POLS20006 Contemporary Political Theory
University of Melbourne · Level 2 · 12.5 points · Runs in 2026: Semester 1.
- Final exam 50%
- About 3 class hours a week
Is POLS20006 hard?
POLS20006: Harder. Makes it harder: Reviewers say it’s hard (3 reviews).
What you learn
Main schools of recent political theory, like liberalism and multiculturalism, applied to debates such as migration and welfare.
After it you can
- Explain the main schools of recent political theory
- Debate ideas of power, ideology and sovereignty
- Use theory to make sense of current politics
What you need first
None
What it leads to
How it’s assessed
Reports and essays 50%, Final exam 50%
Student reviews and ratings
Summarised from 3 students on StudentVIP (2019–2026)
- Contemporary political theory with dense readings and fast, information-heavy lectures. All three reviewers (2019-2026) say the content is hard but interesting.
- Readings and tutorials are the core, so do the readings. In 2020 assessment was a research essay mid-semester and a take-home exam of short answers.
A summary of public reviews, not scored here.
Taken this subject? Rate it anonymously (difficulty, workload, marking, would you recommend it) and leave a tip for next year's students. Rate POLS20006
Quick answers
- When is POLS20006 offered?
- Runs in 2026: Semester 1.
- What do I need before taking POLS20006?
- No prerequisites.
- Does POLS20006 have a final exam?
- Yes, the final exam is 50% of the mark. Assessment: Reports and essays 50%, Final exam 50%.
- Is POLS20006 hard?
- From 3 student reviews on StudentVIP: Contemporary political theory with dense readings and fast, information-heavy lectures. All three reviewers (2019-2026) say the content is hard but interesting.
- What do students say about POLS20006?
- Contemporary political theory with dense readings and fast, information-heavy lectures. All three reviewers (2019-2026) say the content is hard but interesting. Readings and tutorials are the core, so do the readings. In 2020 assessment was a research essay mid-semester and a take-home exam of short answers.
- How many class hours a week does POLS20006 have?
- 3 h a week in class
- Can I take POLS20006 as breadth?
- Yes, for: Bachelor of Biomedicine, Bachelor of Commerce, Bachelor of Design, Bachelor of Fine Arts (Acting), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Animation), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Dance), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Film and Television), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Music Theatre), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Production), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Screenwriting), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Theatre), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Visual Art), Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Science.
- What can I take after POLS20006?
- 2 subjects need it first, for example POLS30001, POLS30003.
- Can I rate POLS20006?
- Yes. If you've taken it, rate it anonymously on this page (difficulty, workload, marking, would you recommend it) and leave a tip for next year's students. Averages show once 3 students have rated it; tips are checked before they appear.
Source: University of Melbourne Handbook 2026
Always confirm in the official Handbook.
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