Bachelor of Philosophy, Politics, Economics

The University of Notre Dame Australia

CRICOS Institution Code 01032F

Duration

156 weeks

Delivery

On campus

Study Load

Full-time / Part-time

Intakes

—

Bachelor of Philosophy, Politics, Economics

Course Overview

About This Course

The Bachelor of Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) at The University of Notre Dame Australia is designed for students who want to understand human communities and society, training future leaders and professionals to make a difference across all walks of life. Philosophy provides the concepts and skills to identify and think through problems; Politics develops understanding of governance, leadership, and the importance of law and policy; and Economics equips students to reason through a range of practical problems.

The degree pays particular attention to the role of religion within society and the importance of civil disagreement in public debate. All students undertake an internship, and the program offers an accelerated pathway to a Master's degree, allowing a Bachelor's and Master's to be completed within four years. Students graduate with a major in Philosophy, Politics and International Relations, or Economics, chosen from an extensive elective list spanning topics such as metaphysics, political philosophy, foreign policy, terrorism and security studies, and econometrics.

Offered on the Fremantle and Sydney campuses over three years, graduates pursue careers spanning advocacy, journalism, international diplomacy, policy development, government administration, academic teaching, Church ministry, and (with a further teaching qualification) education.

Where You Can Study

Available Locations

Perth

88 Guy St, Broome, WA 6725

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Student Information

Fees & Entry by Student Type

Provider's Published Fee

Commonwealth Supported Place: $17,400/year (2026, Business/Philosophy Band 4); indicative total approx. $52,200 for 3 years

Eligibility

Entry Requirements

General Requirements

Domestic Students

Fremantle (WA) campus

Applicants with recent Secondary Education: Indicative ATAR/Selection Rank of 70, OR International Baccalaureate (IB) score of 25
Applicants with Higher Education: successful completion of 4 subjects at undergraduate level or higher, OR the Notre Dame Tertiary Pathway Program (or equivalent)
Applicants with VET study: AQF Certificate IV or higher from an accredited provider (TAFE/RTO)
Applicants with Work and Life Experience (20+ years of age): at least 2 years' relevant work experience (STAT may be required), OR STAT scores of at least 135 (Multiple Choice) and 140 (Written English), OR two Year 12 WACE/HSC exams equivalent to the ATAR above

Sydney (NSW) campus

Applicants with recent Secondary Education: Prescribed ATAR/Selection Rank, OR equivalent International Baccalaureate (IB) score
Applicants with Higher Education: successful completion of 4 subjects at undergraduate level or higher, OR the Notre Dame Tertiary Pathway Program (or equivalent)
Applicants with VET study: AQF Certificate IV or higher from an accredited provider (TAFE/RTO)
Applicants with Work and Life Experience (20+ years of age): at least 2 years' relevant work experience (STAT may be required), OR STAT scores of at least 150 (Multiple Choice) and 150 (Written English), OR two Year 12 WACE/HSC exams equivalent to the Prescribed ATAR

International Students

Same academic entry requirements as domestic students (see above)
English language proficiency (Undergraduate coursework): IELTS Academic 6.0 overall (no band <6.0) | PTE Academic 50 | TOEFL iBT 73 (pre-2026) / 4 overall (2026+, no skill <3.5-4) | CAE/CPE 169

Career & Study Pathways

Where this takes you

Career Opportunities

Advocacy, journalism and media
International diplomacy and trade missions
Policy development and government administration
Academic teaching, public libraries and research institutes
Church ministry, agencies and parish adult faith programs
Education and teaching (with a graduate-entry teaching qualification)
Script writing, advertising
Catholic and Christian schools
Pastoral counselling

Quality & Recognition

Accreditation & Migration

Academic Regulator

TEQSA

Accreditation Status

Accredited

Course Content

Units of Competency

All Units19 units

POLI1000

Introduction to World Politics

POLI1001

Policy, Democracy and Governance in Australia

POLI3006

Public Policy and Practice

POLI3023/POLI3000

Strategy, Security and Diplomacy (Fremantle) / Religion and Politics (Sydney)

