Course coordinator
Dr Molly Murphy
Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 1, 2025 (24/02/2025 - 21/06/2025)
- Study level
- Undergraduate
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Politic Sc & Internat Studies
This course provides the foundation for future study in Political Science. It provides a grounding in the key political ideas that form the basis for political debate, discourse and decision making globally. Students will understand the (often implicit) basis for political arguments, which will empower them to engage as active citizens in the world. The course provides an introductory study of key political ideas in the world today including liberalism, conservatism, nationalism, religious fundamentalism, socialism, multiculturalism, ecologism and Indigenous political thought.
POLS1301 is an introductory study of the main avenues of political thought in the contemporary world. It aims to familiarise students with key aspects of early political thought, democracy, monarchy, oligarchy, liberalism, conservatism, social democracy,ﾠsocialism, communism,ﾠfascism, totalitarianism,ﾠanarchism, feminism, indigenous political thought, and ecologism. Every society has a set of authoritative political ideasﾠthat form the basis of the political system although this usually remains invisible to most people within the society. For example, in most 'western' societies, liberalism and democracy are the dominant political ideologies and will be used to justify a range of laws, practices and institutions. So liberalism and democracy often set the parameters forﾠwhat are seen to be good and 'appropriate' relations between citizens and the state, for welfare and business policy, immigration and multiculturalism, human rights etc.ﾠHowever, there are also political ideologies which contest liberal-democracyﾠ- including conservatism, religionﾠbased ideologies, socialism,ﾠpopulism, Indigenous political thought, feminism, and ecologism.ﾠAn understanding of political ideas will assist our understanding of important current events and of international problems.
Course requirements
Assumed background
The course assumes no prior knowledge in political ideas.
Course contact
Course staff
Lecturer
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Additional timetable information
There are 13ﾠLectures and 9 Tutorials in this course.
Lectures start in Teaching Week 1.
Tutorials start in Teaching Week 2.
Aims and outcomes
POLS1301 aims to familiarise students with different political ideas that motivateﾠand justifyﾠpolitical actionﾠin Australia and in the world today. It also aims to build skills in the identification and evaluation of political arguments.
A graduate of Political Science understands the complexity of democratic systems in terms of the ideas, institutions, and policies that define them. They are capable of synthesizing diverse types of evidence and assessing it independently of their own beliefs and interests, communicating their judgements persuasively in written and oral forms. These skills are essential to policy and political leadership that addresses the challenges facing the world’s democracies.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Understand how political ideas have evolved over time.
LO2.
Critically analyse and apply the content, methods, and theories within the main categories of ‘Western’ political thought.
LO3.
Compare and evaluate concepts and rhetorical techniques for understanding, explaining and mobilising political ideas in public debate.
LO4.
Understand and engage productively with elements of non-Western political thought and political thought in other cultures.
LO5.
Demonstrate understanding and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives on political ideas.
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation | Reading Reports | 20% |
Report 1 7/03/2025 5:00 pm Report 2 14/03/2025 5:00 pm Report 3 21/03/2025 5:00 pm Report 4 4/04/2025 5:00 pm Report 5 11/04/2025 5:00 pm Report 6 17/04/2025 5:00 pm Report 7 9/05/2025 5:00 pm Report 8 16/05/2025 5:00 pm Report 9 23/05/2025 5:00 pm |
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation |
Research Plan
|
20% |
17/04/2025 5:00 pm |
| Essay/ Critique | Research Essay (2000 words) | 30% |
22/05/2025 5:00 pm |
| Examination |
Exam
|
30% |
End of Semester Exam Period 7/06/2025 - 21/06/2025 |
Assessment details
Reading Reports
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation
- Weight
- 20%
- Due date
Report 1 7/03/2025 5:00 pm
Report 2 14/03/2025 5:00 pm
Report 3 21/03/2025 5:00 pm
Report 4 4/04/2025 5:00 pm
Report 5 11/04/2025 5:00 pm
Report 6 17/04/2025 5:00 pm
Report 7 9/05/2025 5:00 pm
Report 8 16/05/2025 5:00 pm
Report 9 23/05/2025 5:00 pm
Task description
Your reading report should examine ANY ONE of the TUTORIAL READINGS for that week.
