BA - Political Science as a major
If you’re fascinated by the history and creative activities of humankind and how this shapes societies and our future, then a Bachelor of Arts (BA) is for you. Our graduates are in demand for their flexible skills, practical outlook and depth of understanding they bring to their roles.
Political Science at Waikato offers a broad spectrum of political knowledge on both national and international issues. You'll seek answers to some of the most difficult political issues of today and gain skills for many potential career paths.
- Anthropology
- Economics
- Education and Society
- English
- Environmental Planning
- Geography
- History
- Human Development
- International Languages and Cultures
- Law
- Linguistics
- Music
- Māori and Indigenous Studies
- Māori Language/Te Reo Māori
- Pacific and Indigenous Studies
- Philosophy
- Population Studies
- Psychology
- Screen and Media Studies
- Social Policy
- Sociology
- Theatre Studies
- Writing Studies
Apply to enrol
Key information
| Years: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Points: | 360 |
| Start Dates: | Trimester A (March) and Trimester B (July) |
| Fees (Domestic): | $6,117-$7,132 per year |
| Fees (International): | $25,160 - $32,750 per year |
| Entry Requirements: | Undergraduate International |
| Area of Study: | |
| *Tuition fees shown are indicative only and may change. There are additional fees and charges related to enrolment please see the Table of Fees and Charges for more information. You will be sent an enrolment agreement which will confirm your fees. | |
Career opportunities
- Advocate
- Central and Local Government Officer
- Foreign Affairs and Trade Worker
- Māori Development Policy Adviser
- Media Analyst
- Policy Analyst
Degree Planner
Degree planner — BA in Political Science
Year 1
One of
POLSC101 or POLSC102
Any 100 level
paper listed in footnotes
One from List A
(see BA Papers below)
Field of the Degree
100 Level
Field of the Degree
100 Level
Elective
Elective
Year 2
One of
POLSC201 or POLSC211
One of
POLSC201, POLSC211 POLCY212 or IRSST206
Any 200 level
paper listed in footnotes
One from List B
(see BA Papers below)
Field of the Degree
200 Level
Elective
Elective
Elective
Year 3
Any 300 level
paper listed in footnotes
Any 300 level
paper listed in footnotes
Any 300 level
paper listed in footnotes
Any 300 level
paper listed in footnotes
One from List C
(see BA Papers below)
Elective
Elective
Elective
- Major
- Compulsory
- Elective
BA Papers
Lists A, B and C
List A: Academic Foundations
- ARTSC103 Rights and Reasons
- ARTSC105 Language in Context
- ENSLA103 Undergraduate Research Writing for ESL Students
- ENSLA202 Oral Skills for Academic English
List B: Cultural Perspectives
Any Faculty of Māori and Indigenous Studies paper, or- ANTHY101 Exploring Cultures: Introduction to Anthropology
- ANTHY102 New Zealand and the Pacific
- INTLC101 International Languages and Cultures
- ANTHY201 Ethnicity and Identity
- ANTHY202 Polynesian Ethnography
- DSIGN252 Cultural Perspectives for Design
- EDUCA200 Te Hononga Tangata
- ENGLI200 Global Fictions
- FRNCH231 French Language Intermediate 1
- GEOGY219 Māori Lands and Communities
- HISTY225 Indigenous Histories: Narratives, Ethics and Decoloniality
- INTLC221 Understanding East Asia
- INTLC222 European and Latin American Cultures: Tradition and Modernity
- LEGAL211 International Law: Global and Comparative
- LINGS203 Language, Society and Culture
- Any MAORI paper
- Any PACIS paper
List C: Work-Integrated Learning
- ARTSW300 Arts and Cultural Festivals
- ARTSW301 Professional Practice in the Arts (prerequisites ARTSC110 - so open to all BA students)
- ARTSW302 Work-Related Project in the Arts (prerequisites ARTSC110 - so open to all BA students)
- LINGS301 Research Apprenticeship
- MEDIA307 Professional Studio Production
- POPST300 Population Studies Work-Related Project
- PSYCH300 Work Placement in Psychology
- PSYCH301 Psychology Research Assistantship
- SOCSC300 Work-Integrated Learning - Work Placements
- SOCSC301 Work-Integrated Learning - Work-Related Project
- SPNSH300 Spanish Internship
- WRITE396 Writing Studies Work Placement
*Please consult our Student Advisors for the correct work-integrated learning paper.
