Areas of Study

Areas of Study
covered by PAIS

Asian Societies

Asian Societies is offered within the School of Social Science. Its units are available as a subject in a range of awards (eg BAsianStudies, BA) or as single units in many other awards. We aim to provide interesting, challenging and quality education about various social, cultural, political and economic issues relating to Asia, with attention to the needs and interests of individual students.

Asian Studies and Asian Societies are amongst the fastest growing areas of study at UNE. This reflects the need for better understanding of the societies and cultures of the Asian region, the international significance of the Asian region, and especially links with Australia. It is also a measure of broad employment opportunities available for graduates specialising in Asian Societies..

Asian Societies, and the related study of Asian languages, offer students the opportunity to become Asia-literate. The three 100-level Asian Societies units introduce students to topics such as family, class and stratification, imperialism, nationalism, religion, social change, urbanisation, industrialisation and gender in East and Southeast Asia. Through topics students are encouraged t challenge stereotypical and ethnocentric attitudes, and to develop a range of analytical, writing and critical skills.

The introductory units provide a foundation for upper-level offerings, where students can take units on Japan, China, Thailand and Indonesia, Australia's relations with Asia, democratisation, civil society, human rights, and musical cultures of Asia. In these units, students have the opportunity to specialise on countries of their choice.

Political Science

Since politics and government involve us all, the aim of the academic study of Political Science is to develop a deeper understanding of processes that are important to each of us. It is not a study of current affairs, but it will enable you to apply political analysis to contemporary issues.

Australian politics is studied in a number of undergraduate units, beginning in first year. There are also several units on the politics of other countries or areas, including Britain, Ireland, Canada, China and Eastern Europe. Units in the field of political ideas, political thought and political philosophy analyse the theoretical basis of the different ways in which societies organise themselves politically. Other units include Political Economy, Public Policy and Administration, and Environmentalism.

The Discipline of Political Science is not vocationally oriented. A university cannot and would not try to teach you to become a politician or a political activist, although a background in Political Science is invaluable if you aspire to a career in public life. Indeed, a number of our students occupy elected offices in various governments in Australia. Other work as senior public servants or a spolicy advisers to ministers.

Many employers in a wide range of occupations regard a major in Political Science as a useful and important qualification. These occupations include: journalism, law, social work, community relations, public administration, foreign affairs, teaching, library and archival management, local government, industrial relations and commerce as well as an academic career in universities.

International Relations

An important and growing stream in Political Science is International Relations (IR). Units in IR are available to all Political Science students, orstudents can specialise to have a major in IR. Topics studied include theories of international relations, Asia-Pacific foreign relations and international political economy.

Units in International Relations range across key themes including human rights, ethnicity, democratisation, global ecology, development, trade and security. These topical issues are analysed from theoretical and practical perspectives, with emphasis on the Asia-Pacific region. This enables us to make sense of a rapidly changing world and Australia's role within it.

International Relations may be studied at undergraduate BA and B.Soc.Sc., BA and B.Soc.Sc. (Hons), MA (Hons) and PhD levels through the School of Social Science. For BA and B.Soc.Sc. students International Relations designated units count as Political Science units for the purposes of degree progression, but they have been identified with an INRE prefix to aid student identification of their content. A number of International Relations related units are also offered by other Disciplines. Descriptions of units specified as related units may be found in the relevant Faculty and School entries in the University Handbook. In all cases entry to specific units is governed by the prerequisite rules of the School which offers the unit.

Public Policy

The Public Policy Program at the University of New England (UNE) is designed to develop and sharpen skills in analysing public policy. It is designed specially for those already in or seeking management positions in various levels of government. It also caters for those working with organisations which liaise with public bodies and need to understand how governments function.

The Program is interdisciplinary in character. It provides training in political and economic analysis of public policy and in managing public organisations. The range of units offered in the Program is aimed at promoting sound knowledge of the nature of the policy processes and the broad political and economic environment in which they occur.

A distinctive feature of the Program is that it is offered in the distance education mode. This allows studentsto study at their own pace, without the need to meet a schedule of lectures and seminars. Students are, however, encouraged to maintain constant contact with unit coordinators through telephone, fax, letter, and/or electronic mail. Students find the flexibility afforded by external studies both convenient and enriching.

The Public Policy Program at UNE is one of the oldest and largest in Australia. It is renowned for the quality and flexibility of its offerings which attracts students from all states, territories and countries. Its graduates occupy senior positions in government and private organisations.