For each report, address the following questions:
1. What is the text about? What are its key terms and what do they mean?
2. What are the main arguments?
3. What evidence/reasons are used to make that argument?
4. Do you find the author’s argument persuasive? Why /why not?
5. What aspects of this work did you not understand or have most difficulty with?
The reading report should be approximately 400 words in length (minimum 350 words, maximum 450 words)
Your reading report must be submitted via Turnitin on the Blackboard site before 5pm on the Friday of the week of the relevant tutorial.
Assessment tasks are intended to evaluate a student’s abilities, skills, and knowledge. Unless explicitly stated otherwise in the assessment instructions, assessments are to be completed without the aid of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Translation (MT). Failure to comply with this direction may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
Submission:
Assignments for this course will be submitted electronically via Blackboard and using Turnitin.
In uploading an assignment via Turnitin you are certifying that it is your original work, that it has not been copied in whole or part from another person or source except where this is properly acknowledged, and that it has not in whole or part been previously submitted for assessment in any other course at this or any other university.
When you successfully submit your assessment to Turnitin after previewing the uploaded document (to make sure that you have chosen the correct file), you should see the “Submission Complete!” message. After this, a downloadable Digital Receipt will display on your Assignment Dashboard. It is your responsibility to download the Digital Receipt as proof of submission. Turnitin will not send this receipt to you automatically.
If you don’t see the downloadable receipt on your assignment dashboard, you should regard your submission as unsuccessful.
If the submission was not successful:
- Note the error message (preferably take a screenshot).
- Go to your assignment page and see if it is possible to submit again.
- If you cannot submit again, then email your course coordinator immediately.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
Students must contact the course coordinator for extension advice before the due date should they be unable to submit their reading reports by the due date.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Unless an extension is granted, penalties for late submission apply. Students are penalised 10% of the maximum possible mark allocated for the assessment item for every calendar day that an assessment item is late.
Marks will be deducted each day for up to 7 calendar days, at which point the submitted item will not receive any marks unless an extension has been approved. Each 24-hour block is triggered from the time the submission is due.
Research Plan
- In-person
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation
- Weight
- 20%
- Due date
17/04/2025 5:00 pm
Task description
This task will be completed in class during Tutorials 4 and 6. This task comes in two parts.
In the first part, your research plan should identify a research puzzle and a research question. A research puzzle is something interesting, perplexing, confusing, and/or important about political ideas to which there is no obvious answer to hand. This might be a puzzle about a concept, a debate, or a thinker. Once you have identified a puzzle, you will then move on the develop a research question to guide your exploration of it. You will work first in groups and then individually with the assistance of your tutor to complete this first part of your task. Your tutor will informally review your work and provide feedback during the tutorial. Your Research Plan – Part 1 must be submitted via Turnitin on the Blackboard during or immediately after the relevant tutorial. It should consist of (1) one paragraph detailing a research puzzle and (2) a research question.
In the second part of the task, you will develop your puzzle and question into a research plan. The research plan will detail how you intend to answer your question. It should have three components: (1) Information about your general argument, including at least three reasons for making that argument and at least one potential objection; (2) information about the structure of your essay; (3) information about your main sources/readings for the essay. This information can be presented in any form, including bullet points and tables. Your Research Plan – Final must be submitted via Turnitin on the Blackboard page by the Deadline. In total it should consist of (1) one paragraph detailing a research puzzle, (2) a research question, (3) argument section, (4) structure, (5) sources. In total, the research plan should be no more than 3 pages in length (including the question and puzzle from part 1).
References should be used wherever needed.
Assessment tasks are intended to evaluate a student’s abilities, skills, and knowledge. Unless explicitly stated otherwise in the assessment instructions, assessments are to be completed without the aid of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Translation (MT). Failure to comply with this direction may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
Submission:
Assignments for this course will be submitted electronically via Blackboard and using Turnitin.