Papers
Papers available within Political Science
In Political Science we study all aspects of political life. We ask such questions as: Why do some crises lead to conflict while others are resolved peacefully? What lessons can we draw from the policy experience of other countries? How ought we to deal with the growing international environmental crisis? Why does democracy survive in some countries and not in others? Can we have both freedom and security - or must we choose between them? What did the great political thinkers of the past really say? Political Science comprises four main areas of study. Comparative Politics examines the political institutions and societies of particular countries, and looks at the comparisons and contrasts between them. International Relations focuses on the relations between states, on their foreign policies, and on international organisations like the UN and NATO. Political Theory examines theories about politics and society, and the philosophical and methodological questions that arise in studying political life. Public Policy explores and evaluates the processes by which national, regional and local institutions of the state formulate and implement policies. Students taking political science papers may focus on one or more of these areas, or follow a broader programme reflecting the diverse interests of political science.
Political Science is available as a first major for the Bachelor of Arts (BA) and the Bachelor of Social Sciences (BSocSc). Political Science may also be taken as a second major or minor, subject to approval of the Division in which the student is enrolled.
To complete Political Science as a single major for the Ba or BSocSc, students must gain 135 points from papers listed for Political Science, including 105 points above 100 level, and 60 points above 200 level. Students must include POLSC101 and POLSC102, or 15 points from POLSC101 and POLSC102 and 15 points from IRSST103 and IRSST104; and POLSC201 and POLSC211, or 15 points from POLSC201 and POLSC211, and 15 points from IRSST206 and POLCY212.
To complete Political Science as part of a double major for the BA, BSocSc or other undergraduate degree, students must gain 120 points from papers listed for Political Science, including 90 points above 100 level, and 45 points above 200 level. Students must include POLSC101 and POLSC102, or 15 points from POLSC101 and POLSC102, and 15 points from IRSST103 and IRSST104; and POLSC201 and POLSC211, or 15 points from POLSC201 and POLSC211, and 15 points from IRSST206 and POLCY212.
To complete a minor in Political Science, students must complete 60 points from the papers listed for the Political Science major, including at least 30 points above 100 level. Students must include at least one of POLSC101 or POLSC102, and one of POLSC201 or POLSC211; and select their remaining papers from the papers listed for the Political Science major.
100 Level
| Code | Paper Title | Occurrence / Location |
|---|---|---|
| IRSST103 | Introduction to International Relations | 20A (Hamilton), 20A (Online), 20A (Tauranga) & 20B (Tauranga) |
| This paper provides an introduction to the study of international relations in an era of globalisation. It covers the historical background, key concepts and theories, case studies, and contemporary developments in the study of world politics. | ||
| IRSST104 | Introduction to International Security | 20B (Hamilton), 20B (Online) & 20B (Tauranga) |
| This course is an introduction to the study of international security. It examines a variety of contemporary security issues and explores how and why conflict emerges in the international system. | ||
| POLSC101 | Politics in the Ancient World | 20A (Hamilton) |
| This paper introduces students to politics at the dawn of Western civilization. Topics include Athenian democracy, the Roman republic, Plato's Republic, Aristotle's Politics, political idealism and political realism. | ||
| POLSC102 | New Zealand Politics and Policy | 20B (Hamilton) & 20B (Tauranga) |
| This paper provides a foundation for the study of political science and public policy, with a particular focus on the study of government, politics and policy in New Zealand. | ||
| POLSC103 | Let's Get Political | 20A (Online) & 20A (Tauranga) |
| Politics affects every aspect of our lives. This paper is an introduction to understanding political issues, helping you make your voice heard in debates about our future as a society. | ||
200 Level
| Code | Paper Title | Occurrence / Location |
|---|---|---|
| IRSST206 | International Relations: The Security Agenda | 20B (Hamilton) & 20B (Tauranga) |
| This paper introduces students to International Relations' dynamic and evolving security agenda and covers some of the most urgent contemporary security concerns. | ||
| MAORI250 | Māori Politics | 20A (Hamilton), 20B (Online) & 20B (Tauranga) |
| This paper examines Maori and Indigenous politics in a broad sense, from key ideas such as sovereignty, tino rangatiratanga, and autonomy, through to crucial forms of resistance via various political structures including local, Iwi, national and global Indigenous movements. | ||