BUSN1030

Quantitative Methods for Business

BUSN1000

Economics

BUSN2010

Microeconomic Theory and Policy

BUSN2020

Macroeconomic Theory and Practice

BUSN3380

Advanced Economics

PHIL1020

Methods and Basic Problems of Philosophy

PHIL1030

Critical Thinking

PHIL2100

History of Philosophy: Ancient

PHIL2110

History of Philosophy: Medieval

Internship Courses (2 required)

From: ARTS3002 Internship or Professional Project, BUSN3900 Business Internship, PHTH Philosophy and Theology Internship

Philosophy Elective Courses (2 at 2000-level, 2 at 3000-level)

From: PHIL2001 Philosophy of the Human Person, PHIL2002 Philosophy of Love and Friendship, PHIL2003 Moral Philosophy, PHIL2010 Introduction to Formal Logic, PHIL2060 Philosophy of Science, PHIL2070 Philosophy of Language, PHIL3000 Aquinas, PHIL3030 Introduction to Metaphysics, PHIL3040 Metaphysics Being and God, PHIL3060 Faith and Reason, PHIL3070 Philosophy of Education, PHIL3300 Epistemology, PHIL3310 Cosmology and Philosophy of Science, PHIL3510 Metaphysics, PHIL3010 Business Ethics, PHIL3050 Aesthetics, PHIL3080 Natural Law, PHIL3410 Political Philosophy, PHIL3004 Virtue Ethics and Personalism, PHIL3005 Metaethics, PHIL3520 Philosophy of Religion

Politics Elective Courses (2 required)

From: POLI3001 Information Disorder and Political Warfare, POLI3003 Setting the Agenda (Fremantle only), POLI3004 Terrorism and Violent Extremism (Fremantle only), POLI3005 Intelligence and International Security (Fremantle only), POLI3009 Australian Foreign Policy, POLI3024 US Foreign Policy Since 1945, POLI3015 Nationalism Ethnicity and Race (Sydney only), POLI3022 The Modern Middle East (Sydney only), HIST2021 History and Politics of Southeast Asia (Sydney only), POLI3012 The Politics and History of Genocide (Sydney only)

Economics Elective Course (1 required)

From: BUSN2060 Intermediate Mathematics for Economics and Finance, BUSN2080 Topics in Economics, BUSN2350 The Economics of Financial Crisis, BUSN2080 History of Austrian Economics, BUSN2130 Human Resources Economics, BUSN3390 Econometrics

CORE I: Foundations of Wisdom

CORE II: Elective

Electives in philosophy and/or theology, professional embedded electives, a pilgrimage-embedded option (e.g. World Youth Day), a community-service option, or an international-experience elective.

Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to complete this combined degree?

The Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Philosophy, Politics and Economics takes 5 years full-time or equivalent part-time, and upon completion you will graduate with two degrees.

Is the Bachelor of Laws component of this program professionally accredited?

Yes. The Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Laws (Honours) accreditation requirements are according to the accreditation rules administered by the Legal Profession Admission Board in New South Wales and the Legal Practice Board of Western Australia. There are no professional accreditation requirements applicable to the Bachelor of Philosophy, Politics, Economics component of the Awards.

Is an Honours award available for this program?

Yes, an Honours award is available for this program. Further information can be found in the Bachelor of Law (Honours), Bachelor of Philosophy, Politics, Economics regulations, or by contacting the School of Law & Business.

What internship or practical experience opportunities are available?

Students can undertake an internship that helps them to apply their knowledge and skills, while gaining workplace experience and industry contacts. Students are also able to meet with mentors from the legal profession and from industry through participation in the School of Law and Business Mentoring Program, which is available to all students studying law or business degrees at Notre Dame.

What are the minimum ATAR requirements for entry into this program in Western Australia?

For WA applicants with recent secondary education, the indicative ATAR/Selection Rank is 80 (including adjustment factors), or an International Baccalaureate (IB) score of 29. Selection Ranks include ATAR plus Adjustment Factors.

Application

How to Apply

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Step 01

Enquire

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Step 02

Submit Documents

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Step 03

Get Enrolled

Receive your offer letter and confirm your enrolment. Welcome to the course!

Processing time: Offer letter issued within approximately 1 business days.

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