In uploading an assignment via Turnitin you are certifying that it is your original work, that it has not been copied in whole or part from another person or source except where this is properly acknowledged, and that it has not in whole or part been previously submitted for assessment in any other course at this or any other university.
When you successfully submit your assessment to Turnitin after previewing the uploaded document (to make sure that you have chosen the correct file), you should see the “Submission Complete!” message. After this, a downloadable Digital Receipt will display on your Assignment Dashboard. It is your responsibility to download the Digital Receipt as proof of submission. Turnitin will not send this receipt to you automatically.
If you don’t see the downloadable receipt on your assignment dashboard, you should regard your submission as unsuccessful.
If the submission was not successful:
- Note the error message (preferably take a screenshot).
- Go to your assignment page and see if it is possible to submit again.
- If you cannot submit again, then email your course coordinator immediately.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Unless an extension is granted, penalties for late submission apply. Students are penalised 10% of the maximum possible mark allocated for the assessment item for every calendar day that an assessment item is late.
Marks will be deducted each day for up to 7 calendar days, at which point the submitted item will not receive any marks unless an extension has been approved. Each 24-hour block is triggered from the time the submission is due.
Research Essay (2000 words)
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Essay/ Critique
- Weight
- 30%
- Due date
22/05/2025 5:00 pm
Task description
Write a 2,000 word essay addressing the question you identified in your Research Plan and applying the argument and structure you developed there.
This is a research and argumentative essay. A research essay requires you to conduct reading and research based on the materials provided in the course and available in the library. It should be constructed in the form of an argument to answer the question about political ideas that you have developed.
You need to be able to critically evaluate your sources and make sure you are using appropriate sources.
Assessment tasks are intended to evaluate a student’s abilities, skills, and knowledge. Unless explicitly stated otherwise in the assessment instructions, assessments are to be completed without the aid of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Translation (MT). Failure to comply with this direction may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
Submission:
Assignments for this course will be submitted electronically via Blackboard and using Turnitin.
In uploading an assignment via Turnitin you are certifying that it is your original work, that it has not been copied in whole or part from another person or source except where this is properly acknowledged, and that it has not in whole or part been previously submitted for assessment in any other course at this or any other university.
When you successfully submit your assessment to Turnitin after previewing the uploaded document (to make sure that you have chosen the correct file), you should see the “Submission Complete!” message. After this, a downloadable Digital Receipt will display on your Assignment Dashboard. It is your responsibility to download the Digital Receipt as proof of submission. Turnitin will not send this receipt to you automatically.
If you don’t see the downloadable receipt on your assignment dashboard, you should regard your submission as unsuccessful.
If the submission was not successful:
- Note the error message (preferably take a screenshot).
- Go to your assignment page and see if it is possible to submit again.
- If you cannot submit again, then email your course coordinator immediately.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Unless an extension is granted, penalties for late submission apply. Students are penalised 10% of the maximum possible mark allocated for the assessment item for every calendar day that an assessment item is late.
Marks will be deducted each day for up to 7 calendar days, at which point the submitted item will not receive any marks unless an extension has been approved. Each 24-hour block is triggered from the time the submission is due.
Exam
- In-person
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Examination
- Weight
- 30%
- Due date
End of Semester Exam Period
7/06/2025 - 21/06/2025
Task description
In the final exam you will have two hours in which you will be asked to write THREE short answers. The exam paper will contain three parts, each relating to a part of the course, and you should answer one question from each part.
