosophy: Medieval
  • History of Philosophy: Modern
  • History of Philosophy: Contemporary
  • Business Ethics
  • Introduction to Formal Logic
  • Philosophy of Science
  • Philosophy of Language
  • Epistemology: Ways of Knowing
  • Aquinas: Analytic and Phenomenological Approaches
  • Introduction to Metaphysics
  • Faith and Reason
  • Philosophy of Religion

Politics and International Relations Electives

  • News and Current Affairs
  • Religion and World Politics
  • Terrorism and Violent Extremism
  • Home and Away: Comparing Political Systems
  • Australian Foreign Policy
  • The Politics and History of Genocide
  • Terrorism and Intelligence
  • Nationalism, Ethnicity and Race
  • The Modern Middle East
  • Strategy, Security and Diplomacy
  • USA Foreign Policy Since 1945

Economics Electives

  • Intermediate Mathematics for Economics and Finance
  • Advanced Economics
  • Econometrics
  • Topics in Economics
  • The Economics of Financial Crisis

Core Curriculum

  • CORE I: Foundations of Wisdom
  • CORE II: Elective
    • Electives in philosophy and\or theology
    • Professional embedded electives that integrate studies in a profession with philosophy and\or theology
    • An option to undertake a pilgrimage embedded in the study of the philosophy and theology of pilgrimage, e.g., World Youth Day
    • An option to undertake a course that integrates philosophy & theology with community service and charity work
    • An option to undertake an elective in philosophy, theology, and the liberal arts contained within an international experience

Full details of the program requirements are contained in the Program Requirements.

More information regarding courses can be found at the course descriptions pages Fremantle Sydney.

Please note: the availability of these courses is indicative only and may be subject to change.

Graduate outcomes

Graduate satisfaction and employment outcomes for Humanities, Culture & Social Sciences courses at The University of Notre Dame Australia.
87.9%
Overall satisfaction
90.9%
Skill scale
85.5%
Teaching scale
65.3%
Employed full-time
$62.6k
Average salary