Bachelor of Politics, Philosophy and Economics (071901G)

Politics, philosophy and economics degrees have produced political and community leaders who have shaped the world, including Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai, journalist and film activist Tariq Ali, and former Australian Prime Ministers Malcolm Fraser and Bob Hawke. The world needs creative leaders to respond to society’s greatest challenges, including the global effects of the climate crisis and the social impacts of inequalities in resources, opportunity and power.

La Trobe University's Bachelor of Politics, Philosophy and Economics gives students a multi-disciplinary perspective on the political and economic systems that shape the world. They will develop the skills to respond to urgent problems and make a positive social impact.

Through the study of politics, students will enhance their knowledge of political institutions and their history. They will analyze who is disadvantaged by existing institutions, and identify what opportunities exist for creative policy development.

Students will take subjects in philosophy that explore the debates around human rights and justice, and refine their critical thinking and logical reasoning skills and consider how people's conceptions of self are informed by society.

Through the study of economics, students will learn how the economy works in a world of globalized and interdependent markets, examining the relationships between economic systems, institutions, and policy.

Students will explore how governments can manage their economies to achieve important social objectives. They will investigate competing theories of political economy, including institutional, feminist, post-Keynesian, behavioral, and ecological economics.

Equipped with these disciplinary skills, students will discover the interconnections between philosophical thinking, the study of politics, and economics. From there, they will apply these interdisciplinary insights to a range of policy contexts.