Assessment tasks are intended to evaluate a student’s abilities, skills, and knowledge. Unless explicitly stated otherwise in the assessment instructions, assessments are to be completed without the aid of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Translation (MT). Failure to comply with this direction may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Exam details
| Planning time | 10 minutes |
|---|---|
| Duration | 120 minutes |
| Calculator options | No calculators permitted |
| Open/closed book | Closed Book examination - no written materials permitted |
| Exam platform | Paper based |
| Invigilation | Invigilated in person |
Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You may be able to defer this exam.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Description |
|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: None of the criteria will have been met. This student will not have addressed the question, shown no or very little evidence of reading and minimal comprehension of the issues at hand. |
| 2 (Fail) |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: None of the criteria will have been met. This student will not have addressed the question, shown no or very little evidence of reading and minimal comprehension of the issues at hand. |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes Course grade description: Falls short of satisfying all basic requirements for a Pass. The student will have demonstrated a minimal grasp of the chosen topic and will have made an effort to establish a single major argument for the essay. The student will have employed some research which correlated with the argument and will have made a visible effort to achieve adequate grammar, spelling and punctuation. Evidence of attempting to achieve a recognisable narrative flow should appear throughout the assignment. This student will have addressed the question, showing evidence of required research and a basic grasp of the issues at hand. |
| 4 (Pass) |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: The student will have demonstrated an adequate grasp of the chosen topic and will have made a reasonable effort to provide evidence to support a visible argument. The student will have employed an adequate research base to support the argument and will have achieved a reasonable, if not completely coherent standard of grammar, spelling, and punctuation. A recognisable narrative flow should be sustained throughout the essay. This student will have answered the question, showing evidence of adequate research and a degree of understanding of the issues at hand. |
| 5 (Credit) |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: The student will have demonstrated a sound grasp of the chosen topic and will have addressed the argument by providing suitable evidence to support an argument. The student will have employed a comprehensive research base that directly relates to the topic though it may not completely support the argument and will have achieved decent levels of competence in grammar, spelling, punctuation and narrative flow. This student will have answered the question in a direct, well supported fashion, showing evidence of some wide reading and a reasonable understanding of the issues at hand. |
| 6 (Distinction) |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: The student will have demonstrated a very good grasp of the chosen topic and will have addressed the argument by providing a considerable amount of evidence to support a clearly stated argument. The student will have employed a reasonably extensive and well-organised research base to structure evidence in support of the argument and will have achieved a high level of competence in grammar, spelling, punctuation and narrative flow. This student will have answered the question in a direct, reasonably sophisticated fashion, employing wide research and showing a sound understanding of the issues at hand. |
| 7 (High Distinction) |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: The student will have demonstrated a highly sophisticated grasp of the topic and will have succeeded in addressing the question by providing a high level of evidence to support a clearly stated argument.ﾠThe student will have employed an extensive and well organised research base to structure evidence in support of the argument and will have achieved impeccable levels of grammar, spelling, punctuation and narrative flow.ﾠThis student will have answered the question in a direct and elegant fashion, employing significant research and showing a deep understanding of the issues at hand. |
Additional course grading information
1. Fail 1 - 19%
2. Fail 20 - 44%
3. Fail 45 – 49%
4. Pass 50 - 64 %
5. Credit 65 - 74 %
6. Distinction 75 - 84 %
7. High Distinction 85 - 100 %
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Additional assessment information
Word Length Penalty
Unless otherwise indicated, in the case of written submissions with a specified word count, you are given a +10% leeway on the upper word limit. If your written submission is over this leeway limit, it will attract a 10 percentage point penalty. For example, if your essay is 1,500 words, you may write up to 1,650 before attracting a word count penalty. If your essay exceeds the upper word limit, it will attract a 10% word count penalty. Therefore, if your essay is worth 40 marks, you will lose 4 marks from your allotted grade. Unless specified, penalties only apply to exceeding the word length, not for failure to write a sufficient amount.
Students should note:
• The Author-date in-text referencing system will count toward the word length;
• References in the Footnote referencing system will not count toward the word length. If you are using footnotes, any content included in footnotes beyond the specific text reference will count towards the word length.
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Library resources are available on the UQ Library website.
Additional learning resources information
Essay Guide
The School of Political Science and International Studies Essay Guide can be downloaded from the School’s Student Support webpage.
The Guide sets out guidelines you should follow in preparing written assignments.
Essay Writing Assistance
The School of Political Science and International Studies schedules regular “drop-in” sessions designed to provide one-on-one advice and assistance in essay planning and writing.
There is no need to make an appointment and you are encouraged to bring your essay with you.
