Master of Politics and Policy
2026 Deakin University Handbook
| Year | 2026 course information |
|---|---|
| Award granted | Master of Politics and Policy |
| Course Credit Points | 12 |
| Deakin course code | A702 |
| Course version | 2 |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts and Education |
| Course Information | For students who commenced from 2024 onwards |
| Campus | This course is only offered Online |
| Duration | The time and cost could be reduced based on your previous qualifications and professional experience. This means you can fast track the masters degree from 1.5 years down to 1 year duration. See entry requirements below for more information. |
| Course Map - enrolment planning tool | These course maps are for new students commencing from Trimester 1 2026: These course maps are for new students commencing from Trimester 2 2026: Course maps for commencement in previous years are available on the Course Maps webpage or please contact a Student Adviser in Student Central. |
| Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) recognition | The award conferred upon completion is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework at Level 9 |
Course sub-headings
- Course overview
- Career opportunities
- Participation requirements
- Mandatory student checks
- Alternative exits
- Research information
- Course Learning Outcomes
- Course rules
- Course structure
- Work experience
- Other learning experiences
- Research and research-related study
- Fees and charges
Course overview
In the 21st century, the world faces an array of complex political problems including climate change, disease pandemics, ethnic and religious conflict, refugee crises and new forms of populism and authoritarianism. Deakin’s Master of Politics and Policy will equip you with the knowledge and practical skills needed to understand these complex global challenges and develop policy that will bring about positive social change.
Are you committed to meeting the big challenges of the 21st century and to improving our society for the better?
Deakin’s Master of Politics and Policy is one of the few courses in Australia that combine the two disciplines. In doing so, we unpack the political context in which public policy is developed.
You’ll gain real-world skills that reflect current industry practices, such as how to prepare policy briefing papers and how to develop political communication strategies. You’ll also explore how differing political perspectives shape the dynamics between government, the private sector and community.
The course equips early-to-mid stage career professionals with highly valued skills in leadership, critical thinking, problem-solving and communication. Prepare to graduate a more politically aware, socially conscious and policy driven individual.
You’ll undertake a wide range of study units that cover public policy analysis, development and implementation. The core units you will focus on include:
- Policy lessons from overseas
- Challenges to democratic governance
- Research design.
A highlight of the course is having the freedom to choose your own elective units. This allows you to create a degree built for your interests and career goals. Your elective unit options include:
- Governing the economy
- Political competition
- Intergovernmental relations
- Political values and public policy
- Making policy
- Rethinking democracy
- Governance and accountability.
We offer flexibility in being a fully online course via our premium online learning platform, making it possible for those living anywhere in Australia or overseas, or those wishing to balance other personal and work commitments, with postgraduate study.
Career opportunities
You’ll graduate ready to become involved in politics and policy making within the public, community and business sectors, domestically and internationally.
If you’re already in industry, your acquired skills, knowledge and qualifications will improve your career standing and equip you for senior roles that take a bigger-picture approach to policy-making.
As a graduate of the masters, you will have the expertise and practical skills to confidently enter a role as policy officer, analyst, consultant or adviser in a variety of professional fields, including:
- local, state and national government
- political office
- international relations
- industry and the private sector
- stakeholder engagement
- communication and training
An early exit of this course still awards you the Graduate Certificate of Politics and Policy, ensuring you have a solid foundation of knowledge to begin your political and policy-making journey. Completion of the course can be used as a pathway to PhD through research training and a two-credit point research minor thesis.
For more information go to DeakinTALENT.
Participation requirements
Reasonable adjustments to participation and other course requirements will be made for students with a disability. More information available at Disability support services.
Mandatory student checks
Any unit which contains work integrated learning, a community placement or interaction with the community may require a police check, Working with Children Check or other check.
Alternative exits
| Graduate Diploma of Politics and Policy (A602) |
Research information
Students will complete a research pathway in 1 of the 3 following options:
- Minor Thesis - PhD Pathway
- Research Paper – non PhD Pathway^
- Professional Experience – non PhD Pathway^.
