Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Advanced Studies (Politics and International Relations)

The Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Advanced Studies (Politics and International Relations) is a four year full time degree. It covers all aspects of political, cultural and economic relations at both the domestic and international levels. It explores the world-shaping political forces that extend far beyond national boundaries and impact our lives in unexpected ways.

You will engage with contemporary issues such as the Syrian War, nuclear proliferation, the global refugee crisis, the crisis in the international political economy, the implications of Brexit, and what the election of President Trump meant for the world, Australia, and you. Politics and International Relations is one of the most exciting and dynamic subjects to study at university, taught by a team of leading academics and researchers.

Degree structure and requirements

Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Advanced Studies (Politics and International Relations)

The Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Advanced Studies requirements are listed under the relevant coursework page.

The Politics and International Relations stream requirements are listed in the Politics and International Relations unit of study table.

Advanced coursework

The Advanced Coursework option provides students with the opportunity to broaden and deepen their subject knowledge and conduct a research project.

Requirements and units of study for advanced coursework can be found on the Politics and International Relations advanced coursework units of study page.

Honours

The Department of Government and International Relations offers systematic and extended study in key areas of politics and international relations. Two advanced coursework units cover national, comparative, and international politics. Students are also required to take a research design unit that prepares them for the research they will complete in the extended dissertation. The content of this research is to be negotiated with a dedicated project supervisor, who will be a member of the academic staff with expertise in the chose area.

Honours admission requirements:

Admission to Honours is via the Bachelor of Advanced studies and requires a major in Politics and International Relations with an average of 70 percent or above.

Prior to commencing Honours, you will need to ensure you have completed all other requirements of the Bachelor of Arts (Politics and International Relations), including requirements of the program, Open Learning Environment (OLE) units and a second major.

Requirements and units of study for honours can be found on the Politics and International Relations honours units of study page.

Dalyell stream

The Dalyell stream is a targeted stream for high achievers. Students who participate in the Dalyell stream are known as the ‘Dalyell Scholars’. As a Dalyell Scholar, students will have access to curricular and extra-curricular activities.

Dalyell Scholars must take 12 credit points of Dalyell stream units in addition to their degree requirements.

Dalyell stream units emphasise the development of vision, depth of understanding, adaptability, breadth of perspective, societal contribution and a high level of capability in operating across disciplinary and cultural boundaries. Dalyell Scholars may take Dalyell stream units offered by any faculty.

Additionally with the permission of the Dalyell Program Director, students will have access to enrichment and accelerated units of study that can be competed as electives.

For further details regarding the Dalyell stream, please refer to the Interdisciplinary Studies Handbook.

Majors and programs

In the Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Advanced Studies (Politics and International Relations) students must select the Politics and International Relations program from Table A offered by the School of Social and Political Sciences to fulfil the requirements of their degree. This program includes an embedded major in Politics and International Relations.

Students must also complete a second major from the Table A Subject Areas
or Table S.

Table O - Open Learning Environment (OLE)

Students enrolled in the Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Advanced Studies (Politics and International Relations) are required to complete at least 12 credit points in units of study from the Open Learning Environment (OLE) to meet the requirements for their degree/s.

Details of available OLE units can be found in Table O in the Interdisciplinary Studies Handbook.

Table S - Interdisciplinary Studies (Shared pool)

Students enrolled in the Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Advanced Studies (Politics and International Relations) can complete a second major or minor in a wide range of subject areas offered by the University of Sydney through the shared pool of majors and minors.

The available subject areas for majors and minors and their requirements can be found in the Interdisciplinary Studies Handbook.

The following areas offer majors and minors in this shared pool:

• Architecture and Interaction Design;
• Arts and Social Sciences;
• Business and Commerce;
• Education and Social Work;
• Engineering and Computer Science;
• Health, Medicine and Dentistry;
• Music; and
• Science, Agriculture, Environment and Veterinary Science.

Electives

Students enrolled in the Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Advanced Studies (Politics and International Relations) can complete elective units of study from the subject areas listed in Table A (Arts and Social Sciences) and Table S (shared pool).

The available units of study are listed in Table A Subject Areas of this handbook and Table S in the Interdisciplinary Studies handbook.