The day and time of these sessions will be finalized at the beginning of each semester and published on the Student Support webpage.
Student Services
Student services offer a variety of short courses during the semester which will help you improve your study, research and writing skills and thus your academic performance in this course.
Library Resources
UQ Library offers training in software, assignment writing, research skills, and publishing and research management.
The University’s library holdings for Political Science and International Studies are primarily located in the Central Library.
There is a help desk in the Library. Students are also welcome to contact the BEL/HASS Librarians for assistance.
Email: librarians@library.uq.edu.au
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Week 1 (24 Feb - 02 Mar) |
Lecture |
Lecture 1: Introduction |
Week 2 (03 Mar - 09 Mar) |
Lecture |
Lecture 2: States of Nature: Politics before the State |
Tutorial |
Tutorial 1: Introduction and States of Nature In this tutorial we will focus on getting to know each other and the course. Then we will explore different ways of understanding the state of nature and think about the relationship between human nature and society. The first reading report will be due this week, so the tutorial will also cover what is expected in the reading reports and which readings to select. |
|
Week 3 (10 Mar - 16 Mar) |
Lecture |
Lecture 3: The Ancients: Tyranny, Oligarchy, Democracy |
Tutorial |
Tutorial 2: Ancient Political Ideas In this tutorial we will explore three different modes of government evident in the ancient world - monarchy, oligarchy, and democracy and examine the advantages and disadvantages of each. |
|
Week 4 (17 Mar - 23 Mar) |
Lecture |
Lecture 4: Medieval Political Ideas |
Tutorial |
Tutorial 3: Medieval to Modern Political Ideas In this tutorial we examine the central ideas of medieval political thought and how and why these changed in the transition to the modern era. |
|
Week 5 (24 Mar - 30 Mar) |
Lecture |
Lecture 5: Political Ideas in Modernity: State and Market |
Tutorial |
Tutorial 4: Research Plan Part 1: Developing a Research Puzzle and Question In this tutorial, we will complete the first part of our research plan for our major essay. We will begin by identifying themes in groups and then work individually will the assistance of the tutor to develop a research puzzle and question. This should be submitted on Turnitin immediately after the tutorial (see assessment). |
|
Week 6 (31 Mar - 06 Apr) |
Lecture |
Lecture 6: Liberalism |
Tutorial |
Tutorial 5: Liberalism and Conservatism In this tutorial we will examine the core ideas of liberalism and conservatism. We will explore the similarities and differences between them as well as consider how these traditions have evolved over time. |
|
Week 7 (07 Apr - 13 Apr) |
Lecture |
Lecture 7: Conservatism |
Tutorial |
Tutorial 6: Research Planning In this tutorial we will work with the help of our tutor to complete research planning for our major essay. See assessment for more information. |
|
Week 8 (14 Apr - 20 Apr) |
Lecture |
Lecture 8: Feminism |
Week 9 (28 Apr - 04 May) |
Lecture |
Lecture 9: Marxism and Totalitarianism |
Week 10 (05 May - 11 May) |
Lecture |
Lecture 10: Social Democracy: End of the Consensus? |
Tutorial |
Tutorial 7: Feminism and Social Democracy: The Politics of Now? In this tutorial we examine different varieties of feminism and social democracy and explore how they shape contemporary politics. We also consider challenges from populism, neo-liberalism, and neo-conservatism to ask whether and how our political ideas are changing. |
|
Week 11 (12 May - 18 May) |
Lecture |
Lecture 11: Indigenous Political Thought |
Tutorial |
Tutorial 8: Indigenous Political Thought In this tutorial we examine indigenous political thought, its key ideas, and the politics of indigineity and reconciliation. |
|
Week 12 (19 May - 25 May) |
Lecture |
Lecture 12. Ecologism |
Tutorial |
Tutorial 9: Ecologism In our final tutorial we will review the course and examine different approaches to ecologism. As it is the final tutorial we will also discuss final progress on your essays and prepare for the final exam. |
|
Week 13 (26 May - 01 Jun) |
Lecture |
Lecture 13.Political Ideas After the End of History |
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments - Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.