| PHILO215 | Moral and Political Philosophy: A Historical Introduction | 20A (Hamilton) & 20B (Hamilton) |
| A study of the moral and political philosophy of thinkers such as Plato, Aristotle, Hume and Mill. This paper uses Plato's Republic to introduce students to central issues in Moral and Political Philosophy, including questions about virtue, happiness, justice, liberty, democracy, tyranny, feminism, art, censorship, and moral educat... | ||
| POLCY212 | Power, Politics and Policy Analysis | 20A (Hamilton) |
| This paper introduces students to public policy analysis. Students focus on the role of politics, public participation and policy in addressing society's big problems, how they are framed and defined, and how solutions are developed and implemented within the context of the policy process. | ||
| POLSC200 | Politics and the Media | 20A (Online) & 20A (Tauranga) |
| This course provides an introduction to the complex relationships between mass media, politics, and democratic society. It examines the power of the media in influencing political processes, policies, behaviour, and perceptions. | ||
| POLSC201 | Modern Political Thinkers | 20A (Online) |
| This course examines the ideas of a number of modern political thinkers such as Machiavelli, Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Hegel, and Marx. | ||
| POLSC203 | The Politics of Collective Memory | 20B (Online) & 20B (Tauranga) |
| This paper analyses the political use of collective memory. Why do communities and nations decide to keep certain memories of the historical past alive while repressing and discarding others? | ||
| POLSC211 | Political Systems around the World | 20B (Hamilton) |
| The paper introduces the comparative study of political institutions, the study of the politics of a number of countries, their similarities and differences, from established democracies to authoritarian regimes. | ||
| POLSC224 | Terrorism, Violence and the State | 20B (Hamilton) |
| Terrorism is an increasingly prominent global phenomenon. We will clarify it conceptually and situate it historically with theory and case studies in situating it in comparative political and International Relations analysis. | ||
| POLSC229 | US Politics | 20B (Online) & 20B (Tauranga) |
| Students in this course explore the foundational elements of the United States, its governing institutions, the extent of public influence within the system, and major contemporary policy issues that the country faces. | ||
300 Level
| Code | Paper Title | Occurrence / Location |
|---|---|---|
| GNSEX303 | Intersectionalities: Identities and Inequalities | 20A (Hamilton) |
| This paper provides a comprehensive review of the historical context for understanding contemporary issues of race, gender, sexuality, and social class. It investigates micro and macro level experiences and the social construction of identities. In doing so, this paper looks at how power is distributed in society, the theories that... | ||
| IRSST301 | International Relations: The Context, Theory and Practice of New Zealand Foreign Policy | 20B (Hamilton) |
| This course delivers a comprehensive historical overview of New Zealand foreign policy from the beginning of the 20th century, and considers the role government departments play in the creation and implementation of policy. | ||
| IRSST315 | International Politics of Asia | 20A (Hamilton) |
| It provides an introduction to, and analysis of, critical issues in Asia. Issues may include some, or all, of the Kashmir dispute; the situation on the Korean Peninsula; the South China Sea disputes; and tensions across the Taiwan Strait. | ||
| IRSST331 | Cyber Security and the Global Politics of the Internet | 20A (Online) & 20B (Online) |
| This course explores the global politics of cyber security and the internet. It covers the major political/strategic/theoretical debates around enhancing the security of computer systems and how states and non-state actors are responding. | ||
| POLCY318 | Global Environmental Politics and Policy | 20B (Hamilton) |
| This paper explores contemporary debates on environmental politics, sustainability, justice, and environmental governance. It examines the political processes underpinning the search for cooperative solutions to environmental dilemmas, including climate change. | ||
| POLSC300 | Religion and Political Violence | 20G (Online) |
| This paper examines religious attitudes to political authority and political violence. Students study the writings of major thinkers in the Christian tradition including Augustine, Aquinas, Luther and Calvin. | ||
| POLSC301 | Political Communication in a Visual Age | 20A (Online) & 20A (Tauranga) |
| How can different forms of visual communication be employed to promote one's political goals? Students will tackle this question through both theoretical and practical applications. | ||
| POLSC390 | Directed Study | 20A (Hamilton), 20B (Hamilton), 20G (Hamilton) & 20S (Hamilton) |
| This course comprises a programme of individual research and assessment undertaken by a student working under supervision of an academic staff member. | ||
| SOCIO302 | Globalisation and International Development | 20B (Hamilton) |
