Political Economy
Overview
| This page was first published on 14 November 2025 and was last amended on 18 November 2025. View details of the changes below. |
|---|
The Political Economy postgraduate program introduces students to key economic debates within their social, political, historical and institutional contexts. The approach is pluralist, encouraging students to critically analyse issues and engage with a range of theoretical perspectives and their empirical applications.
You will study issues such as country risk, globalisation, financialisation and fragility, economic and social policies, development and trade, economic and environmental sustainability, labour and migration, developing economies and economic inequality.
The program is designed for both recent graduates and professionals, encompassing and supporting a range of training and experiences, including media, business, government policy, social and community work, and public health. Our students and staff reflect this diversity and bring a variety of perspectives to the classroom.
The ‘nested’ program comprises a graduate certificate, graduate diploma, and master’s, allowing students the flexibility to enter or exit at any of these levels, subject to meeting the relevant criteria. The master’s includes an optional dissertation, which provides a pathway to higher degree by research (e.g., PhD) studies.
Students complete units of study in the following categories, as appropriate to their level of study:
- Core: survey of the history of economics as a discipline, economic theory, research, and Australian political economy
- Selective: choice of study in a range of specialist areas
- Elective (optional): choice of study in related disciplines
- Specialisation (optional): choice of Country Risk Assessment or Social Research
- Capstone: application of the knowledge and skills acquired throughout the master’s to an independent research project, culminating in the submission of either a 6,000-word analysis or a 12,000-word supervised dissertation.
Admission criteria and course requirements
Please refer to the course resolutions for admission criteria and course requirements.
A summary of course requirements and list of units of study available in the program can be found in the unit of study table.
Reduced volume of learning (RVL)
Candidates admitted directly to the Master of Political Economy who have completed a qualification in a relevant discipline or possess relevant professional experience may be eligible for a reduction in course requirements in accordance with the table below.
| Level of prior learning | Full-time duration | Credit points to complete |
|---|---|---|
| AQF Level 8 (e.g., honours degree in a relevant discipline) | 1 year | 48 |
| Relevant professional experience | Varies* | Varies* |
AQF: Australian Qualifications Framework
* reduction in requirements is considered on a case-by-case basis up to a maximum of 24 credit points
Contacts and further information
Post-publication amendments
Date |
Original publication |
Post-publication amendment |
|---|---|---|
| 18/11/2025 | Overview section published as: The Political Economy postgraduate degrees introduce students to key economic debates within their social, political, historical and institutional contexts. The approach is pluralist, encouraging students to critically analyse issues and engage with a range of theoretical perspectives and their empirical applications. You will study issues such as country risk, globalisation, financialisation and fragility, economic and social policies, development and trade, economic and environmental sustainability, labour and migration, developing economies and economic inequality. Our degrees are designed to encompass and support a range of training and experiences – including media, business, government policy, social and community work and public health. Our students and staff reflect this diversity and bring a variety of perspectives to the classroom. |
Overview section amended to: The Political Economy postgraduate program introduces students to key economic debates within their social, political, historical and institutional contexts. The approach is pluralist, encouraging students to critically analyse issues and engage with a range of theoretical perspectives and their empirical applications. You will study issues such as country risk, globalisation, financialisation and fragility, economic and social policies, development and trade, economic and environmental sustainability, labour and migration, developing economies and economic inequality. The program is designed for both recent graduates and professionals, to encompassing and supporting a range of training and experiences, including media, business, government policy, social and community work, and public health. Our students and staff reflect this diversity and bring a variety of perspectives to the classroom. The ‘nested’ program comprises a graduate certificate, graduate diploma, and master’s, allowing students the flexibility to enter or exit at any of these levels, subject to meeting the relevant criteria. The master’s includes an optional dissertation, which provides a pathway to higher degree by research (e.g., PhD) studies. Students complete units of study in the following categories, as appropriate to their level of study: • Core: survey of the history of economics as a discipline, economic theory, research, and Australian political economy • Selective: choice of study in a range of specialist areas • Elective (optional): choice of study in related disciplines • Specialisation (optional): choice of Country Risk Assessment or Social Research • Capstone: application of the knowledge and skills acquired throughout the master’s to an independent research project, culminating in the submission of either a 6,000-word analysis or a 12,000-word supervised dissertation. |
| 18/11/2025 | Admission criteria and course requirements section published as: Please refer to the course resolutions in this handbook for the admission criteria and course requirements for the Master of Political Economy and its embedded courses. |
Admission criteria and course requirements section amended to: Please refer to the course resolutions for admission criteria and course requirements. A summary of course requirements and list of units of study available in the program can be found in the unit of study table. |
| 18/11/2025 | Reduced volume of learning (RVL) section published as: [...]
|
Reduced volume of learning (RVL) section amended to: [...]
|