Course Learning Outcomes
| Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes | Course Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|
| Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities | Use advanced knowledge of, and expert, specialised cognitive skills in Politics and Policy in professional practice or scholarship and apply this knowledge and skills to different contexts. Gain an advanced understanding of Public policy analysis frameworks and the development and implementation of public policy under conditions of democratic governance and accountability within contemporary contexts characterised by rapid change and globalisation |
| Communication | Acquire communication skills to design, evaluate analyse and disseminate the findings of research that deploys political concepts, theories and technical knowledge, in a selection of written, digital and oral formats, to a range of specialist and non-specialist audiences. |
| Digital literacy | Employ a range of generic and specialist politics-specific digital communication technologies to apply political knowledge, to conduct political research, and to deliver reports and presentations to a diverse range of specialist and non-specialist audience. |
| Critical thinking | Analyse and critically evaluate different interpretations of political phenomena. Demonstrate mastery of the research methods used to investigate political phenomena and technical skills in the design, evaluation, analysis of developments that contribute to professional practice or scholarship in governance and policy. |
| Problem solving | Utilise advanced understanding of the process of government and public sector management in professional practice and/or scholarship to generate approaches and solutions to complex problems of politics and governance. Demonstrate advanced skills in investigating and analysing complex political phenomena using qualitative methodologies including textual, discursive and historical analysis, process tracing, and ethnographic techniques. |
| Self-management | Demonstrate the application of skills and knowledge in Politics and Policy with high level personal autonomy, responsibility, accountability in situations of professional practice and/or for further learning. |
| Teamwork | Work and learn collaboratively with others in the field of political science and from different disciplines and backgrounds while still maintaining responsibility for one’s own learning. |
| Global citizenship | Analyse and address political issues in both domestic and global contexts as a reflective scholar and practitioner, taking into consideration cultural and socio-economic diversity, social and environmental responsibility and the application of the highest ethical standards. |
Approved at Faculty Board October 2015
Course rules
To complete the Master of Politics and Policy you must pass 8 or 12 credit points. The number of credit points required may vary, depending on your entry point or how much credit you receive as recognition of prior learning (RPL) based on your professional experience and previous qualifications.
A 12-credit point Master of Politics and Policy includes:
- DAI001 Academic Integrity and Respect at Deakin (0-credit-point compulsory unit) in your first study period
- 2 credit points of core units
- 6 or 10 credit points of study (depending upon entry point), from the following:
- one pathway option:
- Minor Thesis - PhD Pathway
- Research Paper - non PhD Pathway
- Professional Experience - non PhD Pathway
- one pathway option:
- any remaining credit points can be chosen from the course electives list.
Most units are equal to one credit point. As a full-time student you will study four credit points per trimester and usually undertake two trimesters per year.
Students are required to meet the University's academic progress and conduct requirements.
Course structure
Core units
Compulsory 0-credit point module
To be completed in the first trimester of study:
| DAI001 | Academic Integrity and Respect at Deakin |
Units
| AIP740 | Policy Lessons From Overseas |
| AIP746 | Challenges to Democracy |
Pathways
Minor Thesis - PhD Pathway
| AIX706 | Research Design |
Plus 2 credit points of research units:
| AIX704 | Minor Thesis A |
| AIX705 | Minor Thesis B |
Plus 3 or 7 credit points (depending upon entry point) chosen from the course electives
Research Paper – non PhD Pathway^
| AIX701 | Research Paper |
Plus 5 or 9 credit points (depending upon entry point) chosen from the course electives
Professional Experience – non PhD Pathway^
| APE701 | Internship Capstone |
Plus 4 or 8 credit points (depending upon entry point) chosen from the course electives
^ The Research Paper and Professional Experience options are not PhD Pathways.
Electives
| AIP704 | Making Policy |
| AIP748 | Intergovernmental Relations: Federalism, Power and Multi-Level Governance |
| AIP773 | Governance and Accountability in Turbulent Times |
| AIP781 | Political Communication: Public Watchdog Or Propaganda Machine? |
| AIP780 | The Politics of Australia's Economy |
| AIP783 | Rethinking Democracy: Past, Present and Future |
| AIP785 | Political Competition: Rules, Actors and Dynamics |
| AIX706 | Research Design |
| ADH717 | Climate Change and Sustainability |
| AIR712 | Australian Foreign Policy |
| APE700 | Internship A |
Work experience
Elective units may provide the opportunity for Work Integrated Learning experiences.
Course duration
You may be able to study available units in the optional third trimester to fast-track your degree, however your course duration may be extended if there are delays in meeting course requirements, such as completing a placement.
Other learning experiences
There are options for WIL and study tours across many of the SHSS courses.
Research and research-related study
Independent research components are embedded across a number of units.
Fees and charges
Tuition fees will vary depending on the type of fee place you hold, your course, your commencement year, the units you choose to study, your study load and/or unit discipline.
Your tuition fees will increase annually at the start of each calendar year. All fees quoted are in Australian dollars ($AUD) and do not include additional costs such as textbooks, computer equipment or software, other equipment, mandatory checks, travel, consumables and other costs.
For further information regarding tuition fees, other fees and charges, invoice due dates, withdrawal dates, payment methods visit our Current students website.
Further information
Contact Student Central for assistance in course planning, choosing the right units and explaining course rules and requirements. Student Central can also provide information for a wide range of services at Deakin. To help you understand the University vocabulary, please refer to our Enrolment codes and terminology page.