POLS20025 International Relations: Key Concepts
University of Melbourne · Level 2 · 12.5 points · Runs in 2026: Semester 1.
- Final exam 50%
- About 2.5 class hours a week
Is POLS20025 hard?
POLS20025: About average. Makes it easier: Only 2.5 class hours a week. No student reviews yet — based on the Handbook only.
What you learn
Core ideas in international relations, such as order, sovereignty, power, war and cooperation, and how different theories read them.
After it you can
- Explain core concepts of international relations
- Compare how theories answer questions about power and war
- Apply these concepts to world events
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 5 students on StudentVIP (2019–2023)
- Theory-based international relations with a lot of reading; a 2023 reviewer advises doing the level 1 international politics subject first.
- 2019-2020 reviewers described poor organisation and little assessment guidance, while others enjoyed the weekly key questions and wide essay choice.
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 POLS20025
Quick answers
- When is POLS20025 offered?
- Runs in 2026: Semester 1.
- What do I need before taking POLS20025?
- No prerequisites.
- Does POLS20025 have a final exam?
- Yes, the final exam is 50% of the mark. Assessment: Reports and essays 50%, Final exam 50%.
- Is POLS20025 hard?
- From 5 student reviews on StudentVIP: Theory-based international relations with a lot of reading; a 2023 reviewer advises doing the level 1 international politics subject first.
- What do students say about POLS20025?
- Theory-based international relations with a lot of reading; a 2023 reviewer advises doing the level 1 international politics subject first. 2019-2020 reviewers described poor organisation and little assessment guidance, while others enjoyed the weekly key questions and wide essay choice.
- How many class hours a week does POLS20025 have?
- 2.5 h a week in class
- Can I take POLS20025 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 POLS20025?
- 2 subjects need it first, for example POLS30001, POLS30003.
- Can I rate POLS20025?
- 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.
PickMySubjects is a free, unofficial planner made by a UniMelb graduate.