Politics, philosophy and economics degrees have produced political and community leaders who have shaped our 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's Bachelor of Politics, Philosophy and Economics gives you a multi-disciplinary perspective on the political and economic systems that shape the world. Develop the skills to respond to urgent problems and make a positive social impact
Improve your ability to reason, both critically and empathetically
Develop your knowledge of political institutions and their histories, so as to understand the opportunities and constraints that frame the formulation of policy.
Advance your understanding of how the economy works, in a world of interdependent and global markets.
Advance both your literacy and your numeracy, so that you can undertake nuanced analyses that require both qualitative and quantitative skills.
Grasp how the disciplines of politics, philosophy and economics each throw a different yet interconnected light on the many practical problems that we face in our societies and in our everyday lives.
Balance broad coverage of all three PPE disciplines with a specialisation in politics, philosophy, economics, political economy or political philosophy.
Understand the variety of approaches that comprise the history of economic thought, and consider the relevance of these competing approaches for understanding today's economies.
Engage professionally and communicate effectively with individuals, organisations, and communities in a manner that is respectful of their needs, values, and capabilities.
The Politics major will train you to look at how power is used in different systems of government, at the way states relate to one another in the international system, and at the relationships between local, national and global institutions and how they operate. In this major you will compare the various institutions, processes, beliefs and cultures that societies have developed for settling conflict, ordering priorities and distributing wealth. By its nature, politics is an argumentative discipline, so you will learn how to navigate competing arguments and weigh up competing accounts of what actually happens with what ought to happen.
Undertaking a Politics major at La Trobe will connect you to experts in political theory, nationalism, democracy and democratisation, as well as Australian politics and institutions, international relations of the Asia-Pacific, and the politics of modern China, Russia and Southeast Asia.