| This paper examines the impact of globalisation on both developed and developing countries. Special focus is placed on the labour-capital relation. Applied methods of comparative analysis are also introduced. | ||
500 Level
| Code | Paper Title | Occurrence / Location |
|---|---|---|
| ANTHY520 | Tribes, Empires, Nations | 20B (Hamilton) |
| This paper examines tribes, empires, and nations as historically distinct types of political systems, and the ongoing influence of tribal and imperial cultures and institutions in diverse contemporary nation-states. | ||
| IRSST502 | Security Issues in South East Asia | 20A (Hamilton) |
| After a brief conceptual and historical introduction to security in the region, the paper goes on to consider a range of contemporary security issues. These include ethnic conflict, militant Islam, maritime security, and relations with the major extra-regional powers. | ||
| IRSST505 | International Security, Strategy and Technology | 20A (Hamilton) |
| This course offers an introduction to Strategic Studies with particular emphasis on how developments in science and technology affect warfare, conflict, and the use of force in international relations. | ||
| IRSST506 | International Relations and Global Security | 20B (Hamilton) |
| This paper teaches and utilises major international relations theories to consider pressing global issues. This includes the causes of war and peace, globalisation, the Cold War, the widening security agenda, terrorism, the environment, inequality, new technologies, and international institutions. | ||
| IRSST507 | Cyber Security and Cyber Warfare | 20B (Online) |
| This course examines the political, strategic, legal and economic debates around cyber security and cyber warfare. Particular emphasis is placed on how militaries, national security agencies, and law enforcement are adapting to online threats and incorporating cyber in their strategic planning. | ||
| POLSC501 | Policy Analysis: Theory and Practice | 20A (Hamilton) |
| This paper introduces students to the fundamentals of policy analysis, and develops skills for higher-level research in public policy. A key focus is developing critical awareness of policy processes, of the drivers of change, and of the role of both 'evidence' and public participation in policy-making, in the pursuit of inclusive ... | ||
| POLSC503 | Democratisation, Democracy and Mass Politics | 20B (Hamilton) |
| The concepts, approaches and literature of democracy, democratisation and mass politics, including theories of elitism, authoritarianism and transition to democracy and mass political psychology, democratic socialism, and democracy and capitalism, as well as an examination of relevant case studies. | ||
| POLSC537 | Environmental Politics and Public Policy | 20B (Hamilton) |
| This paper introduces students to the complexities and challenges of environmental policy processes, and develops skills in scholarly research on environmental policy making. A significant focus of the paper is on analysing and understanding the complex intersections of institutions, culture, science and technology, and systems of ... | ||
| POLSC590 | Directed Study | 20A (Hamilton), 20B (Hamilton), 20D (Hamilton) & 20X (Hamilton) |
| Students have the opportunity to pursue a topic of their own interest under the guidance of academic staff. | ||
| POLSC591 | Dissertation | 20A (Hamilton), 20B (Hamilton), 20D (Hamilton) & 20X (Hamilton) |
| A report on the findings of a theoretical or empirical investigation. | ||
| POLSC592 | Dissertation | 20X (Hamilton) |
| A report on the findings of a theoretical or empirical investigation. | ||
| POLSC593 | Political Science Thesis | 20X (Hamilton) |
| An externally examined piece of written work that reports on the findings of supervised research. | ||
| POLSC594 | Political Science Thesis | 20X (Hamilton) |
| An externally examined piece of written work that reports on the findings of supervised research. | ||
800 Level
| Code | Paper Title | Occurrence / Location |
|---|---|---|
| POLS800 | Political Science MPhil Thesis | 20X (Hamilton) |
| No description available. | ||
900 Level
| Code | Paper Title | Occurrence / Location |
|---|---|---|
| POLS900 | Political Science PhD Thesis | 20I (Hamilton) & 20X (Hamilton) |
| No description available. | ||
Subject requirements
For more information about subject requirements please refer to the catalogue of papers for the most up to date information.
For more information about subject requirements please refer to the catalogue of papers for the most up to date information. If you have any questions and need more advice contact one of our friendly student advisors phone:
Please note: For all graduate subject requirements check the information provided in the papers section above.
Scholarships and prizes
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Subject links
Study in Tauranga
You can complete your BA in Māori and Indigenous Studies without leaving the Bay. To discuss your options with a Future Students Advisor in Tauranga email info@waikato.ac.nz.
Contacts
School of Social Sciences
Phone: 0800 800 145 or +64 7 838 4702
General and undergraduate email: pols-fass@waikato.ac.nz
Graduate and postgraduate email: pols-grad@waikato.ac.nz