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Political Economy

This page was first published on 13 November 2025 and was last amended on 20 November 2025.
View details of the changes below.

Unit of study table

Master of Political Economy

Students complete 72 credit points, including:
(a) 24 credit points from core units of study; and
(b) a minimum of 24 and a maximum of 42 credit points from selective units of study; and
(c) a minimum of 6 and a maximum of 12 credit points of capstone units of study.
(d) a maximum of 18 credit points from elective units of study; and
(e) may elect to take an 18 credit point optional specialisation, optional specialisations available are:
(i) Social Research
(ii) Country Risk Assessment
(f) Students may complete up to 12 credit points of elective units of study outside the Public Policy postgraduate Unit of Study table, with permission of the relevant delegate.

Graduate Diploma in Political Economy

Students complete 48 credit points, including:
(a) 24 credit points of core units of study; and
(b) 24 credit points from selective units of study

Graduate Certificate in Political Economy

Students complete 24 credit points, including:
(a) a minimum of 12 and a maximum of 24 credit points of core unit of study; and
(b) a maximum of 12 credit points from selective units of study.
Unit of study Credit points A: Assumed knowledge P: Prerequisites
C: Corequisites N: Prohibition

Core units of study

ECOP6017
Global Inequality
6  
ECOP6031
Research in Political Economy
6  
ECOP6101
Political Economy: A Primer
6  
ECOP6115
History of Australian Capitalism
6  

Selective units of study

ECOP6010
International Trade: Theory and Practice
6  
ECOP6012
Country Risk Analysis
6  
ECOP6016
China in the Global Economy
6  
ECOP6018
Economic Development: Growth and Wellbeing
6  
ECOP6103
Economic Policy
6  
ECOP6108
Economy-Environment Sustainability

6  
ECOP6601
Economic Cycles and Instability
6 N ECOP3601
ECOP6613
Global Capitalism: Uneven Development
6 N ECOP3613
ECOP6624
Gender Work and Care in Economic Life
6 N ECOP3624
ECOP6901
Finance and Economic Change
6  
ECOP6911
Theories in Political Economy
6 P ECOP6101
N ECOP3911
SSPS6008
Universal Basic Income
6  

Elective units of study

CISS6006
Intervention and 'Fragile' States
6  
DVST6901
The Global Politics of Development
6 N SSCP6900
DVST6902
Development: Communication and Education

6 N SSCP6901
DVST6904
Rethinking Poverty
6  
GOVT6116
International Organisations
6  
GOVT6123
Globalisation and Governance
6  
PACS6911
Key Issues in Peace and Conflict Studies
6 N SCWK6930
PACS6934
Conflict-Sensitive Development Practice
6  
SCLG6901
Citizenship Rights and Social Movements
6 N SCWK6901
SCLG6700
Global and Regional Migration
6  
SCLG6910
Comparative Welfare States

6 N SCWK6909
SSPS6001
Quantitative Methods in Social Sciences
6  
SSPS6002
Qualitative Methods in the Social Sciences
6  

Capstone units of study

ECOP6121
Dissertation Part A
6 P 24 credit points of units
C ECOP6031
ECOP6122
Dissertation Part B
6 P ECOP6121
ECOP6033
Research Project
6 P 24 credit Points

Optional Specialisations

Unit of study Credit points A: Assumed knowledge P: Prerequisites
C: Corequisites N: Prohibition

Social Research specialisation

18 credit points from the following selective units of study:
GOVT6139
Research Design
6  
SSPS6001
Quantitative Methods in Social Sciences
6  
SSPS6002
Qualitative Methods in the Social Sciences
6  
SSPS6004
Social Research Ethics
6 N SCLG6902 or SCLG3003
Unit of study Credit points A: Assumed knowledge P: Prerequisites
C: Corequisites N: Prohibition

Country Risk Assessment specialisation

6 credit points from the following core units of study:
ECOP6012
Country Risk Analysis
6  
12 credit points from the following selective units of study:
CISS6006
Intervention and 'Fragile' States
6  
SSPS6001
Quantitative Methods in Social Sciences
6  
SSPS6002
Qualitative Methods in the Social Sciences
6  

Post-publication amendments

Date Original publication Post-publication amendment
20/11/2025 ECOP6624 title published as:
"Gender, Work and Care in Economic Life"
 ECOP6624 title amended to:
"Gender Work and Care in Economic Life"