Why study political economy at Sydney
Felicity Wade, Master of Political Economy graduate 2012
The Master of Political Economy equips you to understand how economics, power and social life interact, and will develop your analytical skills from across the social sciences.
Our units of study address many of the critical issues of our time, including global inequality and the ways in which asset ownership is transforming contemporary capitalism, country risk, uneven development and its impact on poverty, wellbeing and growth, the role of China in the global economy, international financial crises and environmental sustainability. These are supported by core units on theory in political economy, historical and contemporary Australian capitalism and the dynamics of economic change. Individual dissertation projects complete your training, allowing you to demonstrate your ability to analyse and communicate in-depth research to employers.
Political Economy looks at the humans behind the data, and the social impact of economic policy.
Political Economy sets you up for all sort of ways to be in the world. It sets you up for being in that big public discussion about what sort of country, what sort of world we’re going to live in in the future.
Learn from leaders in the field
The University of Sydney has the largest number of political economists in Australia, and is affiliated with world-renowned scholars such as Greece’s former Finance Minister, Honorary Professor Yanis Varoufakis.
You will learn from leading academics that have worked with and advised the Reserve Bank of Australia, the Asian Development Bank, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, utilities such as Energy Australia and Sydney Water, and Federal and State Government Departments and Regulatory Agencies
As a postgraduate student you have the opportunity to publish articles and engage with an online community that spans the globe, through the discipline’s award-winning Progress in Political Economy (PPE) blog.
The PPE blog gives students a platform to contribute to contemporary debates on social and political issues, alongside academics and highly respected authors and journalists, such as the British commentator Paul Mason, and Australia’s leading political economist, Emeritus Professor Frank Stilwell.
The ability to have your work published, collaborate with experts in the field, and build up your networks all before you graduate is incredibly valuable.
Expand your career opportunities
The analytical skills and economic and policy knowledge gained through the Master of Political Economy enables graduates to work in various roles across business, the public sector, journalism, and the social and community sectors.
Our graduates can be found in the Federal Treasury and other government Departments, the Asian Development Bank, international management consultancy Nous Group, various peak industry bodies, in Think Tanks, Google and other fintech companies, ABC News and the offices of Members of Parliament.
To apply and learn more about our Master of Political Economy, visit the course page here.